EUVC Newsletter - 30.06.2025
Reclaiming longevity from the hype merchants — and calling Europe to build, not watch. From joyspan to defense tech, this week’s stories don’t pull punches.
This week we’re thrilled to back Paolo and the team at Exceptional Ventures in their mission to not just add years to life—but make them joyous. Longevity has too often been the playground of hype artists and blood-boy influencers. Exceptional is the antidote: evidence-led, mission-driven, globally ambitious.
Their pitch? Evolve from lifespan to healthspan—and now to joyspan. It’s a thesis that slices through the noise with science, purpose, and the kind of clarity LPs should demand more of. This is how you build a category-defining longevity fund with teeth. With a point of view and an amazing community.
Zooming out, this week’s episode reads like a reflection. From episodes from a week at SuperVenture very much in the name of European Sovereignty and Defense with Barclay’s Matthew Spence, HV Capital’s Jan Miczaika, and the EIF’s Björn Tremmerie, to Isomer’s Joe Schorge on uncomfortable liquidity truths and the collapse of TechCrunch Europe with Cathy White & Dan Taylor. And if course the rise of founder-first communities with Backed’s Andre de Haes.
With 💝 David & Andreas
Table of Contents
🎧 Podcasts of The Week
VC: The Fall of TechCrunch Europe & The Future of European Tech Media
LP: Jan Miczaika, Partner at HV Capital — ESG, Defense, and Deep Tech from a Pan-European Heavyweight
Pitch: Betting on Better Humans: Inside Exceptional Ventures’ Health & Longevity Playbook
✍️ Insights Article of The Week
Building Europe’s tech supercluster by Dealroom
🎧 Podcasts of The Week
Betting on Better Humans: Inside Exceptional Ventures’ Health & Longevity Playbook
This week, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with the leading figure of one of our latest commitments: Paolo Pio, co-founder and Managing Partner at Exceptional Ventures — a mission-driven early-stage fund investing in the future of human health, fitness, nutrition, and longevity.
Paolo shares how a personal obsession with sleep, metabolism, and fitness evolved into a structured thesis for investing in businesses and technologies that help us live better, longer — and how Exceptional Ventures plans to back over 200 founders across three funds to deliver returns that match the mission.
🎯 This Episode’s Themes:
Why health, fitness, and prevention are ripe for VC investment
How personalized, continuous monitoring unlocks true wellness
The 4-pillared thesis: prevention, early detection, smarter care & delivery
Lessons from Fund I: 3,600 companies reviewed → 37 investments
The case for “high-volume VC” in Europe: why more bets matter
From sleep hygiene to nanobots: the future of health innovation
Community, LPs, and morning workouts at SuperVenture
Here’s what’s covered:
01:00 | The Mission: Improving the human joy path through health & longevity
03:00 | Why Now: Obesity, metabolic health & the need for smarter prevention
05:00 | The Four Pillars: Sleep, exercise, early detection & delivery innovation
08:00 | Exceptional’s Model: Fund I learnings, Fund II targets, Fund III ambitions
10:00 | The Volume Bet: Why Europe needs funds backing 50+ startups per cycle
12:00 | Sourcing & Screening: From 3,600 companies to 37 portfolio bets
15:00 | Backing Founders on the Edge: From glucose monitoring to rural US clinics
18:00 | The Big Vision: 200+ founders backed, 30,000+ community members
21:00 | Big LP Names & Co-Investors: How the wider venture stack leans in
24:00 | Why Community Matters: The morning workouts, the events, the energy
27:00 | Longevity & Fund IV: Why the best is still ahead
📺 Watch the episode here or stream it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts—now with chapters for easy navigation 🎧
Matthew Spence, Barclays — Why Defense Tech Is Back, IPOs Are “Sneaky Good” & The Return to Deep Tech
In this episode, David Cruz e Silva sits down with Matthew Spence, Barclays’ Global Head of Venture Capital Banking, to talk about the state of exits, dual-use tech, and how Europe can seize the next defense innovation wave. With a background spanning the White House, Pentagon, and a16z, Matt shares a unique view from the intersection of global power, technology, and venture.
Here’s what’s covered:
00:00 Meet Matt Spence & why Barclays is doubling down on venture
01:00 SuperVenture 2025: Why Berlin matters to a Silicon Valley banker
01:39 “Sneaky good”: The IPO market is back—but not how you expect
03:00 How GPs can prep for exits—before they’re even on the table
04:00 Barclays as an LP: What their private bank is looking for
05:10 Defense tech: From bombs to AI & cloud for the battlefield
07:00 “The government is a terrible customer”—but that’s changing
08:30 Dual-use: Why it’s not code for defense and shouldn’t be
10:00 The real opportunity for Europe: leapfrog, don’t lag
12:30 A wake-up call for Brussels and national leaders
15:00 The return to deep tech: hardware + software, redux
16:45 Why this isn't just a new trend—it's a venture returning to its roots
Watch it here or add it to your episodes on Apple or Spotify 🎧. Chapters for easy navigation are available on the Spotify/Apple episode.
