Best of LinkedIn: Venture Capital CW 19/ 20

Advisors are expected to deliver concrete operational lift, not just collect advisory equity

Diversified seed portfolios emerged as a hedge against low unicorn hit rates

Founders were counselled to walk away from unfavourable term sheets and secure protective clauses early

The line between venture and private equity continued to blur, offering blended capital options

Corporate VCs shifted toward fewer but larger bets, often in partnership with specialist fund managers

Winning pitches now combine hard data with clear, compelling narratives that resonate with risk committees

Wave Ventures tripled its fund to €7 million, zeroing in on Gen Z founders across the Nordics and Baltics

AI Fund closed a second vehicle at $190 million to back cross-sector AI startups

Q1 2025 data shows global fundraising power returning, with Europe the second-largest region by capital raised

Large pension funds in Europe still lag US peers on VC allocation, pointing to untapped LP capacity

Diaspora investors channelled green capital to African SMEs, highlighting alternative funding routes

Middle East VC markets moved toward maturity, emphasising sustainable, profitable growth

Benchmark data for US founders confirmed sharp regional differences in valuations and round sizes

Remberg secured a €15 million Series A+ to scale its AI-driven Intelligent Maintenance Platform across Europe

Macquarie Capital backed Fincom and teamed with Nasdaq Verafin to expand anti-money-laundering technology

Germany’s 10 largest April investments mapped clear sector hotspots in enterprise software and climate tech

Dresden advanced as a semiconductor hub on the back of new capital commitments and industry partnerships

Policy support lifted Saudi Arabia’s startup economy toward a projected $300 billion valuation, with similar momentum observed in Uzbekistan and Kenya

AI dominated both deal flow and fund operations; data-driven toolkits are now table stakes for top-quartile GPs

Investors shifted focus from pure-software plays to AI-enabled physical products and services

Nature-positive funds gained traction, steering capital toward biodiversity and sustainable materials

ESG moved from marketing to materiality, with collaboration flagged as critical for measurable impact

Europe’s regulatory landscape fuelled a rise in circular-economy startups

HealthTech founders reported tougher diligence and capital efficiency demands

German biotech momentum was on display at BIONNALE and German Biotech Days

Germany introduced new legal standards designed to streamline fund formation and attract foreign LPs

Critics called for deeper EU reforms after highlighting the European Investment Bank’s cautious stance on breakthrough innovation

The Milken Institute Conference and upcoming SpinLab Investors Day created touchpoints for LP-GP dialogue and model innovation