EUVC Newsletter | 27.01.2025
Welcome to our community-sourced newsletter featuring the most important news from the European venture ecosystem and the latest submissions to the EUVC insights platform — the platform that collects & amplifies the best long-form pieces from the EUVC community.
Click here to submit your own articles, events or projects 📥
🎙Podcast | Bek Ventures’ Cem Sertoglu on avoiding the temptation of AUM and staying disciplined
In this episode, Andreas talks with Cem Sertoglu, Managing Partner at Bek Ventures, a global venture capital firm that recently closed a $250M fund that was three times oversubscribed. Formerly known as Earlybird Digital East, Bek Ventures focuses on founders with their roots in Central and Eastern Europe, a region Cem calls "Dynamic Europe."
Together, they explore Bek Ventures’ approach to VC fundraising, the challenges of funding beyond seed stages, and the lessons Cem has learned from two decades in venture capital.
📝 Article | Real-Time Tax Accounting: Transforming Fund Operations for VC and PE Managers
by Felix von der Planitz Co-CEO and Head of ACE TAX.
Why it matters: Tax reforms and the rapid pace of regulatory changes make real-time tax accounting a game-changer for fund managers. Instead of firefighting with outdated processes, managers get continuous insights into tax positions, cutting reporting time by 90% and reducing human error.
This tech-enabled solution unifies fund administration, tax, and accounting workflows, streamlining decision-making, enhancing LP trust, and driving returns. If you’re not adapting, you’re sinking.
💬 Survey | What do LPs acutally look for in a Quarterly Update?
Why it matters: LPs lack insights on how other LPs think about Quarterly Updates and the opportunity to give EMs more feedback. What do LPs acutally look for in a Quarterly Update? Do they actually read it? What do they care most about reading? In what format do they prefer to receive it? What could Emerging Managers be doing better? What data should you actually highlight? How do your LPs process your information?
Together with Benedikt Langer, we’ve put together a quick 5-minute survey on what European LPs look for in Quarterly Updates and what makes for a good one.
📝 Article | Reimagining SME Banking: An Interview with Richard Davies (Allica Bank)
Why it matters: Allica Bank, led by CEO Richard Davies, has rapidly scaled to become a leading tech-enabled SME-focused bank in the UK, ranking as Europe’s fastest-growing startup in 2024.
Leveraging proprietary technology and a customer-centric strategy, Allica addresses traditional banks' chronic underserving of SMEs. With 3-4x better offerings and plans to go 10x, Allica's journey offers a playbook for VCs eyeing fintech disruptors reshaping legacy financial systems.
✍🏻 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 masterclass is a side-event taking place during SuperVenture & SuperReturn.
Push yourself to the limit alongside industry peers
We’ll trek the most breathtaking sections of the GR 221 trail, known as the Dry Stone Route. This will take us through a 1,000-meter ascent, revealing stunning landscapes set against refreshing ocean breezes. As night falls, a private chef will delight us with exquisite dinners, followed by evenings filled with relaxed activities, a selection of fine drinks, and an array of delights to cap off each day in true style.
🎙Podcast | TechAngels' Marius Istrate on Romania's big dream to aim for 10 unicorns in 10 years
In this episode, Andreas welcomes Marius Istrate, Chairman of the Board at Tech Angels Romania, the country’s largest and most successful angel investment network. Over the past 11 years, Tech Angels has invested €45M in more than 300 startups, driving the growth of Romania’s tech scene and influencing the broader CEE region.
With a focus on pre-seed and seed-stage ventures, Tech Angels operate across Romania (80%) and the wider CEE region (20%), supporting startups in Enterprise B2B, SaaS, DeepTech, and HealthTech.
📝 Article | Capricorn Partners launches the Capricorn Healthtech Fund II with a first closing of €51 million
Why it matters: Capricorn Healthtech Fund II hits its first €51M close, aiming for €100M+ to invest in transformative healthtech across Europe. With initial ticket sizes of €1–5M targeting late seed to Series B, the fund focuses on digital health and medtech innovations that drive personalized and value-based care.
Key LPs include Invest-NL, Sensinnovat, and Ageas, alongside notable exits like Bluebee and Cartagenia proving Capricorn’s strong track record. For VCs and LPs, this is a major signal of the sector's growth potential in addressing Europe's healthcare challenges.
📝 Article | From Pokémon Go to Climate Action: How Geospatial Tech Is Shaping Our Planet’s Future
Why it matters: Location-Based Services (LBS) have evolved from powering games like Pokémon Go to becoming essential tools for climate tech. With applications in renewable energy planning, disaster management, and urban sustainability, LBS supports global climate goals.
The geospatial market is booming, forecasted to grow from $31.17B in 2024 to $129.71B by 2032, driven by advancements in AI, IoT, and satellite tech. For VCs, startups like Pachama and Tomorrow.io demonstrate how LBS can drive both environmental impact and economic returns.
✍🏻 EUVC Masterclass | Marketing Foundations for Fund Managers
Join us for an engaging workshop tailored for fund managers looking to institutionalise their marketing approach and craft a category-defining investment brand.
