Francois Botha

It’s no longer enough to just buy well and hope for multiple expansion. Time to roll up your sleeves. GPs have been hearing this from LPs for years — especially during fundraising. #Operational value creation has become the main act in private equity, not the footnote. Why? - Because with rising competition, more dry powder, and tighter exit markets, helping your portfolio companies actually improve is the only real edge left. I’ve kicked off a short YouTube series on how experienced funds approach value creation — where it starts, what works, and what LPs are now asking about in diligence. We started with a fireside chat featuring Anne Arlinghaus from KKR Capstone (link below in comments). In Part 1, I cover: • Why the real work begins long before the ink is dry • The go-to value levers (and why overhead reduction is just the start) • How firms are building internal ops teams — and tracking impact If you’re curious what “hands-on” really means — or what it takes to become an Operating Partner — this one’s for you. 🎥 Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/drfgcsMV Next up: Buy & Build — and yes, it’s as messy as it sounds. #PrivateEquity #ValueCreation #OperationalExcellence #PortfolioCompanies #GPstrategy #LPperspective #INSEAD Arnaud Bonzom Bowen White Michael Prahl Harsh Temurnikar @

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This week, I had the pleasure of attending the LP Forum at TechBBQ in Copenhagen. A truly insightful event with many thought-provoking discussions around institutional capital and venture. One topic that stood out to me: how pension funds are (slowly) approaching the venture capital asset class. While the structures for access, such as funds and fund-of-funds are well-established, many pension funds still seem hesitant to engage more actively. A particularly striking slide showed the most active pension funds in European VC. Surprisingly (and a bit shockingly), not a single German pension fund made the list. The potential here is massive. 🇩🇪 Europe is a wunderland and sooner or later, pension funds will realize this too. Wunderland Capital

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The VC secondary market is on fire. But many LPs are rushing in without fully appreciating the risks. VenCap International plc has been active in VC secondaries (LP positions only) since 1987 — and this is one of the hottest markets we’ve seen. In the first half of 2025 we reviewed $6.5bn of secondary VC deals — a 41% jump from the $4.6bn we saw in the same period last year. This includes both GP-led and LP-led deals. Here are 4 lessons we've learned from nearly 40 years of buying secondaries: 1️⃣ Power law still rules – a few companies will drive most returns. 2️⃣ Quality over discount – our best deal was bought at a premium to NAV. 3️⃣ Know the valuation policy – different VCs can value the same company very differently. 4️⃣ Factor in manager behavior – holding winners vs. selling early can make or break returns. VC secondaries ≠ PE secondaries. The risks are different — but for LPs who can access the right deal, at the right price, the rewards can be exceptional.

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Why I Don't Sign NDAs for Early-Stage Founders — And Why Founders Shouldn't Ask Your idea is your baby. I get it. But for VC, asking for an NDA before sharing that idea isn't protecting your future - it's limiting it. In my latest article, I break down why NDAs create more problems than they solve for founders seeking early-stage funding. I explain why VCs structurally cannot sign them (reviewing 1,500+ decks annually makes this impossible), why they signal inexperience rather than caution, and most importantly - why your execution matters infinitely more than your idea. If you're a founder worried about idea theft, this perspective might change how you approach investor conversations forever. I explain why trust is the real compounding currency in venture capital - not legal protection.

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🚗 EXCITING NEWS - I'm happy to share that our portfolio company Deftpower has raised €12.5 million from Endeit Capital, including continued support from us, 4impact capital, and other existing investors including Proeza Ventures, Rethink Ventures and Twickelborg to expand its AI-powered EV charging platform across Europe. We’re very excited to continue this journey with the Deftpower team. They have shown tremendous growth since our investment at the end of 2023 and we are inspired by the vision, innovation, dedication and execution skills of Jacob van Zonneveld, Marc Diks, Remco Tjeerdsma and Nicholas Laane and their team.  Deftpower is making EV charging cheaper, cleaner, and smarter. Their technology helps • Lower charging costs for EV drivers • Reduced CO2 emissions by shifting demand away from peak hours • Relieve pressure on the grid Their solution is at the core of what we invest in at 4impact capital; digital technology that contributes positively to planet and people and we look forward to what’s next. Welcome Endeit Capital, Sara Resvik, Jan Fredriks. Look forward to working with you. Rodolfo Elias Dieck, CFA, Sophie Millenaar, Ali Najafbagy, Victor Straatman, Daniel Uusitalo 🔗 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g8Xk5xpq

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