Young Sohn Joins Speedinvest as Chairman - InforCapital

At a time when global tech is being reshaped by rapid innovation, geopolitical uncertainty, and increasing economic protectionism, Sohn says Europe faces a rare and urgent opportunity. “We’re in a tornado of change,” he notes. “Europe must now build its own trusted tech and scale it worldwide.”

With more than 600 investments and 139 IPOs under his belt — including names like Zoom and Graphcore — Sohn brings deep experience and a powerful global network. In his dual role as Founding Managing Partner at Walden Catalyst Ventures, he plans to build bridges between Speedinvest and markets across the US, Asia, and beyond.

Oliver Holle, CEO and Managing Partner of Speedinvest, emphasized that Sohn’s arrival marks a new era. “We’ve already built a strong early-stage platform across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. With Young, we’re now ready to take that vision global.”

Europe’s Scale-Up Challenge

While Europe is rich in talent — its tech workforce reached 3.5 million in 2024 — the continent still struggles to scale startups into global champions. Sohn highlights a key reason: a lack of late-stage capital and deep liquidity. “Starting up isn’t the issue,” he says. “Scaling up is the hard part.”

In the US, pension funds invest over 11 times more in venture capital than their European counterparts, creating a funding gap that stifles growth. Europe’s fragmented markets, complex regulations, and smaller fund sizes further complicate the path to global scale.

Sohn refers to this dynamic as “money velocity” — the ecosystem’s ability to quickly reinvest capital after successful exits. It’s a natural cycle in Silicon Valley. In Europe, it’s still a work in progress.

Mindset, Not Just Money

Beyond funding, Sohn believes Europe’s challenge is also philosophical. He points to Singapore as a model: “Small country, big ambitions. They built a global investment ecosystem by aligning national policy with strategic returns.”

In contrast, Europe invests just 0.2% of pension assets into venture capital and often channels money into US-based funds, starving its own ecosystem. Sohn argues that to change this, the continent needs not just capital — but a shift in mindset.

Speedinvest's Global Playbook

Speedinvest plans to leverage Sohn’s global experience to connect European founders with markets in Asia, the Middle East, and North America. “In these regions,” Holle explains, “trust and relationships are everything. Europe is well-positioned to build those bridges.”

From deep tech giants like ASML and ARM to emerging AI hubs like Paris, Sohn sees the foundation for success. But the ecosystem needs scale, patience, and urgency. “It takes years to build a company like ASML,” he says, “but you need to move fast and make decisions with conviction.”

Speedinvest’s long-term commitment to hands-on support for early-stage startups is now evolving. With Sohn as Chairman, the firm is doubling down on its mission to help European companies not just launch — but scale globally and endure.

“VCs in Europe must lead with vision,” says Sohn. “Returns are critical, but so is setting the pace of innovation. We must act now — there is no Plan B.”