Kristin Skogen Lund

Watching VCs start to talk about defence investments, (the way they should be talking about healthcare, education, climate change, etc), simply because it looks very profitable/opportunistic in the short-term fills me with so much cringe. The need for short term wins in EU VC sees topic/conviction hopping every 2-4y. Praying for the moonshot outliers. Fearful of being left behind with en vogue topics. Meanwhile core, painful, (often regulated) societal topics… which have so much need for disruption, well these will simply take too long or are too hard. We really need more VCs with a deeper, conviction driven, longer-term view (and suitable fund cycles / LP expectations) to invest in the massive mid-long term topics that will create the very biggest businesses & positive impact.

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Sharing a few thoughts from my annual migration for #SuperReturn #SuperVenture in Berlin. 1) This continues to be the best VC/LP/PE event annually. Many are at the conferences, and almost everyone has a representative in town. Any managers or LPs not in attendance should consider it next year. 2) The European emerging manager scene is on fire. I met with almost a dozen, some old friends, some new, all as sophisticated as their US counterparts with thoughtful strategies and impressive growing portfolios. 3) Europe lacks the concentration that SF provides the US. Many startup hubs, some larger, but everyone in Europe is spending way more time on planes than their US counterparts. 4) Nobody knows where the market is going, and fundraising has been tougher in the last 18 months than before, but most agree a lot of money is still being put into the venture ecosystem. That's resulting in a return to deal pace & valuation acceleration -- is FOMO back? TBD 5) In an ironic twist, there seems to be strong interest from US LPs in European managers, and from European LPs in US managers. What did you see? What interested you this year? Welcome thoughts. P.S. the conference logistics were tough this year. To all those that shared the burden, thank you. Let's hope next year is better. cc: Dale Chang Stephan Eberle Patrick Murphy Carmen Alfonso Rico 🍫Jaime Novoa Sebastian Blum Paul Pruijmboom Jasper Masemann Marie Schildt David York Lior Litwak Karey Barker Maximilian Claussen Ameer Awadiyeh Jonathan Heiliger Oana O. Philipp Moehring

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Insightful piece by Anna Mutoh in last Weekend’s Financial Times on the VC world and the lack of female-led ‘unicorns’. Some of the notable highlights : VC Landscape: * Only 14% of #unicorns have a #female co-founder. * 5% of unicorns have a female founding #chiefexecutive, up from 0% a decade ago. Funding Trends: * Funding for companies with women-only #founders was 2% in 2023 (PitchBook data), down from a decade earlier. * VC funding deals by value increased for companies with at least one female co-founder, from 16% in 2013 to 27.8% in 2023 Performance Metrics: * Women-funded start-ups deliver a 2x higher return per dollar than companies funded by men, according to Boston Consulting Group (BCG). These highlights emphasize the ongoing challenges in achieving #genderdiversity in the #venturecapital sector while also pointing out positive shifts and the potential for superior returns from women-led ventures. "Consumer-oriented companies also tend to have a better pathway for female founders who can readily tap into the #consumer experience, says Allison Baum Gates, general partner at SemperVirens Venture Capital ." Perhaps great news for us at JoinUBQT ! Additionally, we are currently #fundraising and are humbled to have already contributed to an improvement in the above stats. On the note of women in the workforce and in the context of #iwd2024,: We're beyond grateful for the exceptional women boosting UBQT's success and wanted to thank them for their invaluable contribution: Maréva Koulamallah, Katral-Nada Hassan, Laura M., Maryam Tahbaz, Tereza Grigoryan, Jacqueline S., and the one & only UBQT Co-Founder & Co-Head Lara Varjabedian 💚. You're all amazing ! Happy Tuesday ☀️ Anne Boden Aileen Lee Cowboy Ventures Heather Gates Deloitte Andrea Turner Moffitt Lucy Chow #ubqt #joinubqt #ubiquty #iwd #internationalwomensday #genderequality #technology #startup #startups #innovation #womenintech

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The combo of Remesh and Prolific is awesome to see: Live insights via conversational AI & real time representive samples 👌 Definitely check out this demo if you’re at #iiex.

