Craig McKeon

Why Buying Your First Business is the hardest & Financing The Fear is Being seen as too risky by lenders and investors. The Solution: Prepare a solid business plan with detailed financial projections. Work with a financial advisor to enhance your credibility. Consider alternative financing options like SBA loans or seller financing.

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💡Benchmarks in the investment industry serve as a standard for measuring the performance of securities, mutual funds, or investment managers. They provide a reference point for analyzing allocation, risk, and return of a portfolio, enabling investors to make informed decisions. Thanks Peter Walker for keeping us all informed!! Can’t wait for this!! Follow and get on the waitlist for this one! #benchmarks #fundraising #Capitalraise #founders #womenshealth #femhealth #medtech #wellness

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✨ Breaking: Artesian Venture Partners Announces New Fund.- Artesian (Alternative Investments) Artesian Venture Partners, a partner of the WAVC initiative, focuses on venture capital investments in early-stage startups across various sectors, including health sciences and renewable energy. https://lnkd.in/dvfKFtkf Please share to let other #Founders know For the ❤️ of Startups #Fusion42 #Startups #Venturecapital

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Pragmatism wins. China is emerging as the global leader in #AI by focusing on execution, applications and affordability over breakthrough scientific innovations. Without those principles, massive R&D and venture investments directed towards infrastructure can yield negative ROI. This dynamic could also impact emerging technologies like #Web3, where infrastructure is outpacing actual use cases. More about this phenomenon from a review of two global ecosystems on different trajectories of AI adoption, from Jen Zhu Scott of IN. Capital in an op-ed in the Financial Times: “Such restraints mean Chinese companies have more incentives to produce AI services built on smaller large language models, instead of training them on the entire internet. They may lack the brute strength of their larger counterparts but they are cheaper to create and run. China’s tech ecosystem is grounded in such pragmatism. Research that cannot be turned into a product within the foreseeable future, such as artificial general intelligence, struggles to attract funding. This means that while the US ecosystem has the edge in groundbreaking innovations, China excels in execution: finding product-market fit, scale, and making applications highly affordable.”

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While technology continues to captivate us, placing too much importance on technical superiority can be a pitfall for international companies entering the U.S. market. This is because emphasizing tech alone often sidelines the unique needs of each target segment. What works in New Delhi might not hit the mark in New York. Likewise, expectations in the EU differ from those in New England. Plugging in your technology without considering these differences can lead to failure. The key is balancing technology with a human touch. Engage with your customers, users, employees, funders, and competitors. For more practical advice on entering the U.S. market successfully, check out our full article: https://lnkd.in/d8Pp5aC7 #BusinessStrategy #USMarket #MarketEntry #Technology

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While technology continues to captivate us, placing too much importance on technical superiority can be a pitfall for international companies entering the U.S. market. This is because emphasizing tech alone often sidelines the unique needs of each target segment. What works in New Delhi might not hit the mark in New York. Likewise, expectations in the EU differ from those in New England. Plugging in your technology without considering these differences can lead to failure. The key is balancing technology with a human touch. Engage with your customers, users, employees, funders, and competitors. For more practical advice on entering the U.S. market successfully, check out our full article: https://lnkd.in/d8Pp5aC7 #BusinessStrategy #USMarket #MarketEntry #Technology

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It's been a busy week for emerging managers. As we start paying more attention to emerging funds in VC, I'm making it my mission to keep track. Want a more detailed analysis? Click on the link at the bottom of the post. I'll be posting every week. Did I miss your fund launch or close? Comment FEATURE in the comment box and send me a invitation request. 🚀 🇫🇷 & 🇬🇧 Noteus Partners Fund I- launching Former Eurazeo partners Yann du Rusquec and Nathalie Kornoff Brüls have announced they are launching Noteus Partners a EUR 600M pan-European Tech Growth fund. 🚀🇫🇷 Deepbright Ventures Fund I (aka Hello Tomorrow)- launching  The France-founded global #deeptech ecosystem is preparing to launch it’s own venture fund. The fund will focus on early-stage deeptech startups, scouting from it’s own deep network of 5,000+ startups 🎉 🇭🇺 Impact Ventures Fund III- closed European Investment Fund (EIF) and Hungary’s state-backed National Capital Holding (NCH) invested EUR 40M into Impact Fund III. This latest fund is 10x in size from it’s previous 2018 vintage (EUR 4M). 🎉🇪🇸 Acurio Ventures Fund III- closed Bilbao-based Acurio Ventures has not only rebranded from All Iron Ventures, but just closed a EUR 150M continuation fund. The fund will invest across 50 follow-on deals in EU-based seed and Series A tech startups, taking between 3%-10% stakes. 🔊🇪🇪 Estonia Defense Fund- extended In May 2024, the government of Estonia announced a EUR 50 million fund that will invest in defense-related or dual-use technologies, managed by SmartCap. It announced yesterday it would double the fund size to EUR 100M. 🎉 🇺🇸 Cerulean Ventures Fund I- closed This USD 10M climate-focused micro-fund founded by Jahed Momand and Matthew Stotts 🌐 has just announced it’s final close. The fund will invest in approximately 40 pre-seed software startups devoted to reducing the human impact on climate change. 🎉 🇺🇸 Avid Ventures Fund II- closed Avid Ventures led by Addie Lerner, a former Principal at General Catalyst has just announced a USD 87M close for it’s second Fund.  Fund II has already completed 5 investments and will back Seed through Series A software and fintech plays, with check sizes starting from USD 500K to USD 2M- with double-down follow-on for select Series B portfolio companies. #venturecapital #emergingmanagers #investmentmanagent #technology Adam Sah Dan Engel Kim Pochon Bob Mason Mohammed AhmedAbduljabar Totonji Myrto Lalacos VC Lab

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🩺 Before the year comes to a close, we are excited to take a break from the AI hype and share our thoughts on one of the most compelling investment areas: healthcare. 🥼We’ve had the pleasure of working with the brilliant Dr. Swathi Varanasi-Diaz as part of our sector deep dive series during Laconia’s Venture Cooperative program. ✨ In our new article, Dr. Swathi takes a deeper look into the healthcare investment landscape and identifies opportunities for innovation and growth. It’s been a pleasure working with Dr. Swathi on the report and we look forward to hearing your thoughts! 🚀Laconia have been investing in the space since 2020 and we are excited by the venture scale investment opportunities in provider operations, care systems change, personalized care, to name a few, that will increase care delivery efficiency and in turn increase health access & results. As always, if you are a b2b founder building in the space, we’d love to hear from you. 🍵 Grab a cup of tea, and dive right in. We hope you enjoy the report as much as we did: https://lnkd.in/eygXiNnm CC: Jeffrey Silverman , David Arcara , Geri Kirilova 🤍

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The UBS 2024 Global Family Office Report covers the key trends emerging in alternative investments with the aligned patience around long term trends. They are making big, long-term investments in things that are getting proportionately fewer headlines - the areas they planned to invest in over the coming three years include #AI (78%), #healthtech (70%), and #robotics (67%). In other sectors ( such as #Web3), 39% responded they are likely to rely on other active managers to specialize coverage. Other themes: Material shifts in asset allocation as portfolio balance returns Climate change and debt crisis emerge as medium-term risks Geographical asset allocations set to remain tilted towards North America Confidence increases in active management With sustainability in focus, family offices seek information and advice Family offices focus on being investment specialists first and foremost

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Unlocking Successful Exits As a venture capital investor leading HealthCap Africa , I've had the privilege of navigating multiple successful exits. Watch this video to discover the strategies and best practices that have enabled my exits. Key Takeaways 1. Effective exit planning and execution 2. Maximizing returns through IPOs, secondaries, and acquisitions 3. Navigating complex deal dynamics #VentureCapital #ExitStrategies #IPO #Secondaries #Acquisitions #InvestorInsights #GrowthStage #PrivateEquity

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Maximize Your Portfolio with PPM Insights: The Investor's Guide 📈🔍 Dive into the anatomy of Private Placement Memorandums & steer your investments with confidence. #ProfessionalGrowth #PPM https://bit.ly/3xdhejJ