Brought to you by Affinity – Exclusive dealmaking benchmarks
What can Affinity data on almost 3,000 VCs from 68 countries reveal about how VCs performed last year and how dealmaking will continue to evolve?
EUVC Live from SuperVenture: Joe Schorge, Isomer Capital
In this episode, David Cruz e Silva sits down with Joe Schorge, founder of Isomer Capital, one of Europe’s most thoughtful and active LPs—backing funds, co-investing with top GPs, and increasingly leaning into secondaries.
From deep dives into the maturing European tech ecosystem to the reality of what “liquidity” means today, Joe shares what it takes to build long-term portfolios and navigate cycles with wisdom (and a little humor).
Who should listen:
LPs thinking through secondary exposure and portfolio liquidity
GPs raising new funds with legacy tailwinds (or baggage)
Founders and angels curious about how liquidity really works behind the scenes
Here’s what’s covered:
00:00 Meet Joe Schorge & Isomer Capital’s model
00:31 Why SuperVenture is ground zero for LP/GP dealflow
01:30 A New Era of Secondaries: From passive to proactive
02:55 "It's not a return until you can buy a beer with it." 🍻
03:30 DPI, exits & reflections from the stage with Björn Tremmerie
05:00 What macro uncertainty (and Trump tariffs) are doing to exit timelines
06:00 Under the hood: Growth is happening — but the windows haven’t reopened yet
07:30 Who’s actually buying today? Founders, growth funds, and LP-focused secondaries
09:28 Joe’s key learnings: time, uncertainty & the illusion of predictive power
12:23 Advice to aspiring LPs & emerging allocators
15:00 Diversification in venture is not optional — it’s existential
Watch it here or add it to your episodes on Apple or Spotify 🎧. Chapters for easy navigation are available on the Spotify/Apple episode.
Make an impact with the bank made for the innovation economy
We know building relationships and building businesses go hand-in-hand. With our sector expertise and tailored solutions, we’ll connect you with what’s next.
The Fall of TechCrunch Europe & The Future of European Tech Media
Welcome to a special episode of the EUVC podcast, where Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Cathy White founder of CEW Communications and her star colleague and former tech.eu managing editor Dan Taylor —two of the most plugged-in voices in European tech media —to dissect the shocking news of TechCrunch Europe’s closure and what’s ahead.
In this conversation, they unpack:
Why TechCrunch’s downfall signals something bigger in media
What the rise of AI means for journalists, PR pros, and founders alike
And how Europe’s startup ecosystem can—and must—take charge of its narrative
Here’s what’s covered:
00:10 The Impact of TechCrunch's Closure on European Media
06:33 The Future of Media in Europe
10:30 The Rise of Entrepreneurial Journalism
15:46 Navigating the New Media Landscape for Startups
18:06 The Shift from SEO to LEO in Media Strategy
23:13 Making Complex Ideas Accessible
27:18 The Role of PR in the Age of AI
29:31 The Importance of Human Touch in AI
33:12 AI's Impact on Content Creation and Journalism
39:37 The Future of Journalism and New Publications
🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts — complete with chapters for easy navigation.
Where operational expertise and innovation work for you.
End-to-end coverage of Fund Admin, Tax, Accounting, Compliance, ESG, and more—enabling you to focus on what matters most: supporting visionaries and maximizing LP returns.
Jan Miczaika, Partner at HV Capital — ESG, Defense, and Deep Tech from a Pan-European Heavyweight
Live from SuperVenture 2025 in Berlin, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Jan Miczaika, Partner at HV Capital, one of Europe’s largest and longest-standing venture capital firms.
Together, they talk about macro trends shaping the future of VC, HV Capital’s unique positioning across funding stages, and offer a refreshingly honest take on ESG, DEI, defense, hype, LP dynamics, and the challenges of building a VC fund.
This episode is a must-listen for:
LPs trying to understand how established firms see the world
Emerging managers finding their product-market fit
Founders building across deep tech, defense, and climate
Here what’s covered:
00:00 SuperVenture, Berlin, and Capitalism in the Radical Left’s Hometown
01:00 The HV Capital Model: From €500K to €50M in One Platform
02:00 ESG, DEI & Fiduciary Duty: Past the Pendulum, Toward Balance
04:05 Why Impact Companies Still Win: A Case Study from Copenhagen
05:05 Defense Tech & ESG: Not Contradictory, But Complementary
06:54 Advice for Emerging Managers: Fund Fit, Hustle & Dual Product-Market Fit
10:02 Words for LPs: Don’t Dismiss Venture as “Too Risky”
11:45 Lessons in Humility: From Founding Two Companies to Becoming a VC
13:00 Betting Big: Why NeuroRobotics Said No to Focus & Yes to Full Stack
Watch it here or add it to your episodes on Apple or Spotify 🎧. Chapters for easy navigation are available on the Spotify/Apple episode.
