EUVC

EUVC
EUVC

The home of European tech. Connecting the people, capital and companies building Europe. EUVC features conversations with the founders, investors, operators and policymakers shaping the continent's future. We explore venture capital, startups, AI, deeptech, defense, industrial policy, entrepreneurship and the ideas driving European competitiveness. From emerging managers and unicorn founders to institutional investors and government leaders, EUVC documents the people building Europe's next chapter.

  1. 1 day ago

    Tomaz Stolfa (Sunrise Robotics) & Patrick Murphy (Tapestry VC): Revolutionizing European manufacturing

    Europe’s manufacturing sector faces a growing labour shortage, while much of the continent’s industrial base remains difficult to automate with traditional robotics. In this conversation from the EUVC Summit & Awards Show 2026, Tomaz Stolfa, Co-Founder and CEO of Sunrise Robotics, joins Patrick Murphy, Partner at Tapestry VC, to discuss what it takes to bring robotics into high-mix, low-volume manufacturing, where flexibility and reliability matter as much as the technology itself. Tomaz explains why manufacturers care less about the label of “AI-driven robotics” than whether a system can reliably take repetitive work off people’s hands, why even 99% robustness can fall short on a factory floor and how Sunrise is reducing automation projects that typically take 12 to 18 months to a matter of weeks. They also discuss Europe’s advantages in robotics, the importance of getting hardware into production early and why building a deep-tech company requires investors who are aligned for the long term. Highlights Europe’s growing manufacturing labour gapWhy traditional automation struggles with high-mix productionWhat manufacturers actually need from roboticsWhy 99% reliability is not enoughHow Sunrise is cutting deployment times from months to weeksWhy Europe has an advantage in industrial roboticsWhat it takes to finance deep tech for the long term Timestamps (00:00) Intro(01:00) Europe’s manufacturing labour gap(03:00) Why traditional automation falls short(04:20) Cutting deployment from 12–18 months to weeks(06:00) Why 99% reliability is not enough(08:00) Physics, safety and actually shipping robotics(09:00) Getting robots onto factory floors and scaling production(11:00) Why Europe is a strong place to build robotics(13:00) Choosing investors for a 15-year journey

    Tomaz Stolfa (Sunrise Robotics) & Patrick Murphy (Tapestry VC): Revolutionizing European manufacturing

  2. 3 days ago

    Harry Haeck (Smartfin): AI’s footprint is easy to measure. Its handprint isn’t

    AI’s footprint is visible in the energy, water and infrastructure required to run it. Its positive impact is harder to capture in a single number, which can make the costs of AI easier to see than the value it creates. In this talk, Harry Haeck, Partner at Smartfin, looks at both sides of that equation. He starts with the story of San Marcos, Texas, where residents rejected a $1.5 billion data centre investment over concerns about water use, before examining why greater efficiency does not necessarily mean lower overall resource consumption. Harry then turns to AI’s “handprint”, highlighting examples across drug discovery, agriculture, methane detection, accessibility and the recovery of ancient texts to show where the technology is already creating tangible benefits. The session closes on the question of how investors, technologists and society can reduce AI’s footprint while directing more of its capabilities towards problems that matter. Highlights Why AI’s footprint is easier to measure than its positive impactWhat the San Marcos data centre dispute reveals about AI infrastructureWhy efficiency gains can still lead to higher overall resource useHow AI is already creating impact across science and societyThe difference between AI’s footprint and its “handprint”Why we still have agency over where AI is applied This session was recorded at the Love Tomorrow Summit, where EUVC curated the investor-focused programme. Timestamps (00:00) Intro(01:00) From bedroom DJ to talking AI at Tomorrowland(02:00) When a $1.5B data centre competes with water(03:05) The growing energy and water footprint of AI(04:10) Why greater efficiency can increase consumption(05:15) From AI’s footprint to its handprint(06:00) How AI is already creating impact in the real world(09:55) Why AI’s positive impact is harder to measure(11:35) Why we can still steer the future of AI

