Danil Kislinskiy

🌟Innovative VC Firm Overcomes Exits Drought with Secondary Sales🌟 ⛵Navigating a challenging landscape where exits are scarce, Santa Barbara Venture Partners (SBVP) has pioneered a novel approach to sustain its growth and attract investors for its second fund: secondary sales. Instead of waiting for traditional exits like IPOs or acquisitions, SBVP opted to sell shares of its portfolio companies, demonstrating its ability to generate returns for investors and stand out in a competitive market. 🎤According to Dan Engel, founder and managing partner of SBVP, these secondary transactions have been a game-changer, sparking investor interest and bolstering the firm's credibility. By leveraging its recent successes, including a lucrative stake in sports-betting company DraftKings Inc.' acquisition of digital lottery app Jackpocket, SBVP seized the opportunity to return profits to its limited partners (LPs) and pave the way for its second fund. 💡Engel highlighted the challenges faced by young VC firms in raising subsequent funds, particularly amid a downturn in exit activity and heightened investor scrutiny. With traditional exit routes becoming increasingly elusive, the pressure is on for firms to demonstrate tangible returns and establish a track record of success. ✨"For us, secondary sales have been a game-changer. They've helped us return profits to our LPs and attract investors for our second fund," said Dan Engel. 💰For SBVP, the decision to pursue secondary sales was driven by the need to provide liquidity to LPs and validate its investment thesis in the eyes of prospective investors. By strategically offloading portions of its holdings in high-performing portfolio companies like Bark Technologies and Rad AI, SBVP not only generated substantial returns but also bolstered investor confidence in its ability to deliver results. ⚠Despite the complexities and potential stigma associated with early share sales, Engel emphasized the importance of prioritizing investor returns and seizing opportunities to unlock value for stakeholders. With a focus on profitability and transparency, SBVP remains committed to its mission of delivering sustainable growth and maximizing returns for its LPs. 🔍 "Returning profits to our investors is our top priority. By strategically selling shares, we're proving our commitment to delivering results and driving value for our stakeholders," added Engel. As SBVP continues to explore secondary transactions and expand its investor base, the firm stands as a testament to innovation and resilience in the face of market challenges. 🚀 ✅ Looking to raise capital for your #fund and increase the international pool of your LP #investors?   🤝 Need warm #LP introductions?   📝 Selling #secondaries to increase liquidity?   🧐 Looking for co-investments?   ▶ G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks: https://lnkd.in/gjC_EuTE #VCInnovation #SecondarySalesSuccess #InvestorReturns #ValueCreation 

2

Create Health Ventures Launches Inaugural $21M Fund for Early-Stage Digital Health Startups  Create Health Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on early-stage digital health companies, has closed its debut fund, raising $21 million, surpassing its initial target. Launched in 2024, Create Health Ventures is based in Austin, TX, and Chicago, IL. The firm focuses on technologies that enhance healthcare access, improve patient experiences, and deliver value across payers, providers, and pharmaceutical companies. *Its primary focus includes:   1. Payer-Facing Technologies: Solutions that improve member experiences, enable seamless data and workflow integration, and scale technology across geographies.   2. Clinical Trial Enablement: Tools to help pharmaceutical companies recruit and retain participants for late-stage clinical trials as demand increases. *Founders and Approach:   Create Health Ventures was co-founded by Emma Cartmell and Amit Aysola, healthcare veterans with over 45 years of combined experience. They bring operational expertise, regulatory insight, and an extensive network to portfolio companies. The firm exclusively invests in startups led by healthcare industry founders, leveraging its unique value-added platform for scaling businesses.  *The platform includes: - Business development support   - Access to executive coaches   - Connections to healthcare leaders   - Cross-selling opportunities among portfolio companies  *Key Quotes by GPs:  - Emma Cartmell: “Founders from the healthcare industry understand the challenges and opportunities to improve patient outcomes. Supporting them is the most impactful way we can positively transform healthcare.”   - Amit Aysola: “Payers and pharmaceutical companies are driving demand for connected, scalable solutions, and we are investing in companies to meet these needs.”  *Investments and Impact:  The firm has made five investments so far and partners with foundations, impact investors, and strategic healthcare veterans to mentor portfolio companies.  *Portfolio CEO Feedback:   - Dr. Chip Grant (Watershed Health): “Create Health Ventures has been invaluable in scaling operations and fundraising.”   - Shara Cohen (Carallel): “They are the most collaborative and active investor team I’ve worked with.”   - Neil Batlivala (Pair Team): “They’ve helped us manage growth and reach underserved communities.” If you are experiencing difficulties in raising fresh capital and would require warm introductions to new LPs, contact G+QUANT     ▶ Please use G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks, or send your inquiry directly to [email protected] #VentureCapital #DigitalHealth #HealthcareInnovation #Startups #ClinicalTrials #PatientCare #HealthTech #HealthEquity #CreateHealthVentures

