Welcome back to another episode of the EUVC Podcast, your trusted inside track on the people, deals, and dynamics shaping European venture.

This week, Andreas is joined by Florian Schweitzer, Founding Partner at b2venture, one of Europe’s longest-running VC funds — and one of the only firms to scale a structured angel investing model alongside institutional capital.

They unpack how Florian built an active, deeply interlinked community of 350 angels, the philosophy behind their 90/10 investment model, and why chasing unicorns is the wrong game. The conversation also dives into trust-building with LPs, culture as a strategy, and what it takes to build trillion-euro thinking into Europe’s founder psyche.

Whether you’re an emerging manager trying to scale responsibly, or an LP wondering what durable early-stage outperformance actually looks like — this one’s for you.

Here’s what’s covered:

* 02:00 Looking Back: Florian on the dot-com bubble, the barren years (2001–2004), and how investor–founder dynamics shifted.

* 05:00 Angel Networks: How early angel groups formed (e.g. EBAN, German BAN), the “dinner + pitches” model, and today’s need for operator-angels.

* 08:00 Intergenerational Angels: Why 70-year-old and 30-year-old angels complement each other, and b2venture’s philosophy.

* 09:00 b2venture Highlights: 160 portfolio companies, five early-stage funds, €100M+ invested annually, and parallel angel/fund strategy.

* 12:00 Student Roots: Start Global’s beginnings in St. Gallen, recreating entrepreneurship courses, and the transition to an angel platform.

* 14:00 From Angels to VC: How five angels pushed Florian to start managing syndicates, leading to b2venture’s creation.

* 18:00 The Angel + Fund Model: Why b2venture kept both tracks, how 8 staff support 350 angels, and the “jazz concert” orchestration.

* 23:00 Culture & Rules: Motivation letters, veto rights, and the “honourable merchant” ethos shaping long-term trust.

* 25:00 Unicorn Cases: How angels sourced DeepL, 1.5° Energy, and others; mentoring roles; angel leads in syndicates.

* 29:00 Beyond Unicorns: Why chasing unicorn labels is wrong, aiming instead for €1T companies, profits, and sustainability.

* 32:00 Portfolio Design: The 90/10 model — 90% big-outlier bets, 10% safer DPI-returners — and lessons from past vintages.

* 34:00 Closing: Long-term excellence in venture, European ambition, and thanks between Andreas & Florian.

🎧 Listen on Apple or Spotify — timestamps are live so you can jump right to the good stuff.

✍️ Show Notes

The angel model most firms abandon — and b2venture doubled down on

When institutional LPs pushed for separation between b2venture Fund and its angel activity, Florian refused to give up what he saw as part of their DNA. Instead, they staffed it: eight full-time employees work solely on the angel network, integrated directly with investment and ops teams.

Culture is the differentiator — not capital

Every new angel submits a motivation letter and CV. Each current member has veto rights. And the core value? “The honourable merchant.” Long-term thinking, shared upside, no tricks. It's what gives the model both durability and edge.

Seven unicorns. Zero cold outreach.

Every unicorn Florian seeded came from an angel in the network. Whether it’s DeepL via Jörg Rheinboldt or 1.5° via mentor-turned-lead angel Michael Hinderer, the model is the pipeline.

When angels lead, and the fund co-invests

Florian breaks down their governance model: angels sometimes lead boards, even when the fund follows. Co-leads are common, but the fund always takes its own decision. In Fund 1, they didn’t — and they’ve since course-corrected.

Forget unicorns — aim for a trillion

“If we don’t think about €1T outcomes in Europe, they’ll never happen.” Florian shares why listing isn’t a goal, why EBITDA still matters, and why he backs founders who build like it’s not about valuation headlines.

The 90/10 rule — and the DPI wake-up

90% of b2v’s investments chase large outcomes. 10% are lower-risk bets designed to return capital within the fund’s life. It’s not theoretical: they used this in Funds 1 & 2. They dropped it in Funds 3 & 4. They regret it — and they’ve brought it back.

Connect with Europe’s leading LPs, Family Offices & Fund of Funds this September at Château de Beloeil.

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Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you the candid insights of Europe’s leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors reshaping venture collaboration.

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm speaks with Petr Míkovec, Managing Director of Inven Capital, the CVC arm of ČEZ, one of Central Europe’s most conservative utilities. From nuclear power plants to climate tech bets, Petr shares how Inven Capital was born inside a 30,000-person corporate giant—and why culture by design, not default, is the only way to make innovation stick.

From boardroom alignment to founder empathy, this conversation reveals what it takes to balance corporate DNA with startup speed—and how Inven Capital won founders’ trust despite starting from scratch.

🎧 Here’s what’s covered

* 00:00 Culture by design, not by default—why Inven Capital had to reinvent itself inside ČEZ.

* 01:38 Building credibility in a conservative culture—why early adopters matter more than the majority.

* 03:25 Workshops, t-shirts, and pyramids—breaking hierarchy to create founder empathy.

* 05:00 Involving the board—how Inven secured sponsorship and continuous support.

* 06:30 Bridging the brand gap between ČEZ and Inven—winning trust with transparency and feedback.

* 08:00 Respecting failures—why structured feedback became a cornerstone of founder relationships.

* 09:00 Finding the right distance—how to be independent from the mothership but still connected.

You can listen to the full conversation from the EUCVC Summit 2025 on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

✍️ Show Notes

Culture by Design

* Innovation doesn’t survive conservative defaults—culture must be designed deliberately.

* Inven Capital embraced startup behavior (t-shirts, openness, playful rituals) to signal change.

Early Adopters, Not the Majority

* ČEZ’s 30,000 employees were invited into the process.

* Petr focused on innovators and early adopters, not the resistant majority, to seed internal momentum.

Board Sponsorship

* Success required a sponsor at board level and alignment with ČEZ’s long-term horizon strategy.

* Clear communication of the “why” ensured Inven was not a vanity project, but part of the group’s future.

Winning Founders’ Trust

* Early days were hard—founders questioned decision speed and capital reliability.

* Inven overcame this with transparency, structured feedback, and respect for failures, building reputation deal by deal.

Brand Bridge

* Founders now vouch for Inven, even competing to provide references for them.

* The brand shifted from corporate suspicion to founder advocacy.

Finding the Right Distance

* CVCs must strike the balance between corporate DNA and startup speed.

* “Not too far, not too close”—independence with respect for the parent culture is the formula.

💡 One-liner takeaway: Inven Capital proves that even the most conservative corporates can build trusted venture arms—if they design culture intentionally, empower early adopters, and earn founders’ respect through transparency and empathy.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.eu.vc/subscribe

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe’s leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.

In this episode, Jeppe Høier sits down with Peter Aksel Villadsen (GN Hearing) and Helle Hee (PwC) to unpack the messy middle of post-merger integration: aligning strategy and governance, protecting talent and culture, and getting the operating model right so the deal value actually shows up. From pre-close planning to the first 100 days, they share what works, what fails, and how to keep the integration machine honest.

This is essential listening for any corporate venturer, founder, or investor navigating M&A.

🎧 Here’s what’s covered

* 00:30 – Introduction: Europe’s corporates are buying innovation, but many struggle to integrate it. Peter and Helle discuss how to create real value when startups become subsidiaries.

* 01:00 – Breakthrough Moments: Peter on the rare “miracle” when founders stay post-acquisition; Helle on why day-one readiness is critical to capturing momentum.

* 02:00 – Integration Planning: The importance of preparation before signing — equipping teams to welcome founders with curiosity and discover hidden value.

* 03:00 – Culture as an Organ Transplant: Peter’s powerful metaphor: startups as organs transplanted into corporates. How to suppress rejection and preserve agility.

* 04:00 – Building a Hybrid Playbook: Helle on balancing corporate processes with startup DNA — absorbing back office functions while protecting innovation culture.

* 05:00 – Keeping the Founder’s Voice: Peter’s dual perspective as both founder and corporate leader — why revisiting integration plans through the founder’s lens matters.

* 06:00 – Retaining Talent: How to reduce flight risk: tailored incentives, minority stakes, and structures that keep founders motivated post-deal.

* 07:00 – Case Study: Lively: GN’s acquisition of Lively to reach new customer segments — and how involving the startup team secured cultural and strategic value.

* 08:00 – Final Advice: Helle’s closing message: the most important thing is to be ready on day one.

You can listen to the full session from the EUCVC Summit 2025 on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

✍️ Show Notes

Integration Reality

* Deals are easy; integrations are hard. Most value is won or lost in the operating model, not the press release.

* Design for decisions. Clear decision rights and escalation paths beat “alignment meetings” every time.

Pre-Close to Day 1

* Value thesis → workstreams. Translate why we bought this company into 5–7 measurable workstreams with owners.

* Day-1 readiness. Comms, access, payroll, customer-facing stability—no drama.

Culture & Talent

* Retain the A-team. Lock incentives, define missions, remove blockers.

* Communicate like crazy. Cadence reduces rumor; rumor kills velocity.

Operating Model & Governance

* Fewer committees, clearer charters. Governance supports, it doesn’t suffocate.

* Metrics that matter. Pick 6–8 cross-functional KPIs tied to the deal thesis

Tech, Data & Risk

* Sequence the cutovers. Don’t touch revenue-critical systems first.

* Create “do-not-break” zones in the first 90 days.

CVC’s Post-Deal Role

* Be the sponsor and translator. Protect the original intent; align incentives; escalate fast.

* Keep entrepreneurial energy alive. Autonomy where it counts; integration where it pays.

💡 One-liner takeaway: Successful integrations turn a deal thesis into decisions, incentives, and operating cadence—fast—so value shows up in the business, not just the board deck.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.eu.vc/subscribe

Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe’s leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.

In this episode, Kasper Hulthin, serial founder now at Future Five (and co-founder of Peakon, Podio, and others), sits down with Heini Zachariassen, founder of Vivino, the world’s largest wine app and marketplace. Both have experienced firsthand what it means to be acquired by a corporate—and they don’t hold back on the reality behind the headlines.

From culture shock and governance friction to the trade-offs of autonomy versus scale, Kasper and Heini share the inside story of what happens post-acquisition. They also reflect on when collaboration works, how to preserve founder spirit, and what corporates must do to retain the trust and agility of entrepreneurial teams.

This is essential listening for any corporate venturer, founder, or investor navigating M&A.

🎧 Here’s what’s covered

* 00:05 – Introduction: Startups dream of exits, but what happens next? Kasper and Heini discuss acquisitions, culture shock, and the reality behind the dotted linekasper transcript.

* 01:00 – Two Exits: Kasper shares his founder journey: Podio sold to Citrix (2012) and Peakon sold to Workday (2021).

* 02:00 – How Acquisitions Start: From making noise in San Francisco to building partnerships — why Citrix fell in love with Podio and how Workday became a strategic buyer.

* 04:00 – Timing the Sale: Peakon’s $700M+ exit during COVID, high multiples, and why the deal made sense for both sides.

* 05:00 – Life Inside a Corporate: From founder to mid-level manager — Kasper’s experience of Citrix’s “Project Zeus” and how startups risk dying in big-company bureaucracy.

* 07:00 – Retention & Integration: Why Podio stayed semi-independent while Peakon was integrated fast — and how that shaped employee retention.

* 08:00 – Success Rates: Not every acquisition works: Podio’s limited return vs. Peakon’s strong trajectory. Culture clashes, corporate HR shock, and mismatched priorities.

