Eglantine Dupuy

When 30+ investors chase you with $500k - 1M cheque but you don’t want to commit (yet) During the past few months, Davide Roznowicz and I received a lot of DMs from venture capitalists: generally, they were inviting us to join a call and let them know what we are working on. From my understanding, it works like in job interviews: you make a prescreening call just to get to know each other and see if the interests are aligned. If yes, you will progress with other interviews (maybe 2 - 3) with other representatives of the venture firm.  These are some aspects that are evaluated in a startup to be potentially funded: ➡ Team: what is the quality of your team? Why is your team the best team to solve this problem? ➡ Market Size: how large is this market?  ➡ Competition: how competitive is this market? ➡ Differentiation: how will you beat the competition? ➡ Metrics: what’s your current growth indicator? Eventually, if both parties are happy, you, as a company, will receive the funding. ✅ It’s an exchange of money for shares of the startup: from the very few introductory calls I attended in the past, a possible contract in Switzerland for an early-stage startup created by young but solid people, it could be $500k+ in exchange for 20% of the startup. ✅ Most of the venture firms that contacted us invest in Business to Business (B2B) startups: working on a B2B AI-first software startup, in the current AI trend, makes the investment more appealing. Nevertheless, we believe that raising money is a no-way-back decision and we want to avoid doing it when we are still without any customers. Venture firms take bets and hope that one or a few startups across their portfolio will become enormous and will pay back all the lost bets: instead, we bet 100% on what we do, so we should take care of every step we take. In our view, it’s much better to gain some traction and, at that point, if we need money to expand our activity, we will raise money. ❎ Raising right now would mean plenty of time lost talking to potential investors, receiving a lot of “No”, talking again to others, and not progressing with the core of inlook.ai, which is what really matters to us right now.  ✅ We also want to be fully aware of every research, development, marketing and business side of what we are building: therefore we don’t plan to hire anyone for some time. Becoming a company surviving on steroids (burning money month after month and not making any profit) is not something we are interested in.

45

1 commentaar

What you need to know this week in 🇫🇷 French Tech Updates: 🤦‍♂️ My thoughts on this tweet and the reactions it sparked 🤴 Why San Francisco is the Iron Throne of the startup world 🤖 Mistral reportedly raising again at a $5b valuation 💶 5 French startups who raised €22.75M Get the whole update here! https://lnkd.in/eaYbFT94 #startups #venturecapital #frenchtech #ai

8

🌍 Exciting news! Seaya Ventures has closed its €300M climate tech fund, Seaya Andromeda, making it Spain’s largest VC firm with €650M in assets. The fund will invest €7M-40M in companies reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions. 🌱 Launched in 2022, Seaya Andromeda focuses on energy transition, zero emissions mobility, industry decarbonization, circular economy, agritech, and foodtech. Southern Europe’s potential is vast, with ample sunlight for renewables and strong automotive and real estate sectors ripe for innovation. Interesting to see the backers, including Iberdrola (congrats Diego Díaz Pilas!), Nortia, Santander, and the involvement of French organizations like BNP Paribas and Bpifrance. Seaya has already backed companies like Glovo, Wallbox Chargers,Cabify, Recycleye and 011h, with plans for 25 investments by 2027. More info in this article: https://shorturl.at/wyyQk Alberto Onetti, Mind the Bridge, Helene LABAUME, Elisabeth Menant, Lajla Aganovic, CFA #ClimateTech #Sustainability #VentureCapital #Innovation #OpenInnovation #SeayaVentures #RenewableEnergy #CircularEconomy #SouthernEurope

21

1 commentaar

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽? It was initially called Burbn, a location-based check-in service with a mix of social features. But here's where it gets interesting: >> Despite its multifunctional design, the founders observed that users were hooked on just one thing—photo sharing. >> Realizing this, they made a crucial decision: simplify the app, zeroing in on its most popular feature. >> This strategic move turned Burbn into Instagram, paving the way for a seismic shift in social media and leading to its $𝟭 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿? Instagram's pivot highlights a core principle for startups and investors alike: 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 (𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁) 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲-𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴. While Instagram's pivot was more product-focused, it serves as a good illustrative example. .. Sometimes, you might need to 𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 to sustain growth and keep moving forward. For example, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. Recognizing when it’s time to shift and taking action is key. .. That's why this guide, which explains 31 different business models, can be incredibly helpful for founders and investors looking to deepen their understanding. Successful businesses often need to realign multiple times before finding lasting success, and this guide might just spark some new ideas for you to try—𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄! What are some examples of strategic pivots that have inspired you? Let’s discuss! Credits: Navdeep Yadav

47

23 commentaren

🚀 The Pocket Guide of Essential YC Advice: Elevate Your Startup Game! 🚀 Starting a business? Here's a cheat sheet from YC that can make all the difference: 1️⃣ Launch now: Don't wait for perfection. Get your product out there and iterate. 2️⃣ Build something people want: Focus on solving real problems. 3️⃣ Do things that don't scale: Personal touches can lead to big breakthroughs. 4️⃣ Find the 90 / 10 solution: Prioritize the most impactful tasks. 5️⃣ Find 10-100 customers who love your product: Early adopters are your champions. 6️⃣ All startups are badly broken at some point: Resilience is key. 7️⃣ Write code - talk to users: Balance building with real-world feedback. 8️⃣ "It's not your money": Be frugal and smart with investments. 9️⃣ Growth is the result of a great product, not the precursor: Quality drives expansion. 🔟 Don't scale until you've built something people want: Validate first, grow second. 💡 Key Insights: - Valuation ≠ Success: Focus on value creation, not just valuation. - Avoid lengthy deals with big customers unless necessary. - Steer clear of corporate development queries that waste time. - Attend conferences selectively - prioritize those that bring customers. - Pre-product market fit? Stay nimble and do things that don't scale. - Solving one problem well > solving many poorly. - Founder relationships: Your co-founders are your greatest asset. - Sometimes, firing a toxic customer is necessary. - Ignore competitors - focus on your path to avoid 'death by comparison.' 🌟 Final Tips: - Be kind! Courtesy costs nothing but means everything. - Prioritize your health - sleep, exercise, and self-care are non-negotiable. Let these insights guide your entrepreneurial journey. What resonates most with you? Share your thoughts! ⬇️ #Startups #Entrepreneurship #YCombinator #BusinessTips #GrowthMindset #Innovation

2

🚀 Draper Founder Spotlight on #StartupSounds! 🚀 In our latest release, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Juan José Porras Martínez, the #DraperFounder behind Coline Data! 🎙️ Check out the full conversation on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/djF5Kud4 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/dWGpcTvq Connect with Juan on LinkedIn to learn more about his journey and follow the journey of Coline! FROM THE LAB TO THE MARKET 🎧 As he puts it, the idea came to life while he and his co-founders were immersed in a research center at their university, where they noticed a thriving ecosystem of startups in various fields. Inspired by peers who were launching ventures in medicine and data analysis, they realized they had the same technological knowledge and expertise in data, sensors, and AI to tackle significant problems in Chile. 🌟 THE COMPLEXITIES OF SCALING Large-scale mining companies often hesitate to adopt new technologies, despite their potential. The risks of implementing something new can be high, and even a minor failure could lead to significant losses. That's why many companies remain cautious, limiting innovation to specific assets. 📉 Juan's team developed an automated data analysis system that provides alerts and insights directly to mining companies' preferred channels—whether that's email, mobile, or dashboards. But here's the real challenge: scaling this system across thousands of assets in various work areas. 🔐 FROM ENTREPRENEURS TO TECH FOUNDERS Having grown up in a family of entrepreneurs, he witnessed firsthand the challenges and sacrifices that come with running a traditional business. Long hours, financial uncertainty.... ❌ But everything changed when Juan discovered the world of startups. 🚀 Despite the risks being even higher, he saw the potential for immense scalability and growth: with the same effort, he could build something far more impactful, he took the plunge into the startup world. His journey was further fueled by the incredible opportunities available in Chile's startup ecosystem, particularly the support from Corfo. 🇨🇱 SCALABILITY IS THE BIGGEST HURDLE OF AI Maintaining over 90% accuracy in AI systems is a non-negotiable in the industry, but achieving this level of precision on a massive scale can be computationally costly. This makes scalability one of the biggest hurdles in deploying AI solutions effectively. ⚙️ THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING UP Juan also touched on a critical yet often overlooked aspect of networking: the follow-up: it's not enough to just exchange business cards. After attending events, he dedicated time to reach out to his new contacts via email, which turned out to be incredibly effective. This simple action led to responses from everyone he reached out to! 📨 #DraperFounderSpotlight #TechInnovation #Entrepreneurship #DraperStartupHouse #StartupJourney #Innovation

