Judith Dada, a general partner at the venture capital firm Visionaries, is stepping into the role of co-CEO at Langdock, a Berlin-based AI startup. While she transitions into this new position, she will continue to serve as a senior partner at Visionaries, which is preparing for a fundraising round later this year.
Langdock creates a unified platform that combines various AI models, allowing users to seamlessly switch between systems such as Gemini, Anthropic, OpenAI, or Mistral for diverse tasks, including the deployment of AI agents.
The startup has remained relatively low-key, having secured $3 million in 2024 from General Catalyst and the former La Famiglia team, where Dada was an investor. Additionally, it is supported by Y Combinator, along with angel investments from notable figures like Johannes Reck, cofounder of GetYourGuide.
According to Visionaries, Langdock recently achieved $40 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and is operating profitably.
Dada explained her decision to join Langdock, stating, "I reached a point where I realized this technology has the potential for significant impact, and I needed to find a way to fully commit myself to it. Investing will always be a part of my journey, but the urgency of this moment calls for a concentrated effort."
Beginning in September, Dada will focus primarily on the operations of Langdock while still engaging in investment opportunities as they arise.
In her new capacity, Dada will enhance Langdock’s outreach, engaging with policymakers, clients, and businesses to advocate for effective AI adoption, along with managing communications and marketing initiatives.
Her transition comes at a time when the discussion around strengthening Europe’s independent AI capabilities is intensifying. However, Langdock has faced scrutiny for being registered in Delaware, particularly amid the push for AI entities to operate on European soil. Dada clarified that Y Combinator mandates that its companies be registered in the U.S., yet emphasized that the majority of Langdock's shareholders are based in Europe.
Langdock counts over 10,000 customers, spanning small startups to large corporations.
The issue of European AI sovereignty is of great importance to Dada. She recently contributed to a paper titled "Europe 2031," which argued that Europe underestimated the rapid evolution and transformative potential of AI, as well as its capability to keep pace. The paper suggests proactive measures to address these challenges.
This topic has gained traction in light of recent developments, such as Anthropic, a U.S.-based AI model provider, restricting access to two of its advanced models in response to U.S. export controls.
"For the first time, Europeans have recognized that access to these models isn't guaranteed," Dada noted. "As AI continues to evolve and redefine business competitiveness, having reliable and independent access to intelligence is vital."
Despite this, Langdock utilizes U.S. companies for certain functions, relying on Microsoft Azure for its data infrastructure. Dada believes that "truly sovereign AI," involving data centers fully governed by European regulations, represents a significant opportunity. She acknowledged the potential risks posed by the U.S. Cloud Act, which could allow U.S. authorities access to data stored by American firms, even if that data is housed in the EU.
Though she couldn't disclose specific plans, Dada hinted that Langdock is actively addressing these issues.
Dada’s career shift reflects a growing trend of European investors stepping into operational roles within startups. Last year, Uwe Horstmann, a cofounder of Berlin's VC firm Project A, also took on the CEO position at drone startup Stark while maintaining his investment duties.
Lacher pointed to examples in the U.S., such as the Founders Fund, where partners regularly navigate both investment and operational roles. He expressed hope that similar trends will emerge in Europe, encouraging a new wave of investor-operators.
"I hope we can inspire a trend," Dada remarked, while acknowledging potential concerns surrounding conflicts of interest. She noted that navigating such issues is crucial and that it is common for founders to engage in angel investing.
Lacher believes that Dada’s appointment will provide Visionaries with deeper insights into the operational realities of AI. "We see this as a bold and beneficial step for Judith. In terms of day-to-day operations, it won’t drastically change our approach."
