In short
EUVC Podcast Episode E622 Summary
Podcast Overview Title: E622 | EUVC Live powered by Woven Capital at The Drop Co-Hosts: Andreas Munk Holm and David Cruz e Silva Theme: Insights into the European venture capital (VC) landscape, featuring discussions with key industry figures.
Episode Description In this episode, recorded live in Malmö, Andreas Munk Holm shares crucial reflections on the relationship between politics and the European venture ecosystem. He emphasizes the need for European tech leaders to engage politically to influence the future of the industry.
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Key Themes and Discussions
- The Importance of Politics
- Main Argument: Real power lies not just in technology or capital but significantly in politics.
- Quote: “If we want Europe to lead, we can’t stop at innovation — we must step into politics.”
- Observations from the United States
- The U.S. tech ecosystem successfully rallied behind political candidates, gaining influence over policy and governance.
- Example: The tech community's ability to shape national policy by electing sympathetic leaders.
- Implication for Europe: The need for a similar approach in Europe, where the tech community must find its voice in political matters.
- The State of European VC
- Current Mood: There is a collective belief in the power of unity and collaboration among European tech leaders.
- Challenges Identified:
- Europe has the values and vision but lacks the political infrastructure and courage to act cohesively.
- Call to Action
- Roles Encouraged: Founders, VCs, and ecosystem leaders are urged to take an active political stance.
- Goal: To secure a future for Europe that aligns with its values and fosters growth in the tech sector.
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Episode Highlights
- 00:30: Acknowledgment of contributors to EUVC Live, including Sophia, Jeppe, Nicole, and Team Woven.
- 01:00: Reflections on Europe’s current atmosphere concerning collaboration and sovereignty.
- 01:30: Emphasis on the realization that power stems from political engagement.
- 02:00: Lessons learned from U.S. tech lobbying and its effect on shaping policies.
- 02:30: Insight into Andreessen Horowitz’s focus on lobbying and policy as a significant part of their operations.
- 03:00: Discussion about the lack of political infrastructure in Europe to enact change effectively.
- 03:30: Urgent appeal for the European VC community to engage more actively in politics.
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Conclusion Andreas Munk Holm’s closing remarks illustrate a pivotal moment for the European venture capital industry, urging stakeholders to recognize the need for political involvement as a means to drive meaningful change and maintain Europe’s competitive edge in the global tech landscape. The episode serves as a powerful reminder of the intersection between technology and politics, emphasizing that values must translate into advocacy and action.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00We all need a shared mission. It's to invest in those critical technologies that serve European values, resilience and recreate our leadership. And I think that we in Europe have great values as tech investors and as founders. And I think that we are so incredibly important for the future of Europe. The real power sits in politics. And if we don't dare step up and take a side and say what we think, then I don't think we'll be able to make the change that we need in Europe.
0:50Let me just do three remarks. First, I'll skip you, Nicole, and go directly to my dear friend, Japa, and say thank you for helping put together today. And thank you, Sophia, for being the mastermind that actually makes it happen. And now, Nicole, I don't want to say thank you for dinner and thank you for the money for this. I'd rather say thank you for planting a flag in Europe and being on Team Europe, because that matters a lot. And then I'll leave you all with one thought. We've now today spoken a bunch about sovereignty and the power of Europe and us all needing to come together. it's kind of been the vibe everything we've been talking about for a long time in the european tech ecosystem and i applaud it and i'm happy about it but i feel like we're maybe not completely understanding the gravity and we're not understanding where real power comes from because real power comes from politics that's my view at least and i'm taking this one entirely on my own back because I know that there are people that completely disagree with me on this.
1:58But I'm looking at the U.S. and seeing the tech ecosystem having rallied around a candidate and put him in office. And now they're running around the White House and the Wild House as little kids that have broken into the candy factory. And they're being very effective. And I think that we in Europe have great values as tech investors and as founders. And I think that we are so incredibly important for the future of Europe. But I think there's something to be learned from the states here. That the real power sits in politics. And if we don't dare step up and take a side and say what we think, then I don't think we'll be able to make the change that we need in Europe.
2:55A16 set, you guys know what their biggest part of their team is now? They have 600 people employed. What is the biggest team inside A16 set? It's lobbying. It's policy. It's their policy division today. It's not helping hire team members. It's not communications as it used to be. It's lobbying. I think that is a rallying cry to us. And I would at least say, let's go home and think about how we build our firms. And where lobbying, where policy, where politics fits into that. And ask ourselves if we're doing something similar to what our U.S. counterparts are. Because I think that's one place where we are behind.
3:42I think we're a lot in front with any other many other great things especially where our values are And for that reason, I also think it's all the more important that we get into politics. Thank you everyone. Thank you for joining us today
From the publisher
Welcome back to EUVC Live in Malmö, where we bring you unfiltered conversations and reflections from the people shaping Europe’s venture ecosystem.
As the day closed, Andreas Munk Holm, co-founder of EUVC, took the stage for the final word — a candid reflection on where real power comes from and what Europe’s venture community must do next.
Throughout the day, speakers discussed sovereignty, collaboration, and Europe’s industrial future. Andreas’ message cut through with urgency: if we want Europe to lead, we can’t stop at innovation — we must step into politics.
He pointed to the example of the United States, where the tech ecosystem has rallied around political power, influenced policy, and put its candidates into office. The takeaway? Values matter, but influence requires engagement — and Europe’s founders and investors need to find their voice in the political arena.
🎧 Here’s what’s covered:
00:30 Closing thanks — to Sophia for orchestrating EUVC Live, to Jeppe for bringing it to life, and to Nicole and Team Woven for backing Team Europe.
01:00 Europe’s mood — sovereignty, collaboration, and the belief that unity is power.
01:30 The missing ingredient — understanding that real power doesn’t just come from technology or capital, but from politics.
02:00 Lessons from the U.S. — how tech rallied around a candidate, won power, and now shapes national policy from within the system.
02:30 The power of lobbying — Andreessen Horowitz’s largest internal team today isn’t marketing or hiring — it’s policy and lobbying.
03:00 The challenge for Europe — we have the values and the vision, but not yet the political infrastructure or courage to act collectively.
03:30 The call to action — for VCs, founders, and ecosystem leaders to step up, take a side, and engage politically to secure Europe’s future.