* 09:00 – Risk & Strategy: Startups bet everything on growth; corporates spread resources across portfolios. Why this clash makes integration so hard.

You can listen to Kasper Hulthin & Heini Zachariassen’s full session from the EUCVC Summit 2025 on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

✍️ Show Notes

Post-Acquisition Reality

* Day one can feel like a culture shock: slower decisions, legal guardrails, and corporate hierarchy.

* Founders often underestimate how mid-level inertia can stall momentum.

Strategic Alignment

* Mission alignment is easy to talk about pre-deal; harder to live post-deal.

* Success requires shared KPIs, incentives, and operational roadmaps.

Trade-offs & Headwinds

* Autonomy vs. scale: corporates bring reach and resources, but can smother identity.

* “Too many cooks” in governance—risk, legal, compliance—all with veto power.

When It Works

* Acquisitions succeed when corporates protect founder autonomy, incentivize A-teams, and integrate channels thoughtfully.

* Some structures enable collaboration without killing speed—flatter integration and transparency matter most.

Advice to Corporates

* Earn founders’ trust by giving them space, shared incentives, and transparency.

* Don’t treat startups like departments—treat them like growth engines.

Founder Legacy

* Beyond product, legacy is about culture and spirit embedded in the larger company.

* Success is preserving the startup’s DNA while scaling with corporate resources.

💡 One-liner takeaway:Acquisitions aren’t just financial outcomes—they’re cultural collisions. The winners are corporates who protect founder autonomy and founders who know which trade-offs to accept.

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In this EUCVC Summit Talks episode, Hermann Haraldsson, CEO of Boozt, unpacks the journey of taking a Nordic e-commerce scale-up from scrappy beginnings to a billion-dollar listed company. He discusses Boozt’s playbook for customer trust, operational discipline, and balancing growth with profitability. Hermann reflects on how corporate partnerships can (and can’t) accelerate scale, why governance is critical earlier than founders think, and how AI and sustainability are reshaping retail.

Whether you’re a corporate VC, startup founder, or institutional investor, this is a candid look at the realities of building Europe’s digital champions.

🎧 Here’s what’s covered

* 00:30 – Boozt Journey: Founded in 2011, IPO in Stockholm (2017), dual listing in Copenhagen (2020). Once the most valuable e-commerce company in the Nordics.

* 01:30 – Culture From Day One: Three pillars: trust, freedom, and responsibility — built on Nordic values. Hiring the right people and giving them space to grow.

* 02:30 – The “Care Why” Culture: From “know what” to “know why” to “care why.” How Boozt tests for true ownership mindset (like picking up trash in the warehouse).

* 03:30 – Scaling Culture: How to keep startup mentality when growing from 5 to 500 people. Inspiration from Bain’s Founder’s Mentality framework.

* 04:30 – Founder’s Mentality in Action: Key principles: skin in the game, challenging industry wisdom, and obsessively reducing friction for customers and staff.

* 06:00 – IPO as a Turning Point: Why going public didn’t mean “growing up” — compliance is outsourced, while startup culture is doubled down.

* 07:00 – Staying a Startup Post-IPO: Hermann’s role shift: from “machinist greasing the wheels” to communicator of values, frontline obsession, and owner mindset.

* 08:00 – Don’t Fear Compliance: Investors buy into the startup spirit, not the corporate bureaucracy. Compliance is license to operate, not a competitive advantage.

* 09:00 – Closing Lesson: An IPO doesn’t have to make you corporate — if you focus on what matters, your company’s immune system will fight bureaucracy, not innovation.

You can listen Hermann Haraldsson’s full talk from the EUCVC Summit 2025 on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

✍️ Show Notes

Boozt’s Growth Playbook

* Early pivot from failure into focused e-commerce strategy.

* Discipline and governance from the start: operating like a public company years before the IPO.

* Competing with Zalando by leaning on local knowledge, superior logistics, and customer-centric service.

IPO & Transparency

* Going public forced operational rigor and a culture of accountability.

