A $400M Fund's Contrarian Bet Against AI Startups | Denis x spectup

He Raised $10 Billion In Private Equity | Sam Tidswell-Norrish x spectup

Raising capital in private equity is a relationship game, and few people have played it at Sam Tidswell-Norrish's level. He helped raise nearly $10 billion across private equity funds. In this episode he breaks down how fundraising, deal sourcing, and investor relations actually work, on both sides of the table. Sam sat down with Niclas Schlopsna, partner at spectup, on Deal Makers (& Fakers) to cover the capital raising playbook most founders and fund managers learn too late: * The 7 Ps every LP checks before they wire a single dollar * Why your product in private equity is performance, not your fund * Private equity fundraising vs startup fundraising, and what carries over * How to build relationships with investors and LPs before you ever need money * Why there are now more PE firms in the US than McDonald's, and how to stand out * The networking system behind a $10B career: the pens, and the LinkedIn message that landed a legendary inventor on his board Whether you're a founder raising your first round, a manager raising your first fund, or an investor sourcing deals, this is direct, real-world advice from someone who has done all three. Sam Tidswell-Norrish was Managing Director and Founding Team Member at Motive Partners, runs capital raising and investor relations at Access Holdings, and chairs OPUS, a global community for early-stage founders. Chapters: 0:00 Meeting Sam at Super Return in Berlin 1:44 The most overused word in fundraising 3:03 What OPUS actually is 6:56 From the Barclays trading floor to private equity 8:11 Building Motive Partners and raising ~$10B 11:04 How to start a PE firm from scratch 13:01 Ten firms die for every one that survives 15:14 Your product is performance 15:52 Private equity vs startup fundraising 18:03 The 7 Ps of raising a fund 19:22 More PE firms than McDonald's 20:39 Why a raise takes 24 months 21:47 Building FOMO and scarcity 22:47 Keeping investor relationships warm 25:04 The pen-on-hand system 26:34 The General Magic and LinkedIn story 33:04 Inside the $2.2M OPUS raise 36:54 Why OPUS is becoming a VC 43:03 Why they say no to most deals 47:08 What makes a founder a killer 48:01 The weekend call test 51:48 One piece of advice for each path At spectup, we've helped 100+ startups and investors raise capital and build for scale. Ready to get investor-ready? Let's talk → spectup.com [https://spectup.com] Subscribe for weekly founder stories and fundraising breakdowns from people who've actually done it. What's the hardest part of raising capital for you right now? Drop it below. We reply to every comment. Guest: Sam Tidswell-Norrish, Access Holdings. Chair of OPUS. Founding Team Member, Motive Partners. LinkedIn:

He Raised $10 Billion and His Secret Weapon Is Networking

Capital raising in private equity is a relationship game, and Sam has played it at the highest level. He helped raise nearly $10 billion across private equity funds, and his best deal-making tool is a pub he bought in London. In this clip from Deal Makers (& Fakers), Sam breaks down the capital raising and networking system behind a $10B career: how he builds relationships with investors and LPs, sources deals, and turns cold outreach into warm intros. The pens, the pub, and the LinkedIn message that put one of tech's most important inventors on his board. Sam co-built Motive Partners, runs capital raising and investor relations at Access Holdings, and chairs Opus, a global community for early-stage founders raising their first rounds. If you're a founder raising capital, an investor sourcing deals, or anyone trying to understand how fundraising and private equity really work, this clip is for you. The full episode covers the 7 Ps of raising a fund, private equity fundraising vs startup fundraising, why there are more PE firms than McDonald's, and how to build investor relationships before you ever need money. 🎙 Full episode → Dropping this Friday! 📣 Subscribe for weekly fundraising and capital raising breakdowns from people who've actually done it. #privateequity #venturecapital #fundraising #capitalraising #startupadvice #founderstories #deals #investors #shorts

