VC | E523 | Why Solo GPs Are Europe’s Secret Weapon

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC Podcast, where we bring you the people and perspectives shaping European venture.This week, Andreas Munk Holm is joined by Sarah Drinkwater, Founding Partner at Common Magic, and Anthony Danon, Founder at Rerail, for a deep dive into the rise of solo GPs and micro funds in Europe. Together, they unpack the forces driving this new wave of intentional, nimble VC—why it’s working, how it's evolving, and what it takes to win.It’s a conversation that builds on their stage debate at the EUVC Summit—this time going deeper into headless rounds, syndication dynamics, the next generation of angel investors, and the very real personal decisions behind going solo.🎯 This Episode’s Themes:Why the solo GP model fits today’s best foundersThe rise of “headless rounds” and what makes them workThe art (and risk) of conviction without consensusThe future of angels, from weekend warriors to fund managersWhat’s next for micro funds in Europe—and why some won’t make itHere’s what’s covered:00:22 | Solo Love: The magic of being founder-picked and founder-aligned01:30 | Angel Roots: Why Sarah and Anthony bet small before going big04:00 | Market Dynamics: The squeeze between seed giants and multistage platforms06:30 | Why Small Wins: Flexibility, focus, and belief in outlier founders09:00 | Micro Syndication: Why solo GPs are finally co-leading in Europe13:00 | The Reserve Question: What happens when founders need more capital?16:00 | Conviction Building: The difference between borrowing belief and earning it20:00 | Headless Rounds: The founder-led raise and its pros and cons24:30 | Next Round Realities: Why leads don’t always do the heavy lifting27:00 | Angel Competition: How to win without bidding wars31:00 | Angel Education: Power law, concentration risk & the need for fresh blood38:00 | Going Solo: The case for building your own lemonade stand44:00 | The Big Firm Tradeoff: Coordination, politics, and the limits of scale47:00 | Looking Ahead: What’s next for Europe’s micro fund wave

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm is joined by Colin Knight, a leading coach in the startup ecosystem, and Mike Reiner, co-founder of 432 Legacy, to dive deep into the emotional and relational dynamics that power — and often derail — the venture journey.This conversation is part of the Venture Beyond initiative: a space to reflect on the human side of venture, supporting founders and investors in building intentional teams, resilient cultures, and sustainable energy for the long game.Here’s what’s covered:02:15 – What is Venture Beyond? (feat. 432 Legacy & Stride VC)05:00 – “Peeling the Onion”: Relationships → Team → Role → Self10:30 – Power dynamics and pitching: resetting the foundation22:00 – The myth of pleasing and the power of check-ins29:00 – Why VC firms struggle as teams38:00 – Role transitions: letting go of identity and control44:00 – The “Colin Column”: Why am I doing this?47:00 – The Self: Paying the price of transformation49:00 – Outcome addiction vs. joy in the journey55:00 – Energy is everything: what drains you, what fuels you57:30 – Finding your inner peace in a mad world

Welcome back to another episode of the EUVC Podcast, your trusted inside track on the people, deals, and dynamics shaping European venture.This week, Dan Bowyer and Mads Jensen of SuperSeed and Lomax from Outsized Ventures, gather to unpack the macro forces and micro signals shaping European tech and venture.They unpack the defense boom powering Europe’s deep tech surge — and ask whether startups should rush in or sit this wave out. They break down OpenAI’s next big product moves, the battle for browser dominance, and whether we’re already at peak LLM. They ask if working from home quietly kills startup culture (and what actually keeps it alive). And they check in on Trump’s tariffs, Europe’s big tech fines, and the resilience playbook that’s pulling startups deeper into geopolitics.If you’re investing, building, or just trying to make sense of where Europe’s venture scene goes next — this one’s for you.Here’s what’s covered02:00 | The defense boom: Europe’s rearmament momentHow Germany has overtaken the UK in startup funding for the first time — and why defense, dual-use, and resilience are fueling the deep tech wave.04:50 | Moral lines: should you build in defense?Mads, Lomax and Andrew debate whether there’s an ethical red line — and if Europe’s founders should follow the money or sit this one out.08:40 | Peak LLM? OpenAI launches a browserIs OpenAI eating Google’s lunch? Mads explains why a new browser isn’t just a gimmick — it’s a data moat and a massive ad market play.12:00 | The new search wars & what founders should doLomax breaks down how SEO is dead — GEO (generative engine optimization) is in. Why this shift is reshaping startup distribution playbooks.15:30 | Grok 4, Elon & the next frontierMads explains how Musk’s Grok leapfrogged benchmarks — and why the next LLM battle is all about compute, data quality, and Nvidia’s $4T edge.18:50 | Does working from home kill culture?Are great companies built on Slack or in person? The crew unpacks why strong culture is more than values on a wall — and why the best teams come together.25:00 | Trump’s tariffs: a real threat or priced in?Why markets barely shrug at Trump’s latest trade threats — and what selective escalation could mean for European startups this autumn.29:00 | UK startup stats: steady but smallEight billion raised, a handful of unicorns minted — but the US is still 20x bigger. Why the same structural issues keep the UK from scaling like Silicon Valley.33:15 | Big Tech vs Europe: do the fines matter?From DMA penalties to encrypted chat backdoors, the team debates whether Brussels’ big fines work — and who really pays the price.38:10 | Deal of the Week: Eutelsat’s €1.35B resilience playWhy Europe’s sovereign satellite champion matters — and why Lomax wants them to rebrand fast.

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC Podcast, where we bring you the people and perspectives shaping European venture.This week, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Nicholas Nelson, founding GP of Archangel, the new defense-first fund going all in on the blunt reality of European strategic autonomy.Nicholas is no newcomer to this. From advising governments to serving in Afghanistan, launching syndicates, or building dual-use bridges when few wanted to touch defense, he’s stayed on the same mission while the market shifted all around him.In this episode, Nicholas breaks down why Europe needs unapologetic defense-first investing, why dual-use alone won’t cut it, and what founders, LPs, and co-investors must face up to if they’re serious about Europe’s sovereignty.Here’s what’s covered:00:00 | Nicholas Nelson’s journey: from service to syndicates to Archangel02:00 | Two decades of doing defense before it was cool04:00 | Why now? Why real defense? Why not just dual-use?07:00 | The war tech shift: tanks out, rapid iteration in10:00 | Ukraine’s ‘hourly sprints’—why on-the-ground matters13:00 | Deterrence, lethality & Europe’s strategic gap16:00 | When dual-use brands muddy the water (and why that’s risky)19:00 | The bullets & bombs dilemma: investing when LPs say no22:00 | Primes, vendor lock & the truth about the military industrial complex26:00 | ESG tensions: Europe’s extra layer of complexity30:00 | The pan-European Anduril myth—why it doesn’t map34:00 | Local vs. pan-European scaling: what’s realistic37:00 | Exit routes & why the big growth rounds go abroad40:00 | The flywheel we didn’t get to—coming in part two

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC Podcast, where we bring you the people and perspectives shaping European venture.This time, we flip the mic: Jeppe Høier, normally the host, steps into the hot seat in a conversation with Francesco Di Lorenzo, Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at CBS and an expert on entrepreneurial and innovation strategy.In this episode, you’ll get the full backstory on Jeppe—from PwC to CFO at a pan-European fund, Heartcore Capital, to building Maersk’s CVC arm, and now shaping Europe’s corporate VC landscape through the EU CVC podcast, newsletter, and summit.They dive deep into how corporate venture works (and fails), why the immune system metaphor holds true, and what’s needed to build an ecosystem across Europe that actually delivers.🎯 This Podcast’s Themes:From finance to strategy: Jeppe’s journey into ventureWhy CVC is more organ transplant than M&AHow to survive 3 CEOs—and why you mustFund of funds vs. direct investing: what’s trending in corporate ventureBuilding Europe’s corporate VC community: podcast, masterclasses, summitsHere’s what’s covered:00:00 | From Interviews to the Interviewee: Jeppe in the spotlight02:00 | Auditor Turned VC: From PwC to CFO of a pan-European fund04:30 | The Maersk Years: Strategy, innovation, and the “immune system”07:00 | Organ Transplant Theory: Why CVCs often get rejected10:00 | Newsletter to Podcast: Building the EU CVC platform12:00 | The European Vision: A fragmented but collaborative ecosystem14:00 | Strategic vs Financial Tension: Why most corporates are confused16:00 | Global Case Studies: TDK Ventures, Woven Capital, Maersk Growth21:00 | The Pivot Playbook: Survive, evolve, stay relevant23:30 | How to Do CVC Right: From metrics to mindset25:00 | Fund of Funds 101: What corporates need to know27:00 | Advice to MBAs: Learn the craft, love the long gameWatch it here or add it to your episodes on Apple or Spotify 🎧. Chapters for easy navigation are available on the Spotify/Apple episode.

