Investing in Compute: A Deep Dive with Emma Schepers at Verve
About the event
Compute has become one of the defining investment themes of the decade. As Moore's law slows, AI demand surges and chips turn strategic, a wave of European startups is rethinking computing from the ground up: quantum, optical and neuromorphic platforms, next-generation chip infrastructure, and AI at the edge. But how do you actually evaluate deals in a field this technical, capital-intensive and long-horizon?
The EIT Community Supernovas is thrilled to host Emma Schepers, Head of Future of Computing at Verve Ventures, for a practical session on investing in compute and AI infrastructure.
Emma will take us behind the scenes of how an investor approaches one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving areas of deep tech, from building an investment thesis to identifying and assessing new opportunities.
💡 What we’ll explore:
How to build an investment thesis in Computing and translate it into actionable investment themes
How that thesis informs sourcing and assessing new opportunities
What separates a genuine venture case from a science project
Key learnings from portfolio companies and investing in Computing over time
Where Emma sees the most interesting opportunities for early-stage investors
Come with your questions, curiosity and appetite for deep tech.
🎙️ Format: Online fireside chat
👥 Who should attend: women and men investors, anyone interested in investing in compute infrastructure.
About the speakers
Emma Schepers is Investment Manager and Head of Future of Computing at Verve Ventures, a European deep tech VC investing at the pre-seed and seed stages. She joined the firm in 2020 and leads its computing investments across novel computing platforms, including quantum, optical and neuromorphic computing, data centre infrastructure, and AI in the physical world. She has backed companies such as Axelera AI, Ferroelectric Memory Company, Kipu Quantum, Q.ANT and Ncodin. She holds a BSc in Natural and Social Sciences from the University of Amsterdam and an MSc in Physics from ETH Zurich, where she specialised in theoretical physics.
Daniela Duca is an investor at Samos VC and an angel investor focused on the next frontier of embodied AI and biological compute, alongside other deep-tech sectors such as space and defence. She joined Samos in January 2025 after more than 15 years as an operator across research, policy, and product, bringing a unique perspective that combines scientific curiosity with a systems-level approach to innovation and company building. Daniela is also an alumna of the Women2Invest programme by EIT Community Supernovas, which supports women in STEAM in breaking into venture capital, and currently serves as the Supernovas Ambassador for the UK, supporting women investors across the European innovation ecosystem.
About the host
EIT Community Supernovas is a pan-European initiative led by EIT Urban Mobility, EIT Food and 28DIGITAL, dedicated to increasing gender diversity across Europe’s innovation and investment ecosystem. Since its launch, Supernovas has trained 700+ women investors, from venture capital professionals to aspiring angel investors, equipping them with the knowledge, networks, and confidence to make informed, high-impact investment decisions. The initiative has also supported 100 women-led startups, helping them raise nearly €100 million in funding while accelerating their growth across Europe.