* Investors reward transparency even in tough times.

Corporate Partnerships

* Alignment is key: successful collaborations happen when incentives are shared.

* Warning: corporates can slow down innovation if governance clashes with founder speed.

Sustainability & AI

* ESG reporting not as box-ticking but as a competitive edge.

* Practical AI applications already rolled out: personalization, supply chain optimization, and customer service.

Takeaways for Corporates & CVCs

* Don’t underestimate founder resilience, but governance needs to be in place earlier than most think.

* Corporates can add value — but only if they respect entrepreneurial speed.

* Europe’s tech champions are built on discipline, not hype.

💡 One-liner takeaway:Hermann Haraldsson proves that building a European digital champion is about discipline, transparency, and trust — and that corporates can play a role if they lean in with alignment and speed.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.eu.vc/subscribe

At EUVC Summit 2025, Fred Destin, founder of Stride, didn’t give us a movie, or a polished pitch. He gave us something rarer—an unfiltered meditation on truth, technology, and the role of venture capital in shaping the next 50–100 years.

Not Just Capital. Not Just Companies.Fred framed venture not simply as a financial craft, but as something profoundly human:

“Since I was a kid, I always thought of progress as being intimately related to human flourishing. In our age, the way in which we create—outside of art—is by helping founders build companies. We are in the cockpit with them, creating the future.”

But that future is clouded. Social media, born of “likes” and “shares,” bent the arc of progress into something darker: an attention war.

And now, with AI at full speed, the stakes have never been higher.

Truth Under SiegeDestin warned: truth is costly, outrage is cheap. Investigative journalism may take months, but outrage takes seconds. Algorithms optimized for speed have already shifted the field—and AI could supercharge it.

He asked the room to imagine:

* A future where your AI knows who you dined with, where you’ve been, and what you’ll buy next.

* A landscape where ambiguity is exploited, narratives collapse, and “heroes” are manufactured.

* A world where our meditation spaces, even our inner lives, are monetized and optimized.

“Narratives are how we hold together—companies, funds, societies. When they collapse, what’s left to unite us?”

Stewardship in an Age of AnxietyFred’s answer wasn’t fear, but stewardship.

* Stewardship of self: noticing when we’re trapped in attachment, aversion, or ignorance (as Buddhism teaches).

* Stewardship of conversation: asking what quality of dialogue we are having—with ourselves, with founders, with society.

* Stewardship of capital: ensuring the companies we back create a future we can stand behind.

“Maybe don’t tell your LPs you’re doing this. But be intentional. Back companies that are shaping the future you’d be proud to live in.”

The Call to VCsFred’s message landed as both caution and inspiration:

* AI can bring abundance—solving crises of climate, soil, nutrition, and health.

* But it can also bring domination—by nation states, corporations, or worse.

* Or, if unchecked, extinction.

The choice isn’t abstract. It’s in the hands of those who sit “inside the vortex”—founders, investors, and stewards of capital.

Leadership That Speaks TruthFred Destin reminded EUVC Summit 2025 that venture capital isn’t just about returns. It’s about narrative, stewardship, and shaping futures in an age of anxiety.

“What are we telling the world? Not what is self-serving. But what is true. What is a contribution.”

Congratulations to Fred Destin, Stride, for a Summit Talk that challenged us not just to invest in companies—but to invest in the truth.

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In a high-energy session that sparked nods across the room, Lucille and Marc tackled the shifting paradigms in the SaaS market—and made a compelling case for why vertical SaaS is quickly outpacing horizontal models.

The Horizontal SaaS Dilemma

Marc opened with a candid assessment of the current SaaS landscape. “What’s the flaw in the current market?” he asked. In his view, horizontal SaaS faces serious headwinds:

* AI is leveling the playing field: Tools like AI-assisted coding have lowered the barrier to entry. Startups can now build and scale to $10–20M in revenue without a CTO, making it easier than ever to launch—but harder to stand out.

