Launchbase: Building Tech Products & Scaling Startups

• Is Europe’s Startup Scene Ready to Go American?

  In this episode of LaunchBase, I sit down with Dan Bowyer, partner at Super Seed, to discuss early-stage investing and why Europe’s tech scene needs a serious shift. We cover: ✅ Why Dubai’s tech hype doesn’t compare to Europe and the US model ✅ How Europe can ‘Americanise’ its approach to funding and scaling ✅ The importance of founder-market fit and how it drives investment decisions ✅ Why personalized outreach trumps cold emails when raising capital ✅ Dan’s new fund focusing on very early-stage startups and what it takes to win Dan also shares his thoughts on the differences between the European and US startup ecosystems, why second-time founders have an edge, and why having skin in the game is crucial for attracting serious investors. Tune in for insights on how to better navigate early-stage funding and take your startup to the next level.

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• Inside the VC Mind: What Founders Get Wrong About Fundraising

  In this episode of LaunchBase, I sit down with Kiran Mehta, a former VC turned startup advisor, to break down the biggest mistakes founders make when raising capital. We cover: ✅ Why B2B SaaS is the safer bet for UK VCs ✅ What investors really want to see at pre-seed, seed, and Series A ✅ The funding challenges founders are facing today—and how to navigate them ✅ The real tipping point for scaling a SaaS startup ✅ Common founder mistakes (and how great founders set themselves apart) Kiran also shares insights on his transition from VC to working directly with founders, why some startups struggle to raise pre-seed funding, and the importance of hiring well, proving commercial traction early, and knowing when to say no to bad deals.

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• From Idea to Seven Figures: Callum Woodcock’s Journey with WineFi

  In this episode of Launchbase, I sit down with Callum Woodcock, the founder & CEO of WineFi, a platform that’s transforming fine wine into an accessible investment class.   🚀 Key Highlights: How Callum went from idea to £1M+ in revenue within seven months. The power of building in public and leveraging LinkedIn for early traction. Raising £500K in an oversubscribed pre-seed round—before even having a product. Why personal brand matters for startup founders (and how Callum got his whole team posting). The mindset shift that helped him overcome rejection while fundraising.   📢 One big takeaway? Startups don’t fail because of bad ideas. They fail because they don’t find product-market fit fast enough. WineFi nailed it early—before even launching a platform.

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• From Police Officer to 7-Figure Exit: Eddie Whittingham’s No-BS Guide

  In this episode of Launchbase, John Radford sits down with Eddie Whittingham—ex-police officer, lawyer, and tech entrepreneur. Eddie bootstrapped The Defense Works, a cybersecurity training company, and successfully exited to Proofpoint, a NASDAQ-listed firm. Now, he’s building Ministry of Work, a premium co-working space for ambitious founders. They discuss: ✅ Bootstrapping to exit—what worked and what didn’t ✅ The role of luck vs. hard work in startup success ✅ Why most online training is terrible—and how Eddie made it better ✅ The reality of selling a business—how Proofpoint found him through LinkedIn ✅ Why founder networks matter more than ever

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• Crowdfunding Chronicles: Startup Success with Jonathan Keeling

  Jonathan Keeling has seen fundraising from all angles—helping CrowdCube raise over £1B for 1,000 startups and now scaling Haatch from £50M to £250M AUM. In this episode, we dive into the realities of startup fundraising, crowdfunding do’s and don’ts, and what investors really look for. We also explore how UK investors differ from their US counterparts, the rise of AI-powered startups, and why recycled capital is key to a thriving ecosystem. If you’re raising or investing, this one’s for you!

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