Oliver Holle on Europe's VC Momentum, Political Engagement & Global Alliances
Fresh off the EUVC Summit and heading into GITEX, Oliver Holle, Founding Partner at Speedinvest, joins us to dissect the current and future landscape of European venture.
In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Oliver Holle, Founding Partner at Speedinvest, to unpack Europe’s current position in the global venture landscape. Fresh off the EUVC Summit and gearing up for GITEX, Oliver brings the heat — calling out flawed narratives, making the case for political engagement by founders and VCs, and breaking down the strategic implications of geopolitical capital shifts.
Oliver shares how Europe is better positioned than its reputation suggests, why AI represents a public narrative opportunity for tech, and how learning from private equity could help European VCs build durable winners. From silent fund shutdowns to the rise of solo GPs, this episode is a crash course in navigating the new European venture normal.
Here’s what’s covered:
03:46 Key Relationships in the Founder-VC Dynamic
09:56 Navigating Power Dynamics in Founder-VC Relationships
22:03 The Importance of Team Dynamics in Startups
26:05 Building Effective Communication and Culture in Growing Teams
28:44 The Challenge of Team Dynamics in VC Firms
32:36 Addressing Ego Issues in Leadership
38:32 The Evolving Role of Founders
47:12 Self-Reflection and Personal Growth
55:12 The Importance of Energy Management
📺 Watch the episode here or stream it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts—now with chapters for easy navigation on the Spotify/Apple episode🎧
✍️ Show notes
Europe isn’t broken — it’s misunderstood
Oliver opens the conversation by debunking the myth that European startups build only for local markets. European VCs must stop buying into imported narratives and start telling their own success stories.
From founder to nation builder
VCs and founders can no longer afford political apathy. Oliver shares why it's time to engage not just with policy, but politics — and why Europe must become a fertile ground for a new kind of tech diplomacy.
AI is not the enemy
AI is often seen through a lens of fear, but Oliver reframes it as the biggest productivity unlock in decades. The opportunity? Use AI as a public-facing story to galvanize support for innovation.
VCs must learn the PE playbook
Consolidation is coming — and European VCs must be proactive, not reactive. Oliver explains how applying a private equity mindset will determine who emerges as winners from this cycle.
VC is a mirror — what are you building?
Speedinvest has birthed over 10 solo GP spinouts, and Oliver shares the fundamental question every fund builder must ask: "Am I an investor or a builder? A picker or a supporter?"
Capital flows are shifting — fast
A new wave of capital from Asia and the GCC is eyeing Europe for geopolitical reasons, not just returns. The catch? These players want scalable, consolidated structures — not fragmentation.
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Daniel is a founding partner at Speedinvest, where he leads limited partner relations and fundraising at both the fund and portfolio levels. With a career spanning investment banking, entrepreneurship, and venture capital, he started as a stockbroker and private banker at Erste Bank in Vienna and Credit Suisse in Zurich before transitioning into the startup world.
As a co-founder of 3united, he played a key role in its growth and eventual acquisition by VeriSign.
Since 2007, Daniel has been an active angel investor, bringing hands-on expertise in sales and business development to early-stage ventures. In 2011, he co-founded Speedinvest, leveraging his extensive experience to support founders and drive investment success.
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