Carsten Brinkschulte

20 years in VC. Going from CVC to VC. Here's the story of Rainer Märkle, General Partner at HV Capital. 1/ Engineering roots: His journey began in electrical engineering. Working on exciting projects like mobile and fiber communications. 2/ A twist of fate. By chance, he landed a role at a corporate VC arm of Siemens. Investing in the very tech I helped build. 3/ VC journey: That's where the VC journey began! He discovered a passion for nurturing innovation. So, he knew his mission was to help promising startups. What inspired your VC journey? Share your thoughts with us in the comments. #venturecapital #angelinvesting #startupfunding #europe

24

3 Kommentare

Tips & tricks for European VCs fundraising right now. From Rainer Märkle, General Partner at HV Capital. Have courage. Step up. Don't let yourself down on some negative. Pursue your goals. Don't just try to do the same things that others have already done. Do something different. Do your own thing. Find your niche. Find your theme. Find your segment. BUT. Don't be overly ambitious at first. It's a long-term game. Don't set the bar too high. Start with a very small fund. Invest the fund for a year or a year and a half. What do you think? Join the conversation below. 🔽 #venturecapital #angelinvesting #startupfunding #europe

14

2 Kommentare

🇪🇺 European companies in Y Combinator’s S24 batch [Part 1] (#goEurope) 👇 autarc (YC S24) (Berlin, Germany) 🇩🇪 founded by Etienne-Noel Krause, Thies Hansen and Marius Seufzer autarc is building the OS for Europe’s One-Stop Energy Installers, integrating CRM, planning, and design tools into a unified platform. Their solution helps SMB energy installers reduce pre-installation phases drastically, enabling efficient scaling of heat pump and photovoltaic systems. omnidock (YC S24) (Berlin, Germany) 🇩🇪 founded by Shayan Zakerzadeh, Christian Kohrs and Sebastian Rödling Omnidock provides an OS for global e-commerce expansion, allowing brands to plug in and expand across multiple marketplaces effortlessly. Acting as the merchant of record, Omnidock handles transactions, optimizes logistics, and simplifies multi-marketplace selling, increasing merchant revenue by at least 20%. Argil (YC S24) (Paris, France) 🇫🇷 founded by Laodis Menard and Brivael Le Pogam Argil is the video generation engine for the creator economy. Leveraging state-of-the-art deepfake models, their platform enables content creators to clone themselves, input a script, and generate engaging videos in minutes. It makes video production accessible for branding, education, and social media growth. The Forecasting Company (Paris, France) 🇫🇷 founded by Geoffrey Négiar and Joachim Fainberg The Forecasting Company is building foundation models for time series, providing enterprise-grade forecasting systems. Their plug-and-play solutions help enterprises improve operational decision-making, using a massive dataset of time-stamped information to create accurate and flexible predictions. Saturn AI (London, UK) 🇬🇧 founded by Amal Jolly, Michael Ettlinger, and Rohit Vaish, CFA Saturn is an AI-powered operating system for wealth management, automating compliance and back-office workflows. By streamlining processes and personalizing investment research, Saturn empowers wealth managers to focus on client engagement while reducing operational costs and inefficiencies. Patchwork Technologies (YC S24) (London, UK) 🇬🇧 founded by Benjamin H., Samuel Kramer, and Alex Maass Patchwork Technologies is developing the next-generation logging and observability platform. Automating logging from code to storage, Patchwork creates context-rich, actionable logs across entire codebases without manual intervention, simplifying the lives of developers and improving reliability in production environments. Tabular (Berlin, Germany) 🇩🇪 founded by Tim Hermes, Markus Jungnickel, Kilian Justus, and Leonard von Kleist Tabular is an AI copilot for accounting firms, automating core workflows such as booking expense accounts and VAT filings. Their solution enables accounting firms to generate finished ledger entries with a single click, addressing labor shortages in SMB accounting by transforming time-intensive tasks into streamlined processes. #euvc #venturecapital #vc

12

4 Kommentare

🚀 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭! 🚀 My friend Max Pog and his amazing team are hosting a virtual conference aimed at Early Stage Ventures and Investors. This event is set to be the largest gathering of Family Offices, Angel Investors, VCs, Venture Studios, Startup Accelerators, and Founders. Join us to gain valuable insights from some of the world’s leading investors and mentors. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to connect, learn, and grow! #Earlystage #Startups #familyoffice #venturecapital #startupaccelerators #vebturestudio

7

1 Kommentar

"in 2004, it took the world a whole year to install a gigawatt of solar-power capacity; in 2010, it took a month; in 2016, a week. In 2023 there were single days which saw a gigawatt of installation worldwide. Over the course of 2024 expect to see 520-655gw of capacity installed: that’s up to two 2004s a day." ☀️ 🤯 Must read article from The Economist on solar power. Humanity needs to dream bigger about what a world with clean energy abundance can be. So much to be optimistic about. The future's so bright...😎 "If real energy costs drop dramatically across the global economy, and access to energy expands, to bet against great things is to bet against the innovative engines of capitalism. It is not a wager history encourages." 🎯 https://lnkd.in/gTZZnFnu

496

42 Kommentare

Three biggest learnings from a fundraising journey. Shared by Rainer Märkle, General Partner at HV Capital at EUVC 1/ Have a time box with a deadline attached. Have a defined horizon & create a clear plan. Have some urgency to get things done at some point. Execute very transparently and reliably. 2/ Stick to your narrative. But don't do it blindly. Tweak it when necessary. Adapt it. Don't let yourself be surprised by major changes. Keep focusing on delivering according to your strategy & plan. 3/ Fundraising is a marathon with many sprints. There are moments when you'll ask yourself - Why do I do this? Is it gonna work out? But don't get too negative during the down phases. Adapting and pivoting is part of our job. As it is for the founder of a company. How about you? What fundraising lessons have you learned? Join the conversation. 🔽 #venturecapital #angelinvesting #startupfunding #europe

5

1 Kommentar

I love this parody. It's accurate, but I need to remind our American colleagues that Europe is not a single country with a unified legal system; notaries aren't involved everywhere. One thing is clear: funding is limited here, and most VCs are very cautious before signing a term sheet. #vc #venturecaptal #notaries #kpis #metrics #unicorn #Europe #investments #termsheet

23

2 Kommentare

Germany-based venture capital fund Robin Capital closed its Robin Fund One at 13 million euros (about $13.6 million). #venturecapital #veteranventures

2

🚩 22 investor red flags to look out for. 🚩 You deserve the best investors! But it’s easy to make a mistake. There are over 8,400* VCs in Europe alone. During fundraising you will meet many. And not all investors are created equal. They will all be selling themselves well. You will read and hear all kinds of superlatives. Spotting early red flags is essential. I’ve decided to help you out on this. 🚩 22 investor red flags to look out for 🚩 > Arrogant behavior > Highlife party culture mentality > No track record in your industry > Pressing you to make a decision > Slow response in communication > Slow in the due diligence process > No clear value-add besides money > Wanting to take >50% of the company > Very aggressive valuation negotiations > The VC worked only in financial services > Demanding lock-up exclusivity, during DD > Conflict of interest with other investments > No prior founder experience in the VC fund > Demanding unrealistic stake. Check trends > Wanting too many board seats or veto rights > Discouraging you to do due diligence on them > Not transparent in advance with LP constraints > No exploratory calls with your customers (if any) > Corruption proposals. Getting you into a scheme > Late for meetings and acting like nothing’s wrong > Bad feedback on them by their portfolio founders. > No transparency on process, criteria, decision-makers If you see any of these red flags, be cautious. Dig deeper. If things don’t look well, move on. It’s 8,400* of them in Europe alone. P.S. What red flags would you add? 🚩 Let's discuss in the comments. ⬇️ *According to Crunchbase

66

19 Kommentare

Vsquared VC: New Fund II Raised💰 Vsquared Ventures has successfully closed its Fund II at €214m to invest in early-stage deeptech startups across Europe. The fund significantly exceeded its initial target of €165m, reflecting the growing momentum and understanding of deeptech's importance in Europe. Founding partner Thomas Oehl attributes this success to the increasing recognition of deeptech's potential.🌟 The fund will invest between €500k and €5m in approximately 25 companies, reserving two-thirds of the fund for follow-on investments. The portfolio already includes notable startups: cylib, Synthara AG, and NEURA Robotics.🤖 🔎The new fund will focus on six key themes: AI and next-gen software, energy transition, new computing and sensing, space, tech bio, and robotics and manufacturing. Oehl emphasizes that Vsquared aims to be the first institutional investor in these deeptech startups, positioning itself as a leading supporter of innovative technologies.🦸‍♂️ Vsquared's latest fund is primarily backed by European LPs, including Novo Holdings, the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark, the European Investment Fund (EIF), and Germany’s KfW Capital . This deliberate choice showcases Vsquared as a pan-European fund. The fund also includes founders as LPs, such as Simon Bolz of Klara, and Dr. Oliver Trinchera and Dr. Alexander Huettenbrink, co-founders of KINEXON.💵 GP Lise Rechsteiner, PhD notes a significant shift in the perception of deeptech investments over the past few years. "Two or three years ago, you had to explain a lot why you were doing deeptech investments, and that has completely changed. There is no question around that anymore," she says. Rechsteiner emphasizes that Europe's strength in deeptech is underpinned by its high-quality universities, scientific research, and graduate talent. Rechsteiner highlights several emerging deeptech hubs outside the traditional powerhouses of Munich, London, Paris, and Stockholm. She sees Vilnius as strong in cybersecurity and tech bio, and Copenhagen emerging as a hub for quantum and biomanufacturing.🏦 Despite the immense opportunity for Europe to build deeptech champions, Rechsteiner points out challenges such as fragmentation in the European IPO market. Unlike the centralized Nasdaq in the US, Europe's decentralized IPO markets create a fragmented investor base, making it difficult for not-yet-profitable companies. "Getting rid of hurdles and trying to really see Europe as a united region would be amazing," Rechsteiner concludes. 🌍✨ ✅ Looking to raise capital for your #VCfund and increase the international pool of your LPs?   🤝 Need warm #LP introductions?   📝 Selling #secondaries to increase liquidity?   🧐 Looking for co-investments (Series A/Series B)?   ▶G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks: https://lnkd.in/gjC_EuTE   #Deeptech #VentureCapital #EuropeanInnovation #Startups #TechInvesting

70

This week in European startup land and investing - what is happening? Monik, Mads and I talk about Germany's €12bn WIN Initiative, startups moving to the States, Naval and the libertarians, what interest rate cuts really mean, the new EU commissioner for startups and much much more. The Seed Episode 10 is now up on all pods with links in comments - Startups moving from Europe to the US - who, when, why - The Real Impact of US Interest Rate Cuts on Global Investments - UK's Economic Challenges and Labour's Uphill Role - Germany's €12bn Initiative to Boost Startup Investments - We Have an EU Commissioner for Startups - Any Teeth? - Proxies for Economic Health in Startup Ecosystems - Regulation or Regulation? Let's Regulate... Love your thoughts.

66

20 Kommentare

🚀 Wondering how you can launch RWA ( real world assets) projects on the XDC Network within minutes? The XDC Network is the AWS of tokenization, equipped with AI and innovative tools to create quick #RWA projects like USTY from YieldTeq. Check out this insightful post by Atul Khekade's post for a quick guide on getting started! #XDCNetwork #Blockchain #Tokenization #AI #Innovation #OGRWAchain XinFin Powering XDC Network XDC Foundation XDC Dev Center

