Why You Venture Capital (YUVC)

Marianne Abib-Pech is the Managing Partner at Transitions First, an early-stage deep tech venture fund accelerating industrial transitions, backing industrial start-ups from advanced deep-tech ecosystems such as Silicon Valley, France, and Israel.Takeaways ✨Venture Capital to MarianneFinance with a twist (everything is finance)Creativity incorporatedA strong focus on people and relationshipsWhy industrial startups?a market representing a $3 trillion opportunityonly 1% of venture capital dollars inpotential for acquisition by multinationals made it a venture caseNow listen in for more insights! ❤00:07 Introducing Marianne and Her Background00:37 Early Influences and Career Path02:41 The Journey from CFO to Venture Capitalist03:58 The Role of Finance in Venture Capital08:51 Leadership and Its Evolution14:21 The Importance of Diversity in Leadership20:15 Transitioning to Venture Capital20:29 Focus on Industrial Venture Capital23:31 Investing Across Europe and the US26:51 Challenges in French Venture Capital28:09 Navigating Market Barriers28:56 Strategic Market Entry31:17 Criteria for Investment32:54 Innovative Startups and Technologies39:58 Philosophy and Future of the Fund44:48 Personal Insights and Leadership50:47 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsPODCAST LINKS:Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.comApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQNSpotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpgRSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrssPodcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcSOCIAL LINKS:X: https://x.com/whyyouvcLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvcRED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcredBilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbiliEmail: whyyouvc@gmail.comGUEST LINKS:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianneabibpech/Transitions First: https://t1st.vc

Sandro Stark is Co-Founder and General Partner at Vanagon Ventures, backing digital solutions that confront the climate and biodiversity crisis head-on. Previously, he was the Global Innovation Lead at Allianz and Industry Executive at Microsoft. Takeaways ✨ 1. Vanagon’s approach to startup evaluation Distribution capability is now the key differentiator, not just technical innovation Customer "stickiness" and deep industry understanding The solution must demonstrate both climate impact and profit potential 2. Why is Munich's ecosystem strategic? Part of DACH region - third-largest market globally after China and US Rich concentration of technical talent and corporate headquarters Untapped potential in Mittelstand venture engagement 3. What's the philosophy behind sustainable success? Don't postpone happiness for future achievements True leadership creates more leaders, not followers Consistent effort matters more than breakthrough moments Now listen in for more insights! ❤ Outline 😎 🎬 00:00 Introduction and Tough Timing 💡 00:55 Early Signs of Entrepreneurship 💻 02:05 Career at Microsoft and Transition to Venture Capital 🚀 03:45 Defining Frontier Tech and Investment Focus 🏢 05:03 Founding Vanagon VC 💪 08:58 Challenges and Resilience in Fundraising 📈 11:19 Investment Strategies and Success Stories ⚖️ 19:06 Balancing Work and Personal Life 🧠 30:03 Reflections and Philosophical Insights 🎤 34:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Links 🔗 PODCAST LINKS: Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: X: https://x.com/whyyouvc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrostark/ Vanagon: https://www.vanagon.vc/ Vanagon on X: https://x.com/vanagon_vc Vanagon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vanagon/

Christian Guba is Principal at Extantia’s flagship €204M Fund and previously Principal at Foodlabs, leading their €100M foodtech investments. Eugene Foo: What are the major obstacles hindering Germany's and Europe's progress in the tech race? Christian Guba: 1) a need for a mindset shift towards greater ambition and salesmanship 2) the lack of a unified European domestic market leading to country-by-country regulatory hurdles 3) excessive regulation hindering innovation (exemplified by the anecdote about plastic bottle cap regulations) Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:00 - Introduction to ClimateTech Challenges 00:20 - Introduced by Han Shen at iFly.vc 01:49 - Career Journey and Early Influences 04:38 - Venture Capital Insights 05:37 - International Experience in Taipei 07:52 - Lessons from Different VC Firms 10:46 - Specializing in ClimateTech and FoodTech 14:36 - Alternative Protein Technologies 20:09 - Investor Perspectives on FoodTech 28:10 - Tackling Market Inefficiencies in Renewable Energy 28:39 - Exciting Startups and Technological Innovations 30:40 - Challenges in Germany’s Energy Sector 31:53 - Technology’s Role in Solving Daily Pain Points 32:41 - Investment Strategies and Nuclear Fusion 34:16 - Berlin as a Tech Hub 38:50 - Mindset and Market Challenges in Europe 43:48 - ClimateTech and Green Solutions 48:59 - Personal Reflections and Lessons Learned 51:31 - The Meaning of Life and Future Ventures PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianguba/ • Extantia: https://www.extantia.com/

