VC in the CEE

In this episode, we sit down with Andrew, a venture capitalist navigating one of the world's most resilient yet misunderstood startup ecosystems. From his unexpected journey into VC to building ZAS Ventures during wartime, Andrew shares the untold story of Ukrainian innovation — and why the numbers don't tell the whole picture. We explore how a nation under siege is redefining what it means to bui...

In this episode, we venture into the heart of the New Nordic startup scene with Gytenis Galkis , Partner at Superhero Capital — an early-stage VC firm backing bold founders across Finland and the Baltics. From founding startups to shaping Lithuania’s angel investor ecosystem, Gytenis brings a rare blend of founder empathy and investor insight to the table. We dive deep into the economic and cultur...

In this episode, we explore venture building, technical risk, and investor psychology with Michal Chabowski , Managing Partner at Rubicon Partners — a firm blending venture funding with transaction advisory services in high-impact sectors like deep tech, energy, and new materials . Michal brings a refreshing lens to startup investing, challenging conventional wisdom and offering deep insight into...

In this episode, we sit down with Alex Agatinei , CEO of How to Web , the premier startup and technology conference in Eastern Europe. But How to Web is more than just an event—it’s a driving force behind the region’s innovation ecosystem, publishing influential reports on venture deals and startup growth trends. Their latest report just dropped last week, and Alex gives us an exclusive look at wh...

In this episode, we delve into the dynamic world of venture capital in the Baltic region with Jonė Vaitulevičiūtė, Partner at FIRSTPICK, a leading early-stage VC firm that’s reshaping the startup ecosystem in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Jonė shares her experience driving investment efficiency and fostering innovation across the region’s thriving startup landscape. 🔍 Episode Highlights : 💼 Ev...

In this episode, we dive into the world of venture capital with Diana Stefanova , Managing Partner at BrightCap Ventures , an early-stage VC firm investing in the CEE region with a special focus on Bulgaria and Romania. Diana shares her journey from working with startups in Silicon Valley to scaling VMware’s Bulgarian operations and transitioning to BrightCap, first as a Venture Partner and now as...

In this episode, we sit down with Jędrzej Szymczyk , Partner at LLW , a law firm providing legal support to both investors and founders in the startup ecosystem. LLW has collaborated with prominent VC funds like Sunfish Partners, Shape VC, and Hard 2 Beat. Jędrzej sheds light on the often-overlooked legal aspects crucial in shaping successful startups. 🔍 Episode Highlights: 📄 Decoding the Term S...

“In a technical organisation, getting towards excellence, salespeople are less important than technology people. And the reality of this is that if you don’t do sales on your own, I think that chances of being able to succeed are trending towards zero” In this episode, we had a chat with Bogdan Iordache , General Partner at Underline Ventures . The company invests in seed-stage startups and in our...

“But we are still hungry. And while we will be hungry, I think this ecosystem will be flourishing.” In this episode, we sat down with Andrius Milinavicius , General Partner at Baltic Sandbox Ventures, to uncover the secrets behind their success in supporting startups and raising funds in the competitive Baltic ecosystem. 🇱🇹 From helping founders through incubation and acceleration programs to crea...

🎙️ Dive into the entrepreneurial journey with Maciej Zawadziński as he transitions from startup founder to VC investor in Poland's vibrant tech scene. Maciej is a founding partner of Hard2Beat, one of the newest VC fund in the Polish investing ecosystem. Before focusing on investing in startups and helping founders, Maciej was a serial founder and served as CEO of Piwik PRO. Hard2Beat focusses on...

🎙️ Get ready for an insightful discussion about investing in early-stage startups, the differences between VC ecosystems in CEE countries, and why founders need to be 'cockroach superheroes' with today's guest, Diana Koziarska, Founding Partner at SMOK Ventures. Before SMOK Ventures, Diana co-founded ReactorX and helped numerous first-time founders develop their startup ideas. SMOK Ventures invest...

🎙️ Get ready for an insightful dive into the world of venture capital and angel investing with today's guest, Paweł Maj . With over 20 years of experience as a Polish Business Angel and VC investor, Paweł brings a wealth of knowledge from his tenure at renowned funds like Skyline Ventures , bValue , and Warsaw Equity Group . As a board member of over 30 startups and companies, Paweł is a prominent...

🎙️ Excited to share today’s podcast episode featuring Arvin Khanchandani , Head of Climatetech Investments at Warsaw Equity Group . Operating since the 1990s, Warsaw Equity Group is a Family Office with a diverse portfolio spanning private equity, venture capital, and fund of funds investments across Polish and European markets. Notable investments include companies like Artifex Mundi, Contec, and...

🎙️Today’s episode guest is Marcin Hejka , Co-Founder, and General Partner at OTB Ventures , who shares his extensive experience in venture capital, particularly focusing on deep tech startups with strong ties to the CEE region. With a keen eye for innovation, OTB Ventures specializes in supporting early-growth startups across FinTech, Cybersecurity, AI & Automation, and SpaceTech domains. Note...

Today I talk with Artur Banach from Movens Capital 🎙️. Artur is a Partner at Movens Capital, a Polish venture capital firm focusing on the CEE region. The firm invests in Seed and Series A startups aiming to disrupt traditionally large industries through process automation and AI. Movens Capital’s portfolio includes startups like Vue Storefront, VersaBox, and Woltair. Artur is an experienced entre...

In this episode, I have the pleasure to speak with Izabela Bany, Head of Communication at Aper Ventures. Aper Ventures is a Polish early-stage VC company focused on deep tech and hardware startups. You'll hear why all startups should focus more on communication, ways to improve this aspect within the venture capital ecosystem, as well as some interesting statistics about the deep tech sector. Host...

Hi! Here's Adrian. This is the trailer of what I'm working on. Hope you'll find it as interesting as I do. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.