Upside
This week's happenings in startup and investing land. Getting underneath VC, and discussing how to better support the European startup eco-system.
Every week we share what's been on our mind and get under the skin of VC, investing, startups and founder psychology.
From the team behind SuperSeed who invest in technical teams solving difficult business problems.
The network is run on LinkedIn so join me there - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danbowyer/
With full interview audio and video uploaded to all major outlets.
Love to hear from you - dan@superseed.com
Episodes
77 episodes
Your AI Intern With Root Access - Masa Goes Massive - Europe's Midlife Crisis
00:59 — Saudi surprises, NEOM shrinks, Vision 2030 = Europe takes notes.02:58 — Europe: zero vibes, zero mission.03:55 — War bonds?! Saudi winter games postponed. Reality intrudes.🤖 AI Corner07:32
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Season 1
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Episode 76
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1:05:12
Doh Davos, Data Centre Downsides, No To Delaware, Dead SaaS & Defence IPOs
01:35–10:24 — UK data centres: blocked… but a way throughA £1bn London-area data-centre project gets halted after a planning/EIA mess-up → delays of 9–12+ months, potentially worse.The twist: data centres are being u...
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Season 1
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Episode 75
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48:42
Can EU Starlink? - The EU’s 25yr Mega Trade Deal - Anthropic's CoWork Kills It!
BBC yeets kids shows onto YouTube, EU does a mega trade deal, Open Cosmos tries to be European-ish Starlink, Meta buys nuclear vibes, UK bins digital IDs (again), Anthropic’s “CoWork”, Grok vs governments, plus Deals of the Week...
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49:04
The Biggest Tech Co. You’ve Never Heard Of - FTSE Beats S&P, Psychedelics Are Back & CES AI Corner
Hosts: Dan Bowyer, Lomax Ward, Mads JensenEpisode summaryThis week we cover Trump’s Greenland rhetoric and the broader implications for NATO, European defence spending, and sovereignty. Then we dive into the tech and...
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Season 1
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Episode 73
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1:00:36
10 Venture Predictions - The Picks & Nix For '26!
Guests: Dan Bowyer, Mads Jensen, Lomax Ward and Dan GrayPart 1 — 2025 predictions: what hit, what missed?02:59 — OpenAI “dethroned”: debate, but mostly “yes”04:47 — China/Taiwan “decisive year”: m...
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46:48
2025 Christmas Special - It’s a Wrap!
With European VCs Lomax, Mads, Andrew and Dan2025 year-in-review for European tech: capital, unicorns, geopolitics, AI, health, defence, and space space spaaaace.01:25 – European tech in numbers...
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Season 1
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Episode 71
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1:03:17
Why Company Sovereignty Matters - China's $1trn Surplus Flood Zone - European Punching
Upside is a weekly pod that looks at the global news headlines and works out what really matters for European tech, venture, startups and investing.With European VCs - Lomax Ward, Dan Bowyer and Mads JensenWhat’s on the docket ...
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Season 1
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Episode 70
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43:52
Europe’s Comeback - Brexit 2.0 - Another ‘Code Red’ & Roll Up Roll Ups
Upside #69 - For the real news behind the headlines affecting European venture, startups and investing. Every week Mads, Lomax, Andrew and myself (Dan) get together and chat.Bending Spoons01:27 Berkshire-like roll-up...
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Season 1
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Episode 69
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45:57
God AI - A German Ecosystem Deepdive - Part Time VCs - Google Hot Or Not?
Upside #68 w/ Robin Haak (Robin Capital), Lomax (Outsized), Mads and Dan (SuperSeed).Topics: Germany’s slowdown • Social media bans • UK budget • Solo GPs • N26 • Europe vs Big Tech • AI Corner01:21 – Robin’s Back...
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Season 1
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Episode 68
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50:17
We Get Slush’d - Germany Gets Space’d - As TPU’s Crush
This week in Upside #67 Mads returns from Slush with 24 one-to-ones under his belt and a head full of insights. Dan and Lomax dig into Germany’s €35B space strategy, the surprising data behind immigrant-founded unicorns, and Europe’s defence-IP...
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Season 1
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Episode 67
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47:25
Tech Sovereignty And Becoming Full Stack Nations
Each week a small bunch of us try and makes sense of the latest news affecting European venture. Upside #66 - The theme this week is back to tech sovereignty, what that really means, what’s trade, what’s security - and ultimately wi...
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Season 1
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Episode 66
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53:10
A Baltic Boom, Matt Clifford Rouses, A Tale Of Two Quants
Upside Ep #65 - A Baltic Boom, Matt Clifford Rouses, A Tale Of Two Quants A weekly show that unpacks the shenanigans affecting European venture.Dan (host), Mads, Lomax, Special Guest: Jone (Yo neh) — Managing Partner, First Pick...
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Season 1
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Episode 65
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1:00:42
Should You Raise Right Now? Should Govts Buy Stocks? Should NVIDIA Have Bought Nokia?
The pod that unpacks the real news behind the clickbait affecting European venture.Hosts: Dan, Mads, Lomax, Andrew02:41 — Bending Spoons deep dive Debt-fuelled roll-up, “Berkshire of consumer apps” analogy...
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Season 1
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Episode 64
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48:48
The Robots Are Here Already?! - UK Govt Wasting Time In AI Sandboxes - 28th Update.
Upside - the weekly pod exploring the real news behind the clickrage affecting European venture, startups and investing.Hosts: Dan, Mads, Lomax,
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Season 1
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Episode 63
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1:00:20
VC's Fun'raising - Has China won AI already? & The WHY behind bubble-talk AI
Upside #62 w/ Dan and Mads from SuperSeed plus Ben from Bullhound CapitalKey Topics• Fundraising climate in European for VC - friend or foe?...
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46:05
Upside #61 - Defence Special PLUS what IS the AI bubble really?
Voices: Nicholas Nelson (Archangel) • Dan • Lomax • Mads TL;DRDefence-first wins on capability and returns; primes are partners and channels.Helsing: buys platforms/revenue for access;...
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1:00:21
Upside Ep #60 — Germany's White Gold, The UK's Red Ink, and Reinventing VC
🎧 Upside Ep #60 — “White Gold, Red Ink, and Reinventing VC”Hosts: Dan · Lomax · Andrew Recorded: Oct 2, 202501:00 – Quick News Highlights🇺🇸 US Shutdown — $15B GDP loss per week; p...
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59:57
Upside Ep #59 — UK at a Crossroads, AI Surge, Defence Tensions, H1B Shock
Yes we're European VCs so YES we're talking AI and defence! But there's still more of the pie to eat, so dig in.02:00 🇬🇧 UK in the doldrums* Little to no growth (1.5% vs US 3.8%).* Inflation stubborn at 3.8%.* 130k jobs lost ...
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1:01:11
Upside #57 - What's Hot & Not in European Tech w/ Mike Butcher from TechCrunch
This week we chat with Mike the ex editor of TechCrunch, getting his take on the past, present and future of all things Euro-startup. Mads shares his thoughts on the All In Summit. We chat about defence strategies, pension funds and Euro cash i...
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Season 1
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Episode 57
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1:05:12
Upside #56 - Most Euro Pension Cash Ever, The Power of Xi, & Let Chaos Reign
Let markets drive early-stage VC; fix EU growth/IPO capital via pension reform. Win AI as power users, not model builders. Geopolitics demands EU/ally coordination. Quantum’s having a moment.This week it's Mads, Lomax and Dan. All Europe...
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43:25
Upside #55 - Digital Sovereignty vs Autarky
This week on Upside – It's a digital sovereignty deeper dive - what does it really mean, Nvidia is up but kinda not, Apple vs CMA - stormy teacup, and Governments Buying AI - which is a a great thing! Yes it is.With Mads, Lomax, Andreas...
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Season 1
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Episode 55
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1:03:08
Upside #53 - EU vs US Wealth Creation, Energy Breakthroughs, M&A Boom Means?
For the real news behind the headlines affecting European venture.Hosts: Dan Bowyer & Mads Jensen, with Joe Knowles from Smedvig Ventures(01:15) US vs. Europe in Wealth CreationUS dominates wealth & compounders...
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Season 1
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Episode 53
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48:55
Upside #52 - More Chips Please - Be More German - No Easy A?
Upside #52 The weekly podcast for all things European venture, startups and investing. Each week we look behind the headlines for the real news affecting our ecosystem.VC Hosts: Mads, Andrew & DanThis week: Seed-to-...
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Season 1
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Episode 52
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1:08:36
🎙️ Upside #51 - Project Eurhope - SaaS Is Sexy Again - The EU US Trade Reality
Upside is for anyone interested in the European tech and startup ecosystem. We discuss the real stories that live behind the headlines.Recorded: Friday August 1st 2025Hosts: VCs - Mads, Lomax, and Dan00:50 – Big Tech Earnings...
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1:08:25
Upside #50 - Can Stablecoins Save The Dollar? UK vs US AI Strategies & The Red or Blue Pill?
Upside - for the real stories behind the headlines affecting European Venture.In this week's episode:AI in Public Services - OpenAI and the UK govt sign dealThe US vs UK AI plans - how do they compare?Stable...
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1:02:26