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It was a great pleasure attending the Operating Partner Forum in London this week and engaging in thought-provoking discussions with industry peers, sharing best practises and learning how they are tackling some of the headwinds we are facing. The event covered a range of topics, but high on the agenda was the digital strategy and how to leverage AI as a driver of value creation. Here are my top three takeaways: #1 AI is coming, but getting the fundamentals right matters more: While AI has great potential and we will see significant product enhancements and productivity boosts opportunities in the near future, the real value today comes from getting the basics right. Strong processes, controls, an effective operating model, and robust data structures and systems are crucial for success. #2 Data maturity and organizational readiness: It's essential to assess and improve your organization's data maturity to ensure readiness for advanced analytics and AI implementation. This is a journey not a sprint. #3 Clear ownership of the digital agenda: Clearly distinguish between IT roles (infrastructure, architecture, cybersecurity) and data analytics roles lead by business and addressing business needs. This separation helps ensure we are addressing effectively real business needs and driving the digital strategy forward. #operatingpartnersforumeurope #operatingpartner #valuecreation #privateequity #carveout #transformation #parlementiacapital https://lnkd.in/ee_s_Gdb

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Diversity of Thought at Centre Stage. For “everyone who’s anyone in private capital” SuperReturn and SuperVenture in Berlin are annually the most important conferences of the year. We at the Evangelistas co-hosted our magnificent Diversity Drinks with Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund, identity.vc I Backing LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs and Out Investors. Together we gathered +350 of the most diverse Limited Partners and General Partners along with their allies at the beautiful Fotografiska venue to foster unique connections, engage conversations, and celebrate DEI within the investors' landscape. A big THANK YOU to all of our wonderful guests for joining and to our sponsors STUDIO LEGAL Rechtsanwälte, EY, Cinven, bunch and torq.partners for contributing to the most diverse event of last week.   With the huge smiles on all the faces displaying the supreme connections being made, we all feel fully recharged to continue doing the (hard) work to build European tech with so much more diversity of thought, substance, soul and beauty - especially after Europe's night of election drama. The threat to our cohesion needs even more clarity in defending our democracy against populism, intolerance and racism!    Let’s carry the magic of last Tuesday into the world. I really believe that this sensational movement of superb individuals is something very special and I feel truly privileged to be part of it. How do you think we can contribute to even more diversity of thought at centre stage in European tech? #VC #PE #captablediverstiy

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Taking a regenerative approach to business/leadership is not a "checkbox" activity. How you "get there" and what it "looks like" is unique depending on the company. In fact, the exercise of enforcing a standard checklist of activities that must be completed to be regenerative is NOT regenerative in itself. The article Cordell Jacks refers to below is brilliant - it really describes the desired approach we are trying to model at Regenerative Capital Group.

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A recent study by the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) A NEW FUTURE OF WORK: THE RACE TO DEPLOY AI AND RAISE SKILLS IN EUROPE AND BEYOND is coming to interesting conclusions about the fundamental changes to the labour market in Europe and the United States by 2030: 💡 By 2030, around 30% of current working hours can be automated through technology, including generative #AI. 💡 A rapid deployment of new technologies can lead to #productivity #growth of up to 3% per year (conversely, a slow introduction of #AI, for example, would limit productivity growth to just 0.2% by 2030, which corresponds to today's low rate in Western Europe; thus, a slow work force requalification would prevent millions of people from participating productively in the future of work) 💡 A rapid deployment of new technologies requires that up to 27% individual activities within all occupations are automated: 💶 in Europe, this would result in up to 12 million job changes by 2030 🏡 in Germany, up to 3 million jobs would be affected by a change in this scenario, which corresponds to 7% of total employment.   💡 The biggest upheavals/job changes are expected: 👨‍💼 in administrative office activities (54% expected job changes in Germany alone: in addition to Italy, office support activities account for a high proportion of total employment in Germany) 🏭 in the areas of customer service and sales (17% expected job change) and production (16% expected job change) 💡 25% increase in demand for #technologicalskills and specialists in #STEM fields and #healthcare by 2030 💡 11% increase in demand for social and emotional skills such as #interpersonalskills and empathy, communication and #negotiationskills and #leadershipskills by 2030 💡 For responsible change and accelerated productivity growth: investment in further training and retraining of employees https://lnkd.in/ggkBEP6v

