Andrej Petrus

🌍 VC | Investing in early-stage tech across Europe & US (bio, deeptech, industrialtech) | Based between London and Prague

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

@yoheinakajima Yes 👏

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

We organised CZ/SK Founders Meet-up in London yesterday. #LondonTechWeek side event at the Czech embassy. Was fun, lets do it again! @TomasHalgas @MiroGasparek thanks for the insightful panel discussion!

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

Greetings from @ycombinator Demo Day at The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Great venue choice. Indeed, entrepreneurship can be seen as a form of art. #yc

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

Love this copy from @euacchq
So true. Countries with the population of a Chinese office building and GDP of an averagely successful computer game can make it really complicated to founders. That's why most experienced ones are incorporating else.

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

12/ I fully understand why is Japan such a popular destination not only for tourists but also for digital nomads. It's the combination of affordable prices, convenience, great public spaces, infrastructure, and most of all very friendly and polite nature of japanese people.

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

11/ Boxy Cars
Cars that look like little wardrobes on wheels—compact, narrow, but practical. Never seen anything like it! 🚗 These boxy cars are called Kei cars and are about 1/3 of the cars sold in Japan. New ones can be purchased under 10k USD.

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

10/ Massive Shopping Stations
Train stations here double as mega shopping centers with tons of stores. Shopping + transport combined! Couldn't find an exit of the Tokyo train station for about 15 minutes. Some stations play soft bird chirps, creating a calm, nature-like vibe. 🌿

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

9/ Double Cultural Heritage
It’s the perfect blend of old-world history and traditionalism with modern pop and video game culture. And I am a big fan of the video game culture and impact it had internationally. Just visit Akihabara in Tokyo

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

8/ Coffee Culture
Japan’s coffee scene is intense. From the traditional to ultra-modern, you’ll find cafes and unique brews everywhere. ☕️ Visited so many incredible coffee spaces in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. If you are a coffee lover, Japan is for you.

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

🇯🇵 Thread: Cool Things I Noticed in Japan 🇯🇵

I recently flew in from SF to #Japan for the first time. I am very impressed with this country and could imagine spending even more time here. Here are some cool things I noticed:

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

7/ Surprisingly Affordable
Living here feels like everything is reasonably priced, making everyday life feel a bit more accessible. Everything was the same or cheaper price compared to Central Europe where I come from (except of hotels and accommodation). Great ramen under 7 USD.

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

6/ Bikes Everywhere, Unlocked
Bikes are everywhere, but hardly anyone locks them up. Public spaces are built for walking, bike riding and public transport, not primarily for cars. Japanese are walking a lot daily, mainly because the public space is designed for it.

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

5/ Orderly Lines for Trains and Buses
People queue up patiently for public transport. Order and respect are big here, even with queue signs on the station—look at the photo! 📸

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

4/ Convenience Stores & Vending Machines Everywhere.
Japanese convenience stores and vending machines are on another level—food, drinks, and everyday essentials within reach. Literally on every corner. You can even buy essential clothes there, eat the best and cheapest sandwiches

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

3/ Workers in Cooling Vests
In the summer heat, most workers wear cooling vests to stay comfortable while working outside. Such a simple but effective wearable tech upgrade!

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

2/ Life Convenience
Everything here is built for ease—transport, food, you name it. Only exception: you handle your own trash! Haven't feel so convenient before. Public spaces and infrastructure built to handle millions of people easily.

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

1/ No Trash Cans
Despite how clean Japan is, there are hardly any public trash cans! Everyone just takes their trash with them-seriously impressive. Why is that so? Cultural emphasis on personal responsibility and shift in public spaces after the 1995 Sarin Gas attacks.

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

9/ Techno-optimism helps me also personally to stay positive, the long-term trajectory is positive, short-term events (economic or political ups and downs) not that important.

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

Techno-Optimism is gaining momentum 🚀 and it's great to feel optimistic about the future! 🌍
I recently shared my views on the niche topic of Techno-Optimism and e/acc in a discussion with Tomáš Hrivňák and @dennikN (in Slovak only).

Summary in a thread🧵

[Andrej Petrus @a_petrvs]

8/ I remain optimistic. New inventions and technologies will help us to address major global issues and stagnation as our whole civilization is and was built on technological progress and invention.