February 25, 2025

195. Is JD Vance Right About Free Speech in Europe, Is It Safe to Use DeepSeek for Your Startup, Biggest Fundraising Announcements, Do We Need DOGE, Upcoming VC Apocalypse & Yes, AI Is Fueling Layoffs

1 hour 10 minutes

Welcome to a new type of episode of the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast. A monthly discussion format on topics we find relevant to highlight, discuss and share with you to help you become a scrappier and better version of yourself. We will be looking at events and developments in business, politics and technology from a European and particularly Baltic perspective.

On this episode we talk about:

A deep dive into whether Europe’s free speech restrictions are justified, how Germany polices online content, and whether the Baltics have more freedom in comparison.
Examining Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), its actual impact on U.S. spending, and whether such an initiative would work in Europe.
Why Estonia is introducing a 2% defense tax, how it compares to other European countries, and whether other nations should follow suit.
A look at the latest investment rounds, including the biggest raises in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and why growth-stage funding is still lagging behind.
A discussion on the crisis in venture capital, why many 2020–2021 funds are still stuck at 1x valuation, and what this means for future startup investments.
Are recent tech layoffs driven by AI automation, or is AI just a convenient scapegoat? Analyzing the Klarna and Stripe cases, plus how startups can use AI to stay competitive.

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By Uldis Teraudkalns & Janis Zeps

11 ratings

February 25, 2025

195. Is JD Vance Right About Free Speech in Europe, Is It Safe to Use DeepSeek for Your Startup, Biggest Fundraising Announcements, Do We Need DOGE, Upcoming VC Apocalypse & Yes, AI Is Fueling Layoffs

1 hour 10 minutes

On this episode we talk about:

A deep dive into whether Europe’s free speech restrictions are justified, how Germany polices online content, and whether the Baltics have more freedom in comparison.
Examining Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), its actual impact on U.S. spending, and whether such an initiative would work in Europe.
Why Estonia is introducing a 2% defense tax, how it compares to other European countries, and whether other nations should follow suit.
A look at the latest investment rounds, including the biggest raises in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and why growth-stage funding is still lagging behind.
A discussion on the crisis in venture capital, why many 2020–2021 funds are still stuck at 1x valuation, and what this means for future startup investments.
Are recent tech layoffs driven by AI automation, or is AI just a convenient scapegoat? Analyzing the Klarna and Stripe cases, plus how startups can use AI to stay competitive.