7

💰Contour Venture Partners Raises $42M for Fifth Fund 💼 Introduction: Contour Venture Partners, a New York-based seed investor known for early investments in companies like Datadog and Movable Ink, has raised $42 million for its fifth fund. The firm is targeting $90 million for this flagship fund and has been actively fundraising since May 2023. 💡Key Points: - **Fundraising Progress**: The firm closed on $42 million from 64 backers, aiming for a total of $90 million. It had previously raised $20 million as part of a parallel fund. - **Market Context**: Fundraising has been challenging for venture funds recently, with overall venture fundraising down more than 50% last year compared to 2022’s record-breaking numbers. 📝Investment Strategy: - **Check Sizes and Focus**: Contour writes checks between $500,000 and $1.5 million, primarily leading rounds in seed and early-stage companies. It focuses on sectors like SaaS, digital media, and financial services, with a preference for companies based in New York or the Northeast. - **Track Record**: Despite not having a massive war chest, Contour has a strong investment track record. Notable successes include:  - Datadog: Early investment in 2011, which IPO'd in 2019 with a $7.8 billion valuation.  - OnDeck: Invested in 2006, went public in 2014 with a $1.3 billion valuation.  -Pendo: Active portfolio company, raised over $460 million, valued at $2.6 billion.  - Movable Ink: Content personalization startup, raised nearly $100 million, valued at $1.3 billion. 👩‍👩‍👧‍👦Firm Background: - **Founders and Leadership**: Contour was founded in 2005 by Matt G. and Bob Greene, who continue to lead the firm. - **Capital Raised**: Over its nearly 20-year history, the firm has raised more than $370 million across four flagship funds and three opportunity funds. 🕯Conclusion: Contour Venture Partners continues to make significant strides with its fifth fund, demonstrating resilience and strategic prowess in a challenging fundraising environment reported TechCrunch. ✅ Looking to raise capital for your #VCfund and increase the international pool of your LP #investors?   🤝 Need warm #LP introductions?   📝 Selling #secondaries to increase liquidity?   🧐 Looking for co-investments (Series A/Series B)?   ▶ G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks: https://lnkd.in/gjC_EuTE #VentureCapital #ContourVenturePartners #StartupFunding #Datadog #MovableInk #InvestmentStrategy #SeedFunding #TechInvesting

🔎Investing in Deep Tech? Not yet...🤦‍♂️ Check below why you should consider investing in Deep Tech startups and VC funds🤝 💡Hint: Deeptech VCs achieved an IRR of 17% in comparison to traditional Tech VCs IRR of 10%, according to a McKinsey & Company survey of 115 Deeptech VCs and 1,572 traditional Tech VC funds Thanks to Francesco Perticarari for sharing ✅ Looking to invest your capital into #VC funds?   🤝 Need warm #GP introductions?   📝 Selling #secondaries to increase liquidity?   🧐 Looking for co-investments (Series A/Series B)?   ▶ G+QUANT's link for inquiries: https://lnkd.in/gjC_EuTE     #VentureCapital #VentureFunding #VentureDebt #Fundraising #Innovation #Technology #Entrepreneurship #Investing #Network #Investors #LPs #GPs #EmergingManagers #FamilyOffice #Markets #Economy #Business #Founders #Startups #StartupFunding #ai #artificialintelligence #unicorn #secondaries #secondarydeals

1

Want to build wealth faster? Skip startups. Buy Boring Old Businesses. Here’s why: 1. They’re already making money. 2. They come with customers, systems, and momentum. 3. They’re undervalued – 2.5x profits is standard. 4. SBA loans or seller financing make them accessible. 5. Easy profit boosters: raise prices or add new products. 6. They’re easier to scale than startups. Startups fail 65% of the time within the first 5 years. But "boring" businesses? They’re built to last. Don’t build from scratch. Buy something proven. If you could buy a "boring" business, what type of business would you buy?

