Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe’s leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.
In this episode, Jeppe Høier sits down with Simon Boas Hoffmeyer, Global Head of Sustainability & ESG at Carlsberg, and Kasper Hulthin, serial entrepreneur and investor at Future Five (co-founder of Kost, Peakon, and more).
With ESG facing political backlash, accusations of greenwashing, and shifting investor sentiment, the question looms: is ESG still a lever for real change—or does it need a reset? Simon and Kasper explore what’s broken, what still works, and how corporates and startups can embed sustainability into real business value.
🎧 Here’s what’s covered
00:10 ESG under fire — political pushback, greenwashing, and regulatory flip-flops.
01:00 Carlsberg’s take: facts, faith, and fear as the drivers of sustainability.
02:00 Why startups must reframe ESG as financial return, not a premium add-on.
03:00 Culture vs. compliance — how corporates integrate ESG into decision-making.
05:00 Born-green startups vs. legacy corporates: different pressures, same imperatives.
06:00 Where opportunities lie: inputs for future food systems, alternative coffee and chocolate.
07:00 From “sustainability” funds to “energy transition” — reframing the narrative.
08:00 Partnerships in practice: pilots, off-take agreements, and startup collaborations.
09:00 The investment paradox — more money into NFTs than climate at ESG’s peak.