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Venture Capital News
Saastr
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Dear SaaStr: What Role Do Founders Play Once They Hire an Outside CEO?
- If you want your start-up to really make it, founders will still be on the hook even after hiring an outside CEO.
- The new CEO may not understand the domain as well, be more operational than strategic, and may not see the future the same way as the founders.
- If founders check out or leave after bringing in an outside CEO, it can seriously damage the value of their equity.
- Founders should only bring in an outside CEO if it increases their equity value and makes the company worth even more.
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Medium
4w
258
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2024 VC Vintage: A Potential GOAT in the making
- Successful vintages are usually raised around a bear market or 4-5 years before a bull market peak.
- Bear market vintages offer cheaper deals and access to better founders.
- Vintages raised before a bull market peak benefit from an intensifying IPO and M&A market.
- Timing is crucial in VC investments, and great GPs can generate strong returns.
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Eu-Startups
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97
London-based investment firm 20VC raises its third fund sized at over €360 million
- London-based investment firm 20VC has closed its third fund, raising over €360 million.
- The fund is split into €114.7 million for Seed investments and $252.3 million for Series A funding.
- 20VC's unique structure includes three sub-funds: 20Sales, 20Growth, and 20Product.
- Key investors in the fund include MIT Investment Management Company, Horsley Bridge, and RIT Capital Partners.
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Insider
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378
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This startup uses AI to predict wildfires. Check out the 10-slide deck OroraTech used to raise a $27 million Series B.
- Munich-based startup OroraTech has secured a $27 million Series B funding round.
- The startup uses AI and thermal data to predict and monitor wildfire risks globally.
- OroraTech collects thermal infrared data from over 25 satellites in space to analyze for various purposes.
- With the funding, OroraTech plans to expand in the US and develop its orbital sensor network.
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Medium
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133
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A Comprehensive Guide to Brand Identity for Early-Stage Startups
- To define your startup’s brand identity, you should start with a vision statement that represents what the company aims to achieve long term. This vision should be intrinsically linked to the company’s mission and core values.
- Core values are the principles that guide your decision-making. They shape culture, and in turn help attract a like-minded team and customers.
- The visual identity of a startup functions as a cognitive shortcut, influencing investors, customers, and partners before they’ve had the opportunity to deeply engage with the product or team.
- Logo design should balance distinctiveness with simplicity to ensure memorability and versatility across applications and touchpoints.
- Typography and color choices extend far beyond looking good – they are powerful communicators of brand personality and values.
- As startups scale, maintaining brand consistency across an increasing number of touchpoints can become challenging, yet it’s a must. This consistency extends beyond visual elements, and includes messaging, customer experience, and product quality.
- For early-stage ventures, strategic partnerships can significantly enhance brand credibility and in turn build brand equity. Aligning with entities or causes that share core values not only amplifies reach but also reinforces brand positioning.
- Just like your product, your brand should also be in constant iteration and refinement. This requires a culture of continuous learning, where insights come from customers, market trends, and performance data, and are regularly incorporated into strategy.
- Factors like material quality, ergonomic design, and ease of use contribute to the overall brand experience and should be carefully considered and curated to ensure consistency with the brand’s promise and positioning.
- In product-centric startups, point of purchase design is crucial for driving conversions and bonus revenue. This space requires meticulous attention to ensure a seamless experience that reinforces the startup’s value proposition at the moment of decision.
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Medium
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338
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From Deeptech to Healthtech: Indian Startups Raised $114M in October’s Second Week
- Deeptech emerged as the top-funded sector, with $45.4 million raised across three deals.
- Healthtech secured $21 million across three deals, highlighting growing interest in health technology innovations.
- Ecommerce raised $14.5 million from a single deal, indicating the sector's resilience in India's consumer-driven market.
- Cleantech startups raised $12.9 million across four deals, showcasing the sector's increasing traction in sustainable energy solutions.
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Medium
4w
284
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AI Rebranded as Physics: Reflections on the 2024 Physics Nobel Prize by a Physicist turned AI…
- The mathematics behind an X-ray laser invention can be applied to create a computationally efficient sequential pattern matching algorithm, contributing to the formulations of AI.
- From a purist perspective, AI does not belong to the discipline of physics.
- Hinton and Hopfield made remarkable breakthroughs in the fields of computer science and mathematics, not physics.
- Though their work has enabled astrophysicists and other subfields in physics to analyze large sets of images, AI does not entirely contribute to the discipline of physics.
- Physics does have deep connections with other interdisciplinary fields as everything is mathematical modeling, which is essentially what physics is mostly about.
- However, dedicating a Nobel Prize to AI is contributing to its 'AI-ification' and leads to the undervaluation of contributions made in other disciplines.
- It is a concern that society is over-indexing on one type of scientific progress while undervaluing others in the face of immense challenges as a society.
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Siliconangle
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Image Credit: Siliconangle
Lidar chip startup Lidwave closes $10M investment
- Lidwave, a lidar chip startup, has closed a $10 million investment in seed funding.
- The funding round was led by Jumpspeed Ventures and Next Gear, with participation from other backers.
- Lidwave's lidar sensor chip is smaller, operates in adverse weather conditions, and is easier to maintain than traditional systems.
- The company plans to use the funding to enhance its technology and invest in go-to-market initiatives.
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Medium
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111
Image Credit: Medium
Warning: Amdark Limited – The Scam Company You Need to Avoid!
- Amdark Limited has flooded reputable review platforms with fabricated testimonials.
- Authorities are increasing scrutiny on Amdark Limited's shady practices.
- Individuals and organizations are warning against engaging with the company.
- Consumers should remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to their tactics.
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Siliconangle
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325
Image Credit: Siliconangle
Omnea raises $25M to streamline procurement with AI
- Procurement software startup Omnea has raised $25 million in funding over two rounds.
- The most recent investment, a $20 million Series A raise, was led by Accel.
- Omnea offers an AI platform that helps enterprises streamline the procurement process.
- The platform includes features such as automated supplier matching, risk assessment, and contract management.
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19 Likes
Medium
4w
97
Image Credit: Medium
Monday morning thoughts on: Being an early stage investor
- Being an early-stage investor requires certain non-obvious traits.
- Empathy for founders is essential and can be demonstrated through meaningful interactions.
- Investors should aim to make the process valuable for founders, regardless of the investment outcome.
- Becoming a better investor is a continuous journey of humility, curiosity, and empathy.
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Medium
4w
22
I shutdown my startup. Here’s my reflection.
- Zencape Health - a platform to connect patients with coordinated specialist care for chronic pelvic conditions, including pelvic floor physical therapists, pain psychologists, nutrition experts, and gynecological surgeons has been closed down.
- The reason for the closure are financial: the platform could not achieve unit economics to meet VC funding standards.
- The platform was widely praised for its inclusive, affirming & comprehensive healthcare treatments.
- Despite women being much less likely than men to receive venture capitalist funding, the founder of Zencape Health managed to raise venture funding, although this sometimes came with sexist attitudes in the industry.
- The closure of Zencape Health showcases the enormity of obstacles faced by women entrepreneurs to achieve startup success and how the odds can feel stacked against them.
- The author is proud of what Zencape Health achieved, in terms of healthcare outcomes and offering a space for people with chronic conditions, despite time and funding running out.
- The author reflects that the key takeaway from building Zencape Health is that every avalanche leads to a valley of opportunities, and reflects positively on the experience.
- The startup was started by the author as a response to years of frustration and disappointment from a lack of access to personalized, comprehensive specialty care.
- In conclusion, the founder of Zencape Health expresses gratitude to the many extraordinary individuals who helped build the company and seems excited for the future.
- This article provides a recount of the author’s experiences, reflections and insights on building, growing and closing a startup, with a particular focus on her time running Zencape Health, a health-tech company.
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VC Cafe
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374
Image Credit: VC Cafe
Weekly #FIRGUN Newsletter – Oct 11 2024
- Firgun is a concept in Israeli culture that means genuine, unselfish admiration and pride for the accomplishments of others; this week's newsletter highlights its importance in modern society.