24

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞-𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐩𝐩 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥? Shatter that wall with No-code x AI! The NoCode UK Conference speaker lineup is LIT 🔥 and you don't need a CS degree to join (or launch your next unicorn!). This is your chance to learn from the MVPs (pun intended) who are shipping million-dollar products with no-code! 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: 👇 Key topics and themes of the talks include: - The landscape of no-code tools and solutions from internal business operations to web and mobile apps - Combining AI and no-code tools to build exceptional software products - Building, fundraising, scaling, valuing, and selling no-code software products - Insights from replacing a custom code stack with a no-code software stack - Best practices for designing apps with Bubble - Using ChatGPT to code an entire app - Lessons learned on building minimum viable products from 30+ hackathons - Insights from running a remote, no-code product agency - The future of no-code and AI 𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮? 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬: Go from idea to product in WEEKS, not months. Hear how 👾 Chad Sakonchick built a multi-million dollar empire on no-code, and Milly Barker who built and sold a SaaS app...all from an airport lounge, seriously wow! ✈️ 𝐕𝐂𝐬 & 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 Your portfolio companies need a superpower? ‍♀️ No-code compresses your path to building, launching, and achieving massive outcomes. Since speed / time to market are your determinants of success, The efficiency is unmatched: Ship > Validate PMF > Pivot or Go Big > Exit. Take notes from Hazel Lim, the ex-investor, no-code whisperer who finds killer business ideas and exits them like a boss. (ps: generously shares such juicy biz ideas, breakdowns in her newsletter) 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬:  Go from no-code newbie to six-figure earner with insights and learnings from the industry trailblazers like Youssef Elkhayami & Mike Wiendels and the top 1% freelancers like Dominic Norton. 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 & 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡: Lawyer by day, no-code superhero by night? See how Vensy Krishna built an award-winning COVID relief app in HOURS (no coding skills required!) and scaled a volunteer network to help thousands. Built a career in tech, founded multiple companies, and helped thousands to break into tech using no-code! Plus, you'll join a global no-code fam! This conference is by no-coders, for no-coders. Level the playing field, unlock endless possibilities, and ship anything you dream of - all without a single line of code. See you there! P.S. Spots are filling up faster than a one-click no-code deployment! Don't miss your chance to be part of the no-code gang. Link in the comments! #NoCode #AI #Entrepreneurship #Conference

6

2 Kommentare

📣 Calling all LPs, deeptech founders, and angels! Write your own Santa's VC wishlist 👇 Linkedin community, help me help you. And let's work together to rebuild the derailing venture capital train in Europe! Deeptech founders, angels, and LPs, here's a question: What do deeptech founders truly need from the ideal first cheque VC? As a SuperAngel VC at Silicon Roundabout Ventures, I've seen the power of community. Now, I'm turning to you. In the venture capital world, especially in deeptech, there's a lot of talk about smart money vs dumb money. But what about the other essentials? Also what are the perfect backgrounds, processes, cheque sizes? What can an ideal pre-seed and seed fund provide beyond just writing cheques? Here are some thoughts: → Access to the right networks? Which ones, specifically? → Lead VC ideal cheque at pre-seed? What about Seed follower? → Talent pool access? What type of feedback when it comes to operations? But most importantly: What is STILL MISSING from the venture capital seed scene today in Europe? As I look to shape my next fund, your insights are gold. Let's dig deeper into what will make Europe's deeptech ecosystem thrive. Help me find my PMF and bring it to you in my next fund :) What do you think a preseed and seed fund should offer? Drop your thoughts below. If you're a founder, what would move the needle for you? If you're an investor, what have you seen work? Your input will help shape the future of deeptech funding in Europe. I'm no Santa but my next fund should aim to fix tough problems, not than just be a "me too" fund. Let's build something monumental together. And remember, every comment, share, and tag adds to the collective wisdom. Let's create the future, today.

47

22 Kommentare

I am having lenghty discussions with #investors and #assetmanagers over how you value a high-growth tech company these days? And then how do you value a great #IoT #cloud #platform with 5 year 68% revenue CAGR (2019-23) and expected 3 year 40+% revenue CAGR (2024-26) with 25+% EBIT margin (2024)? I am having this discussion over and over again in the last couple of years. With the help of Yoram Wijngaarde of Dealroom.co I found another answer to this question. Yoram Wijngaarde has recently presented Bessemer Venture Partners #valuation approach for high #growth companies, the Rule of X. They built a great visual and ploted different companies using this valuaton approach. If you apply the Rule of X to Shelly Group ($SLYG) then the company should be positioned far right on x axis at 145% which corresponds to 20x-25x '24 revenue, plotted on y axis. The company should be plotted far upside-right, just outside the graph. Applying Bessemer Venture Partners #valuation approach to this great company we arrive at €2.1B-2.6B #cap for Shelly Group ($SLYG) sometime 2H 2024, given their €105M revenue target (2024). It trades at €670M cap right now. $SLYG is a great stock with much upside potential. #public #soonicorn Undervalued. DISC LONG