7

2 Comments

🚀 SOSV Announces $306M Close of SOSV V Fund to Fuel Deep Tech Innovation in Human and Planetary Health 🌍💡 🔬 Led by Sean O'Sullivan, SOSV is a multi-stage deep tech venture investor with a focus on "human and planetary health". 💼💉 🌱 The fund will prioritize investments in deep tech startups contributing to decarbonization and re-industrialization, alongside ongoing support for health-related ventures spanning from therapeutics to medical devices. 🛠️🔍 🌐 Limited partners include corporates, sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, and private family offices globally. 🌎💰 👨‍💼 SOSV operates startup development programs IndieBio and HAX, supporting founders from pre-seed through later stages, resulting in about 200 investments annually. The ecosystem spans 40 countries, with 800+ startups in its portfolio. 🚀🌟 💼 In the past 18 months, the firm has opened two new spaces—IndieBio New York at 7 Penn Plaza and HAX in Newark, NJ—with $25M in grants each from Empire State Development (ESD) and New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), and also relocated and expanded the IndieBio San Francisco location. 💡💼 ✅ Looking to raise capital for your #fund and increase the international pool of your LP #investors?   🤝 Need warm #LP introductions?   📝 Selling #secondaries to increase liquidity?   🧐 Looking for co-investments?   ▶ G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks: https://lnkd.in/gjC_EuTE #VentureCapital #DeepTech #Innovation #HealthTech #PlanetaryHealth #Decarbonization #Startup #Investment #SOSV #TechInnovation #GlobalInvestors #EconomicDevelopment

3

🚨 Startup Equity Report 2024: The Numbers Speak Loudly – and Unequally The latest Annual Equity Report from Carta lays bare the real-world disparities faced by Black founders and women in startups. These aren’t just percentages—here’s what they look like in real numbers 👇: 🛑 Black Founders: Barriers in Every Round ✋🏿✋🏾✋🏽 Pre-seed funding: Black founders raised $8M out of $2B total in pre-seed funding—just 0.4% in 2024. That’s a stark decline from $22M (1.1%) in 2022. 💔 Series C and Beyond: Black founders raised just $60M out of $10B total—a mere 0.6% compared to $5.2B (52%) for white founders. Valuation Disparities: Black-led startups consistently see valuations 20-50% lower, limiting their ability to scale and raise further rounds. 🚧 Translation: Black founders are effectively locked out of critical capital, choking growth opportunities and innovation potential. 💔 Women in Startups: Real Numbers, Real Setbacks ✋🏾🙋🏽‍♀️ Equity: Women made up 35% of new hires but received just 22.5% of equity. That translates to $13.5B out of $60B total equity issued, leaving $46.5B for men. Funding: Women-only founding teams raised $82M out of $2B in pre-seed funding (4.1%) in 2024—the lowest in five years. At Series C and beyond, women-only teams raised $590M (5.9%), a slight improvement but still vastly underrepresented. Leadership: Only 14.3% of founders in 2024 were women—a drop from 15.9% in 2020. Teams led by women CEOs raised $1.1B, compared to $9.9B for male-led teams. 🚨 Translation: Women are consistently underrepresented in leadership and receive disproportionately smaller shares of equity and funding. 🤔 What These Numbers Mean Innovation thrives when all voices are heard, but the data shows systemic barriers are stifling contributions from Black founders and women. 💡 What Can We Do? 💼 Build Our Own Tables: Focus on creating networks of underrepresented investors who can fund and champion diverse founders. Leverage community-driven funds that prioritize inclusive investments. 💰 Find New Capital Sources: Explore alternative financing models like crowdfunding, revenue-based financing, and angel syndicates from diverse communities. Partner with impact investors and organizations prioritizing racial and gender equity. 🌱 Systemic Actions for Growth: Increase transparency in funding decisions and equity allocation. Demand accountability from VCs to address bias in their investment processes. Peter Walker Samantha Katz Allison Byers Gillian Marcelle, PhD Shila Nieves Burney 🇵🇷 Mike Green Joel Serface Marisa Calderon Nikki Fisher-Quittmeyer, CLTC Maryssa Barron Nina Archie Kimberly Bryant Elizabeth Leiba Joe Cardillo Paul Ladipo Read the report here - https://lnkd.in/eDSdsswN #Startups #DiversityInTech #EquityMatters #BlackFounders #Womenfounders #WomenInLeadership 💪🏾

84

11 Comments

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.

