Danny Bernstein’s Post

AgTech Ecosystem - sharing this update from Danny Bernstein, founder of HawkTower, an investment firm focused on driving innovation and commercialization in key strategic regions of California, including Monterey County. Danny's metrics are driven by both investment returns and economic development wins. See below for some of the more notable recent wins: 1) Bill Sherrod joins as Venture Partner with a focus on advanced air mobility. Vittoria Lecomte joins as Venture Partner with analyst experience on Fitbit and GoPro IPOs. 2) HawkTower has a strategic partnership with Tesserakt Ventures, an early stage VC firm in Central California. Daniel Emilio Sabzehzar and Phoenix Skeahan join HawkTower as Venture Partner and Operating Partner respectively, to help with sourcing, diligence, and portfolio support. 3) Lenny Mendonca is a new advisor (formerly served as Governor Newsom's Chief Economic and Business Advisor and is also a Senior Partner Emeritus at McKinsey & Company). 4) I have also joining Team HawkTower as an advisor, focused on AgTech innovation that can drive California economic development. HawkTower's first investment was in Farm-ng. Farm-NG is exactly what funds like HawkTower are looking for - strong team with a very cool platform product and 100% locally based at their Watsonville HQ location. Farm-NG has growth opportunities across multiple grower segments, solid partnership and distribution opportunities, and will use the capital to continue to evolve their product and go-to market strategies. 5) HawkTower is working with engineering advisors from UC Santa Cruz, Cal Poly, and UC Merced. All of them recognize the opportunity the region represents that HawkTower is working on investing in. These advisors will strengthen the pipeline to keep local talent in the area and make sure the HawkTower investments have access to local talent early and often. Each of these items represents great progress from Danny - together it shows the momentum he and the team are building. If you're a startup looking for an introduction to Danny, please DM me and I am happy to help. If you're an investor looking for a discussion with Danny, same offer. #economicdevelopment #venturecapital #cacentralcoast

Are you curious about the evolution of Venture Capital in the European market? Get ready to dive into insights like never before as we explore the future of VC with none other than STAR Ventures - a venture capital firm with a ravishing track record of nurturing over 180 category-leading technology companies since 1992! Our discourse offers an in-depth view through the lens of Star Ventures, acknowledged for creating value across a broad sector of emerging, early-stage and mid-stage companies. The brain behind this success, Founder Meir Barel, shares his own journey in shaping this powerhouse. Whether you're in Finance, Financial Services or Venture Capital, this close look at the crucial shifts and trends is bound to illuminate your perspective about the ever-changing landscape of VC. Dive in: https://lnkd.in/eVGqtEmX #VentureCapital #EuropeanMarket #Finance #StartUp #FutureTrends

Who's backing tomorrow's tech giants? Our team has researched the current landscape of early-stage funding, highlighting the venture capital firms that are driving innovation across various sectors. From established Silicon Valley powerhouses to emerging players in global tech hubs, we've covered a diverse range of firms shaping the future of startups. Explore the VCs here: https://lnkd.in/gvu6iAgT Thrive Capital Ribbit Capital Benchmark Third Rock Ventures Exor N.V. Accel Two River Caffeinated Capital Techstars Plug and Play Tech Center 500 Startups SV Angel Right Side Capital Management SOSV New Enterprise Associates (NEA) Index VenturesSequoia Capital Kleiner Perkins General Catalyst Battery Ventures Khosla Ventures Menlo Ventures Greylock Norwest Venture Partners First Round Capital Bain Capital Ventures Lightspeed Founders Fund #venturecapital #entrepreneurship #tech #investors #earlystagestartups #innovation #vcfunding

We thank all entrepreneurs, investors, and partners for participating in Airbus Ventures' journey. This is an important milestone but it is just a beginning. We are looking forward to talking with and investing in superior startups! #venturecapital #globalinvestor #deeptech #frontiertech #newfund

Raising venture capital? Staying informed is key. Here's a snapshot of the latest developments on VC Funds that just closed raising: - BNP Paribas' Solar Impulse Venture Fund has secured €150M to invest in sustainable technologies. This fund, managed by BNP Paribas Asset Management in partnership with Bertrand Piccard’s Solar Impulse Foundation, focuses on sectors critical to ecological transition such as energy, sustainable agriculture, and smart cities. It aims to make 15-20 investments in high-potential startups across Europe and North America - Founderful Fund successfully closed a $140M Fund II, seeking to tap into opportunities within the Swiss tech ecosystem. Backed by institutional investors and successful founders, this fund has already invested in 15 companies, including those innovating in alternative silicon chips and lithium-ion battery technology. - Bek Ventures launched with a robust $250M fund aimed at supporting early-stage tech startups, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. Known for its selective investment strategy and long-term support, Bek Ventures focuses on nurturing technical talent from this region - Maki.vc raised €100M to back bold Nordic founders who are reshaping industries, and betting on the potential of the Nordic region. Helsinki-based firm is investing in deep tech and brand-driven startups, with a strong emphasis on environmental and social objectives. Whether you're seeking investment or looking to expand your network, staying updated is key. You can follow my Substack / me for more updates on developments across VC & DeepTech🚀 #VentureCapital #StartupFunding #LP #TechEcosystem #EmergingFunds