Jing Wang is the venture investor of recently Nasdaq-listed WeRide, the World's First IPO of Universal Autonomous Driving Technology Company. A partner at Sky9 Capital with 15 years of experience, Jing joined YUVC for an in-depth podcast. Eugene Foo: You classify founders based on traits, similar to how Olympic events are categorized into three types: systematic image, extreme breakthrough, and environmental. What is the basis for this classification? Jing Wang: The classification reflects event characteristics: systematic image events (e.g., football) rely on strong systems, extreme breakthrough events (e.g., track and field) focus on individual performance, and environmental events (e.g., snow sports) emphasize adaptability. This showcases the diverse demands on founder profile. 00:20 - Venture Capital: US vs. China 00:43 - Jing’s Background and 15-Year Journey 04:34 - Founding the Venture Campus 04:55 - Evolution and Growth of the Venture Campus 08:23 - Investment Philosophy and Strategies 12:38 - Challenges in Venture Capital 18:58 - Evaluating Entrepreneurial Projects 23:59 - The Obsession Factor in Investments 24:35 - Experience and Its Role in Decision Making 25:09 - Managing Conflicts and Discussions 25:58 - Assessing Project Risks and Opportunities 26:46 - The Power of Thorough Discussions 28:13 - Unpacking the Concept of Risk Investment 31:06 - Evolving Investment Strategies Over Time 34:58 - Role of the Combat Intelligence Center 41:20 - Future Trends in Risk Investment 47:16 - Human Nature and Technological Innovation 49:04 - Reflections on Life and Experience PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • Sky9 Capital: https://www.sky9capital.com/

Danijel Višević is Co-Founder and General Partner at World Fund, Europe’s Largest 1st-Time Climate Tech Fund. Danijel Višević shares his journey working with Angela Merkel, transitioning from journalism to founding one of the largest first-time climate tech funds, and the importance of bold investments in decarbonization technologies. Eugene Foo: What edge does being an immigrant investor give you? Danijel Višević: Coming from a less privileged background instilled a resilience and lack of fear regarding hardship. A sense of gratitude for opportunities and empathy and the ability to shift perspectives, leading to better understanding and decision-making. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:00 - European Climate Fund Challenges 00:38 - Personal Journey 01:34 - Climate Tech 06:06 - Immigrant Investor 08:59 - Failures and Lessons 14:47 - Angela Merkel’s Influence 16:44 - Transitioning into Venture Capital 19:04 - A Day in the Life of a General Partner 22:15 - The Genesis of World Fund 28:21 - Scalability Challenges for European Companies 28:53 - Spotlight on Portfolio Companies 30:41 - The Significance of Battery Recycling 31:54 - Dietary Choices and Environmental Impact 33:54 - Contrarian Perspectives on Impact and Profit 37:59 - The Future of World Fund and Berlin’s Startup Scene 42:23 - Germany and Europe: Challenges and Opportunities 52:12 - Personal Reflections and Philosophy PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/visevic/ • Medium: https://visevic.medium.com/ • Personal Website: https://www.visevic.de/ • World Fund: https://www.worldfund.vc/

