EU-Startups Podcast

• Episode 120: Antonia Eneh: CEO of Wave Ventures -

  This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski interviews Antonia Eneh, CEO of Wave Ventures, the trailblazing Gen Z-led VC fund that just launched Wave III — their boldest fund yet to invest in the world’s most ambitious Gen Z founders backed by the people behind Bolt, Slack, Wolt, and Supercell. We dive deep into what makes this generation of entrepreneurs tick: 🌍 Their hunger for purpose 💥 Their refusal to accept the status quo 🚀 And their vision to build the world they want to live in Antonia also pulls back the curtain on Wave Ventures’ radically personal investment model, why relationships beat ideas, and how VC must evolve to reflect the diversity and creativity of a new era. If you're building the next big thing — or just want a window into the minds shaping tomorrow — don’t miss this one. 🧠 Takeaways: 1. Gen Z is actively building a world that reflects their values 2. Gen Z founders are driven by purpose, not perks 3. Wave Ventures backs people, not just traction 4. Grit, ambition, and the "X-factor" matter more than resumes 5. The best VCs build with founders — not just write checks 📍Chapters: 00:00 Intro to Wave Ventures & Gen Z Founders 01:46 Building a Better World 03:42 Spotting Wave Material 05:52 A Fund by Students for Students 07:48 People Over Ideas 09:40 Relationship-Driven VC 11:57 Personalized Investment Process 13:45 The Future of VC 19:10 Rapid Fire Game If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the EU-Startups Podcast on YouTube! Or follow along on your other favorite podcast platforms... Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4QU85dN... / Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast... Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/

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• Episode 119: Zoltan Vardy: Creator of The Launch Code - Startup Sales Made Simple

  This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski interviews Zoltan Vardy, a seasoned B2B sales advisor, author, and speaker with over 30 years of experience in driving revenue growth. Zoltan has generated $2 billion in sales throughout his career, serving as a C-suite executive at major media companies like NBCUniversal International and ProSiebenSat.1 Media. He is the creator of The Launch Code, a comprehensive sales and marketing blueprint that has helped over 200 startups across 26 countries close high-ticket deals and scale their businesses . In this conversation, Zoltan shares insights from his newly published book, The Launch Code, offering practical strategies for startup founders to simplify their sales processes. Topics include: – Common pitfalls founders face in sales – The importance of understanding your ideal customer – Building a minimum viable sales setup – Selling with confidence and avoiding time wasters – Crafting effective value propositions – The significance of referrals and optimizing sales decks – The psychology behind pricing strategies Takeaways 1. Understanding your ideal customer is crucial for sales success. 2. Sales is a learnable skill, not a magical talent. 3. Focus on solving problems rather than pushing products. 4. Sales decks should focus on the customer's problem first. 5. Avoid pitching to unqualified leads to save time. Whether you're a founder looking to improve your sales approach or someone interested in B2B sales strategies, this episode provides valuable takeaways to help you build a predictable revenue engine. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Sales Simplification 03:07 Understanding the Sales Mindset 05:59 Building a Minimum Viable Sales Setup 08:54 Selling with Confidence as a Founder 12:05 Focus and Product-Market Fit 15:07 Avoiding Time Wasters in Sales 18:00 Crafting Effective Value Propositions 21:08 Turning Clients into Advocates 24:00 Optimizing Sales Decks 26:58 Emergency Moves for Dry Pipelines 29:54 Pricing Strategies for Startups 32:08 Cold Outreach vs. Warm Introductions Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ #startup #venturecapital #entrepreneurship

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• Episode 118: Ash Arora: Partner at LocalGlobe - From Delhi to Top VC

