EUVC Newsletter | 02.12.2024
Welcome to our community-sourced newsletter featuring the latest submissions to the eu.vc insights platform — the platform that collects & amplifies the best long-form pieces from the EUVC community.
This week, we feature submissions from Lunar Ventures, Eka Ventures, Emerge, Multiples and many more European firms.
Click here to submit your own articles, events or projects 📥
🆕 EUVC Masterclass | Setting up and Structuring a VC Fund
Emerging fund managers face countless challenges when setting up and structuring their first VC fund. The process is complex, daunting, and full of pitfalls, from navigating legal frameworks to engaging with the right service providers, the foundations you lay now will shape your growth trajectory.
That’s why we’re planning an exclusive 3-hour masterclass designed to equip emerging managers with the insights, strategies, and tools needed to tackle these challenges head-on. This session will be held in Berlin as a side event to SuperVenture & SuperReturn, offering unparalleled value in an intimate setting.
📝 Article | What “Fixing the Foundations” means for Impact
by Estia Ryan, Principal & Head of Research at Eka Ventures. | Originally published on Eka Ventures Newsletter.
Why it matters: Rachel Reeves’ budget delivers a headline-grabbing £125m for Great British Energy, £4b for hydrogen and carbon capture, and £23b in NHS funding, all aimed at bolstering climate and health. But here’s the plot twist: the lack of clarity on workforce transitions, startup collaboration, and ROI risks turning these funds into just another wishlist.
For VCs, the focus on renewables, decarbonization, and healthtech presents massive opportunity—if the execution is there. Translation: the UK is signaling big moves, but without more detail, it’s a waiting game to see if startups can plug the gaps.
🎙Podcast | Rypples' Jerome Ternynck on building teams and scaling impact in conversation with Robin Haak
Together, we explore the evolution of recruiting, why "you are who you hire," and how AI is reshaping talent acquisition. Jerome brings insights from decades in HR tech, while Robin adds the investor’s perspective on navigating and succeeding in competitive markets.
We’ll dig into Jerome’s journey with SmartRecruiters and the problem-solving mindset that’s driven his work for the past 30 years. We'll also uncover Rypples—his new mission to combine sustainable impact and financial return by investing in ocean-positive startups—and why sustainability is the next big business frontier.
👣 Founding Partners Trek on March 6-9, 2025
Designed and executed with an ex commander in British SAS specializing in jungle warfare. Having more recently co-founded a successful SaaS company he enjoys organising endurance adventures for those he knows.
📝 Article | The Startup Fundraising Secret: How Hick’s Law Can Simplify Investor Decisions
by Abdelrhman Soliman, Investment Analyst & Startup Mentor at Multiples. | Originally published on Linkedin.
Why it matters: Applying Hick’s Law, which shows that fewer choices lead to faster decisions, could be a game-changer for startup fundraising. Founders often overwhelm investors with excessive details or multiple investment options, resulting in decision paralysis or disengagement.
For VCs, this is a reminder that clarity, defined milestones, and streamlined pitches signal strong execution potential. Bottom line: simplify, focus, and prioritize to get that “yes” faster.
📝 Article | Calculate ROI for your Angel Portfolio - Spreadsheet Included
by Daniel Faloppa, founder & CEO of Equidam. | Originally published on Equidam.
Why it matters: Angel investing involves supporting startups at their earliest stages, often before venture capital firms are willing to engage due to the heightened risk. Monitoring portfolio valuation and ROI is essential for angel investors to align their financial goals and refine their investment strategies. This post breaks down the logic of portfolio valuation, explains its significance, and shares a practical spreadsheet tool developed in collaboration with Dealum to calculate portfolio ROI.
Valuation efforts, even for pre-seed startups, are valuable for understanding opportunities and market conditions. On a portfolio level, valuations can help investors identify biases or errors in their investment approach and assess market trends to make informed decisions about capital deployment.
Mountside Ventures launches the first free Accelerator for Emerging Managers in Europe. The 12-week programme focuses on LP matchmaking across Europe, over 10 hours of mentoring from experienced LPs and established VCs, and six days of fundraising workshops. It is not an incubator and does not teach the basics of investing but is specifically tailored to help participants close LP commitments and accelerate their fundraising efforts.
The programme is completely free to ensure accessibility and avoid selection bias. All applicants will receive fundraising resources, LP investor lists, and templates, regardless of acceptance. Mentors include founding partners from VCs with over $11 billion raised across 80+ funds, along with LP mentors from institutional investors and family offices.
📝 Article | Nuclear Fusion: The State of Play
by Lawrence Lundy, Partner, Research at Lunar Ventures. | Originally published on State of the Future.