* Enterprise sales are brutal: Horizontal SaaS faces challenges in defining clear ICPs (Ideal Customer Profiles), making it harder to gain traction quickly. This often results in sluggish proof points and delayed product-market fit.

Why Vertical SaaS Wins

Vertical SaaS—companies that serve a single, well-defined industry—has several structural advantages that Lucille and Marc believe make it the smarter play:

* Clear Go-To-Market MotionWith deep domain knowledge, vertical SaaS teams know exactly how to sell and to whom. Their understanding of customer pain points gives them a clear runway for product adoption.

* Economic Moats from the StartBy solving a niche problem deeply (rather than broadly), vertical SaaS players build sticky products with defensible positioning. This leads to easier upselling and faster PMF (product-market fit).

* Composable GrowthOnce established in one vertical, these companies can expand into adjacent markets or layers—embedding financial products like payments, insurance, or lending. That transforms them into mini-operating systems for their customers.

* AI as an Embedded EdgeAI isn’t just a buzzword here—it’s embedded into the business model. These companies use AI to build smarter workflows, increase automation, and create differentiated products right out of the gate.

* M&A and Platform PotentialVertical SaaS allows for cleaner M&A and roll-up strategies, given the homogeneity of the user base. This is significantly harder with broad horizontal plays. Layering in APIs and platforms makes them extensible and scalable.

The Secret Sauce? Deep Workflow Integration

Lucille emphasized that success in vertical SaaS hinges on one key ingredient: deep workflow integration. These companies become indispensable to their customers, reducing churn and increasing lifetime value. It’s not about shallow features—it’s about becoming mission-critical.

“The future is not just SaaS—it’s vertical SaaS,” Marc concluded. “That’s how you build enduring, category-defining software companies.”

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Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) can be both a powerful ally and a cautionary tale for founders and financial VCs alike. At the EUVC Summit, Nicholas Sauvage of TDK Ventures took the stage to break down the CVC landscape — past, present, and future — and give practical advice for founders considering CVCs on their cap tables.

CVCs: The Good, the Bad, and the Misunderstood

Nicholas challenged the audience with a question: who’s had a good experience with a CVC? Hands shot up and fewer hands went up for “bad experiences.” This, he noted, shows we’re at a new stage for corporate venture.

He outlined the three eras of CVC:

* CVC 1.0: The early days, marked by balance-sheet-driven investments and corporate sponsorships. These often came with odd term sheets and slower processes, but could unlock synergies.

* CVC 2.0: Skipped over, just like today’s pre-seed to Series A jumps.

* CVC 3.0: The modern era: financially disciplined, strategically aligned, fast-moving, and structured like financial VCs without sacrificing strategic purpose.

Importantly, Nicholas debunked the idea that financial and strategic returns are a trade-off - a "false premise," as he called it. The best CVCs aim for both: venture-type returns and deep strategic synergies.

What Makes a Great CVC?

Nicholas shared the characteristics of high-performing CVCs:

* Fast decision-making (some in under 2 weeks!)

* Clear investment theses

* Slim, empowered ICs (not consensus-based groups of 12)

* Strategic clarity and preparedness

* A giver mindset — value-add first, not value-extract

He also offered advice for traditional VCs:

“Be thoughtful about when a CVC joins your cap table. Some are great at de-risking science, others support go-to-market — it's all about matching their superpower to your founder’s needs.”

TDK Ventures' Framework: Triple Mandate

TDK Ventures uses a strict three-pillar framework:

* Contribution to society

* Venture-type returns

* Strategic synergy (giver-focused)

If an opportunity scores less than 9/10 on any one of the three, they won’t invest. Why? Because climate tech and deeptech take time and patience, and TDK is playing a long game to back meaningful technologies — like Type One energy and nuclear fusion — that can shape humanity’s future.

Advice to Founders & VCs

Before taking CVC money, ask the hard questions:

* What’s their why?