Andre de Haes, Backed VC — Building the Davos for Founders, Redefining VC Edge & Embracing Authenticity
In this episode, David Cruz e Silva sits down with Andre de Haes, founder of Backed VC, live from SuperVenture 2025 in Berlin.
Backed is one of Europe’s boldest early-stage funds, known not just for investing in frontier tech but for pioneering a new model of VC community. In this conversation, Andre unpacks the philosophical and practical foundations of their work—from turning a value-add into a moat to why “edge” in venture is mostly a myth—unless you build your own rules.
Who should listen:
Emerging managers figuring out how to build true differentiation
LPs trying to evaluate durable edge in a saturated VC market
Founders deciding what kind of capital partner they want long-term
Here what’s covered:
00:00 Who is Andre de Haes & What is Backed VC?
00:32 Frontier Tech Focus: Fintech, Bio, and Manufacturing Software
01:30 Why Community is a Core Offering—Not a Side Show
02:15 Behind the Scenes: The SuperVenture Speaker Dinner & Rooftop Surprise
04:00 Playing the Long Game: Trust Built Over 20-Year Cycles
05:08 Stage Preview: What it Means to Build VC Edge
07:50 Advice for LPs on Identifying Real Differentiation
10:50 Biggest Learnings: Humility, Leverage & Contrarian Courage
15:00 Investing at the Frontier: Computational Bio, Optics & Non-Invasive Brain Tech
16:00 What Munger & Buffett Teach Us About Capital Efficiency in VC
Watch it here or add it to your episodes on Apple or Spotify 🎧. Chapters for easy navigation are available on the Spotify/Apple episode.
Björn Tremmerie, European Investment Fund — Tech Sovereignty, DPI Realities & Europe’s Venture Evolution
In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Björn Tremmerie, Head of Technology Fund Investments at the European Investment Fund (EIF), live from the EUVC studio at SuperVenture 2025.
They delve deeply into the true state of European venture capital, examining long-term performance trends, the role of EIF as Europe's policy-aligned capital allocator, and how sovereignty, resilience, and maturity are reshaping the ecosystem.
Here’s what’s covered:
00:00 SuperVenture Loyalty & Ecosystem Energy
01:02 The Mood in Market: Storms, Maturity & Resilience
03:04 What Makes This Moment in Venture a Real Opportunity
03:31 Recap of Björn’s Panel with Joe from Isomer
05:15 DPI Truths: The Top 50 Funds & A Look Back to 2017
06:04 Defense Tech & Dual-Use: What EIF Will (and Won’t) Fund
09:34 Sovereignty ≠ Isolation: The Real Role of the EIF
11:00 Later-Stage Funding Gaps & Europe’s Infrastructure Problem
12:36 Satellites, SpaceX & European Strategic Dependencies
14:14 Learnings From 25+ Years in the Game
15:01 Philosophical, But Practical: What VC Responsibility Means
16:17 A Clear Statement on Openness, Not Isolation
📺 Watch the episode here or stream it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts—now with chapters for easy navigation 🎧
✍️ Insights Article of The Week
Building Europe’s tech supercluster by Dealroom
Featuring powerhouse guests:
🔹 Saul Klein - Legendary investor, founder of LocalGlobe & Phoenix Court, bringing decades of Silicon Valley and European tech insights
🔹 Constantijn Van Oranje-Nassau - Special Envoy for Technology & Innovation at Techleap, driving Europe's digital transformation from the highest levels
With Dealroom’s Orla Browne and unzip.media’s Andrii Degeler
We're sharing exclusive, never-before-seen data that reveals exactly where Europe stands in the global tech race—and the specific moves we need to make to win.
Dario combines deep institutional, operational, and investment expertise, investing in early-stage companies and funds. Recognized as a "40 Rising Star under 40" by VCJ, he actively contributes to the industry.
Before founding LTV Capital, Dario co-led fund investments at Anthemis Group, a top fintech investor, where he developed early-stage fintech plays with BBVA and pioneered a media-financial services fund. His background also includes spearheading international expansion at emerging markets fintech JUMO and contributing to the creation of ROAM, now Africa's largest classifieds group.
Academically, he holds a Master of Business Science in Finance from the University of Cape Town; his dissertation on "Tencent Holdings Limited" is widely downloaded and cited.
Outside of work, Dario is a former 125cc motorcycle racing champion who now advises the Finetwork Mir Racing Team, supporting young talent in motorsports. He is driven by a passion for empowering others and fostering change in the emerging manager VC ecosystem.
↓ Meet Dario at the EUVC community LP AMA Register below to attend ↓
