Inside Stories From the Women Behind Europe’s VC Operations

Published date:  7 March 2025   |  2-Min Read

Johanna von Herman once heard those words. Today, as VP, and Head of Customer Excellence, she and so many other women in venture capital are proving that outdated stereotype spectacularly wrong.

On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the resilience, brilliance, and leadership of women shaping industries once considered off-limits to them. In a discussion hosted by Ucha Vekua from Startup Adventures International, our four remarkable colleagues Johanna von Hermann, Stephanie von Behr, Natalya Naumova, and Johanna Rolf shared their journeys in the VC ecosystem and the often-overlooked role of operations in venture capital.

Beyond pitch meetings and million-dollar deals, VC operations are the backbone of the industry and increasingly, women are leading this transformation.

But numbers reveal a stark reality. Only 16% of GPs in Europe are women, managing just 9% of total AUM, compared to 91% controlled by male GPs. Even more striking, just 2% of venture capital funding goes to all-women teams (Sophie Winwood). The gender gap in VC remains stark, but as these women demonstrate, success isn’t about fitting into an old mold, it’s about reshaping the industry with fresh perspectives and driving real change.

From shifting industries to restarting careers after raising children, their stories highlight the determination, adaptability, and expertise that are transforming VC from the inside out. As Johanna von Hermann put it: “Mixed teams are the most successful teams, whether on the startup side or the fund side.”