    Harry Haeck (Smartfin): AI’s footprint is easy to measure. Its handprint isn’t

  3. 6 days ago

    This Week in European Tech: Europe’s AI edge could be science, not scale

    Europe’s strongest AI opportunity may not be building the biggest general-purpose model. It could be applying AI where the region already has an advantage in science, engineering and specialised industries. In this episode of This Week in European Tech, Dan Bowyer⁠, ⁠Mads Jensen⁠ and ⁠Priyanka Savjani⁠ of ⁠SuperSeed⁠ discuss what London-built Isomorphic Labs tells us about that opportunity and why AI for science could become a distinctive area of strength for the UK and Europe. They also examine who is paying for the AI infrastructure boom, why falling model prices can still lead to rising total costs, how Mistral fits into Europe’s sovereignty ambitions and why Anthropic’s potential IPO could become a benchmark for the wider AI market. The conversation also turns to closer UK-EU cooperation and whether sector-specific agreements could strengthen Europe’s technology ecosystem. Highlights Why Europe’s AI advantage may be strongest in scienceWhat Isomorphic Labs could signal about the UK’s AI opportunityWho is ultimately paying for the AI boomWhy cheaper AI can still mean higher overall spendingWhere Mistral fits into the sovereign AI debateWhy price-performance matters more than headline model sizeHow Anthropic’s IPO could reshape AI valuationsWhether deeper UK-EU cooperation could benefit European tech------- We’re pleased to be partnering with Luxembourg Venture Days on October 14–15 at Luxexpo The Box. Explore the agenda and register here: venture-days.lu -------

    This Week in European Tech: Europe’s AI edge could be science, not scale

  4. 8 Oct

    Summit | Joe McDonald (tem) & Adam Chirkowski (AlbionVC): Fixing the $900B energy problem

    Cheap, reliable energy is becoming a strategic advantage. As AI, data centres and manufacturing demand more power, the economics of electricity increasingly influence which countries and companies can stay competitive. Recorded at EUVC Summit 2026, Joe McDonald, CEO and Co-Founder of tem, joins Adam Chirkowski, Partner at AlbionVC, to discuss how the energy market needs to change and why the UK and parts of Europe could be particularly well positioned to build major new companies in the sector. Joe explains how tem is rebuilding the transaction infrastructure behind energy using AI, why layers of intermediation still add significant cost and what it takes to compete with long-established utilities. The conversation also explores why the complexity of energy can create defensibility, how the sector could develop in a similar way to fintech and why lowering the cost of the electron matters far beyond the energy industry itself. Highlights Why energy costs increasingly influence national competitivenessHow AI and data centres are increasing the importance of low-cost powerWhere friction still exists in energy transactionsHow tem is building new transaction infrastructureWhy incumbents struggle to reinvent their own business modelsHow complexity can become a moat in energyWhy the UK and parts of Europe may have a structural advantageWhat the energy sector can learn from fintechWhy Europe could produce the next generation of major energy companies

    Summit | Joe McDonald (tem) & Adam Chirkowski (AlbionVC): Fixing the $900B energy problem

  5. 7 Oct

    Jasper Roll (Haufe Group Ventures): How to build a credible CVC without a traditional fund structure

    A credible CVC does not have to start with a traditional fund structure. Haufe Group Ventures⁠ built its model around an evergreen balance-sheet setup, a lean team and a clear mandate, proving the approach through deals rather than a large fund launch. In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm and Jeppe Høier speak with Jasper Roll, Managing Director at Haufe Group Ventures⁠, about how he helped build the venture arm of a family-owned German software company from the ground up. Jasper explains how Haufe combines direct investments, venture building and, more recently, LP investing, why the team deliberately started small and how three investors have completed more than 20 deals, including follow-ons. He also shares why early-stage CVCs need a clear portfolio strategy, enough commitment to build it properly and the discipline to walk away when valuations or deal dynamics do not fit the model. The conversation also explores how Haufe manages expectations around venture timelines and failures, how a young CVC builds credibility with founders and other investors and why Jasper believes corporates can no longer rely on innovation happening entirely within their own walls. Highlights How to build a credible CVC without a traditional fund structure Why Haufe deliberately started with a lean setup How direct investing, venture building and LP investing work together How a three-person investment team has completed more than 20 deals Why CVCs need conviction before committing capital Why saying no can be harder than saying yes How to manage internal expectations around failures and long-term returns How young CVCs build credibility with founders and investors Why corporates need to engage with innovation beyond their own walls Timestamps (00:00) Intro(02:00) From startup operator to building Haufe Group Ventures(04:00) Designing Haufe’s corporate venturing model(09:00) AI, SaaS and the new moats in software(16:00) How a three-person team completed 20+ deals(24:00) Navigating inflated AI rounds and knowing when to say no(28:00) Building credibility and deal flow as a young CVC(34:00) Managing failures, returns and internal expectations(40:00) What European corporates should learn from the Mittelstand

