European VC Digest: New Impact and Data Funds. Year-In-Review. Pricing. Adding Greek Investors 🇬🇷

Capital Call #32

This is your weekly newsletter highlighting what investors in European startups are thinking—in their own words. We are Willy Braun, Nicolas Colin and Vincent Touati-Tomas. Hit reply if you want to send us feedback!

Welcome to all our new subscribers 🤗 If, like us, you’re interested in everything that’s happening in European VC, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter to be kept in the loop at all times: @CapitalCall_. Also follow our two Twitter lists: Featured in Capital Call & Female VCs in Europe.

Oussama Ammar 🇫🇷🇱🇧 of The Family reflects on the rise of creators and how technology is changing the game: Anyone can become a creator.

Matt Clifford 🇬🇧 of Entrepreneur First shares thought-provoking ideas about the state of the world. Have a look at his reflections on what went wrong recently: How did the world get so weird?

Nicolas Colin 🇫🇷 of The Family (and co-host of Capital Call) suggests we get back to simpler questions 😅 Why can't Europe create a social media giant?

Ari Helgason 🇮🇸, David Helgason 🇮🇸 and Benjamin Ratz 🇸🇪 are launching a new VC firm which aims to back transformative ideas addressing the impending ecological crisis: Back to building...

Balthazar de Lavergne 🇫🇷 of The Family writes about the lessons public market investors could learn from venture capitalists when it comes to putting a price on assets: The Great Divide. 

Xavier Lazarus 🇫🇷 of Elaia Partners looks back at 2020 and the impact the pandemic had on his firm and portfolio: Elaia’s 2020 year in review & the sunny road ahead.

Yannick Oswald 🇱🇺 of Mangrove Capital Partners writes about how early-stage founders should approach budgeting: The Startup Jiujitsu!

Ricardo Sequerra Amram 🇵🇹 comments on Point Nine Capital’s latest investment, with a focus on safety in industrial facilities: Creating safer industrial work environments.

Marie Ekeland 🇫🇷 of 2050 details a vision of upgrading the VC industry to serve long-term goals in Sifted: Want to save the planet? Tear up the VC system.

Greece 🇬🇷 TechCrunch interviews 10 (!) Greek VCs to assess the (promising!) state of the local ecosystem: As location becomes irrelevant, Greek VCs eye local talent and spread their wings. 

Klaus Hommels 🇩🇪 of Lakestar shares with CNBC his plans to launch a SPAC next week, to be listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange: Tech investor Klaus Hommels launches $332 million SPAC in Europe.

Marc Menasé 🇫🇷 of Founders Future is unleashing his plans for his new fund, targeting products that are more respectful of many criteria, including climate impact and ESG: a new fund for impact startups. 

Beata 👾 @axeliaklein

"Who are your main competitors (and how are you different)?" One way or another this questions will likely occur in most discussions between VCs and founders. So how should you talk about competitors to your potential investors. 5-step path below:

• Oussama Ammar 🇫🇷🇱🇧 Co-Founder & Director, The Family, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

• Apostolos Apostolakis 🇬🇷 Co-Founder & Partner, VentureFriends, Athens 🇬🇷 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Matt Clifford 🇬🇧 Co-Founder & CEO, Entrepreneur First, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

• Nicolas Colin 🇫🇷 Co-Founder & Director, The Family, Munich 🇩🇪 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

• George Dimopoulos 🇬🇷 Co-Founder & Partner, VentureFriends, Athens 🇬🇷 LinkedIn

• Aristos Doxiadis 🇬🇷 Partner, Big Pi Ventures, Athens 🇬🇷 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Marie Ekeland 🇫🇷Founder, 2050, Paris 🇫🇷LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

• Ari Helgason 🇮🇸 Building something new, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Klaus Hommels 🇩🇪Founder & CEO, Lakestar, Zurich 🇨🇭 Twitter | Blog

• David Helgason 🇮🇸 Building something new, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Dimitris Kalavros-Gousiou 🇬🇷 Co-Founder & General Partner, Velocity Partners Venture Capital, Athens 🇬🇷 LinkedIn | Twitter

• George Karantonis 🇬🇷 Partner, Metavallon, Athens 🇬🇷 LinkedIn

• Beata Klein 🇸🇪 Associate, Creandum, Stockholm 🇸🇪 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

• Balthazar de Lavergne 🇫🇷 Director, The Family, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

• Xavier Lazarus 🇫🇷 Co-Founder, Elaia Partners, Paris 🇫🇷 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Marc Ménasé 🇫🇷 Founder, Founders Future, Paris 🇫🇷 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Yorgos Mousmoulas 🇬🇷 Partner, Metavallon, Athens 🇬🇷 LinkedIn

• Yannick Oswald 🇱🇺 Principal, Mangrove Capital Partners, Luxembourg 🇱🇺 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

• Panos Papadopoulos 🇬🇷 Partner, Marathon Venture Capital, Athens 🇬🇷 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Myrto Papathanou 🇬🇷 Partner, Metavallon, Athens 🇬🇷 LinkedIn

• Pavlos Pavlakis 🇬🇷 Principal, VentureFriends, Athens 🇬🇷 LinkedIn

• Katerina Pramatari 🇬🇷Partner, Uni.Fund, Athens 🇬🇷 LinkedIn

• Benjamin Ratz 🇸🇪 Operating Partner, Nordic Makers, Stockholm 🇸🇪 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

• Ricardo Sequerra Amram 🇵🇹 Partner, Point Nine Capital, Berlin 🇩🇪 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog