In this episode of the EUVC podcast, Andreas talks with Robin Haak, the solo GP behind Robin Capital, and Jerome Ternynck, founder of SmartRecruiters and a new initiative called Rypples. Together, we explore the evolution of recruiting, why "you are who you hire," and how AI is reshaping talent acquisition. Jerome brings insights from decades in HR tech, while Robin adds the investor’s perspective on navigating and succeeding in competitive markets. We’ll dig into Jerome’s journey with SmartRecruiters and the problem-solving mindset that’s driven his work for the past 30 years. We'll also uncover Rypples—his new mission to combine sustainable impact and financial return by investing in ocean-positive startups—and why sustainability is the next big business frontier. Go to eu.vc to read the core take-aways. Chapters: 02:10 Jerome's Journey and Smart Recruiters 03:39 Core Expertise: HR and Hiring Success 03:45 Scaling a B2B SaaS Company 03:57 The Founder Perspective on Raising Money 04:06 Jerome's New Mission: Rypples 15:54 The Evolution of Recruiting and AI 16:34 Metrics for Hiring Success 26:31 Purpose-Driven Business and Reverse Recruiting 32:23 Reflecting on Past Mistakes 32:52 Challenges of Scaling a SaaS Company 34:25 Optimizing Sales and Marketing 35:23 Balancing Growth and Retention 38:50 Navigating VC Relationships 41:17 The Role of the CEO in Scaling 46:13 Fundraising Strategies and FOMO 55:13 Building a Sustainable Business 55:40 Introducing Rypples: An Ocean Investment Firm 01:02:17 Final Thoughts and Farewell