* What value do they add?

* Are they ready to support at the right stage of your journey?

“Without exits, we don’t have a VC ecosystem,” Nicholas reminded the room — so make sure you’re partnering with CVCs who can help drive toward them.

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Tom Wehmeier of Atomico took the stage to present the Achievement of the Year Award, offering a touching reminder of the power of community, storytelling, and persistence in building Europe’s venture identity.

Honoring the Builders Behind the Scenes

Before diving into the award itself, Tom took a moment to pay tribute to the unsung heroes who make the EUVC Summit possible. Special thanks went to:

* Dan Taylor, Director of Content, whose voiceovers shaped the tone of the event’s videos—even if he had to duck out early for a birthday party.

* Geraldine, for her tireless efforts behind the scenes, now rewarded with, in Tom’s words, “a very well-earned glass of wine—or two, three, I don’t mind!”

It was a warm and human moment, reminding the audience that even in high-stakes venture circles, gratitude and team spirit are what truly drive momentum.

The Power of the Collective Voice

Tom also took the opportunity to reflect on Atomico’s long-standing effort to amplify the voice of the ecosystem—particularly through their widely circulated surveys and reports. He playfully acknowledged the flood of emails and DMs over the years, encouraging people to contribute to the State of European Tech report.

But beyond the spam, the intent was serious:

“It’s been massively important to have the voice of tens of thousands of people shared and elevated… We’re all here because we believe Europe needs to tell its story in a positive way.”

Why This Award Matters

The Achievement of the Year Award isn’t just about one startup’s exit or one investor’s return—it celebrates initiatives that move the whole ecosystem forward. In a continent still carving out its narrative on the global venture stage, this recognition honors those who go beyond capital to inspire, build infrastructure, and create shared momentum.

With that, Tom handed the mic back to Chris to announce the winner—but not before delivering a final rallying cry:

“The need was great then. The need is even greater today.”

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“Europe Can Win in Applied AI — If We Play to Our Strengths”

In one of the most focused and forward-looking sessions of the summit, Juliet Bailin of General Catalyst made a compelling case for why Europe is uniquely positioned to lead in applied AI—not by copying Silicon Valley, but by doubling down on what makes the continent distinct.

Why Europe? Because We're Built for It

Juliet opened with a reminder of Europe’s superpowers:

* Regulatory complexity,

* Cultural and linguistic diversity, and

* Strong traditions in research and privacy.

These aren’t weaknesses—they’re strategic advantages for human-centric, domain-specific, and trust-first AI.

“Highly regulated industries are perfect for specialized AI,” Juliet argued. “And cultural diversity is crucial for building human-centric systems.”

Applied AI Is Europe’s Opportunity

Rather than pursuing general-purpose models that require vast compute resources (a game already dominated by US giants), Juliet emphasized applied AI—targeted solutions built into real-world workflows. Europe’s leadership in sectors like healthcare, finance, and mobility offers the perfect foundation.

General Catalyst is backing this with:

* Incubation of applied AI startups

* AI roll-ups of legacy businesses with strong distribution

* Public-private convenings via the General Catalyst Institute

A Call for Innovation-First Policy

Juliet called on governments to do more than fund foundational research:

“We need governments that can incentivize the adoption of European, homegrown applied AI companies.”

That means clear pathways for public procurement, regulation that encourages innovation, and aligned industrial policy.

What Founders Can Do

Her message to entrepreneurs was crisp and actionable:

* Build in regulated industries where Europe leads

* Prioritize trust-first AI—privacy, explainability, fairness

* Join the EU AI Champions Initiative → AIChampions.eu(A platform to connect startups with the corporates and investors driving Europe's AI future)

From GDP to Legacy

Juliet closed with a powerful vision—not just of returns or GDP growth, but of rewriting the social and economic history of Europe:

“If we do this right… future historians will talk about it at the next EUVC summit.”

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.eu.vc/subscribe