Interesting report by Jules Deplanck and Campus Fund on the funding gap between U.S. and European student entrepreneurs. Europe and the Netherlands have untapped potential, and funds like ASIF Ventures, Round One Ventures, Graduate Entrepreneur Fund, and Dutch Student Investment Fund are here to bridge that gap. Worth a read for anyone interested in student startups!
American student entrepreneurs have access to 2.4 times more capital than their European counterparts. This summer, Campus Fund supported Jules Deplanck in developing a report on the student entrepreneurship funding ecosystem, that has just been published. One of the report's findings highlights a disparity for Europe: American student VC funds are, on average, 2.4 times larger than European ones, even though both regions offer similar check sizes and target comparable ventures. Surprisingly, this occurs despite Europe having a larger student population. Several factors may contribute to this gap: a more established ecosystem in the U.S. (where the first student VC, Dorm Room Fund, was created), distinct approaches to risk and education, and intensified competition among late-stage VCs who increasingly launch pre-seed funds to identify emerging talent. This only strengthens our confidence in the untapped potential. European players like Campus Fund, Creator Fund, ASIF Ventures, Founderful Campus and S2S Ventures, to name a few, play an essential role in nurturing our student entrepreneurs. The best is yet to come for Europe! 👀 🇪🇺 You’ll find the complete report, along with sample data and calculation methods, in Jules' newsletter, deelscoop. Romain B.