Tilo Bonow is Founder at Piabo Communications with global clients like Stripe, Google, DJI. Meanwhile, he is an active LP in 60+ global VCs, like Headline, HV Capital, 3VC, and more. Tilo Bonow joined YUVC to discuss the pivotal role of effective communication in the startup and venture capital ecosystem. As the founder and CEO of Piabo Communications, Europe’s leading tech PR agency, Bonow explains why 50% of startup valuation is narrative. Eugene Foo: What are the key criteria you use to evaluate and select solo GPs for investment? Tilo Bonow: Solo GPs who demonstrate a clear positioning and focused expertise within a specific industry, ideally showcasing a career path aligning with their chosen sector. A history of entrepreneurship is highly valued, as is the ability to effectively communicate and leverage their LP community for mutual benefit. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:00 - Intro 00:57 - Exploring a Historic Office Location 02:15 - Tilo Bonow’s Background and Piabo’s Mission 03:19 - The Role of Communication in Business 06:30 - Building Trust and Transparency 08:15 - Storytelling’s Impact on Startups 14:49 - Challenges and Strategies in PR 23:49 - Piabo’s First Client and Philosophy 31:27 - Criteria for Investment Decisions 31:45 - Founder Relationships and Their Importance 32:17 - Active LP Community and Relationship Leverage 33:17 - Honesty and Transparency in Venture Capital 36:55 - Perspectives on Global Investments 37:54 - Identifying Red Flags in GPs 45:18 - Berlin’s Rise as a Startup Hub 49:06 - Challenges and Opportunities in Europe 53:14 - PR Strategies for Startup Success 56:59 - Personal Reflections and Insights PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tilobonow/ • Piabo: https://piabo.net/

Chun Xia is Founding Partner at TSVC alongside Eugene Zhang (YUVC#19) based in Silicon Valley. Seed investor in Zoom, Carta, Ginkgo Bioworks and more. Dr. Xia Chun joined Eugene Foo and Yuyan Wang at YUVC discussing the intricate dynamics of Chinese entrepreneurs seeking financing in the U.S. amidst geopolitical tensions to focusing on the qualities needed to become a category leader. Eugene Foo: TSVC’s approach to evaluating founders? Dr. Chun Xia: We prioritize founder traits like integrity, resilience, and alignment of values, ensuring the best chance of success. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:00 - Intro 00:14 - Insights on Entrepreneurship and Investment 02:11 - Personal Interests and Hobbies 07:44 - Journey and Experiences in the U.S. 18:55 - Challenges and Advice for Chinese Entrepreneurs 25:51 - Understanding People in Teams 26:27 - Challenges for Technical Founders 26:45 - Client Interviews and Engineer Mindset 27:25 - Investment Insights and Benchmarks 30:45 - The Trust Economy and Sharing Economy 35:56 - AI's Impact on Jobs and Industries 39:37 - The Future of Technology and Education 44:47 - Philosophical Reflections on Life and Media PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chunrayxia/ • TSVC: https://www.tsvcap.com/

Ertan Can is Founder at Multiple Capital based in Luxembourg and Frankfurt backing Micro VCs with a focus on Europe. 2100 funds screened, 1000 GP relationships, 50+ sectors, 48 funds invested, 103 GPs/Partners, 1359 portfolio companies, 156 outliers, 23 unicorns, 1 decacorn. Eugene Foo: Your take on Masayoshi Son and SoftBank? Ertan Can: The longer SoftBank remains active as such, the higher the chances of success. Eugene Foo: What factors set a seed fund apart from others? Ertan Can: They become known as the go-to investors within their respective regions or verticals. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:00 - Roadtrip Across China and Beyond 08:12 - The Rise of MicroVCs 16:15 - Randomness in Venture Capital 24:44 - Unfair Advantage in Venture Capital 32:42 - Fund Size and Investment Strategy 42:05 - Beyond Track Record 53:36 - Skin in the Game 59:00 - Large Funds Struggle at Seed Stage 1:06:05 - On MicroVCs 1:12:00 - Disruption, Transparency 1:19:07 - Meaning of Life 1:24:00 - Advice for YUVC 1:27:24 - Global Venture Rac 1:31:51 - Future of Venture Capital PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • X: https://x.com/rtancan • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ertancan/ • Multiple Capital: https://www.multiple.capital/

