From Uber's Leadership to VC Powerhouse: Why This Exec Says Europe's Startup Scene Is Ready to Explode

Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty stands as one of Europe's most seasoned operators, having spent the past 13 years on ride-hailing giant Uber's leadership team—the company's only top executive outside North America—and playing a pivotal role in scaling the startup into a business valued at hundreds of billions of dollars.

Now, he's making a bold move to the 'dark side'. Gore-Coty has announced he is joining Plural, the early-stage investment firm based in London and Tallinn, as a full-time partner.

Plural was founded in 2022 by a quartet of high-profile founders and operators: Wise’s Taavet Hinrikus, Songkick’s Ian Hogarth, Teleport’s Sten Tamkivi, and Bigpoint’s Khaled Helioui. Their mission was to bring serious operator 'scar tissue' to European venture capital. HelixNano cofounder Carina Namih joined as the fifth partner a year later.

In just three years, Plural has raised €750 million across two funds and backed innovative startups such as spacetech firm The Exploration Company, defence unicorn Helsing, and nuclear fusion company Proxima Fusion.

Gore-Coty's extensive background made him a natural fit for the firm. He explains, "When you look at Europe, 90% of VC investors come from finance and consulting. There are too few who have actually founded, run, and scaled businesses."

He adds, "Plural can have a really big impact in terms of the operating muscle it brings to the table, and that's a key element of the recipe."

Scaling Uber

Gore-Coty joined Uber in 2012 after a stint as an investor at Goldman Sachs in London. At that time, Uber had just raised a $32 million Series B, employed about 100 people, operated mainly in the U.S., and was seeking a general manager for its newly launched Paris market.

Drawn by Uber's ambitious vision to transform urban mobility, Gore-Coty took charge of the French market and spent subsequent years expanding Uber's footprint across the EMEA region. By 2020, he was on Uber's executive leadership team, overseeing all markets outside North America.

It was then that he was tasked with leading Uber Eats globally—a small, loss-making segment at the time. "There was a lot of skepticism from investors about whether this would become a real business," he recalls. "And frankly, that's what excited me."

Just two weeks into his new role, the Covid-19 pandemic struck, severely impacting Uber's core ride-hailing business. "I effectively became the very centre of Uber," says Gore-Coty.

In what he describes as a "phenomenal ride," Uber Eats grew five-fold, reaching $90 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV). The business generated $727 million in EBITDA in the last quarter of 2024 alone.

Throughout his tenure, Gore-Coty insisted on operating from Europe. Based in Paris since 2012 (with a brief move to Amsterdam pre-pandemic), he was the only executive leadership team member outside North America. "I have immense respect for the U.S. and what it builds," he says, "but I've always felt a strong sense of belonging to Europe and its values."

Fostering European Ambition

After 13 years at Uber, Gore-Coty felt a growing desire to support the European tech ecosystem more proactively. "I've always been fascinated by the quality of talent here, yet puzzled that too few global champions emerge from the continent," he notes.

He attributes much of Uber's success to a "winning mindset" ingrained in its culture, driving employees to "work hard" and "build great things." With Plural, he aims to impart this wisdom to European founders.

"There are tremendous founders in Europe with massive ambition," Gore-Coty states. "The challenge is the scarcity of examples of European companies achieving global success, coupled with investors who lack the risk appetite."

He emphasizes, "We need investors who can roll up their sleeves, work hand-in-hand with founders, and help turn ambition into execution to create large businesses."

Gore-Coty believes it is "absolutely possible" for Europe to produce more global tech giants. He argues that there has never been a better time to back European startups, as a growing number reach a "meaningful" stage. "For every company that succeeds, you get dozens or hundreds of people who've experienced scaling and go on to launch their own startups," he says. "It's a snowball effect. This flywheel has kicked in and is gaining momentum in Europe."

Joining Plural

As an active angel investor, Gore-Coty has collaborated with Plural for years, leading its investment in London-based AI recruitment platform Metaview's Series A in 2024.

Now a full-time partner, he will make about two deals annually, aligning with Plural's average pace. This approach prioritizes "depth" over "breadth," ensuring partners dedicate ample time to each founder.

Gore-Coty plans to focus on investments where his Uber experience adds the most value—such as operations-heavy businesses, marketplaces, and companies facing scaling challenges. "Having gone from a small team to overseeing thousands, I've learned about building teams, parting ways with people, and creating a winning culture," he shares. "People and leadership are areas where I can add significant value."

His experience in expanding Uber internationally positions him to aid founders with global growth. "We figured out how to localize the business effectively in diverse markets," he explains.

With his appointment, Gore-Coty is opening Plural's first office in Paris, signaling the firm's commitment to the dynamic French tech scene. However, he won't limit his focus to France; he'll back startups across Europe.

At Plural, deal sourcing is shared firm-wide, with investments directed to the most relevant partner. "My investment perimeter is certainly not going to be French but European," Gore-Coty affirms.