26

1 commentaar

Should founders use memos instead of pitch decks for fundraising? I strongly suggest that founders use memos more (and not always decks). Here's why : Many investors actually prefer reading memos from founders. They give a deeper look into your ideas and plans. But when should you use a memo, and when should you stick with a pitch deck? 1️⃣ First, one is not better than the other → If you need to explain a key concept (i.e. your product), use a deck. → If you need to explain more than 1 key concept (a complicated market & your product), use a memo. The complexity of a concept determines the format. 2️⃣ Memos force you to think When you explain your thinking in writing, it forces you to narrate your logic step by step. You can get away with holes in thinking in a deck—with a memo, it’s impossible. Even if you don’t send the memo, writing it is valuable by itself. 3️⃣ Memos do the hard work for investors By creating a memo, you simplify much of the work for them. All investors need to write internal deal memos to invest in your company. Creating a memo for them simplifies A LOT of that work. 4️⃣ Investment memos are dynamic. You can include links, videos, graphs, photos, and screenshots using tools like Dropbox. Always allow investors to explore further IF they are interested. Let investors "choose their adventure”. 5️⃣ Pitch decks still have value. Use a pitch deck in partner meetings—they’re great in 1-to-many settings. Send the memo ahead of time. Use pitch decks to drive the conversation. 6️⃣ Your memo will live on (WAY beyond the fundraising process) ∞ Decks generally need a voice-over, memos do not. This makes memos super valuable resources for recruiting, onboarding new hires, educating the team, etc. 7️⃣ Memos and decks serve different purposes. Both are valuable. But I’m more and more convinced — writing a memo is insanely powerful. Especially with complex/early markets that are hard to understand. What's your thought on this? . #startups #funding #founders #fund #investors #pitchdeck #funding #fundraising #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship

36

9 commentaren

Want to move to Spain? 20 well-funded startups from December 2024: • Sateliot (IoT connectivity) raised €30M in debt. • Arbolus (insights platform) raised $20M. • Submer (liquid cooling) raised €20M in debt. • HappyRobot (AI-communication) raised $15.6M. • HEMAV (SaaS) raised €8M. • JOTELULU España (cloud services) raised €6.8M. • Corify (medical tech) raised €6M. • Dcycle (ESG) raised €6M. • BeePlanet Factory (energy storage) raised €5M. • Genomcore (genomic data) raised €5M. • Cafler (vehicle management) raised €3M in debt. • #TesaiCare (medical tech) raised €2.7M. • MOGU (travel tech) raised €2.2M. • honei (restaurant tech) raised €1.45M. • Drimer (travel Creators platform) raised €1.5M. • Cybertix (cybersecurity) raised €1M. • Ziknes (robotics) raised €1M. • Abastores (marketplace) raised €750k. • Calpech (nanotech) secured €600k. • Kloutit (monetisation platform) raised €540k. • Click and Plan (real estate) raised €200k. • naturr (marketplace) raised €162k. Get deal-flow in your inbox monthly, comment "interested" to subscribe with link below 👇 #startups #emprendimiento #spain #tech #founders 📸: original by contxto, modified on ChatGPT o4

300

56 commentaren

The European VC fundraising scene is showing a clear trend: experience matters. Let's unpack some data on this from The State of European Fundraising Report. 1/ Why track record matters. In a cautious market, LPs (investors) are prioritizing established funds with a proven history of success. Experienced firms captured 54.5% of the capital raised in 2023. 2/ New opportunities for LPs. This market shift presents a golden opportunity for LPs to build relationships with top-tier VC firms. Firms they might not have accessed before. 3/ Focus on creating value. Investors are seeking firms that prioritize building real value, not just hype. This is a great long-term trend for the industry. If you are en emerging fund manager, the time to build a strong reputation and track record is now. Focus on building a compelling value proposition and demonstrating a clear path to success to attract investors. Learn how to navigate the effects of the #TechReset. Get insights from The State of European Fundraising Report. ➡️ buff.ly/4aYglgi Delivered to you by EUVC | Isomer Capital | Floww. #EUVC #fundraising #venturecapital #industryreport