Cyrus Yari is Co-Founder at Rational VC, formerly a podcast going deepdives with VCs, now investing $250,000 to $1 million in pre-seed to series-A rounds. Cyrus Yari joined Eugene Foo at YUVC sharing his journey from one of the UK’s lowest-performing schools to co-investing with silicon valley big-name VCs. Eugene Foo: Your take on VC as of today? Cyrus Yari: Many VCs operate like a Ponzi scheme, raising funding without significant personal investment and depending on management fees. Skin in the game is the name of the game. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:00 - Cyrus's Journey to Rational VC 06:19 - Positive Black Swans and Asymmetric Bets 11:35 - Rational VC: A Different Approach to Venture Capital 17:58 - Media Company Around Timeless Ideas 25:15 - A Focus on Impact 33:26 - Freedom, Growth, and Impact PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • X: https://x.com/CyrusYari • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyrusyari/ • Rational VC Pod: https://www.rationalvc.com/ • Rational VC Fund: https://rational.fund/

Eugene Zhang is Founding Partner at TSVC (formerly TEEC Angel), 1st angel fund in Silicon Valley founded by Chinese American investing the ticket ticket into global Chinese and beyond. With 9 unicorns in the portfolio, TSVC is named a top unicorn investor in the US by PitchBook. Yuyan Wang: How long does it take to invest in a case? Eugene Zhang: Sometimes within a day. We have a talk in the morning and we invest in the afternoon. Otherwise, it takes longer. But we try to satisfy the founder’s needs. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:00 - Always about Startup 06:01 - Challenges startup up 08:30 - Angel to VC 11:01 - First Deal 14:35 - Investing in Zoom 21:19 - Decision-Making 24:48 - Success Factors 29:56 - Valuation 31:04 - Lessons Learned 32:42 - The AI Era 35:22 - Silicon Valley’s Future 39:01 - Meaning of Life PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • X: https://x.com/eugene_zhang • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugenezhang/ • TSVC: https://www.tsvcap.com/

Peter Lasinger is Founder and General Partner at 3VC, largest series-A fund based in Austria with a strong presence in CEE and ties to silicon valley investors. Peter invests in carefully selected tech startups with global ambition, starting from Series A. Eugene Foo: Do you still believe that the return is still parallel to the risk in early stage venture capital industry right now? Peter Lasinger: Of course, I say yes, because I have my own money in the fund and I wouldn't do the job if I don't believe that there is a super high lever. 00:00 - Into Venture Capital 04:15 - Evolution of the European VC 10:19 - 3VC’s Strategy: Quality Over Quantity 14:57 - Data in Venture Capital 21:22 - Market Fit and Shared Vision 26:30 - Learning from Failures 30:05 - AI Market Fit 36:05 - Localization and AI’s Role 38:55 - 3VC’s AI Investing Thesis 43:05 - Future of Venture Capital 47:41 - Life and Meaning PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • X: https://x.com/peterlasinger • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lasinger/ • 3VC: https://three.vc/

Xu Jiang is Executive Director at Vertex Ventures China with a focus on new energy, AI, and deeptech. Jiang joined Eugene Foo at YUVC sharing her journey from a management consultant to venture capital. Key topics include fundraising dynamics, valuation strategies, and sector selection. The conversation highlighted the importance of growth mindset, technical team advantages, and offered a pragmatic view on China's venture capital future. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:15 - Challenges of Fundraising 02:32 - Consulting to VC 04:06 - Growth Mindset 05:25 - Investing in AI 08:31 - Hard Tech Investment 11:14 - Beyond Investing 12:25 - Valuation 18:12 - Top-Tier Deals 19:59 - Investment Decisions 20:27 - Choosing Sectors 21:53 - From Volume to Quality 23:28 - Lessons from Failures 24:28 - Investment Standards 25:39 - Success Factors 26:32 - Portfolio Management 31:46 - Future of China’s VC 40:29 - Biggest Bubble 42:23 - Differentiation in Fundraising 43:24 - Meaning of Life 49:12 - Venture Media 52:37 - Secrets to Sustained Energy PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • Vertex Ventures China: https://www.vertexventures.cn/en/

