In this episode of the EU-Startups Podcast, Marcin Lewandowski is joined by Trevor Neff, Partner at Headline Growth, a global VC firm with offices in San Francisco, Berlin, and Paris. Headline raised $865M for its fourth growth fund, with half of it dedicated to Europe. Headline’s portfolio includes powerhouses like: Sonos, Farfetch, goPuff, Bumble, AppFolio, Creditas, Segment, The RealReal, and Sorare.

Trevor shares insights on the importance of building personal relationships with founders, the transition from Sound Ventures to Headline, and the evolving landscape of European startups. He discusses the challenges and opportunities in the European market, the significance of trust in investor-founder relationships, and offers valuable advice for founders navigating their journey. The conversation concludes with rapid-fire questions that reveal Trevor's perspectives on venture capital and entrepreneurship.

Takeaways

1. The best startups today are built global from day one.
2. Build trust early – it’s your most valuable currency.
3. Your investor should know you before your deck.
4. Relationships still matter more than metrics early on.
5. VC is a long game – play it with aligned partners.

Chapters

00:00 Building Relationships in Venture Capital
04:45 Lessons from Sound Ventures
06:52 The Vision for Headline's Growth Fund
09:08 The Rise of European Startups
12:31 Balancing Local Nuances with Global Ambition
15:33 The Importance of Trust in Investment
18:26 Advice for Founders and Investors
22:45 Rapid Fire Questions with Trevor Neff

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