12

1 commentaar

The (ipo) market is dead. Long live the (secondary) market. $360 million of private Vinted shares were acquired by TPG. Here are 5 immediate takeaways: 1. I need to stop trading like there were no tomorrow on the platform… 🤪. €5 billion is a hefty valuation. Happy to have contributed my fair share of it. 2. This is money in the pockets of the shareholders. Not the company. Looks very much like an IPO. Think about it. The big PE firms are to some extent mini-exchanges. 3. Secondaries are a tool more than an investment strategy. PE and VC managers, especially at growth stage, are incresingly going to use it to access good investment opportunities. 4. It’s about time for the venture capital industry to adopt it. Unicorns shares being sold to big PE are paving the way. No doubt, it will go down the financing chain. Future LPAs will need to provide for that option going forward. And VCs will need to learn how to use it. 5. And which is more, my friends, D/PI are going to go up! More cash back. More money raised. We’re back! (Are we?) #venturecapital #secondaries

64

4 commentaren

May 13 2024 - 10 Notable Articles To Read Article: French AI Startup Taking On Silicon Valley Is Set to Stuff Its War Chest Takeaway: Mistral AI is on the verge of securing $600M in funding, nearly 3x valuation to $6B, with investors such as General Catalyst and Lightspeed participating. Source: The Wall Street Journal Link: https://lnkd.in/dQRkCC63 Article: The Saks, Neiman Marcus Group Megadeal Is Getting Close, Sources Said Takeaway: Reports suggest that Reliance Retail and Zalando are part of a $3B deal aimed at consolidating Saks and Neiman Marcus under a single entity. Source: WWD Link: https://lnkd.in/dFmbsYaw Article: Bain Pursues Takeover of Education-Software Provider Takeaway: Bain Capital's acquisition might assess PowerSchool at approximately $6B, factoring debt. Source: The Wall Street Journal Link: https://lnkd.in/dd_k9gpM Article: Investcorp closes $570M fund for cybersecurity and fintech Takeaway: This fundraising effort builds on the achievements of their earlier $400M fund, while their total assets under management worldwide already stand at $52B. Source: Tech.eu Link: https://lnkd.in/dUHbeBTv Article: Alphabet Inc. Progressing in Talks to Buy HubSpot, Sources Say Takeaway: This prospective agreement could be one of the largest acquisitions of the year. Source: Bloomberg Link: https://lnkd.in/dBVZ7TX4 Article: The Fastest Growing Category of Venture Investment in 2024 Takeaway: The AI investing initiative is projected to reach $80B in 2024, marking a 2.6x increase from 2023, with $18.3B invested in the first four months of the year alone. Source: Tomasz Tunguz Link: https://lnkd.in/d4hUJ6TG Article: Todd Boehly’s investment house in advanced talks to buy private credit firm Takeaway: Eldridge Industries is pursuing the acquisition of Hayfin Capital Management LLP in a deal valued at over €1B. Source: Financial Times Link: https://lnkd.in/dkh66B3P Article: Mubadala’s $3B Fortress Investment Group deal clears crucial US regulatory hurdle Takeaway: The foreign investment committee has granted approval for the sale following concessions regarding data and day-to-day control, enabling the $300B assets under management fund to proceed with the agreement. Source: Financial Times Link: https://lnkd.in/drAi7cZH Article: UBS Mulls Bonus for Investment Bankers Who Lure Rich Clients Takeaway: UBS Group AG is contemplating implementing a reward program for investment bankers who direct clients to the company's wealth management division, mirroring an incentive scheme akin to what Credit Suisse provided to its dealmakers. Source: Bloomberg News Link: https://lnkd.in/dy3bt4zm Article: Bill Gates weighs in on new €1B German fund to back capital-intensive climate tech Takeaway: Europe’s first fund to focus primarily on solving the first-of-a-kind (FOAK) financing gap Source: Sifted Link: https://lnkd.in/ddKPYpWP #news #business #research

