👉Subscribe for more European startup insights: @VentureTales_Podcast 👉Join our FREE newsletter to receive our weekly 5-minute startup deep dives right in your inbox: ------------------ In this episode, we sit down with Jacob Houlberg (co-founder of Evertrace and former VC at PSV) to reveal how top investors are using AI to discover pre-seed companies the moment they're incorporated. From scanning 100,000+ data points to automating deal flow that used to take weeks, Jacob breaks down the future of early-stage investing. Whether you're a VC looking for better deal sourcing, a founder trying to understand how investors find companies, or someone fascinated by how AI is transforming business, this conversation is for you! ------------------ In Today’s Episode We Discuss: 00:00 - Intro 03:30 - Why They Chose NOT to Take VC Money (Despite Being in the VC Industry) 06:28 - The AI Platform Finding Pre-Seed Investments Opportunities 12:45 - Operating Lean: Building a Profitable SaaS with Just 4 People 17:33 - The AI Infrastructure Cost Risk 24:15 - Growth Through M&A: 3 Acquisitions in 2 Months 28:40 - The Future: AI Agents That Automate Deal Sourcing 24/7 33:50 - Raising from Angels vs VCs: Why High-Intentionality Investors Matter 38:10 - The Principle That Prevents Founder Breakups 38:10 - Why Nordic Startups Are Winning the Startup Growth Race 44:10 - The Path to €1M ARR & What's Coming Next for Evertrace ------------------ Connect with Jacob: Learn more about Evertrace: ------------------ Follow Alex on LinkedIn: Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple Podcasts: ------------------ Drop your comments, feedback & content ideas below! ------------------ 👉Start your podcast with Riverside: * 👉Start your newsletter with Beehiiv: * 👉Find Your Next Startup Job with Jack&Jill: * 👉Work with Alex: *Affiliate links - using these supports the podcast at no cost to you. ------------------ 🎙️ ABOUT VENTURETALES VentureTales uncovers the untold stories of European startup founders, VCs, and operators building the next generation of innovation. Hosted by Alex Zafeiris, we go beyond the headlines to discuss real challenges, honest failures, and contrarian insights shaping European entrepreneurship. ------------------ RELATED TOPICS: venture capital deal sourcing, AI in venture capital, pre-seed investing, early stage VC, how VCs find startups, deal flow automation, startup discovery, trade registry data, AI deal sourcing tools, VC operations, investment automation, pre-seed deal flow, startup scouting, venture capital technology, AI powered investing, early stage investors, startup databases, VC research platforms, automated deal sourcing, finding unicorns early, Evertrace platform, bootstrapped SaaS, capital efficient startups, lean startup operations, operating lean, small team efficiency, 3 person startup team, growth strategy, M&A strategy for startups, mergers and acquisitions, organic growth vs acquisitions, small TAM businesses, niche market startups, profitable SaaS, reaching 1M ARR, founder communication, co-founder agreements, founding principles, startup culture, clear communication frameworks, Nordic venture capital, VC without funding, Pre-Seed Ventures, Bain consulting to startup, Linear tool, high intentionality investors, angel investors vs VCs, sustainable business growth ------------------ COMPANIES & TOOLS MENTIONED: → Evertrace, Pitchbook, , Specter, Harmonic (deal sourcing platforms) → PSV (Danish VC) → Linear (project management) → Cursor, GitHub (dev tools) → Kapa AI, Sumary, Reversio (Danish startups) → Klarna, FlatPay (Nordic unicorns) → OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek (AI models) ------------------ © 2025 Venture Tales. All rights reserved. This video is for educational and informational purposes. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Venture Tales. Always consult with qualified professionals regarding business, legal and financial matter. ------------------ If you like podcasts like: → 20VC with Harry Stebbings → Acquired with Ben Gilbert & David Rosenthal → Lenny's Podcast with Lenny Rachitsky → My First Million with Sam Parr & Shaan Puri → Content from Greg Isenberg ...then VentureTales is for you. We go deep on startup building, venture capital, and the future of technology with European founders and investors who are actually doing it.