Nothing Ventured

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah is joined by Ed Ebbern and Will McManners, founding partners of MD1 Ventures, Europe's first dedicated national security VC fund. With backgrounds in special forces and defense innovation, they explore the evolving adversarial landscape and the importance of asking better questions in an age of overwhelming data. The discussion highlights the n...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes Mike Bank, founder of Underdog, a pre-accelerated syndicate that supports solo and non-traditional founders in launching revenue-generating businesses while maintaining their day jobs. Mike shares insights from his extensive experience as an investment banker, early-stage VC, and angel investor, discussing the challenges and opportunit...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes Mike Bank, the founder of Underdog, a pre-accelerated syndicate aimed at supporting solo and non-traditional founders in launching revenue-generating businesses while maintaining their day jobs. Mike shares insights from his extensive career in investment banking, early-stage VC, and as a prolific angel investor with around 100 early-s...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah sits down with Sam Kaplan, a partner at Five Seasons Ventures, a pan-European venture capital fund focused on investing in iconic and sustainable consumer brands. With an extensive background that includes roles at Citi and Birch Creative Capital, Sam shares invaluable insights into the venture capital landscape. They discuss the intricacies of...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes Maya Ghayad, a partner at ID4 Ventures, to discuss the evolving landscape of the venture capital industry. With nearly a decade of experience, Maya shares her insights on the significant changes happening within VC, including the phenomenon known as "the death of the middle." They explore the challenges early-stage founders face when n...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes Simon Kohl, founder of Latent Labs, a startup at the forefront of generative models for computational protein design. Simon shares his journey from studying physics at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology to his pivotal role in DeepMind's AlphaFold projects, where he developed key uncertainty metrics for protein structure predictions....

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes investment manager Piotr Bukanski from Beringea. Piotr shares insights from his extensive background in finance, including his time at Merrill Lynch and his current focus as a generalist investor in B2B data, climate tech, and fintech. The conversation delves into the transferable skills from investment banking to growth investing, the...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes leadership development expert Gillian Davis. They dive into her impressive journey, from her early beginnings in her family's executive recruitment business in Canada to co-authoring the book "First Time Leader" at just 28. Gillian shares her insights on practical leadership strategies, particularly in the tech industry, having worked...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah interviews Zoltan Vardy, a seasoned B2B sales advisor and author of "The Launch Code." With nearly four decades of experience and over $2 billion in sales closed for major companies like CBS and NBCUniversal, Zoltan shares invaluable insights on mastering founder-led sales. The discussion focuses on transforming chaos into structure, overcoming...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes Dr. Tanja Emmerling, a partner at High Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) and head of the Berlin team. With over a decade of experience in venture capital, Tanja shares her insights into the European tech landscape, highlighting HTGF's role as the most active seed investor in Europe. The discussion covers critical topics such as the impact of ta...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah speaks with Ozan Unlu, co-founder and CEO of EdgeDelta, a pioneering company in the telemetry pipeline space focusing on observability and security. Ozan shares insights from his unique journey through engineering, sales, and entrepreneurship, delving into the nuances of transitioning from technical roles to commercial leadership. The discussio...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes Ioto Iotov, founder of Mainset, a venture capital firm focused on fintech and SaaS ventures. Ioto shares his unique journey from South Africa, detailing his background as a chartered accountant and competitive swimmer, and his path to earning an MBA from Columbia Business School. The discussion covers the importance of understanding th...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah interviews entrepreneur and mentor Henry Joseph Grant, who shares insights from his extensive experience in scaling startups and driving innovation. The discussion delves into the transformative impact of the iPhone on business, particularly in launching Just Eat, a brand that grew from startup to a $2.44 billion IPO. Henry emphasises the impor...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes Jeff Crusey, a partner at 7% Ventures and seasoned VC with extensive experience in deep tech and startups. The discussion explores the limits of software functionality and usability, the implications of the UK’s approach to de-risking venture investments, and whether US VCs are fostering monopolies. Jeff shares insights on the impact o...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes cognitive and behavioural scientist Kristina Barger . With a diverse background in clinical psychology, tech innovation, and entrepreneurship, Christina shares her insights on the unique challenges faced by founders. The discussion delves into the traits of overachievers, the fine line between ambition and perfectionism, and the common...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes Dr. Uzma Choudry, an expert in deep tech and biotech investing. Uzma shares her extensive experience in developing the European tech bio ecosystem, including her role in managing a portfolio of over one and a half billion pounds at one of Europe's largest funds. The conversation delves into the current state of the life sciences ventur...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes seasoned investor and entrepreneur Chris Donegan. With a rich background in molecular neurobiology and business strategy, Chris shares his insights on the current state of innovation and investment. The conversation explores whether the present and future are more promising than the past, and delves into the ongoing industrial revoluti...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Arish Shah welcomes Hannah Meiton, founding partner at Ampli Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Stockholm that specializes in early-stage investments in Nordic B2B SaaS companies. Hannah shares her insights on the importance of founders actively promoting their businesses, emphasizing that simply building a great product is not enough. She discusses...

Timestamps:  01:18 - Sellotape as an x-ray generator.  04:12 - Science as universal language.  09:22 - Pursuit of knowledge in science.  12:24 - University tech transfer challenges.  14:58 - Tech transfer at CERN.  20:08 - Altruistic mission of CERN.  22:12 - University equity in startups. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of...

00:02:25 - South Asian tech professionals' impact.  00:05:06 - Indian entrepreneurs in Europe. 00:08:21 - Indians in technology leadership.  00:12:36 - Immigration and technology's future.  00:17:26 - India-Europe tech corridor opportunities.  00:21:30 - European talent for Indian companies.  00:24:10 - Talent acquisition and market dynamics.  00:29:18 - Highlighting successful Indian founders.  0...

[00:00:42] Climate refugees in Bangladesh. [00:04:09] Investing in emerging markets. [00:08:01] Bangladesh's unique growth potential. [00:12:10] Bangladesh's investment landscape challenges. [00:17:31] Indian VCs and Bangladesh opportunities. [00:20:49] Cultural dynamics in emerging markets. [00:25:04] Climate adaptation in Bangladesh. [00:30:05] Barriers to climate-friendly solutions. [00:32:08]...

In this special two-part episode of "Nothing Ventured," host Arish Shah sits down with Fred Destin, founder of Stride VC. They delve into the evolving dynamics between founders and venture capitalists, highlighting the surprising discontent founders often feel towards VCs. Fred shares insights from his extensive experience, including his time as a general partner at Accel and Accomplice, where he...

In this special two-part episode of "Nothing Ventured," host Aarish Shah sits down with Fred Destin, founder of Stride VC, to explore the evolving landscape of venture capital. They discuss the complex relationship between founders and VCs, highlighting the discontent many founders feel towards traditional venture capital approaches. Fred shares insights from his extensive experience, including hi...

Find Manish online at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manishpatelli/ Twitter: https://x.com/NavaVenturesVC Nava Ventures: https://www.nava.vc/ This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B. Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/ Sign up for EmergeO...

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah sits down with Helen Goldberg, co-founder and COO of LegalEdge, to explore the evolving landscape of legal services for fast-growing companies. Helen shares her extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, having worked with renowned firms like Evershed Sutherland and Baker McKenzie, as well as her role at CBS Viacom Outdoor. The conversat...