This masterclass is designed to go beyond traditional marketing advice on tactics to help you create lasting brand equity, ensuring your fund stands out in a competitive landscape.
This session will provide actionable insights into fund positioning, LP communications, and crafting compelling narratives - all while maximising time for Q&A to address your specific challenges.
Embark on a Journey of Deep Inner Work
Join us for a transformative experience of self-discovery and vulnerability, guided by Rupda and supported by a trusted group of peers. Through embodied practices and self-inquiry, we will build resilience, presence, and a supportive network of fellow investors and founders for meaningful growth. Let’s walk each other home.
In this episode, Andreas talks to Ben Saunders, a pioneer in one of the most demanding fields on Earth and an accomplished climate investor. Ben is arguably one of the most acclaimed explorers in the world today. He's pushed the boundaries of human endurance and traveled more than 4,500 miles (7,000km) on foot in the polar regions.
Ben is only the third person in history to ski solo to the North and South Poles, and he holds the record for the longest-ever polar journey on foot. But Ben’s pursuits extend beyond the physical. He is now an active climate investor but recently decided to halt the fundraising process for his fund, Kintanna Ventures.
📝 Article | Freeing Being An LP From The Burden of Science
Why it matters: Investing in Emerging Managers isn’t just financial science—it’s a liberal art requiring critical thinking, relationship-building, and a multidisciplinary approach. With long feedback loops, a noisy landscape, and only a few GPs consistently delivering outlier returns, LPs must develop frameworks that balance hard data with the intangibles of human judgment.
For Emerging Managers, crafting clear fund narratives, refining decks, and understanding LP perspectives can bridge gaps and improve alignment. Smart picks here shape future venture ecosystems.
📌 Event | Join the Annual LDV Vision Summit
Why it matters: Since 2014, the Annual LDV Vision Summit has been the premier global event for visual tech and AI, featuring top speakers from tech giants, innovative startups, esteemed research labs, and leading VC firms.
This year’s lineup includes experts from Sequoia Capital, NVIDIA, Synthesia (the UK’s most valuable generative AI media company and global leader in enterprise AI video), Kleiner Perkins, Princeton, Fortune, Duke, Argonne National Laboratory, and more!
RSVP to join 1,000+ attendees and discover how cutting-edge computer vision, machine learning and AI solutions will improve the world we live in.
Escape for an extended weekend of adventure
Join us for a partners retreat packed with awe-inspiring treks, thrilling canyoning and river rafting, and inspiring sessions balanced with moments of reflection and exceptional dining. Be inspired by world record-holding polar explorer Ben Saunders, challenged by our ex-commander, and discover how to deepen focus in an introductory deep work session with Fred Destin.
🎙Podcast | This Week in European Tech with Dan Bowyer, Ferdinand Reynolds, and Lomax Ward
OpenAI’s "Operator" debuts as the first AI agent offering full browser control, but Europe faces rollout delays. Meta’s layoff of 3,600 employees sparks debate on whether it’s a strategic AI-driven shift or a warning sign. In the UK, the CMA’s new chair, ex-Amazon exec Doug Gurr, signals a pivot toward commerce-focused policies, while the government backs Heathrow’s third runway, promising £143B in economic benefits despite environmental concerns.
European M&A activity shows revival, driven by higher deal values and better capital recycling, while Trump’s flurry of executive orders creates global uncertainty, reversing key Biden policies and reshaping markets.
📝 Article | Let the Sleeper Awake: Hybrid War is Here, Kinetic War is Coming
Why it matters: Marvin Liao argues that the West faces a Cold War redux, pitted against a united authoritarian alliance (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea). Drawing parallels to the chaos in Dune 2, he warns of the geopolitical and economic vulnerabilities of a "divided and hapless" West.
The stakes? Freedom of speech, opportunity, and the global order as we know it. For VCs and innovators, it’s a call to prepare for instability while seizing opportunities in defense, infrastructure, and sovereignty tech sectors.
📝 Article | Exploring the “AI questions” shaping public opinion
Why it matters: AI's rapid evolution raises key societal questions around truth, equity, and creativity. From AI-generated content challenging historical archives' trustworthiness to its dual role as a democratizing tool and fame amplifier, these shifts impact industries and relationships alike.
The focus on AI's effects—such as automating entry-level jobs and reshaping creative fields—offers insights into how startups and VCs can address these challenges. Trustworthy AI and equitable education tools could emerge as defining market opportunities.
✍🏻 EUVC Masterclass | Marketing Foundations for Fund Managers
Join us for an engaging workshop tailored for fund managers looking to institutionalise their marketing approach and craft a category-defining investment brand.
This masterclass is designed to go beyond traditional marketing advice on tactics to help you create lasting brand equity, ensuring your fund stands out in a competitive landscape.
This session will provide actionable insights into fund positioning, LP communications, and crafting compelling narratives - all while maximising time for Q&A to address your specific challenges.
