Funding the Future: Carlos Eduardo Espinal, Managing Partner at Seedcamp

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Carlos Eduardo Espinal, Managing Partner at Seedcamp, a European based seed stage fund that invests everything from Angel Rounds all the way to Seed capital, about being an ‘OG’ in the European tech economy, and how it has emerged as a leading hub of innovation on the world stage. Carlos talks about the differences in access to and availability of funding for firms in the US and European markets, how that has shaped the firms and founders who operate there, and why the future of funding looks more global.

We also speak about Carlos’ career in engineering and how that led him to the startup funding space, key structural differences in the European and US funding system that give rise to different capital cultures, and key strategic insights for tech startup founders wherever they choose to seek the financial support they need to bring world-changing innovations to market.

 

Topics Discussed:

• Carlos’ background in the world of finance engineering, and what it was like behind the scenes of big capital
• The different developments of capital markets in Europe and the US, and how accessibility and availability of funding drive divergent economic cultures
• Why founders need to recognise that failure is part of the process of success, and what that means in terms of dedication, commitment and learning
• Why support from a community of founders can be key to building success for all of them
• How having a global impact, as well as promising returns, is becoming more important for those seeking funding 
• Why the nature of leadership in a booming market needs to change if a business is to survive through more challenging times

 

Favorite book: 

New Dark Age: Technology and the End of the Future