Capital Conversations: Insights into the World of Venture Capital

Over the past decade, American VCs have outraised their European counterparts by hundreds of billions of dollars. But why?

Nathaniel Arnold and Jan-Martin Frie say several factors are at play, including fragmented markets, a disparity in private capital, and Europe's comparative absence of institutional investors. The result has been a "scale-up gap" pushing promising EU startups to seek foreign funding.

In this episode of Capital Conversations, Arnold and Frie explore the challenges and opportunities in the European VC landscape, and discuss how the "brain drain" effect is hampering the growth of startups on the continent.

Nate Arnold is the IMF’s Deputy Resident Representative to the EU in Brussels. Before that he worked on the euro area team, Nordic countries, and in the Fiscal Affairs department at the IMF headquarters in Washington. Jan Frie is an economist in the IMF’s Brussels office. He has also worked at the European Commission and the think tank, CEPS. Their paper 'Stepping up Venture Capital to Finance Innovation in Europe' can be found here, or through their blog.

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Through our research, thought leadership, and annual program, IMD’s Venture Asset Management Initiative aims to demystify venture asset management in Switzerland and across Europe.

To find out more about IMD visit imd.org

For more information about our Venture Asset Management Initiative click here

This podcast was editorialized by Raphael Grieco, VC Researcher at IMD

With trillions in assets worldwide, pension funds play a dual role, acting as both asset and liability managers, influencing their exposure to venture capital.

In this episode of Capital Conversations, Bertrand Mueller a founding partner at DAA Capital, uncovers the strategies and dynamics behind this often-overlooked relationship.

We learn how pension funds shape their engagement with venture capital by providing stable, long-term capital, adjusting risk profiles, and seeking diversification within the venture capital landscape.

*****

Through our research, thought leadership, and annual program, IMD’s Venture Asset Management Initiative aims to demystify venture asset management in Switzerland and across Europe.

To find out more about IMD visit imd.org

For more information about our Venture Asset Management Initiative click here

This podcast was editorialized by Raphael Grieco, VC Researcher at IMD

Part 2 of our conversation with Chris Douvos, on how the Emerging Managers segment in Venture Capital has evolved since 2010.

Chris Douvos founded Ahoy Capital in 2018, focusing on backing emerging venture capital fund managers. With nearly two decades in venture capital, he's a pioneer in the micro-VC movement.

At Ahoy Capital, the focus is on intentionally right-sized investment vehicles, believing that size can hinder performance. They prioritize concentrated portfolios, anchored by top-performing VC managers, alongside dynamic emerging managers and co-investments.

With experience catalyzing leading managers since the early micro-VC days, Ahoy pursues a conviction-based strategy, backing dynamic nascent managers and companies with sustainable competitive advantages or leveraging innovation ecosystems.
*****

Through our research, thought leadership, and annual program, IMD’s Venture Asset Management Initiative aims to demystify venture asset management in Switzerland and across Europe.

To find out more about IMD visit imd.org

For more information about our Venture Asset Management Initiative click here

This podcast was editorialized by Raphael Grieco, VC Researcher at IMD

In this new episode of Capital Conversations, we explore “How the Emerging Managers segment in Venture Capital has evolved since 2010” with Chris Douvos.

Chris Douvos founded Ahoy Capital in 2018, focusing on backing emerging venture capital fund managers. With nearly two decades in venture capital, he's a pioneer in the micro-VC movement.

At Ahoy Capital, the focus is on intentionally right-sized investment vehicles, believing that size can hinder performance. They prioritize concentrated portfolios, anchored by top-performing VC managers, alongside dynamic emerging managers and co-investments.

With experience catalyzing leading managers since the early micro-VC days, Ahoy pursues a conviction-based strategy, backing dynamic nascent managers and companies with sustainable competitive advantages or leveraging innovation ecosystems.
*****

Through our research, thought leadership, and annual program, IMD’s Venture Asset Management Initiative aims to demystify venture asset management in Switzerland and across Europe.

To find out more about IMD visit imd.org

For more information about our Venture Asset Management Initiative click here

This podcast was editorialized by Raphael Grieco, VC Researcher at IMD

In the second part of Fergal Mullen's interview, the co-founder and Partner of Highland Europe provides a pragmatic take on venture capital practices, addressing key industry dogmas.

Mullen questions the bias against first-time entrepreneurs and talks about the importance of getting feedback from founders. He delves into the significance of geographical proximity, critiques the "Unicorn or Bust" mentality, and offers a practical approach to board meetings.

In closing, he emphasizes the importance of aligning fund size with strategy, considering diverse market sizes, and recognizing the potential in hardware investments.

*****

Through our research, thought leadership, and annual program, IMD’s Venture Asset Management Initiative aims to demystify venture asset management in Switzerland and across Europe.

To find out more about IMD visit imd.org

For more information about our Venture Asset Management Initiative click here

This podcast was editorialized by Raphael Grieco, VC Researcher at IMD