Welcome back to EUVC Live powered by Woven Capital at The Drop, where we bring you unfiltered conversations with the voices shaping Europe’s venture ecosystem.
In this episode, Alex Bakir, founding partner at Norrsken Evolve, takes the stage fresh off his latest fund close — but instead of talking about fundraising, Alex dives into the bigger picture: how competition, climate, and chaos are reshaping the world we invest in.
From the cycles of history and the rise of populism to the structural shocks of climate change, Alex challenges us to rethink Europe’s role, its vulnerabilities, and why rebuilding around cleantech and climate tech isn’t just optional — it’s inevitable.
🎧 Here’s what’s covered:
00:30 Competition at every level — from startups chasing scarce resources to nation states fighting for security.
01:30 The age of AI: why superintelligence could solve everything — or sharpen competition.
02:30 Populism’s return: when economics and expectations don’t align, and why inequality fuels discontent.
03:30 Comparative advantage & free trade: why the “end of history” never arrived.
04:30 Wealth concentration and the broken promise of the nation state.
05:30 Cycles of history: Ray Dalio, Harvard sociologists, and why we’re at the realist end of an 80–100 year cycle.
06:30 Climate crisis as self-organized criticality — when stress tips systems into avalanches and floods.
07:30 Europe’s long decline since 1900 — and why reliance on external manufacturing is now a liability.
08:30 Why Europe must rebuild industry on cleantech and climate tech foundations.
09:00 Populism isn’t a blip — it’s a decade-long cycle that requires addressing lived realities.
10:00 Final call: in a world of shocks, AI, and climate, people and collaboration matter more than ever.
You can listen to the full session on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 🎧
✍️ Show Notes
About Alex Bakir & Norkin Evolve
Founding partner of a newly raised venture fund (not discussed here).
Background rooted in both UK and Iraq, bringing a global perspective on cycles of competition and resilience.
Key Concepts
Competition everywhere: startups, nation states, and AI superintelligence.
Populism’s rise: fueled by unmet expectations and wealth concentration.
Cycles of history: 80–100 year swings from utopianism to realism.
Climate shocks: natural systems under stress move into chaotic, destructive states.
Europe’s Challenge & Opportunity
Reliant on external manufacturing since 1975 — now vulnerable.
Limited fossil fuels force Europe’s rebuild to be cleantech- and climate-led.
Populism will last unless real quality-of-life improvements reach people.
💡 One-liner takeaway: In a world of rising protectionism, shocks, and climate chaos, Europe’s future depends on rebuilding its industries on cleantech and climate tech foundations.
