Welcome back to EUVC Live in Malmö, where we bring you unfiltered conversations and reflections from the people shaping Europe’s venture ecosystem.
As the day closed, Andreas Munk Holm, co-founder of EUVC, took the stage for the final word - a reflection on where real power comes from and what Europe’s venture community must do next.
Throughout the day, speakers discussed sovereignty, collaboration, and Europe’s industrial future. Andreas’ message cut through with urgency: if we want Europe to lead, we can’t stop at innovation - we must step into politics.
He pointed to the example of the United States, where the tech ecosystem has rallied around political power, influenced policy, and put its candidates into office. The takeaway? Values matter, but influence requires engagement and Europe’s founders and investors need to find their voice in the political arena.
🎧 Here’s what’s covered:
00:30 Closing thanks: to Sophia for orchestrating EUVC Live, to Jeppe for bringing it to life, and to Nicole and Team Woven for backing Team Europe.
01:00 Europe’s mood: sovereignty, collaboration, and the belief that unity is power.
01:30 The missing ingredient: understanding that real power doesn’t just come from technology or capital, but from politics.
02:00 Lessons from the U.S.: how tech rallied around a candidate, won power, and now shapes national policy from within the system.
02:30 The power of lobbying: Andreessen Horowitz’s largest internal team today isn’t marketing or hiring - it’s policy and lobbying.
03:00 The challenge for Europe: we have the values and the vision, but not yet the political infrastructure or the courage to collaborate.
03:30 The call to action is for VCs, founders, and ecosystem leaders to step up, take a side, and engage politically to secure Europe’s future.
You can listen to the full closing reflection on Apple Podcasts and Spotify 🎧
✍️ Show Notes
About Andreas Munk Holm & EUVC
Co-founder of EUVC, the European VC community and media platform dedicated to bringing Europe’s venture ecosystem together from founders and fund managers to policymakers and corporates.
Core Idea
Europe’s future in innovation won’t be secured through capital alone. Power lies in politics and the venture ecosystem must claim its seat at the table.
Key Concepts
Real power = political power: innovation without influence is fragile.
Learning from the U.S.: where lobbying and policy shape outcomes faster than markets.
Europe’s edge: stronger values, better collaboration but a gap in political engagement.
Next step for VCs: build internal policy capabilities and engage directly with regulators and governments.
💡 One-liner takeaway:
If Europe wants to lead in innovation, it must also learn to lead in politics because real power lies in shaping the rules, not just playing the game.