A College Dropout Raised $15M to Build a University

How to Raise Venture Capital - Deal Makers PodcastHow to Raise Venture Capital (Relationships Over Pitch Decks) In this episode, N26 co-founder and former CTO Christian Rebernik breaks down the fundraising playbook he used to raise around $15M for Tomorrow University and what he looks for now as an angel investor. Christian helped build N26 into one of Europe's largest digital banks, securing its banking license and core banking system. Before that he was CTO at Parship and Awin, co-created the UN World Food Programme's ShareTheMeal app, and founded the healthtech company Vivy (20M+ users across 37 insurers). Today he is co-founder, CEO and Chancellor of Tomorrow University of Applied Sciences, and an active startup investor. What You'll Learn * Why the worst time to raise capital is when you actually need it * The introduction strategy that beats cold outreach every time * Why investors back people, not pitch decks, in the early rounds * How valuation moves in steps, not a straight line, and when to raise * The term sheet details that quietly cost founders control (and why Elon keeps 80% of SpaceX) * How to raise venture capital for a company VCs don't immediately understand Whether you're raising your first round or building an angel portfolio, this is direct, real-world fundraising and startup advice from someone who has sat on both sides of the table. About Spectup At Spectup, we've helped 100+ startups and investors raise capital and build for scale. Ready to get investor-ready? Let's talk → spectup.com [https://spectup.com] Subscribe for weekly founder stories and fundraising breakdowns from people who've actually done it. What's the hardest part of fundraising for you right now? Drop it in the comments. We reply to every one. Guest Christian Rebernik, Co-Founder & CEO, Tomorrow University. Former CTO & Co-Founder, N26.

He Raised $15M for EdTech Startup without Cold Emails

A College Dropout Raised $15M and Built Europe's First Accredited University Christian Rebernik was the CTO who helped N26 win its banking license and become one of Europe's largest digital banks. Now he's co-founder and CEO of Tomorrow University and an active angel investor. In the full episode he breaks down the fundraising lessons most founders learn too late: * Why the worst time to raise venture capital is when you actually need it * Why investors back people, not pitch decks * The term sheet details that quietly cost founders control of their own company Watch the Full Episode Tomorrow at 1:30 pm About Spectup Capital advisory for companies raising from institutional investors (family office, VC, private equity) and for GPs raising a new fund and need intros to Limited partners. Ready to get investor-ready? Let's talk → spectup.com [https://spectup.com] Subscribe Subscribe for weekly founder stories and fundraising breakdowns from people who've actually done it. Join the Conversation What's the hardest part of fundraising for you right now? Drop it in the comments.

A $400M Fund's Contrarian Bet Against AI Startups | Denis x spectup

What happens when a rocket scientist reviews over 11,000 pitch decks to completely challenge mainstream venture capital trends, and what is the venture capital strategy behind funded startups? In this exclusive episode, we reveal why a $400M New York fund is passing on standard software loops to invest heavily in the physical industries building the future. In this powerful episode of Deal Makers & Fakers, Niclas Schlöpsna sits down with Denis, the visionary lead behind 2BF Global Ventures, a premier New York-based venture capital firm commanding over $400 million in assets under management. Drawing from his fifth consecutive fund and an impressive portfolio featuring market leaders like ServiceTitan and Fubo, Denis shares a contrarian investment thesis that directly opposes standard industry logic. As a former rocket scientist holding dual Master's Degrees from the prestigious Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, he has built one of the world's most foundational global communities for SpaceTech founders. What You'll Learn in This Video Podcast • How to align your goals with the expectations of an experienced investment fund manager - The $400M Fund Thesis: Inside the capital allocation strategy of 2BF Global Ventures' fifth active fund - 11,000 Pitch Decks Decoded: The core patterns, fatal errors, and traction markers analyzed across 12 years of venture profiling - The Frontier Tech Paradox: Why a trained rocket scientist focuses on heavy foundational industries over fleeting digital trends - Building a SpaceTech Community: Deconstructing how specialized global networks help niche tech operators scale efficiently - The Contrarian Investor Mindset: Overcoming standard analyst groupthink to capture exceptional value in uncrowded, high-barrier markets About spectup At spectup, we provide premium, high-stakes capital advisory for founders looking to scale their impact. We believe in building a future where innovation and responsibility go hand-in-hand. Subscribe for weekly startup funding advice and analysis. Tell us in the comments which part of the venture capital strategy process you want us to cover next. #spectup #VentureCapital #FrontierTech #SpaceTech #StartupFundraising #InvestorPsychology #CorporateFinance #Entrepreneurship #CapitalAdvisory