Welcome back to another EUVC Podcast, where we gather Europe’s venture family to share the stories, insights, and lessons that drive our ecosystem forward.
Welcome to a new episode of the EUVC podcast, where our good friends Dan Bowyer and Mads Jensen from SuperSeed in a discussion with Andrew J. Scott, Founding Partner at 7percent Ventures, cover recent news and movements in the European tech landscape 💬
From Germany’s $600B lithium discovery and London’s IPO collapse to the moral hazards of government bailouts and the reinvention of venture capital itself — this episode covers the policy shifts, capital cycles, and structural changes that define Europe’s next decade.
🎧 Here’s what’s covered
00:10 Welcome & Quick News
US government shutdown symbolism, Labour’s fading momentum, Apple’s backdoor standoff, OpenAI’s half-trillion valuation, and EF’s pivot to the US.09:45 Entrepreneur First’s US Shift
Why EF’s consolidation westward feels emotional for Europe — and why Lomax calls it validation of stronger European founders who still need US DNA early.15:30 Germany’s Lithium Find
A 43-million-ton discovery worth an estimated $600B could cover 50 years of EU demand — if energy costs, extraction tech, and permitting don’t stall it.22:20 London’s IPO Crisis
The UK drops to #23 globally — behind Mexico, Singapore, and Oman. How pensions, regulation, and lack of tech listings hollowed out the market, and what real fixes look like.30:20 Governments, Bailouts & Moral Hazard
JLR’s £1.5B loan guarantee and Germany’s €500B stimulus spark debate: when should governments step in, and how to ensure taxpayers get upside and discipline in return.40:15 Reinventing Venture
Dan’s bugbear topic: are new VC models emerging? RIAs, revenue-share hybrids, AI pickers, and Europe’s path to multi-product platforms.50:00 Deals of the Week
From Periodic Labs’ $300M seed to Cusp AI, legal tech’s boom, and a surge of defense and deep-tech capital — including Black Forest Labs’ $4B valuation rumor.57:30 Defense Momentum
Inside London’s Resilience Conference: NATO’s new funds, European urgency gaps, and why founders must think faster to keep pace with US counterparts.
✍️ Show Notes
Europe’s Lithium Moment
Germany’s discovery could power Europe for decades — but refining, permitting, and energy costs may prove the real bottlenecks. Sovereignty starts with processing, not geology.
London’s Listings Drought
Down 69% year-over-year and ranking behind Mexico and Oman, London’s IPO freeze is structural, driven by decades of pension derisking, low tech weighting, and excessive disclosure. Cosmetic reforms won’t cut it.
Smart Industrial Policy > Bailouts
Government backstops risk moral hazard. Loan guarantees need commercial upside — warrants, conditions, and cyber-risk discipline. “First customer” beats “blank check.”
EF’s US Focus = European Opportunity
Founders with US exposure scale faster. EF’s consolidation westward shows Europe’s talent is global-grade — but capital, customer urgency, and clustering still matter.
Venture Model Reinvention
From data-driven sourcing to RIAs and secondaries, venture is maturing into multi-product firms. Yet pre-seed remains an artisanal craft of judgment and access.
Defense & Deep Tech Boom
Cusp AI, Black Forest Labs, and NATO-backed funds show Europe’s next frontier: defense, dual-use, and deep science — where urgency and scale must now match ambition.
💡 One-liner takeaway:
Europe’s next growth wave will come from pragmatic sovereignty, credible capital markets, commercially-minded state support — and a venture model that fuses data, discipline, and founder empathy.
🤗 Join the EUVC Community
Looking for niche, high-quality experiences that prioritize depth over breadth? Consider joining our community focused on delivering content tailored to the experienced VC. Here’s what you can look forward to as a member:
Exclusive Access & Discounts: Priority access to masterclasses with leading GPs & LPs, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
On-Demand Content: A platform with sessions you can access anytime, anywhere, complete with presentations, templates, and other resources.
Interactive AMAs: Engage directly with top GPs and LPs in exclusive small group sessions — entirely free for community members.