  This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sits down with Ash Arora, the youngest Partner at LocalGlobe — the #1 early-stage VC fund in EMEA and a backer of legendary companies like Wise, Canva, Twitter, Robinhood, and more. In this episode, Ash shares her journey from Delhi to leading investments in frontier tech across London and beyond. We dive into her days at Polygon Ventures (managing a $100M fund with LPs like Sequoia, Lightspeed, SoftBank), her time advising the Indian Prime Minister’s Office with a focus on emerging tech startup investments and strategic policy impacting 1.5 billion people, and what she’s learned about power, adversity, and intuition along the way. We explore: – Why adversity builds better founders – How gut instinct is actually pattern recognition – What VCs get wrong about hardware and DeepTech – Why most startups don’t actually need venture money – How to read people like the best investors – And the worst (and best) advice she’s ever received Whether you're a founder, investor, or just someone curious about how the next generation of VCs think — this conversation will challenge what you think you know about success, strategy, and venture capital. 🔥 TAKEAWAYS: 1. Perfect is the enemy of launch. Ship it. 2. Trust your gut — even when it goes against the grain. 3. Most startups don’t need venture funding. 4. Reading people is an underrated investor skill. 5. Gut instinct = subconscious pattern recognition. 6. Zombie startups are born from too much capital. 7. Adversity creates clarity, drive, and vision. 8. Pay it forward. Always. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro: Ash Arora (LocalGlobe) 03:02 - From Delhi to VC Partner 06:02 - Big Career “Holy Sh*t” Moments 09:02 - Power, Money & What People Don’t Say 11:55 - Gut Instinct in Investing: Science or Myth? 15:04 - Adversity as Fuel for Success 17:59 - Unpopular Opinions About Venture 18:25 - The Role of Big Vision in Startup Success 20:12 - Why Reading People is a Superpower 23:04 - Pattern Recognition and Gut Feelings 26:20 - Most Startups Shouldn’t Raise VC 30:15 - Building a Contrarian VC Dream Team 32:20 - Best & Worst Advice She’s Heard 35:27 - Ash’s Life in Five Words #startup #venturecapital #entrepreneurship Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/

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• Episode 117: Meiran Galis: Founder & CEO of Scytale - Think Compliance Is Expensive? Try No Compliance

  This week on the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski interviews Meiran Galis, Founder & CEO of Scytale, a global leader in security compliance automation, helping companies get compliant and stay compliant with security frameworks like SOC 1, SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR and PCI-DSS and more, without breaking a sweat. They serve hundreds of customers around the world and holds a world-class service team that advises & supports customers with their continuous GRC requirements. This episode is a must listen for startup founders. Marcin and Meiran talk all things compliance, startups, security, automation, AI, trust, regulations, SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR. They discuss the importance of compliance for startups, the challenges founders face, and how to build trust with customers. Meiran shares insights on creating a compliance checklist, the role of AI in compliance, and lessons learned from startup challenges. The conversation emphasizes that compliance is not just a regulatory requirement but a crucial tool for growth and trust in the market. Takeaways 1. Startups need compliance to grow and build trust. 2. Compliance is often seen as complex and costly by first-time founders. 3. Understanding the relevant regulations is crucial for startups. 4. Building a compliance portfolio model is essential for success. 5. Mapping data flows and creating policies is necessary for compliance. 6. Automation can significantly streamline compliance processes. 7. Trust is foundational for customer relationships in business. #startup #cybersecurity #compliance Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ This podcast episode is brought to you by Scytale - making compliance super easy for startups, helping them get compliant and stay compliant with frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, NIS 2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS and more, without breaking a sweat. Learn more at https://scytale.ai/eus

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• Episode 116: Christian Noske: Partner at NGP Capital - Europe's Wake Up Moment

  This week on the EU Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski sat down with Christian Noske, Partner at NGP Capital. NGP is a global VC investing in technology companies across Europe and the US. For two decades, NGP has invested in more than 120 companies, of which 19 became unicorns and 11 went on to IPO. Some of the companies NGP has backed include Lime, GetYourGuide, The Exploration Company, and ANYbotics. In this episode, they discuss the longevity of NGP Capital, the shifts in investment focus from B2C to deep tech, and the importance of founders in the success of startups. Christian shares inspiring founder stories, including resilience during challenging times, and reflects on unsexy deals that turned out to be blockbusters. He also discusses lessons learned from missed opportunities and offers insights into the future of venture capital, particularly in Europe, emphasizing the need for a supportive political ecosystem. The conversation concludes with personal reflections on advice and life. Takeaways 1. The founder's unique DNA is what makes startups succeed. 2. Grit and resilience are key in overcoming challenges. 3. Unsexy businesses can yield great returns. 4. The future of VC will favor small, specialized firms. 5. Europe has great talent and strong potential for innovation. 6. Bureaucracy hinders entrepreneurial growth in Europe. 7. Best advice you've ever received: Be present and engaged #startup #entrepreneurship #venturecapital Follow EU-Startups on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eu-startups-menlo-media/ Visit our Website: https://www.eu-startups.com/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.eu-startups.com/newsletter/ This podcast episode is brought to you by Scytale - making compliance super easy for startups, helping them get compliant and stay compliant with frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, NIS 2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS and more, without breaking a sweat. Learn more at https://scytale.ai/eus

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