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The abolition of #angeltax has opened many doors for #FDI, as well as domestic money. With the removal of difficult tax regulations, domestic and foreign #investors now have more freedom to support Indian #startups. As a result, more private, individual and family office money is expected to flow into the #startup ecosystem in the coming days. This will unleash Indian startups to conquer the world and will be a powerful factor in translating research into #commercialisation. I spoke to Shereen Bhan of Young Turks on various intricacies of budget and its impact on our ecosystem. Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gsDzuH8b

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Massachusetts has firmly established itself as a leader in innovation, with three standout sectors fueling its tech-driven economy: biotech, robotics, and cybersecurity. Here’s a look at why the state excels in these fields: 🔬 Biotech: Massachusetts is at the forefront of biotech, thanks to world-class research institutions and a thriving startup ecosystem. With companies like Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc.—Massachusetts continues to shape the future of healthcare, from groundbreaking vaccines to genetic therapies. Robotics: Home to pioneers like Boston Dynamics, Massachusetts has become a hub for robotics innovation. From autonomous robots to robotic prosthetics, the state’s ecosystem supports advancements that push the boundaries of human-machine interaction, transforming sectors from healthcare to logistics. Cybersecurity: Massachusetts is also a leader in cybersecurity, providing critical solutions to protect data and infrastructure in an increasingly digital world. With companies like Rapid7 driving research and product development, Massachusetts is at the heart of cutting-edge cybersecurity innovation. Together, these sectors position Massachusetts as a global tech powerhouse. #MassachusettsInnovation #Biotech #Robotics #Cybersecurity #TechEconomy #InnovationEcosystem #FutureTech #BostonTech

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The Merger Made in AI Heaven: RXRX AND EXAI Recursion Pharmaceuticals (RXRX) Founded: 2013 Headquarters: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Focus: Recursion is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that uses advanced machine learning and automation to discover and develop new drugs. Their platform integrates biological and chemical data to identify potential treatments more efficiently. Milestones: Recursion has developed a robust pipeline with multiple clinical and preclinical programs. They have also formed significant partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies, leveraging their AI-driven approach to accelerate drug discovery. Exscientia (EXAI) Founded: 2012 Headquarters: Oxford, United Kingdom Focus: Exscientia specializes in AI-driven drug discovery, particularly in precision chemistry and small-molecule synthesis. Their platform aims to design and optimize drug candidates faster than traditional methods. Milestones: Exscientia has been recognized for its innovative approach, securing partnerships with several leading pharmaceutical companies. They have also advanced multiple drug candidates into clinical trials2 The Merger Announcement: The merger was announced in August 2024, with the goal of creating a leading AI-enabled drug discovery and development company2. Completion: The merger was completed in November 2024, with Exscientia becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Recursion1. This combination aims to leverage their complementary technologies to enhance drug discovery and development processes, reduce costs, and accelerate timelines1. This merger is expected to significantly impact the biotech industry by combining their strengths and creating a more powerful platform for drug discovery. Is there anything specific you’d like to know more about regarding their history or the merger?

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2nd of 5x investment (or acquisition) themes that should rip in Micro SaaS... Personalized Healthcare and Wellness // DEFINITION: Innovations in healthcare and wellness that offer personalized and preventative care. // GROWTH DRIVERS Rising healthcare costs, increasing focus on preventative care, and advancements in health technology. // FOCUS - mHealth and Wearables: Mobile health applications and wearable devices for health monitoring. - Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods: Supplements and foods with health benefits tailored to individual needs. - Telehealth: Remote healthcare services and telemedicine platforms. Anyone going hard at a similar theme?

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https://buff.ly/46dCF4M A Comprehensive Guide for Pitch Decks (Investor Deck) Versions provides valuable insights into crafting effective presentations for potential investors. This resource covers essential elements like market analysis, financial projections, and competitive landscape assessment. It emphasizes the importance of clear communication and compelling storytelling to engage investors. Additionally, it offers tips on structuring the deck for maximum impact, utilizing visuals effectively, and tailoring the content to the target audience. Understanding these principles can significantly increase the chances of securing funding for your business. #PitchDecks #InvestorRelations

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