EUVC Newsletter | 30.09.2024
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 Speedinvest, Impact Supporters, TechAngels Romania, and many more European firms.
Click here to submit your own articles, events or projects 📥
Bringing builders and visionaries together.
How to Web Conference brings together world-leading experts in startups and technology, major investment funds, ambitious startup founders, and more in Bucharest, Romania.
Join the venture pulse in Eastern Europe – use the EUVC10 personalized 10% discount code for your Investor Tickets.
Surviving the tech reset: What can global venture capitalists learn from Europe?
by David Cruz e Silva, an operator turned angel LP and founder of eu.vc | Originally published on The World Economic Forum.
Why it matters: The tech boom and subsequent reset have reshaped the European VC landscape, offering critical lessons globally. The state of European VC fundraising study with 300 VCs and LPs underlines key strategies for navigating today’s market: fostering resilient relationships, standing out with a clear value proposition, and demonstrating adaptability.
Europe's transparency-focused approach is a model for how to balance LP trust and tough market realities. As fundraising cools and portfolios take hits, VCs need to stay sharp, communicate clearly, and embrace long-term thinking to survive and thrive.
The benefits of coaching for early-stage startup founders
by Speedinvest. | Originally published on Speedinvest blog.
Why it matters: Founders often overlook coaching, viewing it as a luxury instead of a necessity. However, according to a study from CoachHub, investing in professional coaching offers up to a 790% ROI.
Coaching builds soft skills like agility and resilience, increasing startups’ odds of success. Dr. Tünde Erdös, an executive coach, explains how coaching helps founders navigate high-stakes leadership challenges, stakeholder management, and personal growth.
The state of pre-seed VC in 2024
by Martin SFP Bryant, Founder of PreSeed Now. | Originally published on PreSeed Now.
Why it matters: Chris Smith, Managing Partner at Playfair, shows that despite global market turmoil, pre-seed investing remains resilient. Playfair has already made five new investments this year and sees promising robotics and B2B SaaS growth.
But founders, beware; there will be no more raising with just a deck! Investors want validated problems, not just big ideas. The takeaway? Early-stage fundraising is still happening, but founders must be better prepared.
It’s Time to Dream Big – 10 Unicorns in 10 years
by Marius Istrate - Chairman of the Board - TechAngels Romania | Investor | UiPath Alumi | Venture Partner at 3VC. | Originally published on TechAngels Romania.
Why it matters: Marius Istrate lays out a bold vision for Romania's tech scene: creating 10 unicorns in the next decade. With Romania’s high density of tech talent and economic inclusion, Istrate believes the country can become a tech powerhouse in Europe. This is not just about producing local heroes—Romanian startups must think globally, competing with the boldness of Silicon Valley.
His challenge? For VCs and angels to push for bigger exits and invest in creating global category leaders.
𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐌𝐄 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐚𝐚𝐒!
Eight Roads and āltitude are excited to officially open nominations for the 𝐄𝐔 𝐒𝐌𝐄 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐚𝐚𝐒 𝟓𝟎 — a list spotlighting Europe's most promising SME Vertical SaaS companies.
Companies will be chosen based on their scale, momentum, and strategic positioning. The jury will evaluate both operational performance (headcount, usage, revenue) and market positioning (value proposition, competitive landscape, market potential).
Read the article by Eight Roads on SME Vertical SaaS
Nominate a standout SME Vertical SaaS company today (DDL: Oct. 18)
The Consumerisation of Health (Part 2)
by Estia Ryan, Principal & Head of Research at Eka Ventures. | Originally published on Eka Ventures Newsletter.
Why it matters: Daye, founded in 2018, tackles the gender health gap through at-home diagnostics for vaginal health and period pain. By offering accessible testing and eco-friendly menstrual products like CBD-infused tampons, Daye directly addresses underserved women's health needs.
Their data-driven, consumer-centric model simplifies diagnostics that otherwise require long wait times in traditional healthcare systems. Backed by Index, Kindred, and Khosla, Daye's growing dataset positions them as a key player in gynae health innovation, a sector long neglected in mass-market healthcare.
Market sizing – the ultimate quickstart guide
by Roberta Tihomirova, Head of Marketing at Eleven Ventures. | Originally published on Eleven Ventures.
Why it matters: Market size isn’t just about flashy big numbers from Gartner or Forrester—it's about YOUR business model and how you deliver value. Understanding this is critical for startups aiming for long-term dominance.
Using examples like Uber and a hammer analogy, Roberta emphasizes calculating your reachable market size based on real customer lifetime value (CLTV). Start small, dominate your niche, and scale from there. Investors love clarity over hypothetical billions, so get your Excel sheets out and crunch those numbers!
by Michael Sidgmore, Co-founder & Partner at Broadhaven Ventures. | Originally published on Alt Goes Mainstream.
Why it matters: Ben is a former banker and private equity professional at Falfurrias Capital Partners who went on to co-found DealCloud to make the process of managing deals and relationships for alternative asset managers and related industry service providers more streamlined and seamless.
The episode dives into how alternative asset managers leverage data and automation to scale more efficiently while AI promises to further optimize decision-making. As AUM grows, so does the TAM for these solutions, making it a hot spot for VCs.
Impact through spacetech VC, interview w. Mark Boggett (Seraphim Space) 🪐
by August Soliv, Author of Impact Supporters | Originally published on Impact Supporters.
Why it matters: Spacetech is entering its 2.0 phase, with Seraphim Space focusing on the commercialization of satellite technology for climate, health, and education impacts. With 18% of the UK's GDP reliant on satellites and a projected $1 trillion+ space economy, the opportunities are stellar.
Seraphim’s Mark Boggett highlights how the right management teams—not tech—are the biggest risk factor in spacetech. For VCs, this emerging sector is a literal moonshot with Earthly benefits.
Bringing builders and visionaries together.
How to Web Conference brings together world-leading experts in startups and technology, major investment funds, ambitious startup founders, and more in Bucharest, Romania.
Join the venture pulse in Eastern Europe – use the EUVC10 personalized 10% discount code for your Investor Tickets.
