195. Is JD Vance Right About Free Speech in Europe, Is It Safe to Use DeepSeek for Your Startup, Biggest Fundraising Announcements, Do We Need DOGE, Upcoming VC Apocalypse & Yes, AI Is Fueling Layoffs
Description
Welcome to a new type of episode of the Pursuit of Scrappiness podcast. A monthly discussion format on topics we find relevant to highlight, discuss and share with you to help you become a scrappier and better version of yourself. We will be looking at events and developments in business, politics and technology from a European and particularly Baltic perspective.
On this episode we talk about:
- A deep dive into whether Europe’s free speech restrictions are justified, how Germany polices online content, and whether the Baltics have more freedom in comparison.
- Examining Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), its actual impact on U.S. spending, and whether such an initiative would work in Europe.
- Why Estonia is introducing a 2% defense tax, how it compares to other European countries, and whether other nations should follow suit.
- A look at the latest investment rounds, including the biggest raises in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and why growth-stage funding is still lagging behind.
- A discussion on the crisis in venture capital, why many 2020–2021 funds are still stuck at 1x valuation, and what this means for future startup investments.
- Are recent tech layoffs driven by AI automation, or is AI just a convenient scapegoat? Analyzing the Klarna and Stripe cases, plus how startups can use AI to stay competitive.
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