Looking back at the Engaged Investments Conference 2022
During this year’s Engaged Investments Conference organized by DEPO Ventures, we welcomed a number of speakers primarily from the CEE and the Baltic regions. They all talked about the current state of investments, as well as what the future of the venture capital ecosystem might bring. Among the main topics discussed this year was the need for cooperation between VCs and angel investors, as well as the potential prospects of cross-border investments. We hope, that after a full day of exciting debates combined with networking, everyone who attended may have come home a bit wiser than they were before.
DEPO Ventures opens the largest angel fund in the CEE region
There is a huge amount of money in the startup world. Investments are often made in millions of euros, and the value of companies can quickly exceed a number 20 times larger. Before technology startup founders can get to this stage, they need a large amount of investment capital, which they have trouble getting from investors in the early stages. The investment group DEPO Ventures is now launching its third angel fund, one of the few to focus on investing in early-stage startups. It wants to bring together angel investors who can help startup founders further their development. At the same time, allow them to invest in a much more systematic way. The new fund will become the largest angel fund in Central Europe.
Cross-border investment – considering the big picture
The VC industry has recently experienced a spike in international growth. In our ever-so-expanding globalized world, is it a good idea to get in on the trend, or just simply stick to domestic investments? This is a question many VC investors have been asking themselves over the past years. However, the answer, like most answers, is not a simple yes or no. In this article, we at DEPO Ventures aim to consider the main aspects of cross-border investments and perhaps shed some light on the industry itself, mainly utilizing information from academic sources.
The Engaged Investments conference welcomes angel investors and VC funds in Prague.
The Czech startup investment scene may be off to a good start, however, compared to many other European countries they are still falling behind. Perhaps the reason might be that the interested parties lack general information about the market and their understanding of it is still often only superficial. The Engaged Investments conference aims to change this. The all-day event is not only for experienced investors but also those that are just thinking about their potential engagement. The conference and its program will have up to 20 hardened professionals mainly from foreign countries discussing their experiences and their expertise. The 4th consecutive conference hosted by the investment group DEPO Ventures is going to take place in Prague on October 10th.
The Baltic region is a digital Mecca for startups. Czechia has something to learn.
Czech people often overlook the Baltic countries. About six million people live in Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia. It might seem they don‘t have much to offer in the European context. At least in the field of technology startups, however, this is not the case at all. As my colleagues from DEPO Ventures and I have seen during our visits in recent months, the Baltic States are a mecca for the modern startup business. How did they achieve this? And what could we learn from them and apply in the Czech Republic?
The end of job dissatisfaction. DEPO Ventures invests in a startup that completely changes job searc
Most often people resign at work due to unsatisfactory corporate culture. However, companies often do not examine the match between the needs of employees and their direction during recruitment. Startup Supertalent wants to change that. It will help people looking for work to find the company that best suits them. The company has now received two and a half million Czech crowns from DEPO Ventures. The Central European startup accelerator StartupYard also invested in the startup. The current investment round is not closed yet, other investors from Europe and the USA are in play.
Fintech attracts angel investors as well as traditional banks. Join us for an online event
Large banks can easily lose their drive. They have long since discovered that their development is not enough and started to look for innovations in the startup world. Fintech is one of the most popular areas where investors put their investments. According to the current DEPO Angels survey, 49 percent of angel investors prefer it. And it is for these reasons, the DEPO Ventures investment group is organizing an online event at which it will present carefully selected startups focused on financial technologies and decentralized finance.
Estonian startup DriveX helps to solve insurance claims and prevent fraud
Insurance is one of the most conservative fields and digitization in it has always been very slow due to regulation. However, this has started to change in recent years. The Estonian startup DriveX is developing a technology that uses artificial intelligence to automate the verification of motor vehicles and can detect any damage. It simplifies and speeds up claims, helps prevent insurance fraud, and can save insurance companies billions. The company has now raised $ 1 million from thirty-seven angel investors from Estonia, Czech DEPO Ventures, Plug and Play Ventures from Silicon Valley, Startup Wise Guide, and Fund Fellow Founders.
Investors will introduce themselves to startups.The Reverse Pitch helps founders choose the best one
Starting a business is always difficult. Without the right business contacts, it is almost impossible to break through. The international syndicate of angel investors DEPO Angels from the DEPO Ventures group will therefore organize a Reverse Pitch event at the end of March, which will help connect startups with investors. Start-up entrepreneurs will be able to expand their network of contacts. While startups will be introduced to dozens of angel investors from Central Europe and the Baltic countries, this works out for investors who will be able to find new investment opportunities.
Andre Dravecky and his startup RINGIL wants to digitize logistics
Despite the significantly growing volume of transported goods, logistics between small and medium-sized companies is outdated and inefficient. The Czech startup Ringil wants to change that. Its multifunctional platform digitizes operations in all parts of the transport process, facilitates control and automates communication. Startup is now receiving 11 million crowns from investors to launch a new era of digital logistics. The current investment round is still open, and it is possible to join it through the DEPO Angels syndicate.