European VC Digest: SPACs. Podcasts. Revenue-Based Financing. Rebooting Businesses.

Capital Call #34

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.

Suranga Chandratillake 🇬🇧 of Balderton Capital takes a look at what’s needed to attract venture capital: How to raise early-stage venture capital for your startup in Europe.

Matt Clifford 🇬🇧 of Entrepreneur First conveys the right message to policymakers in the UK and Germany (and elsewhere): Soft power and technological sovereignty in the 21st century.

Nicolas Colin 🇫🇷 of The Family urges Europe to experiment with SPACs, even if they might not be the future: Is it time for Europe to jump on the SPACs bandwagon?

Boris Golden 🇫🇷 of Partech writes about their investment in Sorare, the latest sensation in the NFT space: From chasing VCs for their Seed round to raising $50M with Benchmark 7 months later: Sorare's inspiring road to Series A.

Jonathan Hollis 🇬🇧 of Mountside Ventures shares a comprehensive Guide to Revenue-based financing - alternative finance options for startups.

• Also by Jonathan, check out this essay: Unpopular opinion - deal fees should not be contentious.

Harri Iisakka 🇫🇮 of Wave Ventures, a leading student-run VC in the Nordics, writes about what lies ahead: In quest of next ecosystem superstars — last year’s review, vision for future and new CEO…

Balthazar de Lavergne 🇫🇷 of The Family writes about the consequences of remote work when playing the pre-seed game: Money, advice, community.

Pär-Jörgen Pärson 🇸🇪 of Northzone dives into the pop culture rabbit hole to find tactics startups should use: Pop culture wars in the age of Gen Z: What makes TikTok tick?

Jeevan Sunner 🇬🇧 of Playfair Capital is giving some tips and tricks to get started with podcasts: A rookie’s guide to creating a podcast.

Danijel Višević 🇩🇪 of Ecosia makes the case that Europe should walk the walk when it comes to tackling climate change: Why Europe could miss its biggest investment opportunity in history.

Taavet Hinrikus 🇪🇪, cofounder of Wise (formerly TransferWise) and active angel investor, is featured in Sifted: Inside Taavet Hinrikus's vast angel portfolio.

Alex Kayyal 🇺🇸 of Salesforce Ventures is featured in this podcast brought to you by Tech.eu: Alex Kayyal of Salesforce Ventures, money for Nothing, SPAC news. 

Virginie Morgon 🇫🇷 of Eurazeo and many other prominent figures in private equity are the main characters of the new REBOOTED documentary about how PE firms have tackled the COVID-19 crisis and its transformational impact on our economy.

Fiona Pathiraja 🇬🇧 of Crista Galli Ventures shares her investment thesis in this in-depth profile of her firm: Driving health tech with patience and deep knowledge, a profile of Crista Galli Ventures.

Fred Destin @fdestin

Operator VCs #FTW always? 1/ A great VC who was also a great operator will tend to outperform any other VC phenotype 2/ We don’t have enough VCs with an operator mindset or an operator background, especially in Europe. 3/ Good AND bad VCs really come in all shapes and sizes

Fred Destin @fdestin

1/ The Uber Supreme Court decision on gig / platform economy workers has generally been misrepresented in the press in terms of its consequences. This is important as it relates to the legislative framework for flexible workers (as well as, hum, the Deliveroo IPO). Notes 👇

Beata 👾 @axeliaklein

One underestimated way to simplify for your first fundraise is to get a VC Wing(wo)man. What do they do and how do you get one? 6 step thread below:

Rob Moffat @robmoff

Short term success in VC is all about other VCs agreeing with your investment theses. Long term success is about being contrary.

• Stéphane Barret 🇫🇷 Head of Global Private Capital Group & Head of Global TMT Coverage, Crédit Agricole CIB, Paris 🇫🇷 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Suranga Chandratillake 🇬🇧 General Partner, Balderton, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn  | Twitter

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

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

• Fred Destin 🇧🇪 Founder, Stride.VC, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

• Boris Golden 🇫🇷 Partner, Partech, Paris 🇫🇷 Linkedin | Twitter

• Michele Giddens 🇬🇧 Partner and co-CEO, Bridges Fund Management, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn

• Jonathan Hollis 🇬🇧 Managing Partner, Mountside Ventures, London 🇬🇧  LinkedIn | Twitter

• Taavet Hinrikus 🇪🇪 Angel Investor, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Johannes Huth 🇬🇧 Managing Director, KKR, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn

• Harri Iisakka 🇫🇮 CEO, Wave Ventures, Helsinki 🇫🇮 LinkedIn | Twitter

• James Isola 🇬🇧 Partner, Maitland/AMO, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn

• Alex Kayyal 🇺🇸 Partner, Salesforce Ventures, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

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

• Wol Kolade  🇳🇬🇬🇧 Managing Partner, Livingbridge, London  🇬🇧 LinkedIn

• Piet Klop 🇳🇱 Senior Advisor Responsible Investment, PGGM, Zeist 🇳🇱 LinkedIn

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

• Rob Moffat 🇬🇧 Partner, Balderton, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

• Eric de Montgolfier 🇫🇷 CEO, Invest Europe, Brussels 🇧🇪 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Virginie Morgon 🇫🇷 CEO, Eurazeo, Paris 🇫🇷 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Pär-Jörgen Pärson 🇸🇪 General Partner, Northzone, Sweden 🇸🇪 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Fiona Pathiraja 🇬🇧 Managing Partner, Crista Galli Ventures, Copenhagen 🇩🇰 & London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Philippe Poletti 🇫🇷 CEO France and COMEX member, Ardian, Paris 🇫🇷 LinkedIn

• Jeevan Sunner 🇬🇧 Associate, Playfair Capital, London 🇬🇧 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog

• Alessandro Tappi 🇮🇹 Chief Investment Officer, European Investment Fund,  Luxembourg 🇱🇺 LinkedIn | Twitter

• Danijel Višević 🇩🇪 Initiator Climate Fund, Ecosia, Berlin 🇩🇪 LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog