Why do Europe’s startups scale slower than their U.S. counterparts? In this raw, revealing episode, Andy Goldstein uncovers what’s really holding back the European venture capital scene—and what we can do about it.

• How investor education can radically improve VC decision-making

• Why German founders hesitate to internationalize—and how to fix it

• The mindset shift European investors need to unlock global-scale success

• How AI sales tools and founder conviction can drive early-stage growth

Andy Goldstein, Managing Director Europe at VU Venture Partners and Co-Founder of the German Accelerator, is a serial entrepreneur, ecosystem builder, and innovation catalyst. With decades of experience across the U.S. and Europe, he’s reshaping how VCs invest—and how startups scale.

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Guest Name: Andy Goldstein, Managing Director Europe, VU Venture Partners
Blog Post: http://startuprad.io/post/the-transatlantic-investment-divide-why-europe-needs-a-new-vc-mindset

Relevant Resources:

• VU Venture Partners

• German Accelerator

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Introduction to Andy’s journey from IBM to VC

• 06:00 – What’s broken in European VC mindsets

• 12:45 – How VU trains VCs through real investments

• 20:50 – Sales culture differences: Germany vs. U.S.

• 28:15 – Startup internationalization: Why Germany lags

• 35:30 – Traits of the top 1% of founders

• 42:00 – Final thoughts + podcast wrap-up

What happens when Europe's top startup operators become VCs — and use AI to disrupt billion-euro legacy sectors?
Today’s episode uncovers how Marton Sarkadi Nagy, Partner at Visionaries Club, is backing founders who are rewriting the playbook for industrial tech innovation.

• 🔧 How applied AI is replacing legacy SaaS and transforming industries like logistics and procurement

• 📊 Why Europe is perfectly positioned to lead in the application layer of AI

• 🧠 What defines a "genre-defining founder" in early-stage startups

• ⚙️ The secret behind Visionaries Club’s unique LP base: unicorn founders + industrial dynasties

• 🪖 How radical accountability and talent-first scaling are creating B2B breakout startups

Whether you’re a founder raising a seed round, an operator breaking into VC, or an investor looking to understand the future of industrial SaaS, this episode is for you.

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Marton Sarkadi Nagy is a Partner at Visionaries Club, a Berlin-based venture capital firm managing €600M+ in AUM. With a background as the former growth lead at Tier, Marton brings operator DNA to VC. Visionaries Club backs early-stage startups that use AI, SaaS, and cybersecurity to tackle massive industrial problems — with LPs ranging from unicorn founders to multi-generational family businesses.

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Guest Name: Marton Sarkadi Nagy, Partner at Visionaries Club

Blog Post: How Europe’s Visionaries Are Using AI to Disrupt Industrial Tech

Relevant Resources:

• Visionaries Club

• Startuprad.io Unicorn Tracker

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Welcome + Introduction

• 05:20 – From Tier to Visionaries Club: Marton’s transition from operator to investor

• 11:40 – Visionaries Club’s unique LP network

• 18:30 – Radical accountability and founder performance

• 25:50 – SaaS is dead — how AI agents are reshaping back-office work

• 34:00 – Europe’s opportunity in applied AI

• 42:30 – What makes a painkiller startup (vs. a vitamin)

• 49:00 – Supporting technical founders and Europe’s startup gaps

• 56:00 – Final thoughts and contact info

In Part 2 of our interview with Christian Conrad — coach, former Kellogg’s exec, and author of Magical Company Culture — we go deep into the execution side of culture.

Forget team-building retreats. Christian outlines a leadership playbook where trust, behavioral habits, and culture KPIs like eNPS are used to build high-performing, emotionally engaged teams.

• Why “100% trust from Day 1” transforms startup teams

• How to implement daily engagement boosters like connective listening and feedforward

• Why eNPS should be every founder’s culture KPI

• How one client scaled eNPS from 6 to 40 in 18 months

• The 4DX execution framework applied to startup leadership

Christian Conrad is the founder of Management Boost and author of Magical Company Culture. His mission? 1 million smiling employees by 2035. He’s coached global corporations and hypergrowth startups alike on measurable, trust-based leadership.

🔥 If you’re a founder, investor, or executive navigating scale, this episode is your culture execution guide.

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• Guest Name: Christian Conrad (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianconrad-magneticculture/)

• Role: Leadership Coach & Author of Magnetic Company Culture

• Blog Post Part 2: Read the Full Blog Here: https://www.startuprad.io/post/the-culture-execution-playbook-for-founders-part-2-of-our-interview-with-christian-conrad

• Blog Post Part 1: https://www.startuprad.io/post/the-ultimate-guide-to-building-a-magnetic-company-culture-in-startups

• Resources:

  • Christian’s Website

  • eNPS Overview (Gallup)

• Timestamps:

  • 00:00 – Why Culture Execution Fails

  • 03:15 – Long-Term vs. One-Off Trainings

  • 06:00 – The Trust-First Management Mindset

  • 10:10 – The 4DX Framework for Culture

  • 13:50 – Case Study: eNPS Growth Story

  • 17:22 – Three Founder Habits to Start Today

  • 20:00 – Final Thoughts for Founders