5

Just in the mood to feel grateful and share how I applied to a VC fund during a market freeze, after a long 2-year gap, without relevant background, high scores at a prestigious international university, and almost no network in the industry: - Took the CFA Level 1 exam in 3.5 months intensive studying, and the GMAT also, just to show my intellectual ability and capability to learn (yeah, sure, we in VC don't leverage much knowledge from the CFA). - Cold emailed and cold messaged on LinkedIn many VC fund or VC professionals I could find, regardless of whether they were recruiting or not. - Asked for referrals from any possible connections in my small network at that time - Prepared sample work/ research in advance and sent it along with the CV without anyone asking. - Finally, and most importantly, really fortunate to meet my leader, who gave me a chance to enter this industry even though the fund was not actively recruiting. I know I am not that much talented and outstanding, but I guess the key here is "being really hungry", and "having a bit of luck"? 🙄 Tbh, it was very vague at the beginning when I decided I wanted to jump into this industry, but what mattered was my belief that "I can do this." Now, over a year later, I’m more than grateful for the opportunity to start my career path with a job that improves my big-picture thinking, allow me to explore various sectors, and meet many interesting, open-minded, and talented people. Grateful for my own effort and the many people who suddenly appeared and supported me on my way. And grateful to be with ThinkZone, having my great inspiring leaders and the most supportive colleagues. In this industry, the world feels incredibly flat and connected. And yeah, now still struggling trying to make myself proud ~

200

10 commentaren

Sequoia Capital asks founders one key question, which is one of the most fundamental questions entrepreneurs must consider. Once they have a precise answer, it simplifies everything - including fundraising. Here is the question: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? "𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺." Roelof Botha, Partner at Sequoia Capital. Try to think about it and see if you can form a clear vision of your ambition. I personally find it challenging because of numerous biases coming from ego (itself fueled by social/media influence), that lead entrepreneurs to believe they must disrupt industries, transform people's lives, lead a global movement, make the world more sustainable, etc... you name it. Such ambitions are entirely valid and fulfilling when they originate from a place of truth within oneself—the gut, heart, instincts, and introspection—rather than external influences or the desire for control or recognition. While many people aspire to be heroes, lead meaningful lives, and potentially become rich, it is equally valid to free oneself from these stereotypes, let go of the pressure, and take some time to discover the life one genuinely wants to live. I am convinced this sole question has the power to bring clarity and strength to the entrepreneurial path. #ambition #truth #life

5

How to raise your first million as a climate tech founder. Over the last 6 months, I coached 15 pre-seed and seed climate tech founders. They have raised between $450’000 and $1.5M. Let me share what has worked for them. 1️⃣ Investor Newsletter A regular investor newsletter to go out every 2 weeks (or every month) is crucial. Be consistent. Why? It allows investors to follow your progress (quietly). The newsletter should have the following format: - Achievements - Challenges - Asks - Goals Why? Investors who are genuinely interested in potentially backing you, will read it. It is a way for investors to follow your progress without having to do 1-1 catch-ups that waste too much time. PS: I read an average of 20 startup newsletters that I am eyeing for future investments. 2️⃣ Send very short messages on Linkedin Busy people dislike long emails. Follow SPEAR method. - Short - Personal - Expecting - A - Reply They want it short and to the point. Come up with a badass 2 liner about your company. 3️⃣ Don’t underestimate the volume required One of the founders in our program sent: - 300 messages - which converted into 22 meetings - and 4 term sheets. We tend to underestimate the volume of investors to approach to get investor commitments. __ Bonus tip: Organize a 45min pitch event via zoom call (with a 10-day deadline to invest.) This works well to close angels. Angels can make decisions fast (unlike funds as they don’t have ICs.) After 10 days the terms change. (For example, the minimum ticket size is no longer accepted.) There should be a 10-minute pitch and a short Q&A. Detailed questions can continue on separate 1-1 calls. If you get into detailed questions on this call it will mess up your flow. Make sure you have one investor on the call who is already an investor in you explaining why he/she invested. Message investors 1-1 in the background to see who is in. It has to be short and high energy. You got this 💪🏻 — Like what you see? Follow Helena Wasserman for more. Sign up to my weekly newsletter where I share startup tips for climate founders.

