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EP15 - Europe Has the Science. Asia Has the Capital. The Missing Layer Is Execution.
Europe has elite science. Asia has a capital. So why do so many European university spinouts never reach venture readiness or exits?
In this episode, Dr. Peter M. Kovacs speaks with Károly Szántó and Thijmen Meijer about the real gaps that block deep tech startups, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, and what a modern support model looks like.
What we cover:
Why most spinouts never become VC fundable
The commercialization gap between research and markets
Mindset, team design, and why the founder is not always the CEO
IP clarity and why it is the first gate to investability
Milestones that remove ambiguity and build investor trust
Smart money versus dumb money in biotech and medtech
How to bridge Europe’s science with Asia’s capital through operators and partnerships
Key takeaway: funding is not the goal. Value creation is the goal.
Subscribe for more conversations at the crossroads of science and capital.
Timecode:
00:00 Introduction and Meeting the Guests
00:16 Challenges Faced by European Startups
04:44 The Importance of Mindset in Commercialization
07:43 Building Effective Teams for Startups
14:04 Investment Challenges and Opportunities
17:15 The Role of Clear Goals and Milestones
21:40 The Investor's Perspective
25:26 Introduction to Portfolio Companies
25:45 The Need for New Investment Models
26:05 Technological Boom and Efficiency
26:29 Building Companies for Impact
27:30 Challenges in Deep Tech Investment
27:50 Value-Driven Founders
29:12 Operational Models and Risk Mitigation
30:50 Identifying Good Partners
32:55 Scaling Up and Future Goals
33:43 Investor and Founder Dynamics
37:09 Cultural Differences in Startups
46:40 Lab Space and Resource Challenges
49:39 Networking and Collaboration
51:57 Preparing for Global Markets
Subscribe to Clinical Capital Conversations for unfiltered discussions at the crossroads of science and capital. Investors, founders, and operators welcome.
Links:
Peter M. Kovacs LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petermkovacs/
Peter M. Kovacs Personal Website:https://www.petermkovacs.com/
PMK Group Website: https://www.pmk-group.com/
Guests:
Károly Szántó: https://www.karolyszanto.com/
Thijmen Meijer: https://www.thijmenmeijer.com/
UniPrisma: https://uniprisma.com/
View all episodes
By Dr. Peter M. KovacsEurope has elite science. Asia has a capital. So why do so many European university spinouts never reach venture readiness or exits?
In this episode, Dr. Peter M. Kovacs speaks with Károly Szántó and Thijmen Meijer about the real gaps that block deep tech startups, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, and what a modern support model looks like.
What we cover:
Why most spinouts never become VC fundable
The commercialization gap between research and markets
Mindset, team design, and why the founder is not always the CEO
IP clarity and why it is the first gate to investability
Milestones that remove ambiguity and build investor trust
Smart money versus dumb money in biotech and medtech
How to bridge Europe’s science with Asia’s capital through operators and partnerships
Key takeaway: funding is not the goal. Value creation is the goal.
Subscribe for more conversations at the crossroads of science and capital.
Timecode:
00:00 Introduction and Meeting the Guests
00:16 Challenges Faced by European Startups
04:44 The Importance of Mindset in Commercialization
07:43 Building Effective Teams for Startups
14:04 Investment Challenges and Opportunities
17:15 The Role of Clear Goals and Milestones
21:40 The Investor's Perspective
25:26 Introduction to Portfolio Companies
25:45 The Need for New Investment Models
26:05 Technological Boom and Efficiency
26:29 Building Companies for Impact
27:30 Challenges in Deep Tech Investment
27:50 Value-Driven Founders
29:12 Operational Models and Risk Mitigation
30:50 Identifying Good Partners
32:55 Scaling Up and Future Goals
33:43 Investor and Founder Dynamics
37:09 Cultural Differences in Startups
46:40 Lab Space and Resource Challenges
49:39 Networking and Collaboration
51:57 Preparing for Global Markets
Subscribe to Clinical Capital Conversations for unfiltered discussions at the crossroads of science and capital. Investors, founders, and operators welcome.
Links:
Peter M. Kovacs LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petermkovacs/
Peter M. Kovacs Personal Website:https://www.petermkovacs.com/
PMK Group Website: https://www.pmk-group.com/
Guests:
Károly Szántó: https://www.karolyszanto.com/
Thijmen Meijer: https://www.thijmenmeijer.com/
UniPrisma: https://uniprisma.com/