Why it matters: Fusion energy is making waves with $6.2B in private funding and breakthroughs like net energy gain at NIF. Despite progress, commercial deployment by 2035 is slim (15% chance), but the fusion ecosystem is ripe for innovation. Startups tackling AI for plasma control, digital twins, and cost-efficient materials could unlock a $20 trillion energy market by 2050.
For VCs, the opportunities lie in the tech adjacent to fusion—advanced materials, simulation software, and manufacturing—while the reactors themselves face long timelines and massive capital needs. Fusion’s promise? Unlimited clean energy, if it can outpace renewables and fission.
⏭️ Webinar | Where will the next future of work and learning edtech unicorns be created?
Generative AI investment is booming with $56 billion in funding since 2023. AI will disrupt up to 45% of global roles by 2035, leaving 300 million jobs globally requiring retraining. Companies are ramping up reskilling efforts, with 32% of employees expected to retrain by 2030 to bridge the growing skills gap. AI is reshaping entire industries and workforces, underscoring its permanent presence and influence on global skill development and employment.
Emerge is sharing their latest research on Generative AI and its impact on the future of work and learning in the next webinar happening on Dec 12 for professional investors only.
🎙Podcast | 432 Legacy's Mike Reiner & Joachim Laqueur on investing in B2B innovation and scaling global impact
Mike and Joachim are investors with deep expertise in scaling B2B software and software-enabled hardware startups across Europe and the US. With a fund size of around €50M and €28M in assets under management, 432 Legacy is focused on seed-stage investments but supports founders up to Series A, fostering innovation on a global scale.
In this episode, we’ll explore the vision behind 432 Legacy, including how their journey with Acrobator laid the groundwork for the fund’s mission. We’ll discuss their approach to identifying high-impact startups and the strategies they’ve employed to achieve standout successes like Lemonaid Health, Vital Fields, and Ready Player Me, among others.
🏔️ EUVC Getaway on June 5 - 8, 2025
📝 Article | Board Strategic Planning and Execution Oversight
by Roberta Tihomirova, Head of Marketing at Eleven Ventures. | Originally published on Eleven Ventures.
Why it matters: 70% of directors want more time for strategy, yet boardrooms are bogged down in operational updates. This guide from Eleven Ventures highlights how co-creating strategy between boards and management can transform fire-fighting into future-proofing.
VCs and founders should note: early alignment on growth metrics (revenue, market expansion) and linking budget approvals to strategy execution are pivotal. Bonus points for one-day retreats to stress-test vision against reality. TL;DR: strategic focus at every board meeting avoids costly missteps and ensures startups don't just survive but thrive.
💬 EUVC Community | LP AMA with Vinthera’s Rodrigo Ferreira
Join us for an exclusive AMA session with Rodrigo Ferreira Investment Director at Vinthera.
Prior to joining Vinthera, Rodrigo Ferreira gained 5 years of experience backing VC fund managers across the globe as Principal and Investment Team lead at boutique fund of funds firm BFP. There he played a key role in over 20 fund investments and managed a portfolio of more than 50 funds with top decile aggregate returns.
This AMA is part of our ongoing series of small-group sessions designed to foster deep, meaningful discussions within the VC community. Participation is free for members of our community, but spots are limited.
📝 Article | Agentic AI, IPOs, and giving back with UIPath’s CIO Mihai Faur
by Robin Haak, Founder and Managing Partner at Robin Capital | Originally published on Robin Capital.
Why it matters: Mihai Faur’s journey from UiPath’s 20th employee to leading its $1.464B ARR as CIO reveals lessons for scaling startups, IPO readiness, and integrating AI into business transformation. With a vision for “agentic AI,” Faur outlines how large language models and automation are reshaping workflows, freeing employees for high-value tasks.
For VCs, UiPath’s SAP partnership and generative AI strategy signal opportunities in enterprise tech. Meanwhile, Faur’s commitment to mentoring highlights the importance of paying it forward in the startup ecosystem.
Applications Open: Newton's 8-Week Fundamentals Program
Are you early in your investment career and eager to level up? Applications are now open for Newton Fundamentals Program. Over eight weeks, you’ll dive into the essentials of venture capital through a mix of theory and practical insights, delivered by top-tier practitioners and faculty.
Participants will immediately expand their network, connecting with a cohort of peers, Newton Alumni, and our broader community. Plus, as a lifelong member of the Newton Network, you’ll gain access to resources that boost your career prospects, industry insights, and even deals. Apply now to build the foundation for your success in venture capital!
A standardized pan-european ‘EU Inc' corporate structure is essential for European startups. We have 6 weeks until the new EU commissioners start working on their agenda for the coming years.
Please join the many who have already signed and shared the petition, including founders of Stripe, Alan, DeepL, Remote, Rohlik, Supercell, Wise, and investors from Index Ventures, Atomico, and Sequoia.