55

15 commentaren

Bunch: Streamlining Private Market Investments bunch (founded in 2021, in Berlin) is a comprehensive platform designed to simplify the complex operations of venture capital and private equity firms. By centralizing data, automating workflows, and providing essential tools, Bunch aims to enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and improve overall fund management. Founders: Levent Altunel, and Enrico Ohnemüller The platform addresses the pain points of manual data entry and management prevalent in the industry, replacing traditional methods like Excel spreadsheets with a streamlined digital solution. This allows fund managers to focus on core investment activities rather than time-consuming administrative tasks. Bunch currently oversees €2 billion in assets under management. With a recent $15.5 million Series A funding round backed by investors such as Cherry Ventures, Motive Ventures, Broadhaven Ventures, and TinyVC, Bunch is poised to expand its platform and solidify its position in the market. While competing with established players like Apax, Vistra, IQEQ, and Carta, Bunch differentiates itself by offering a more focused solution tailored to the specific needs of venture capital and private equity firms. By automating complex workflows and integrating pre- and post-close services, Bunch effectively creates an operating system for funds, enabling them to scale efficiently and build stronger relationships with limited partners. Key Points: - Bunch is a platform designed to automate and streamline operations for VC and PE firms. - The platform addresses the industry's reliance on manual processes and reduces operational overhead. - With a recent funding round, Bunch is well-positioned for growth and expansion. The company competes with established players but offers a more specialized solution. #privatemarkets #venturecapital #softbank #aviato #tracxn #crunchbase #eqt #fundraising #somacapital #investmentmanagement #databases #tools #vctools

4

European founders need to be less humble When Silicon Valley comes to Paris, it is always a cool opportunity to hear a different perspective. Yesterday, Niko Bonatsos (Managing Director at General Catalyst) and Alexia Bonatsos (founder and Managing Director of Dream Machine) gave a talk to a few Paris-based entrepreneurs. This is what I took away: 🇪🇺 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞 Alexia stated: “In the early days, storytelling matters way more than metrics. As an entrepreneur, you need to embark the investor on the future you’re building”. This requires a lot of confidence and assertiveness, whereas Europeans tend to be more cautious and focused on facts. 🌅 𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐁2𝐂 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 Consumers make 75% of OpenAI’s revenue. Enterprise adoption is just emerging and much value will come from there. Niko compared this situation with iPhone apps: “It’s like we are two years after the iPhone release. The most successful apps are simple gadgets like flashlight apps. The real winners are yet to be built.” 🧑‍🍳 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐈 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 Most AI products are chatbots and lack craft. Niko is looking for UI/UX innovations in AI products. It can be voice-based interactions with the AI or automation of tasks in a completely invisible way for the user (e.g., synthesize medical information after a doctor appointment) Thank you: - Karim Rkha Chaham for organizing this event - daphni for hosting us in your super cool office (the fun art pieces make it a place apart) - Niko and Alexia for sharing your valuable insights

56

4 commentaren

Karin Ruiz, Business Coach & ClimateTech Lead, Sting Glad to announce the first speaker Karin Ruiz at the Startup Energy Action Bootcamp Day! Karin brings a wealth of expertise and insight into two crucial topics for climate and energy startups: Early-stage Financing for Climate and Energy Startups * Discover the different sources of funding available for early-stage climate and energy startups. * Learn how to develop a robust financing strategy. * Gain valuable tips on attracting pre-seed and seed investors. * Understand the steps to successfully close your first investment round(s). Assessing the Climate Impact of Your Energy Innovation * Learn how to evaluate the climate performance potential (CPP) of your energy innovation. * Understand the significance of assessing climate impact for your startup. * Don't miss this opportunity to gain actionable insights from one of the leading voices in the industry! Join us to empower your startup journey. 🌍💡 Sign up at our official event sitehttps://lnkd.in/dehqD4rW to attend the bootcamp day Register with the below form to join Startup Energy Action: https://lnkd.in/d4q6kDUN Startup Energy Action (SEA) is a joint initiative by Sting, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, KTH Holding AB, THINGS AB and Ignite Sweden to support the energy transition by accelerating energy relevant innovations. #StartupEnergy #ClimateInnovation #Funding #EnergyStartups #Sustainability #ClimateImpact #Networking #InvestmentStrategy

7

1 commentaar