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Malte Kosub's Series A pitch with Parloa was the first pitch that entered our "Hall of Fame" at FundraisingCOUP. "It was the best pitch I've ever seen", a partner of a well-known European fund said. After raising more than €20m with that pitch in the Series A, Malte now added another $66m in Parloa's Series B. This is no surprise for anyone who observed at the FundraisingCOUP how Malte combines storytelling (also visual) and pitching skills with strong leadership, a disruptive product, and exciting traction – ingredients that create something magical. A masterpiece in building something great – and communicating it in a way that makes it crystal clear why it's so great. If you want to turn into 1% of the best fundraisers in the market and work on your path into our sacred Hall of Fame, check out the link in the first comment. #fundraising

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Today I visited the GREENTECH FESTIVAL in Berlin with my dear friend Andreas. 💚 To make it short: Good vibes, busy floors and a big startup space. But tbh I wondered if it's really worth it for startups. I remember from my active time as an exhibitor that we weren't honest about the hard costs per lead. We argued a lot: being there is everything, you have to be seen, brand building is important, it's where the industry meets, serendipity happens, if we just get one big order it will pay off... not to forget the parties! That's all true, but the opportunity cost of attending a trade show is very high, especially for startups. And while this isn't meant to be a trade show bashing at all, here are a few suggestions from my experience, on how to make the most of it... - Train your team to proactively approach people. - Initiate a challenge to see who can get the most leads. - Prepare in advance and market your attendance by actively inviting customers. - Consider a small side event, such as a VIP dinner. - Try to book a package with a speaking engagement at the conference, that has always paid off for us. - Use the exhibitor directory for your own prospecting. - Calculate cost vs. lead conversion after the show with real data and decide whether to repeat. - Push your presence on social in real time. Good luck to all exhibitors and happy selling 🚀 ____________________________ Sharing my experience as an entrepreneur and angel investor. Investing in early stage B2B SaaS startups. Happy to connect 👋

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Read more about our latest investment below 🙌!!

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The company-building journey features many inflection points and transitions. Like going from startup to scaleup, building to selling, local to international, or from co-locating to distributed teams. But handing over leadership in the business you founded is one of the most difficult but least discussed of these existential changes. Evgeny went through this very transition himself and experienced firsthand the challenges and complexities of handing over the reigns - hard even when you know it's the right thing to do. Today's he's launching "Startup CEO Succession: A Founder’s Guide to Leadership Transition" - which provides a practical framework for founder CEOs and their boards preparing for a CEO succession. I know the care, heart, blood, sweat and soul Evgeny Shadchnev PCC poured into this - bringing together his own experiences and that of many other founders with the goal of paying it forward to help others in their journey. Get your copy today and get the help you deserve in your own transition 💙 https://lnkd.in/gss6Y7HY

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The little differences. Remember that classic scene in Pulp Fiction where Vincent talks about the "little differences" between Europe and the US? Those subtle distinctions that make a big impact? The same goes for SMBs and Startups. Ever wondered why a $2M revenue SMB feels worlds apart from a $2M startup? For most of my career, I have worked with enterprise companies and startups. Recently, I have delved into the world of SMBs with revenues between $0.5M and $2M and teams of 5-20 employees. It made me ponder: 🤔 What truly sets a $2M SMB apart from a startup at the same stage? Here's what I found: 📈 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 SMBs: A good SMB grows at 10-20% per year. Startups: A startup aims for 50-200% annual growth. 💰 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀 SMBs: Rely on cash flow or minimal debt. Profitability is key. Startups: Funded by equity. Profit is secondary to growth. 🧠 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 SMB Owners: Their business is a lifelong commitment, blending personal and professional lives. Survival is paramount. Startup Founders: Driven by high growth, fame, and fortune. Failure isn't feared but seen as a stepping stone. 🤑 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 SMBs: Conservative, pay-as-you-go development, hiring within their means. Startups: Bold investments in R&D and high-value talent. 🌟𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗜𝗚 𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘🌟 The essence of the difference lies in the MINDSET: SMBs focus on sustainability and long-term stability. Startups are about rapid growth and big bets, with a culture that embraces failure as part of the journey. Each has its own charm and challenges. Understanding these nuances is crucial for anyone looking to work and thrive in either world. But I can't help wonder, if we one could learn a thing or two from the other: ▶ Can we make SMBs be more ambitious and risk-taking? ▶ Can we make Startups have a more long-term and sustainable perspective? What do you think? What's your experience with SMBs or startups? ---------------------- 👍 like, if you agree 💬 comment to share what you think. ♻️ repost to share with your network