#EarlyStageFunding: A New Perspective from 2Flo Ventures Top news in venture capital: 2Flo Ventures has onboarded Jones Burton as a partner. Burton, formerly the Chief Strategy Officer at S-RM, is recognized for shaping innovative and impactful global business strategies. This is noteworthy for startups and tech businesses on the brink of securing their initial funding rounds. His addition to the 2Flo team is a powerful signal of the firm's dedication to bolstering their portfolio's success. What sets 2Flo apart, however, is its unique fee structure. Instead of standard management fees, 2Flo aligns its interests directly with the entrepreneurs it backs. This collaboration style could well be the future of early-stage funding and a boon for startups seeking a more teamed approach to growth and development. Did you know that the early-stage funding market is increasingly competitive? Securing seed funding jumped to a new high in 2020, at an average of $2.2 million per deal

Austin, Texas is known for more than just its vibrant culture—it’s also a key player in the startup world. So, we've profiled some of the most active and influential VCs in the city, exploring their investment strategies, focus areas, and notable portfolio companies. We also explored how these firms are contributing to Austin's unique startup ecosystem, which blends Texas's business-friendly environment with a strong sense of community and collaboration. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gXPpVktB Austin Ventures ATX Venture Partners Next Coast Ventures Silverton Partners Keller Capital, LLC Multicoin Capital Unknown Ventures Sapphire Ventures Moonshots Capital LiveOak Ventures Scout Ventures S3 Ventures Quake Capital Partners TEXO Ventures BuildGroup Ecliptic Capital #entrepreneurship #vcfunding #investors #startup #funding #venturecapital #innovation

💡 Spotlight on Michigan’s Most Active Venture Capital Investors 💡 Michigan’s venture capital ecosystem is thriving, powering innovation across healthcare, technology, and consumer services. With vibrant startup hubs in Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Grand Rapids, the state has become a launchpad for game-changing ideas and disruptive businesses. 🚀 Here’s a look at the top VC firms shaping Michigan’s entrepreneurial landscape: ✅ Annox Capital – Led by Bob Mylod ✅ Arboretum Ventures – Jan Garfinkle, Thomas Shehab, MD, MMM, Dan Kidle, and Tim Petersen ✅ Augment Ventures – Sonali Vijayavargiya ✅ Banana Capital – Turner Novak ✅ Beringea – Charlie Rothstein, Michael Gross, William Blake III ✅ BioStar Capital – Louis A Cannon, MD, FACA, FACC, FACP, FSCAI ✅ eLab Ventures – Paul Cuthbert-Brown, Doug Neal, Bob Stefanski ✅ Fontinalis Partners – Chris Cheever, Laura Petterle, Chris Stallman, CFA ✅ GM Ventures – Zach Kirkman, Anirvan Coomer ✅ Grand Ventures – Tim Streit ✅ Huron River Ventures – Ryan Waddington ✅ ID Ventures – Martin Dober, Patti Glaza, Lee Rawlings ✅ Ludlow Ventures – Jonathon Triest ✅ Plymouth Growth – Jeff Barry ✅ Red Cedar Ventures – David Washburn ✅ RPM Ventures – Adam Boyden, Tony Grover, Marc Weiser 🌟 Why Michigan Matters These firms are not just funding startups—they’re fueling growth, creating jobs, and transforming industries. Their contributions make Michigan a powerful player in the national VC ecosystem. If you’re an entrepreneur or innovator, Michigan is the place to watch—and grow! Let’s keep building the future, one investment at a time. 💼🌱 #VentureCapital #MichiganStartups #InnovationEcosystem #GrowthMindset

Superhero Capital, a Helsinki-based venture capital firm dedicated to investing in early-stage software startups across Finland and the Baltics, has announced the launch of its fourth fund with a target of €50 million 🇫🇮 💡 “Our goal with this fund is simple: empower visionary founders at the earliest stages who have what it takes to create meaningful change,” said Jakob Storå, co-founder of Superhero Capital. Limited Partners in the new fund include Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Company and the Finnish state-owned venture capital and private equity company Tesi. https://lnkd.in/d3qVGTFx

TechCrunch just published an insightful article on the venture capital industry, featuring interviews with Jeff Clavier and Andy McLoughlin from Uncork Capital. Here are some key takeaways that caught my attention: - Massive Growth: In 2004, venture firms invested around $20 billion in startups. By 2021, that figure had skyrocketed to an astonishing $350 billion. - Shrinking Seed Funds: Andy McLoughlin predicts a reduction in active seed funds in North America from 2,500 today to 1,500, citing a lack of market liquidity: "Until we start seeing real cash coming back – beyond the highlights here and there – it’s just going to be hard." - AI Investments: Despite the current surge in venture capital funding for AI, this trend does not necessarily support sustainable growth for these businesses. Long-term success requires companies to be large and profitable, but many enterprise AI budgets remain limited. I can't help but wonder if we'll see similar trends in the German and European venture capital scene. What will be the lasting impact of the 2021 venture capital boom? 🧐 Gründerszene, Startup Insider, Startup-Verband - are you looking into this?