    Jasper Roll (Haufe Group Ventures): How to build a credible CVC without a traditional fund structure

  6. 6 Oct

    Summit | Pavel Mucha (Aspire11): Why and how a Czech pension fund launched a €500m venture fund

    Getting pension capital into venture is not simply about proving that the returns are attractive. It requires building an investment model that institutions can actually underwrite, while knowing which parts of the strategy should remain non-negotiable. Pavel Mucha, Founder of Aspire11, explains how a Czech pension fund committed €500 million to venture and growth investing, why the team chose to start with €500 million rather than the €2 billion initially discussed and how they structured the platform to make pension capital work in practice. The conversation covers how Aspire11 adapted the economics, absorbed initial costs and introduced shorter commitment windows, while maintaining its position on avoiding home bias, accepting long holding periods and building concentrated portfolios. Pavel also discusses why attracting younger savers mattered, what venture can learn from pension investment in buyout funds and how the Canadian pension model influenced Aspire11. Highlights Why Aspire11 started with €500m rather than €2bn What pension capital needed from a venture investment model Why attracting younger savers mattered alongside returns What venture can learn from pension investment in buyouts Why Aspire11 rejected a domestic-only investment mandate Why long holding periods and concentration mattered How Aspire11 removed an additional management-fee layer Why the team absorbed initial costs itself How vintage windows made commitments easier to manage How fund investments and later-stage direct investments helped smooth the J-curve

    Summit | Pavel Mucha (Aspire11): Why and how a Czech pension fund launched a €500m venture fund

  7. 5 Oct

    Patrick Murphy (Tapestry VC): Why drone delivery could replace millions of car journeys

    Sending a car or moped across a city to deliver a single meal is an expensive and inefficient way to move food. Drone delivery offers a different model, with the potential to make last-mile logistics faster, cheaper and cleaner. Patrick Murphy, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Tapestry VC and a founding investor and board member at Manna, explains how autonomous drone delivery is moving into real-world use. He shares how Manna has completed 300,000 deliveries, partnered with major delivery platforms and raised $50 million to support its global expansion. The conversation covers the economics of drone delivery, how the technology works in practice and why replacing delivery cars and mopeds could change the way local logistics operate. Highlights Why delivery by car is so inefficient How drone delivery can reduce cost and delivery time Why Manna believes autonomous delivery is ready to go mainstream How the drones operate in practice What 300,000 completed deliveries have demonstrated Why major delivery platforms are partnering with Manna How the company plans to expand to hundreds of cities Why drone delivery could replace millions of car journeys This session was recorded at the Love Tomorrow Summit, where EUVC curated the investor-focused programme.

    Patrick Murphy (Tapestry VC): Why drone delivery could replace millions of car journeys

  8. 3 Oct

    This Week in European Tech: What ElevenLabs says about Europe’s AI potential

    ElevenLabs reaching a $22 billion valuation is another sign that Europe can produce globally competitive AI companies. But as personal agents become more capable, Europe also risks falling behind if consumers get access later and the US captures the learning curve first. In this episode of This Week in European Tech, Dan Bowyer, Mads Jensen and Priyanka Savjani of SuperSeed discuss what ElevenLabs says about Europe’s AI potential, why Mads believes UK venture is in its strongest shape since 2016 and how regulation could shape where the next generation of consumer AI products gets built and adopted. The conversation also covers the tension between making AI agents more persistent and keeping them within safe boundaries, what AI safety could learn from aviation, AMD’s acquisition of World Labs and what Anthropic’s economics reveal about the cost of competing at the frontier. Highlights What ElevenLabs’ $22B valuation says about European AI Why UK venture may be in its strongest shape since 2016 Why Europe could fall behind in personal AI agents How regulation is shaping where consumer AI products launch Why persistence makes AI agents both more useful and harder to control What AI safety could learn from aviation Why AMD acquired World Labs What Anthropic’s economics reveal about frontier AI

    This Week in European Tech: What ElevenLabs says about Europe’s AI potential
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About

The home of European tech. Connecting the people, capital and companies building Europe. EUVC features conversations with the founders, investors, operators and policymakers shaping the continent's future. We explore venture capital, startups, AI, deeptech, defense, industrial policy, entrepreneurship and the ideas driving European competitiveness. From emerging managers and unicorn founders to institutional investors and government leaders, EUVC documents the people building Europe's next chapter.

Information

  • Channel
    EUVC
  • Creator
    EUVC
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    795
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © EUVC
  • Show Website
    EUVC

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