11

3 Comments

Boldstart Ventures Raises $250M for Fund VII boldstart ventures, based in Miami, US, has successfully closed $250 million for its seventh fund, Boldstart Ventures VII L.P., with support from 68 investors. Led by Founder and General Partner Ed Sim and GP Eliot Durbin, Boldstart invests early in enterprise tech founders, often collaborating with them before incorporation. The firm specializes in "inception rounds," providing initial checks between $500k and $5 million and maintaining ample capital for follow-on investments. Boldstart’s portfolio includes leading enterprise-focused startups such as Snyk, Blockdaemon, Kustomer, BigID, and Superhuman. If you are experiencing difficulties in raising fresh capital and would require warm introductions to new LPs, contact G+QUANT🤝     ▶ Please use G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks, or send your inquiry to [email protected] #VentureCapital #BoldstartVentures #EnterpriseTech #EarlyStageFunding #InceptionRounds #EnterpriseStartups #MiamiTech

6

🌟 Exciting news from Global Founders Capital🌟 📢Global Founders Capital, the Berlin-based VC firm closely associated with Rocket Internet SE, is making a strategic pivot. Instead of raising another fund, it will exclusively deploy capital from Rocket Internet's balance sheet. This move reflects their commitment to quality investments over quantity. 👨‍🏫Partner at Global Founders Capital, David Sainteff, explains, "There have been quite a few changes at Global Founders Capital in recent years... [and] it's not a great time to invest as we don't believe there are that many good opportunities that meet the firm's criteria." 🎯Despite the decision not to raise a third fund, Global Founders Capital has a strong track record. Sainteff notes, "Fund I is going to generate returns between 3x and 4x... For the second fund, it's far too early [to say], but we have a few clear winners like PennyLane. 🔎"Global Founders Capital was originally structured as a traditional VC firm with several limited partners participating in funds. With its first fund, it backed then-future unicorns such as Personio, Revolut and SumUp. With its second fund, the firm invested in several companies such as Ankorstore and Seyna. 💰With €300 million at their disposal, Global Founders Capital remains competitive in the early-stage investment landscape. This shift also means the firm will focus solely on early-stage ventures, with the ability for follow-on investments in later rounds. 💡The decision to pivot reverses much of the fund's earlier expansion. Now, with a leaner team of five partners and a renewed focus, Global Founders Capital is positioned to thrive in the ever-changing VC landscape. As Sainteff emphasizes, "We have €300 million to deploy for venture investments on the balance sheet. We don't have any fundraising planned." This ensures they have the flexibility to capitalize on investment opportunities when they arise. 📝The new strategy means Global Founders Capital is now much smaller than it used to be, with only five partners left: Fabricio Pettená, Don Stalter, Cedric Asselman, Sainteff and of course Rocket Internet co-founder and CEO Oliver Samwer. ⚠“It wasn’t the best moment to raise funds with [limited partners],” Sainteff told TechCrunch. “We think it was difficult to have the imperative to deploy capital.” “It’s an easy decision to make when you have €300 million in the bank,” he added. “If other VC firms were in the same boat, they would have made the same decision. We don’t rule out the possibility to raise a fund when the conditions are right and favorable.” ✅ Looking to raise capital for your #fund and increase the international pool of your LP #investors?   🤝 Need warm #LP introductions?   📝 Selling #secondaries to increase liquidity?   🧐 Looking for co-investments?   ▶ G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks: https://lnkd.in/gjC_EuTE #VC #InvestmentStrategy #StartupEcosystem #Entrepreneurship #TechInvesting #StrategicPivot

3

1st10 is going into the holidays with the following open searches spread across 9 incredible Seed/A funded startups. Imagine getting into SpaceX or Stripe as one of their first engineers. That's what joining one of these startups is like. High impact, early equity, invaluable experience! Fullstack AI Engineer, SF, Elite AI Dev Shop, Shaper Ventures ML Engineer, SF/Seattle/NYC, HW/SW AI Product ML Platform Engineer, SF/Seattle/NYC, HW/SW AI Product Generalist Engineer, SF/Seattle/NYC, HW/SW AI Product Mechanical Engineer, SF/Seattle/NYC, HW/SW AI Product Firmware Engineer, SF/Seattle/NYC, HW/SW AI Product Avionics/Electrical Engineer, SF, Supersonic Jet, A16Z Flight Software Engineer, SF, Supersonic Jet, A16Z ML/Data Engineer, Los Altos, Rocketship Ventures Data/Infra Engineer, SF, AI Financial Analyst, Audacious Ventures Backend Go Engineer, Remote, Open Source Access Control, Benchmark Fullstack Developer, Chicago, File Security Security and Compliance Lead, Chicago, File Security UI/UX Lead, Chicago, File Security Backend Node Engineer, Brooklyn, LLM startup, Matrix Ventures Backend Go Engineer, NYC, Autonomous Banking, Lightspeed Fullstack Node Engineer, NYC, Autonomous Banking, Lightspeed We've asked each of our startup founders and all will be available through the holidays to review and talk with candidates. That's how startups work. Of course there's time to enjoy the holidays. But no 2-week shut down like at large companies. All hands will stay on deck with meaningful progress made. As such, 1st10 will also be open for business as well. If you're a great engineer and curious about early startups or happen to know of somebody interested, dm us. Wishing all a happy holidays!