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🚀 Last week EIT Health Summit 2024 in Rotterdam, we were discussing startup investments in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). 📈 Fun Fact (not funny at all, though...) - Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) accounts for only 3.2% of Europe’s overall venture capital investments. Startups in the region, on average, received €1.2M in venture capital investment. This is a significant figure, yet it's only ONE THIRD of the European average of €3.8M. 🔍 This data highlights the need to bridge the funding gap to reach the European average. 🤝 EIT Health seems very determined to build a supportive ecosystem for CEE startups to thrive! #StartupFunding #CEE #EITHealthSummit #HealthTech #feyenally

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Welcome ecoLocked to the Climentum Capital portfolio! We are proud to have led the €4M funding round together with Matterwave Ventures, and delighted to have existing investors Counteract, Startup Family Office, Sabancı Building Solutions, and VOYAGERS.io joining the round. The investment will support ecoLocked’s mission to revolutionize the construction industry with carbon-negative building materials. Concrete production accounts for 8% of global CO2 emissions, making innovations in this field crucial for achieving net-zero goals. ecoLocked is leading the change by converting carbon captured from biomass into functional, carbon-negative building materials. This funding will accelerate ecolocked's efforts to turn buildings into carbon sinks, scaling their innovative biochar-based solutions and enabling 1Gt carbon removal by 2040. Doerte Hirschberg Morten Halborg Stefan Maard

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It's official! I am both excited and proud to share that HV Capital has published a guide to demystify ESG for startups. Why write it? Because #ESG is not just a feel-good gesture – it’s about driving value and setting #founders up for long-term success. Yet, there’s a lot of confusion about what it is and how to get started. The problem: ESG as we know it from public markets is not fit-for-purpose for startups. We hope that with this guide, our pragmatic and proportionate approach to ESG will help you get started. Interested in knowing more? Download it for free from the link in the comment section. You will find lists of free tools, useful tips and much more to help you turn ESG into a value driver. Thank you to our partners VentureESG and lfca.earth - Community | Leaders for Climate Action who push us to do better! PS: You've got ideas on how to improve the guide? Great! Leave your thoughts below, we all have got a lot to learn from one another!

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📰 Exciting insights for journalists and independent creators alike! The evolving landscape of media offers a wealth of opportunities for collaboration and learning. This insightful article from Nieman Lab delves into the reciprocal relationship between journalists and independent creators, highlighting key lessons each group can learn from the other. Journalists can benefit from the creativity, adaptability, and audience engagement strategies employed by independent creators. On the other hand, independent creators can glean valuable storytelling techniques, ethical standards, and fact-checking practices from the world of journalism. In an era where digital content creation is constantly evolving, this cross-pollination of ideas and skills is invaluable. By embracing collaboration and mutual learning, both journalists and independent creators can enhance their craft and better serve their audiences.

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❤️ INCREDIBLE. Fundie Ventures is the 13th Syndicate that I've had the opportunity to impact through Angel School. Personal learnings from Stuart Minnaar's success: 1/ Our 'north star' for admission is "Can this person be a successful syndicate lead?" --> 100% Yes from our 1st interaction. 2/ South Africa punches way above it's weight. Great energy and community. --> Shoutout to Lucien Peters Aidan Hurly Everyone Ventures Ryan Shub Stefni Bridges The Delta Cameron Bing Mathew Marsden Startup Club ZA 3/ Record GTM- 1st deal launched within the 8 week program. 4/ Advocacy from peers, connecting through Andreas Munk Holm David Cruz e Silva 🎙 EUVC I launched AngelSchool.vc because #angelinvestors and #syndicates are massively underserved. ...yet they move ~$10BN / yr of capital for venture ecosystems. If 1:50 angel investors aspires to start a syndicate in their career, that's a market worth building for.

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