64

11 Kommentare

Pleased to share some insights into our latest fund SSV II 🛰 🌌 Following the same strategy as its original SpaceTech-focused venture fund, a top-performing fund for its vintage, SSV II aims to build a portfolio of c.30 companies. The Fund has already made nine investments. The 9 companies currently making up the SSV II portfolio are: 💫 Hubble Network – Internet of Things satellite constellation for connecting directly to billions of Bluetooth-enabled devices Delos Insurance Solutions – Space data-powered wildfire home insurance provider ATMOS Space Cargo – Space cargo return service for life sciences Auriga Space – Novel electromagnetic launch system Array Labs- 3D satellite imagery on a global scale Privateer Space - constellation of small SATs for in-Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Ubotica Technologies - Live Earth Intelligence (Space: AI) Renoster - Deep Transparency for nature-based carbon projects constellr - Space data-powered high-precision smart farming services Find out more👀 https://lnkd.in/eS_9w7c3

22

New Episode: https://lnkd.in/egyzMtmv European Tech in 2024: A Sifted Report Analysis Funding Slowdown: Overall VC funding is projected to decline to $45 billion in 2024, down from $47 billion in 2023. Early-stage rounds have been particularly hit, reaching their lowest point since 2015. "The report predicts that there will be just over 4,000 early-stage deals (of less than $15m) in 2024 — the lowest number since 2015." Rise of Venture Debt: Venture debt has experienced a record year, reaching $4.7 billion in the first three quarters of 2024. This represents 14% of total VC funding, suggesting startups are seeking alternative financing options in a tighter funding environment. "In the first three quarters of 2024, European startups raised $4.7bn in venture debt, equal to 14% of the total share of VC funding — the highest figure on record." Transatlantic Funding Gap: A significant funding gap persists between European and US startups, particularly at later stages. This gap is estimated to have cost European startups around $300 billion in potential funding since 2015. "The report estimates that means Europe has missed out on around $300bn in funding since 2015 as a result." Deep Tech and Sustainability: Deep tech startups, particularly in AI, continue to attract significant investment, accounting for 33% of total capital in 2024. However, Europe lags behind the US in AI funding. On the other hand, Europe leads in sustainability investments with 21% of funding going towards climate tech startups. "Europe lags way behind the US for AI funding in 2024, though. This year, the report predicts US AI startups will pick up $47bn, compared to Europe's $11bn." "There are positive notes to be found in funding for Europe’s climate tech sector, though. 21% of funding in the region goes towards startups working in climate tech — compared with just 11% in the US." Talent Drain to the US: The US continues to attract European tech talent, with a net loss of 492 technical workers in 2023. This trend is attributed to the allure of high salaries and opportunities at major tech companies. "The report says the pull of big tech companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon or IBM — and the inflated salary packages they offer — is one factor for talent moving." Gender Funding Gap Persists: The gender funding gap remains a serious concern, with no significant improvement at any funding stage. The situation has even worsened at the pre-seed and Series A levels. "There’s been no marked improvement at any stage on Europe’s dire gender funding gap figures — and in the case of pre-seed and Series A, things have got worse." Growth Over the Decade: Despite recent challenges, the past decade has witnessed a tenfold increase in tech funding in Europe, reaching $426 billion. The number of unicorns has surged by 500%, and the tech talent pool has expanded sevenfold.

8

3 Kommentare

I will be at E.ON Drive Summit in Munich tomorrow. Please reach out if you want to discuss EV charging connectivity and learn more about how ENAPI facilitates seamless roaming between CPOs and eMSPs at scale. #EDS24

46

1 Kommentar