Hi! My name is Adrian and this is VC in the CEE. Podcast about the venture capital ecosystem in Central and Eastern Europe.
Just 10 years ago venture capital almost did not exist in the CEE region and now it is one of the most common ways of funding startups and technology companies. This podcast is about people who help startup founders turn their ideas and projects into real-live products and solutions. You'll hear here about their investment strategies, opinions about startup ecosystems as well as how they evaluate potential investment opportunities.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hi! My name is Adrian and this is VC in the CEE. Podcast about the venture capital ecosystem in Central and Eastern Europe.
Just 10 years ago venture capital almost did not exist in the CEE region and now it is one of the most common ways of funding startups and technology companies. This podcast is about people who help startup founders turn their ideas and projects into real-live products and solutions. You'll hear here about their investment strategies, opinions about startup ecosystems as well as how they evaluate potential investment opportunities.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, we sit down with Andrew, a venture capitalist navigating one of the world's most resilient yet misunderstood startup ecosystems. From his unexpected journey into VC to building ZAS Ventures during wartime, Andrew shares the untold story of Ukrainian innovation — and why the numbers don't tell the whole picture.
We explore how a nation under siege is redefining what it means to build resilient businesses, the hidden strengths that global reports often miss, and the delicate balance between opportunity and reputation in emerging markets.
🔍 Episode Highlights:
🎯 The Unconventional VC Path: Andrew's unique journey into venture capital — from unexpected beginnings to fund leadership
⚡ Wartime Fundraising: The incredible story of raising ZAS Ventures' first fund as war broke out in Ukraine — and how crisis shaped strategy
🇺🇦 Ukraine's Hidden Innovation Engine: Why the Ukrainian startup ecosystem is stronger than mainstream reports suggest — and what outsiders are missing
📊 Beyond the Headlines: How wartime resilience, distributed teams, and technical talent create advantages that traditional metrics can't capture
⚠️ Reputation Risk Reality: How one bad actor can poison an entire ecosystem's global reputation — and what founders can do about it
🔮 The Next 12 Months: Andrew's boldest prediction for Ukrainian innovation and what it means for global venture
Whether you're building in challenging markets or investing in overlooked regions, this episode reveals how adversity breeds innovation — and why some of tomorrow's biggest wins might come from the most unexpected places.
🎧 Hit play and discover what resilience really looks like in venture capital!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