Christian Dorffer is Founder and General Partner at Defiance Capital, an emerging VC Fund investing into B2B SaaS in Europe and the US. Key topics include the DNA patterns of unicorn founders, where research shows 62% of US unicorns had immigrant founders, and his unconventional thesis that introverted, technically brilliant founders who aren't good at self-promotion can still build massive companies. Eugene Foo: What sets a successful seed fund apart? Christian Dorffer: What sets a successful seed fund apart is that they can get into difficult deals. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:00 - Backing the Right Founders 04:04 - Into VC 07:53 - Immigrant Unicorn Founders 10:37 - Non-Traditional Unicorn Founders 14:14 - Non-Obvious Founders 21:26 - Finding Relevant Mentors 25:41 - Selecting Founders 32:44 - Successful Seed Fund 36:18 - Serial Founders 40:17 - On Investing 43:28 - Investment Choices 48:12 - Meaning of Life 51:51 - Potential of Chinese Founders 56:37 - Building Bridges through Venture Capital Podcasting PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • X: https://x.com/thechrisdorffer • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorffer/ • Defiance Capital: https://www.defiancecapital.com/

Reinder Lubbers is Founder at No Such Ventures, investing 2-8M€ deal by deal industry agnostically. Reinder joined Eugene Foo at YUVC sharing his journey from Olympic rowing to venture capital, advocating for a deal-by-deal investment approach that challenges traditional VC models. Eugene Foo: Is it necessary to like the founders you are investing in? Reinder Lubbers: The truth is no, you don't have to like them. You must trust each other a little bit, ensuring you have the right intentions. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:03 - From Olympic Rower to Venture Capitalist 04:41 - Lessons Learned from Rowing 09:34 - “Liking” Founders? 12:18 - Olympic Advantage? 14:16 - First Deal 19:37 - Explaining Venture Capital to Traditional Investors 22:34 - Targeting Entrepreneurial Investors 26:37 - Deal-by-Deal vs. Traditional VC 32:57 - Investment Team Compensation 36:31 - Evaluating Performance 40:00 - Sourcing and Screening 47:03 - The Dutch VC Culture 52:35 - Welcoming Global Opportunities 54:12 - Meaning of Life 57:57 - Stay Focused and Seek Experience PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • X: https://x.com/reinderlubbers • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reinderlubbers/ • No Such Ventures: https://www.nosuchventures.com/

Zhu Liang is Partner at China Prosperity Capital, a RMB VC fund leveraging deep ties to Hong Kong universities and tech. Zhu Jiang joined Eugene Foo at YUVC sharing his journey from a lawyer to a hard-tech venture capitalist. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:04 💼 Investment Essence 03:01 🤝 Befriend Scientists 05:04 👣 Three-Step Trust 06:02 🚀 Entrepreneur Value 08:52 🕒 Team & Timing 10:08 🌟 Hope in Tech 13:11 🎖️ Invest in Military 15:59 🛠️ Non-Military Tech 21:59 🙅‍♂️ Three Nos in Invest 26:18 💰 Early Valuation 29:56 🔋 Solid Batteries 33:31 💡 Empower Startups 38:10 💸 Funds Evolution 40:21 🛤️ Exit Strategies 42:40 🏆 Capital Highlights 46:04 📈 Unique Systems 48:46 🌱 Life's Meaning 50:49 🛡️ Keep the Faith PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • China Prosperity Capital: https://www.cpcfund.cn/en/

Dan Siroker is Founder and CEO at Limitless AI (Rewind AI). Previsouly, White House, Google, Stanford. He has raised $300M+ in his career. Under his leadership, Optimizely grew from 0 to $120M ARR. Now, he’s making Limitless great. Dan made VCs crazy by releasing a public pitch that attracted over 1k preliminary investment offers, 170+ term sheets, 30+ offers valued over 1b+. More recently, he charged $100 for an investor meeting (luckily, we got the meeting for free). Yuyan Wang: Are there any fundraising advice you could give to other startup funders in 2024? Dan Siroker: The core of that success has come from building a great product and building something people want. Usually, that's the most important thing. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:01 - Introduction 02:07 - What's Dan's next fundraising move? 12:14 - Is 10x easier than 2x? 23:47 - The Limitless Pendant 31:11 - Meaning of Life PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • X: https://x.com/dsiroker • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dsiroker/ • Limitless AI: https://www.limitless.ai/

