a16z Speedrun Scout on Backing Founders From Emerging Markets
What started as a San Francisco hacker house led Yasin Ehsan to scout for a16z Speedrun. Now, he is looking for ambitious founders in emerging markets.
Teodora Atanasova is Senior Editor at The Recursive, covering startups, venture capital, and innovation across Central and Eastern Europe. She reports on emerging technologies, founders, and the region's growing tech ecosystem.
What started as a San Francisco hacker house led Yasin Ehsan to scout for a16z Speedrun. Now, he is looking for ambitious founders in emerging markets.
At the first CEE AI Summit in Prague, more than 250 policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders focused on the region’s bigger challenge: turning its technical talent into globally competitive AI companies.
Endeavor Catalyst is increasing its exposure to Europe, where its portfolio companies raised more than $8.3 billion across 2025 and H1 2026. Head of EMEA Pete Benedetto explains why the fund sees particular potential in CEE.
Circeus is betting that Europe’s established software companies can scale further with the right shared infrastructure.
Based Collective co-founder Jonas Bartasius on why fundraising is over-glamorized, what Europe can learn from Silicon Valley without copying it, and why stronger founder networks could help the continent build bigger companies.
A landmark proposal to create a single European company form is caught between its promise of radical simplicity for startups and a parliamentary push for safeguards that critics fear could dilute its very purpose.
New York Times bestselling author Nir Eyal explores how beliefs shape founders’ relationship with luck, failure, and persistence, and why Silicon Valley may see failure differently.
Employee ownership can already work with today's legal tools, says startup lawyer Stefan Surina. The real challenge is convincing founders and employees that equity is worth it.
Healthcare is emerging as one of Europe's most strategic industries. Elizabeth Jennings shares why trust, long-term investment, and Central and Eastern Europe's scientific strengths could redefine the region's role in the global biotech landscape.
Check the biggest H1 2026 funding rounds for Greece and key details about the startups.
Bootstrapped from day one, Kiss My Apps has grown into one of Ukraine's largest consumer app companies, reaching more than 160 million downloads.
Check the biggest H1 2026 funding rounds for Slovakia and key details about the startups.
Check the biggest H1 2026 funding rounds for Poland and key details about the startups.
Check the biggest H1 2026 funding rounds for Estonia and key details about the startups.
Check the biggest H1 2026 funding rounds for Romania and key details about the startups.
As investors become increasingly selective, the Czech Republic's next growth wave may come from deep tech. Jan Lukačevič argues that while the country has no shortage of scientific talent, turning research into globally competitive startups requires stronger commercial skills.
Ukrainian defense tech investment platform Resist.UA has launched Resist 2.0, a new European fund targeting up to €50 million to connect international investors with Ukraine's rapidly growing defense and dual-use technology sector.
Check the biggest H1 2026 funding rounds for the Czech Republic and key details about the startups.
Check the biggest H1 2026 funding rounds for Ukraine and key details about the startups.
As founders from across Eurasia gathered in Tbilisi for 500 Global Eurasia's Demo Day, the conversation extended beyond fundraising. Founders shared how working across fragmented markets, established industries, and complex business environments has influenced their approach to building startups.
In this interview, entrepreneur and CPA Australia Michal Wasserbauer draws on more than 15 years of experience building businesses across Southeast Asia to explain why the Czech Republic has the foundations for a thriving innovation ecosystem.