Sandro Stark: GP at Vanagon.vc Backing FrontierTech from Munich/DACH to the World | YUVC Podcast #27

Marianne Abib-Pech: t1st.vc's Managing Partner on Leadership, Industrial Transition | YUVC Podcast #29

Marianne Abib-Pech is the Managing Partner at Transitions First, an early-stage deep tech venture fund accelerating industrial transitions, backing industrial start-ups from advanced deep-tech ecosystems such as Silicon Valley, France, and Israel. Takeaways ✨ Venture Capital to Marianne * Finance with a twist (everything is finance) * Creativity incorporated * A strong focus on people and relationships Why industrial startups? * a market representing a $3 trillion opportunity * only 1% of venture capital dollars in * potential for acquisition by multinationals made it a venture case Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:07 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=7s] Introducing Marianne and Her Background 00:37 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=37s] Early Influences and Career Path 02:41 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=161s] The Journey from CFO to Venture Capitalist 03:58 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=238s] The Role of Finance in Venture Capital 08:51 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=531s] Leadership and Its Evolution 14:21 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=861s] The Importance of Diversity in Leadership 20:15 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=1215s] Transitioning to Venture Capital 20:29 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=1229s] Focus on Industrial Venture Capital 23:31 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=1411s] Investing Across Europe and the US 26:51 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=1611s] Challenges in French Venture Capital 28:09 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=1689s] Navigating Market Barriers 28:56 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=1736s] Strategic Market Entry 31:17 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=1877s] Criteria for Investment 32:54 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=1974s] Innovative Startups and Technologies 39:58 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=2398s] Philosophy and Future of the Fund 44:48 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=2688s] Personal Insights and Leadership 50:47 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbAzNowfNhU&t=3047s] Conclusion and Final Thoughts PODCAST LINKS: * Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com [https://www.whyyouvc.com/] * Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN [https://apple.co/3V4FyQN] * Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg [https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg] * RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss] * Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc [https://bit.ly/whyyouvc] SOCIAL LINKS: * X: https://x.com/whyyouvc [https://x.com/whyyouvc] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc [https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc] * RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred] * Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili] * Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com [whyyouvc@gmail.com] GUEST LINKS: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianneabibpech/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianneabibpech/] * Transitions First: https://t1st.vc [https://t1st.vc/]

Sandro Stark: GP at Vanagon.vc Backing FrontierTech from Munich/DACH to the World | YUVC Podcast #27

Sandro Stark is Co-Founder and General Partner at Vanagon Ventures, backing digital solutions that confront the climate and biodiversity crisis head-on. Previously, he was the Global Innovation Lead at Allianz and Industry Executive at Microsoft. Takeaways ✨ 1. Vanagon’s approach to startup evaluation * Distribution capability is now the key differentiator, not just technical innovation * Customer "stickiness" and deep industry understanding * The solution must demonstrate both climate impact and profit potential 2. Why is Munich's ecosystem strategic? * Part of DACH region - third-largest market globally after China and US * Rich concentration of technical talent and corporate headquarters * Untapped potential in Mittelstand venture engagement 3. What's the philosophy behind sustainable success? * Don't postpone happiness for future achievements * True leadership creates more leaders, not followers * Consistent effort matters more than breakthrough moments Now listen in for more insights! ❤ Outline 😎 🎬 00:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WdEj3ZJzaE&t=0s] Introduction and Tough Timing 💡 00:55 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WdEj3ZJzaE&t=55s] Early Signs of Entrepreneurship 💻 02:05 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WdEj3ZJzaE&t=125s] Career at Microsoft and Transition to Venture Capital 🚀 03:45 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WdEj3ZJzaE&t=225s] Defining Frontier Tech and Investment Focus 🏢 05:03 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WdEj3ZJzaE&t=303s] Founding Vanagon VC 💪 08:58 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WdEj3ZJzaE&t=538s] Challenges and Resilience in Fundraising 📈 11:19 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WdEj3ZJzaE&t=679s] Investment Strategies and Success Stories ⚖️ 19:06 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WdEj3ZJzaE&t=1146s] Balancing Work and Personal Life 🧠 30:03 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WdEj3ZJzaE&t=1803s] Reflections and Philosophical Insights 🎤 34:16 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WdEj3ZJzaE&t=2056s] Conclusion and Final Thoughts Links 🔗 PODCAST LINKS: * Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com [https://www.whyyouvc.com/] * Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN [https://apple.co/3V4FyQN] * Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg [https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg] * RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss] * Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc [https://bit.ly/whyyouvc] SOCIAL LINKS: * X: https://x.com/whyyouvc [https://x.com/whyyouvc] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc [https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc] * RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred] * Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili] * Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com [whyyouvc@gmail.com] GUEST LINKS: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrostark/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrostark/] * Vanagon: https://www.vanagon.vc/ [https://www.vanagon.vc/] * Vanagon on X: https://x.com/vanagon_vc [https://x.com/vanagon_vc] * Vanagon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vanagon/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/vanagon/]

Christian Guba: Most Opinionated Climate Tech VC@Extantia's €204M Fund | YUVC Podcast #26