Lewis Hong is Founding Partner at FP Solutions VC, leveraging his SpaceX network and expertise, investing in the next SpaceX. Lewis Hong is a Builder, investor, and tech influencer with a demonstrated history of success in the aerospace, automation, and consumer goods industries. Eugene Foo: What are some obvious traits of entrepreneurs? Lewis Hong: Teamwork is crucial. We are not very keen on investing in entrepreneurs who work alone. We hope to find many Musks, but relatively speaking, they are rare. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:50 - Chinese Founders Going Global 09:49 - Where to Source Hardware Tech 16:26 - AI in 3 years 17:30 - AI workflow as a hardware tech VC 20:47 - Meaning of Life PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-hong-6967645/ • FP Solutions: https://www.fpsolutions.vc/

Chang Song is Partner at QF Capital, a leading early-stage VC Fund in China, where he leads the firm’s investments in Southern China. The youngest partner at QF Capital joined Eugene Foo at YUVC sharing his journey establishing investment methodologies, controversial bets in emerging fields like eVTOL and controlled fusion. Eugene Foo: Your secret source of information? Chang Song: Is there really any exclusive source of information at such an early stage? Not really, to be honest. It’s all about actively getting to know all the players. At the earliest stages, it’s not hard to get connected with them. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:00 - QF Capital 03:12 - Analyst to Patner at QF 06:08 - eVTOL and Nuclear Fusion 11:34 - eVTOL and China’s Low-Altitude Economy 14:26 - eVTOL: Ambition and Growth Driven by Government Initiatives 19:47 - Urine Testing Devices 26:28 - Due Diligence 31:06 - Early Research 36:07 - Shenzhen’s Venture Ecosystem 42:04 - Decline of Wealth Effects 45:25 - Fundraising Challenges 48:45 - Go-Global Strategies 51:24 - Idealism vs. Realism PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • QF Capital: https://www.qfvc.cn/en/about.page

Sue Xu, Managing Partner at Amino Capital joins the YUVC Podcast. Dr. Sue Xu joined the firm in 2012, with investment theme of data moat, network effect and domain agnostic. She has successful investments from inception to unicorn in Generative AI, Consumer, SaaS and Frontier tech. Eugene Foo: Your most hesitant investment so far? Sue: Most early-stage deals are controversial. No one is a winner for sure. Yuyan Wang: Advice for Younger Self? Sue: Find your position in the society. Then you can ignite endless inspiration. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 04:34 Gift Moments 15:29 Rationality in VC 20:21 Silicon Valley Angle 24:36 Founder Portrait 28:13 Women in Tech 31:46 Partners at Amino Capital PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com

Andreas Munk Holm is a content creator turned angel LP investing in European Micro VCs. Andreas Munk Holm joined Eugene Foo at YUVC sharing his journey from being a World of Warcraft player to building Europe's largest VC community. Now listen in for more insights! ❤ 00:00 - VC’s Naivety in Europe 08:15 - From World of Warcraft to Venture Capital 13:19 - Value Chain of Venture Capital 17:25 - Why Focus on VC Investments? 22:41 - Power of the Flywheel Effect 27:50 - YUVC’s Aspirations 31:32 - Asia’s VC Landscape 37:35 - Investing in Emerging and Established VCs 43:42 - Emerging VC Funds 49:51 - The State of European Venture Capital 55:51 - The Meaning of Life 1:01:47 - China’s Rise 1:07:05 - Advice for YUVC PODCAST LINKS: • Podcast Website: https://www.whyyouvc.com • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3V4FyQN • Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4hYSvpg • RSS: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcrss • Podcast Playlist: https://bit.ly/whyyouvc SOCIAL LINKS: • X: https://x.com/whyyouvc • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whyyouvc • RED: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcred • Bilibili: https://bit.ly/whyyouvcbili • Email: whyyouvc@gmail.com GUEST LINKS: • X: https://x.com/LPhypeman • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-euvc/ • EUVC: https://www.eu.vc/