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Julia Binder (IMD), Manuel Braun (Impact Hub), and Enrique Molina (CircularCo) to unpack the evolving world of circular venture. They dive into why circularity should be viewed as a horizontal investment lens — not a niche — and how startups across materials, manufacturing, and infrastructure are already proving out scalable models.From textile dyeing to resale logistics and digital product passports, the group highlights how circularity intersects with every vertical and why now is the time for more GPs and LPs to get involved.Here’s what’s covered:00:50 – “We don’t invest in dumb things”: The Pale Blue Dot mindset02:30 – Why current supply chains reward harm — and how venture can reverse it04:30 – Startups vs. corporates: Who’s best positioned to drive change?07:40 – 5 monetizable circular business model archetypes12:10 – What infra is needed to scale circularity?15:00 – Real-world startups & back-end enablers in resale, reuse & track-and-trace18:00 – Circularity: Horizontal lens or vertical category?23:00 – Where capital is flowing: Startups, funds & LPs getting serious26:00 – Hype cycles: AI ascendant, circularity under the radar28:00 – Building ecosystems: Infrastructure, co-opetition, and collective voice31:00 – Final call: Why everyone — from founders to family offices — must engage

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC Impact Highlight, where we bring you the people and perspectives pushing the boundaries of purpose-driven venture. This week, August Solliv sits down with Dougie Sloan, Managing Director, Impact Venture at Better Society Capital, and Jacqueline van den Ende, Co-founder & CEO of Carbon Equity, to explore how we unlock billions for climate action by rethinking the very architecture of venture capital.Together, they dive into how Carbon Equity is turning everyday citizens into climate LPs, why “retail” doesn’t mean amateur, and how tech, transparency, and trust can finally bring impact investing to scale.This episode’s themes:Why climate finance is stuck—and how we build new pipesReimagining access: giving more people a seat at the capital tableThe rise of the prosumer LP: conviction, education, and agencyBridging alpha and impact without trade-offsRedesigning private markets for participation at scaleHere’s what’s covered:00:30 Jacqueline’s journey: from traditional VC to climate capital rebel02:15 The climate capital gap: why only 2% of VC goes to climate tech03:45 Institutional capital vs. bold innovation: the trust mismatch05:30 Rethinking “retail”: building for a sophisticated next-gen LP07:00 Tech as an enabler: onboarding, transparency, and scale08:45 What private market investors need (and don’t get today)10:00 Productizing the LP experience: clarity, ownership, conviction11:45 How Carbon Equity builds education into capital deployment13:00 The vision: mobilizing the masses without dumbing things down14:30 Impact with returns: challenging the trade-off fallacy16:00 What’s next: tokenisation, retail regulation, and unlocking access

Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC podcast, where we connect and champion the voices shaping European venture. Today, we spotlight Lorenzo Franzi, Founding Partner at the Italian Founders Fund, to explore how a new generation of fund managers is reshaping Italy's startup landscape—and why deep empathy, focused strategy, and intentional market building are the foundation.Lorenzo opens up about his journey from angel investor to institutional VC, shares insights on navigating Italy’s regulatory landscape, and explains why now is the time to believe in the Italian opportunity.Here's what's covered:02:00 Why Fund Strategy Starts With Empathy: How Lorenzo’s unique experience grounds his founder-first approach05:15 The Thesis of Italian Founders Fund: A triad of Italy, diaspora, and inbound startups08:10 Why There Are No Small Funds in Italy: Structural barriers and the missing middle12:44 Data-Driven Support at Scale: Building productized VC operations16:02 Market Maturation: Applying Foundamental's venture framework to Italy19:00 Building an Edge through Focus: A concentrated portfolio with proximity-driven value22:30 From Angels to Institutions: What the Italian startup scene needs next25:50 Forget Unicorn Chasing: Why the alpha strategy matters more at pre-seed28:40 Is Now the Time to Back Italy? Lorenzo’s bet and what makes it different30:18 Ecosystem Building Through Visibility: Why global VCs must come meet local founders

Welcome back to another episode of the EUVC Podcast, your trusted inside track on the people, deals, and dynamics shaping European venture.This week, Dan Bowyer and Mads Jensen of SuperSeed and Lomax from Outsized Ventures, gather to unpack the macro forces and micro signals shaping European tech and venture.They sit down to break down the two sides of the IPO market: the soaring optimism behind Figma’s public debut — and the deep freeze that’s hit London listings harder than at any time since before the dot-com crash.They also unpack what Figma’s $730M paper loss means, how vertical AI is the next generation of SaaS, and what the UK must fix to stand a chance in the global listings race.If you’re investing, building, or just trying to make sense of the markets this summer — this one’s for you.Here’s what’s covered02:30 | AI infra’s moment & CoreWeave hypeWhy infra plays like CoreWeave and Circle have the market buzzing — but vertical AI is where the next SaaS returns lie.04:50 | Figma’s $730M paper loss explainedMad breaks down the headline figure, the failed Adobe deal, the FTC veto, and why this IPO is about fundamentals — not hype.08:20 | Tender offer drama & employee moraleHow Figma’s $20B exit fizzled — and the May 2024 tender to keep teams motivated ahead of listing.12:00 | Figma as a bellwether for design & vertical AIWhy product-led SaaS is shifting toward deep vertical AI workflows — and what that means for investors.15:45 | London: the slowest IPO H1 in nearly 30 yearsCounter to the US’s $9B+ haul in 12 deals, London managed just $160M across five listings. A brutal gap.18:10 | Worse than dot-com. Worse than ‘08.Dan & Mad put the numbers in perspective: this is the weakest stretch since before many listeners were born.26:15 | Dual-class shares & free float: too little too late?Why tweaking share classes & float minimums is more copy-paste than innovation — and not the real fix.35:20 | The ESG paradox & listing tensionWhere does London’s ESG edge help — and where does it push big companies abroad?40:15 | US vs UK capital markets: talent, trust & scaleWhy founders and funds still flock to New York — and the structural advantages London must address.44:30 | Can London fight back?What would it actually take to make London relevant again for growth listings? Dan’s realist take.50:00 | Lessons from Figma for foundersWhy strong fundamentals still matter — and how the tender saga shows the cost of employee trust.55:00 | The vertical AI playbook: Europe’s edge?Where Europe’s sector expertise might win if it can get capital markets working again.

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm talks with Paolo Pio and Matt Cooper, Founding Partners of Exceptional Ventures, to unpack their mission-driven approach to health and wellness investing. They dive into “Joyspan®”, their unique investment thesis which centres on a personal balance between health and happiness, and the growing need to separate science from hype in health tech.Here’s what’s covered:02:53 Paolo Pio's Journey to Venture Capital05:52 Matt Cooper's Accidental Path to VC14:57 Unique Positioning in the Venture Ecosystem17:46 The Importance of Entrepreneurial Integrity20:55 Navigating the European Venture Landscape24:08 Investment Strategies and Value Creation28:03 Developing Future Leaders in Venture Capital31:01 The Mission of Joyspan®: Health, Wellbeing, and Happiness36:34 Integrating Health and Joyspan® into Venture Capital40:27 Separating Science from Fiction in Health Tech