Vasily Alekseenko

The founder @ Rare Founders, one of the fastest growing communities of founders and investors in London. Facilitating the craziest and biggest events in London for the startups and investors.

You Left That Event With 5 Contacts. There Were 200 People In The Room.

May 29, 2026

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2 min read

You Left That Event With 5 Contacts. There Were 200 People In The Room.

We built SoPhy because we watched thousands of founders, investors and operators leave our events having lost every contact, note and follow-up that mattered. It's a networking app that keeps everyone you meet in one place - searchable, with notes and reminders attached. Join the waitlist, refer your network, and win from a £350,000 prize pool drawn on 18 June.

Vasily Alekseenko

Five Things European Investors Need to Know About Q1 2026

May 14, 2026

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7 min read

Five Things European Investors Need to Know About Q1 2026

European VC just hit its strongest quarter in nearly four years - but the headline number is hiding a market that's quietly bifurcated into two completely different opportunities. AI now eats more than 50% of all European venture funding for the first time on record, an 18-month-old German AI startup just exited to SAP for over €1 billion, and a brand new asset class is forming at the intersection of frontier labs and private equity. Here are the five trends every investor needs to understand before they make their next allocation decision.

Vasily Alekseenko

Trends

AI vs Defence. Where Capital Is Really Going

Mar 19, 2026

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7 min read

AI vs Defence. Where Capital Is Really Going

Venture markets are entering a more selective cycle driven by macro pressure, geopolitical shifts and concentrated capital into sectors like AI infrastructure, defence and industrial tech. Investors with clear theses, strong founder access and disciplined pacing will have an advantage. The next breakout companies are likely being formed now, during uncertainty rather than market euphoria.

Vasily Alekseenko

Events

I Want You in This Round - Rare Founders 2.0

Mar 13, 2026

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5 min read

I Want You in This Round - Rare Founders 2.0

Rare Founders is raising a £250K SEIS round to build a real social graph based on actual relationships, not vanity connections. This product aims to change how founders and investors build networks and access opportunities. £80K already committed. Closing before end of March.

Vasily Alekseenko

Behind the scenes

Mar 10, 2026

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8 min read

F*CK TAXES - SEIS & EIS Explained

SEIS and EIS are two of the most powerful tax incentives available to UK investors. In this guide, we explain how these schemes can reduce your real investment risk to around 20% while allowing completely tax-free gains if a startup succeeds. We also highlight founders currently raising SEIS and EIS rounds ahead of the financial year deadline.

Vasily Alekseenko

Events

Venture trends 2026 - Private event for VCs, CVCs, Family Offices

Jan 16, 2026

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2 min read

Venture trends 2026 - Private event for VCs, CVCs, Family Offices

The venture landscape is moving fast. You need to know where the capital is flowing. This is your chance to talk honestly with your peers.

Vasily Alekseenko

Events

Jan 6, 2026

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15 min read

TOP 10 Venture Predictions for 2026

2026 is the year the AI hype crashes and investors relying on fake digital data will lose everything. I explain why you must switch to physical diligence and "boring" real-world assets to survive the coming reset.

Vasily Alekseenko

Trends

The Calm Before the Budget: Why Investors Should Pay Attention

Nov 13, 2025

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8 min read

The Calm Before the Budget: Why Investors Should Pay Attention

The upcoming UK Budget could seriously damage investor confidence, with proposed tax reforms on LLPs, venture funds, and a potential exit tax on unrealised gains threatening to drive capital out of the country. Investors are being urged to take action now by signing the Startup Coalition’s open letter to protect the future of UK innovation and investment.

Vasily Alekseenko

Trends

From Seed to Stuck: Europe’s Venture Capital Paradox

Oct 23, 2025

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7 min read

From Seed to Stuck: Europe’s Venture Capital Paradox

Europe’s startup scene isn’t short on ideas — it’s short on capital. Despite world-class founders and deep-tech breakthroughs, Europe still lags behind the US in late-stage funding, exits, and institutional backing. This post breaks down why the continent’s VC ecosystem is stuck, how concentrated capital and cautious LPs are holding it back, and where smart investors can still find opportunity in the gaps.

Vasily Alekseenko

Trends

Family Offices vs. VCs: A Quiet Revolution in Startup Funding

Aug 26, 2025

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11 min read

Family Offices vs. VCs: A Quiet Revolution in Startup Funding

Family offices are stepping out of the shadows and reshaping the startup funding game — hiring ex-VCs, cutting out the middlemen, and investing directly. In this post, I explore what that means for founders, VCs, and the future of venture capital itself.

Vasily Alekseenko

Trends