- The anniversary of October 7th, 2023, a dark day in Jewish history, has recently passed, and the newsletter puts the spotlight on the unfortunate victims of that period, along with the necessity for the Israeli hostages held in G*a to be set free.
- Preliminary reports from IVC Data and Insights and LeumiTech suggest a positive trend for Israeli tech, whose funding increased between 32%-40%, whereas European funding was down 39% to $10B in Q3 2024.
- This week's newsletter provides insights into various companies such as OpenAI, Tesla, Google, and Meta, who are apparently impacting the science and startup worlds with their advancements.
- Hurricane Milton is predicted to cause $175B in damages, and the newsletter expresses hope for everyone's safety in the US during these difficult times.
- The newsletter features funding rounds and exits achieved by companies like TechnoPulm, Upstream Bio, Prime Security, and Orasis Pharmaceuticals.
- Interesting articles and media covered in this newsletter include the State of Private Markets by Carta, AI agents by Capgemini, and Q1-Q3 2024 Israeli M&A - most Israeli companies being acquired by US corporates.
- Lastly, Elon Musk's Optimus humanoid robots and a beautiful tribute to Nissim Louk, Shani Louk's father, conclude the newsletter for the week.
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Medium
4w
191
Image Credit: Medium
Most Promising and Exciting Investment Sectors in Europe in 2024*
- Investors seeking investment sectors should focus on market trends, global demand, sustainability and the sector’s resilience. Five most interesting investment sectors in Europe for 2024 include fintech, AI, SaaS, cybersecurity and climate tech. Fintech sector stayed resilient despite global economic and political uncertainties. Germany and the Netherlands emerged as second and third-largest markets, respectively in the Fintech sector. AI investments in Europe doubled from the previous quarter to €4.2bn in Q2 2024. SaaS and B2B solutions have become increasingly prominent in the venture capital landscape. Climate tech focuses on developing technologies to combat climate change and promote sustainability.
- Fintech sector is poised for growth and innovation with innovations in digital banking, blockchain, and financial inclusion. AI’s ability to revolutionize industries and its rapid adoption makes it a top investment choice. SaaS and B2B make attractive investments due to their scalability and recurring revenue models. Increasing frequency of cyber threats drives demand for cybersecurity solutions. Climate tech aligns with global sustainability goals offering long-term growth potential.
- According to PitchBook, AI companies attracted €6.3 billion in the first half of the year, with the UK remaining at the forefront of the European AI scene. SaaS and B2B solutions have accounted for 47% of venture capital investments in the past year. Cybersecurity sector saw some leading companies crossing the $1 billion mark in valuations despite a slowdown in venture capital funding. Climate tech continues to attract investors despite a 20% decline in investments from the previous year. An app, FundRight, utilizes advanced AI algorithms to identify potential unicorns and offer personalized insights to potential investors.
- FundRight identifies startups with the potential to achieve unicorn status by offering not just data on the startup, but also personalized insight into the founders behind the ideas. The alpha test of the FundRight app gives early adopters the cutting edge of technological advancements and the opportunity to shape the future of start-up investing.
- The content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. The content does not constitute investment recommendations, and no responsibility is assumed for financial decisions made based on this information.
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Medium
4w
432
Image Credit: Medium
Why Data Insights Matter in Bridging the FOAK Gap
- The gap between venture capital and infrastructure financing largely stems from the inability to properly assess, measure, and then allocate project risks.
- Data-driven insights can step in to make a meaningful difference.
- Project risks are often assessed based on siloed datasets.
- More modular technologies tend to benefit from faster learning rates.
- Finding ways to increase modularity could significantly reduce risks and improve learning rates.
- Assessing four key data points can inform risk assessment in climate tech projects.
- Perhaps one of the most critical data points for investors is the historical cost overrun percentage.
- The path to scaling FOAK projects is fraught with risk.
- As we continue to gather and analyze data from climate tech projects worldwide, our ability to assess and mitigate risks will only improve.
- This data-driven approach is key to bridging the gap between innovation and infrastructure investment in the climate tech sector.
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