26

1 Comment

Want a front-row seat to the frontier of tech? We’ve got the role (or two) for you! We’re expanding our frontier-tech team at Blackbird by hiring a Frontier Tech Investments Associate and Foundry Fellows! Got questions? We've got answers... 1️⃣ What are the roles? 🧪 Associate = a full-time VC investment gig in our Blackbird Investments team, working directly with me. We’re looking for someone with a science and/or engineering background and more curiosity than they can handle. You’ll grow your own investment brand and practice, support our portfolio founders, and will help build Foundry, our early-stage frontier-tech accelerator. ✨ Foundry Fellow = a casual/contract gig in our Blackbird Investments team, ~15h per week for 3 months. The Fellowship is ideal for PhD students and ECRs who want to learn more about startups and VC. You’ll go deep on emerging areas relevant to your expertise (or curiosity!), get a front-row seat to groundbreaking companies in those areas, build out your non-academic network, and develop a solid writing practice. 2️⃣ Why are you hiring? We love frontier tech, and we’re ready to grow our team. 3️⃣ Wow, it’s so great that you’re starting to look at deep tech! Look, we get it: we don’t make a lot of noise about our frontier tech investing. Buuuut we’ve been deep-tech investors since we backed Tim Kentley-Klay to found Zoox back in 2014—we’ve been on incredible journeys with PsiQuantum (building the world's first utility-scale quantum computer right here in Australia!), Inventia Life Science (transforming drug discovery with high-fidelity cell models), Remedy Robotics (surgical robots for remote endovascular procedures), Opto Biosystems (minimally-invasive neural implants to treat cancer), and more. We believe that frontier technologies, and great frontier-tech investing, will be part of the solutions to the greatest problems humanity faces today. 4️⃣ When do applications close? May 31st at 11:59pm AEST. 5️⃣ I have more questions! I’m sure you do! Clare Birch and I are hosting an AMA to answer any and all questions about these roles. Want to know what a week in the life of our team looks like? What’s keeping us up at night? What our ideal candidate looks like? Come along and find out - registration link in the comments 👇 Apply for these roles: Associate - https://lnkd.in/gCfj4EUJ Foundry Fellowships - https://lnkd.in/gj6ATZVZ If you know anyone that we should meet, send me their details! Cameron Elise Ben Andrew Robin Joseph Adelaide James Olivia Lucinda Raghav Jesse Christie Mohamed Tom Amee Pablo Haya Loong Hon Joshua Benjamin Megan Harry Denzil Matthew Diana Daniel Tom Deanna Justin Amar Lilly Stone Thomas

113

4 Comments

Thanks Chinenye. I couldn't agree with you more. However while we work on this, we also have to be mindful of the fact that bias isn't just the problem in this data rather a combination of poor economy and bias. Of all these regions mentioned, Africa is the least performing market. therefore Davidson, naturally you would expect investors to do less there. They are not charity organisations but a venture set up for outsized returns.Therefore the major issue we should be discussing is, which sectors are receiving this funding in Africa? Are the investments coming to sectors that will lift the other sectors up fundamentally or to sectors that will window dress the issues? or Worst still the ones that will reap-off on the people and distort rather than disrupt the system. (eg Nigeria POS fintech and the real banking system. a discussion for another day). Until strong investments are made in the technology sectors powering manufacturing strong job growth in Africa be it REAL B2B eCommerce not repeating what is already being done, or B2C eCommerce that is truly efficient and cost effective. Equally important is the improvement in the purchasing power of the consumers via credit card system. in as much as Sub-Sahara Africa lacks good credit system that captures the average citizens and residents, B2C will continue to struggle. in as much as our logistics investments are predominantly in the last mile delivery rather than efficient crosborder logistics, both B2B abd B2C eCommerce will struggle to scale efficiently and profitability. So, it's time for the investors to do away with the low hanging fruits and start tackling the real issues that will empower and propel Africa economies. That's where the main bias lies.

4

1 Comment

Zimi (YC S24)), a startup simplifying cross-border commerce for international merchants, has raised $2 million in seed funding led by Fearless Fund, with participation from Y Combinator and other investors. Co-founded by Audrey Djiya and Peter Nsaka, Zimi’s platform tackles challenges like shipping, compliance, and payments to streamline global trade.

15