Christian Guba is Principal at Extantia’s flagship €204M Fund and previously Principal at Foodlabs, leading their €100M foodtech investments. Eugene Foo: What are the major obstacles hindering Germany's and Europe's progress in the tech race? Christian Guba: 1) a need for a mindset shift towards greater ambition and salesmanship 2) the lack of a unified European domestic market leading to country-by-country regulatory hurdles 3) excessive regulation hindering innovation (exemplified by the anecdote about plastic bottle cap regulations) Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:00 - Introduction to ClimateTech Challenges 00:20 - Introduced by Han Shen at iFly.vc [http://ifly.vc/] 01:49 - Career Journey and Early Influences 04:38 - Venture Capital Insights 05:37 - International Experience in Taipei 07:52 - Lessons from Different VC Firms 10:46 - Specializing in ClimateTech and FoodTech 14:36 - Alternative Protein Technologies 20:09 - Investor Perspectives on FoodTech 28:10 - Tackling Market Inefficiencies in Renewable Energy 28:39 - Exciting Startups and Technological Innovations 30:40 - Challenges in Germany’s Energy Sector 31:53 - Technology’s Role in Solving Daily Pain Points 32:41 - Investment Strategies and Nuclear Fusion 34:16 - Berlin as a Tech Hub 38:50 - Mindset and Market Challenges in Europe 43:48 - ClimateTech and Green Solutions 48:59 - Personal Reflections and Lessons Learned 51:31 - The Meaning of Life and Future Ventures PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com [https://www.whyyouvc.com/] • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN [https://apple.co/3V4FyQN] • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg [https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg] • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss] • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc [https://bit.ly/whyyouvc] SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc [https://x.com/whyyouvc] • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc [https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc/] • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred] • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili] • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com [whyyouvc@gmail.com] GUEST LINKS: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianguba/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianguba/] • Extantia: https://www.extantia.com/ [https://www.extantia.com/]

Jing Wang: WeRide’s Venture Investor, 15 Years VC Investing in China | YUVC Podcast #25

Jing Wang is the venture investor of recently Nasdaq-listed WeRide, the World's First IPO of Universal Autonomous Driving Technology Company. A partner at Sky9 Capital with 15 years of experience, Jing joined YUVC for an in-depth podcast. Eugene Foo: You classify founders based on traits, similar to how Olympic events are categorized into three types: systematic image, extreme breakthrough, and environmental. What is the basis for this classification? Jing Wang: The classification reflects event characteristics: systematic image events (e.g., football) rely on strong systems, extreme breakthrough events (e.g., track and field) focus on individual performance, and environmental events (e.g., snow sports) emphasize adaptability. This showcases the diverse demands on founder profile. 00:20 - Venture Capital: US vs. China 00:43 - Jing’s Background and 15-Year Journey 04:34 - Founding the Venture Campus 04:55 - Evolution and Growth of the Venture Campus 08:23 - Investment Philosophy and Strategies 12:38 - Challenges in Venture Capital 18:58 - Evaluating Entrepreneurial Projects 23:59 - The Obsession Factor in Investments 24:35 - Experience and Its Role in Decision Making 25:09 - Managing Conflicts and Discussions 25:58 - Assessing Project Risks and Opportunities 26:46 - The Power of Thorough Discussions 28:13 - Unpacking the Concept of Risk Investment 31:06 - Evolving Investment Strategies Over Time 34:58 - Role of the Combat Intelligence Center 41:20 - Future Trends in Risk Investment 47:16 - Human Nature and Technological Innovation 49:04 - Reflections on Life and Experience PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com [https://www.whyyouvc.com/] • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN [https://apple.co/3V4FyQN] • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg [https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg] • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss] • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc [https://bit.ly/whyyouvc] SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc [https://x.com/whyyouvc] • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc [https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc/] • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred] • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili] • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com [whyyouvc@gmail.com] GUEST LINKS: • Sky9 Capital: https://www.sky9capital.com/ [https://www.sky9capital.com/]

Danijel Višević: Building Europe’s Largest 1st-Time ClimateTech VC, 5 Yrs Working with Angela Merkel | YUVC Podcast #24

Danijel Višević is Co-Founder and General Partner at World Fund, Europe’s Largest 1st-Time Climate Tech Fund. Danijel Višević shares his journey working with Angela Merkel, transitioning from journalism to founding one of the largest first-time climate tech funds, and the importance of bold investments in decarbonization technologies. Eugene Foo: What edge does being an immigrant investor give you? Danijel Višević: Coming from a less privileged background instilled a resilience and lack of fear regarding hardship. A sense of gratitude for opportunities and empathy and the ability to shift perspectives, leading to better understanding and decision-making. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:00 - European Climate Fund Challenges 00:38 - Personal Journey 01:34 - Climate Tech 06:06 - Immigrant Investor 08:59 - Failures and Lessons 14:47 - Angela Merkel’s Influence 16:44 - Transitioning into Venture Capital 19:04 - A Day in the Life of a General Partner 22:15 - The Genesis of World Fund 28:21 - Scalability Challenges for European Companies 28:53 - Spotlight on Portfolio Companies 30:41 - The Significance of Battery Recycling 31:54 - Dietary Choices and Environmental Impact 33:54 - Contrarian Perspectives on Impact and Profit 37:59 - The Future of World Fund and Berlin’s Startup Scene 42:23 - Germany and Europe: Challenges and Opportunities 52:12 - Personal Reflections and Philosophy PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com [https://www.whyyouvc.com/] • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN [https://apple.co/3V4FyQN] • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg [https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg] • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss] • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc [https://bit.ly/whyyouvc] SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc [https://x.com/whyyouvc] • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc [https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc/] • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred] • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili [https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili] • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com [whyyouvc@gmail.com] GUEST LINKS: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/visevic/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/visevic/] • Medium: https://visevic.medium.com/ [https://visevic.medium.com/] • Personal Website: https://www.visevic.de/ [https://www.visevic.de/] • World Fund: https://www.worldfund.vc/ [https://www.worldfund.vc/]