#94 - Renaud Visage - SlateVC - The CTO behind Eventbrite is now chasing Europe's climate unicorns

#94 - Renaud Visage - SlateVC - The CTO behind Eventbrite is now chasing Europe's climate unicorns

Author: Hugo Rauch May 26, 2026 Duration: 53:41
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🌊 Building Europe’s Climate Growth Engine

Why the next generation of climate champions will need more than early-stage capital to win.

We’re joined by Renaud Visage, Co-Founder at SlateVC and former CTO of Eventbrite, for a deep dive into what it really takes to scale climate companies in Europe, from founder psychology to growth-stage financing.

After helping build Eventbrite from startup to IPO, Renaud spent years angel investing and learning the mechanics of venture from the inside at Index Ventures and Point Nine. Today, with SlateVC, he’s focused on one of the biggest gaps in European climate tech: growth-stage capital.

In this episode, we unpack why Europe needs specialist climate investors now more than ever, and what separates companies that scale from those that disappear.

In our conversation, we covered:

→ Why brand matters more than product in the age of AI

→ The hard lessons Renaud learned from 80+ angel investments

→ Why many climate startups still underestimate their “equity story”

→ What growth-stage climate investing really looks like in practice

→ Why climate specialist funds may outperform generalists over the next decade

→ How founders should think about exits earlier than they do today

→ What makes a company financeable beyond venture capital

→ Why Europe urgently needs more Series B and growth-stage climate capital

One of the strongest takeaways from this conversation:

The tourists have left climate tech, and that may actually be the best thing for the sector.

✨ Leave a review and share the episode if this conversation challenged the way you think about growth, innovation, and sustainability.



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newwavenewsletter.substack.com

Hugo Rauch hosts New Wave, a podcast that lives at the intersection of business ambition and scientific reality. This isn't about distant predictions or abstract science; it's a grounded exploration of the technologies and companies being built right now to address our environmental future. Each episode focuses on the practical journey, dissecting the models, the breakthroughs, and the hard decisions that define the climate tech landscape. You'll hear from founders, researchers, and investors who are actively shaping this space, getting into the specifics of what works, what doesn't, and why. The conversations move beyond hype to examine the tangible mechanics of creating viable solutions, from energy storage and sustainable materials to carbon removal and regenerative agriculture. It’s for anyone who thinks about the climate challenge not just as a crisis, but as a complex and urgent field of innovation. By tuning into this podcast, you gain a clearer understanding of the economic forces and scientific principles driving the next generation of environmental solutions. New Wave connects the dots between the lab, the boardroom, and the impact we need to see in the world, offering a sober yet optimistic look at where substantive progress is truly being made.
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