The Founder Whisperer: Inside Cherry’s ‘Founders First’ System
From Berlin to Europe’s boardrooms — what Cherry’s journey reveals about building enduring VC firms on this side of the Atlantic.
Everyone in venture says they’re founder-first.
Few actually build firms that prove it.
Christian Meermann did.
And he’s joining our founder, David Cruz e Silva, live next Monday, Nov 3 (12:00–13:00 GMT) for an unscripted, small-group AMA to unpack how.
🎟️ Apply to join here → GP AMA with Cherry’s Christian Meermann
Free, but limited to 20 seats. Priority access for EUVC Community members. Not a member yet? Join here.
🧩 From Cherry to Franchise
When Christian spoke at the EUVC Summit this May, his panel became one of the most talked-about sessions of the day — partly because he said what most won’t:
“There’s a sweet spot — where a strategy is still repeatable, but hasn’t lost its edge.”
That simple line hit a nerve.
In a world of “funds as brands,” Cherry has quietly done the opposite — building a firm, not a fund .
Christian’s background as a Zalando co-founder and CMO shows up everywhere in Cherry’s DNA: disciplined scaling, data-driven iteration, and an obsession with founders as the customer.
As he put it during our summit chat:
“We’re all former operators. That’s how we win deals — by knowing what it actually feels like to build.”
🚀 What Makes Cherry Different
Cherry’s “Founders First” system isn’t a tagline — it’s a playbook.
Every structural choice flows from that principle:
Hiring — operators, not investors, as partners.
Reserves — used as offense, not insurance .
Coaching — built into the operating system, not offered as a perk.
Culture — engineered for independent thinking, not consensus.
In Christian’s words:
“The work in venture is to preserve perspective — to spar, not steer.”
That mindset has taken Cherry from a €150M debut to a €500M platform without losing what made it special — focus, edge, and proximity to founders.
🎧 If You Missed It…
We’ve already had two incredible podcast episodes with Christian:
🎙️ Building a Venture Firm That Actually Works — where we unpacked Cherry’s culture, follow-on discipline, and why brand is a product.
🎙️ The Next Generation of European VC Franchises — live from the EUVC Summit, with Cambridge Associates’ Elsa Deseilligny, on what separates lasting firms from those built for headlines.
This AMA is your chance to go deeper and unscripted — to ask what we didn’t cover in the episodes.
💬 What to Expect in the AMA
Real talk under Chatham House rules.
Questions that never make it into press interviews.
Honest reflections on building a VC platform that actually works.
A small, high-signal group of GPs and LPs in the (virtual) room.
“You don’t go to your LPs every three years just to raise. You build a constant exchange.”
That’s the kind of honesty and perspective you can expect next Monday.
🎟️ Apply now → GP AMA with Christian Meermann
📅 Monday, Nov 3 | 🕛 12:00–13:00 GMT
👤 Hosted by David Cruz e Silva @ EUVC
💬 Free with priority access for EUVC Community members | 20 seats only
ps: We’re doing this one by popular demand after Christian’s hit panel at the EUVC Summit. If you missed him then — this is your chance to catch him raw, real, and off-script.