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Venture Capital News
Medium
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Ever bought a stock on Groww? You might soon have the opportunity to buy Groww itself — on Groww.
- Groww is planning for an IPO, targeting a 10–15% equity dilution, despite facing regulatory headwinds in the broking industry due to SEBI clampdowns and higher taxes.
- Amidst seeking a $7 billion post-money valuation and participation from sovereign investors like GIC, Groww's valuation is being questioned by some investors due to recent regulatory changes impacting F&O trading.
- Compared to industry peers like Zerodha and Angel One, Groww's valuation appears ambitious but is justified based on its tech-first approach, customer growth, profitability, and revenue surge.
- The upcoming Groww IPO will shed light on important aspects like segmental revenue breakdown, unit economics, growth plans, and the impact of SEBI's F&O rules, which will influence investor sentiment towards the company.
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Medium
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Introducing: Angel Wednesdays by AngelFamilia
- Latine-owned businesses contributed $3.6 trillion to the U.S. economy in 2022, but receive less than 2% of venture capital funding.
- Gerardo “Jerry” Miguel Rosenkranz is credited as the first modern Latine angel investor, making critical investments in Latin American companies like Starmedia and MercadoLibre.
- Angels like Marcia Chong Rosado and Pedro Otálora are active in investing in Latine startups, leveraging communities like Pipeline Angels and engaging in early-stage investing.
- Angel investing is seen as a critical mechanism to empower Latine entrepreneurs by democratizing capital and breaking down systemic barriers. Organizations like Angeles Investors and the Hispanic Wealth Project are leading the way in this approach.
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Medium
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The Great Convergence: AI Investment Strategies in PE vs VC
- Global venture capital funding for generative AI reached $45 billion in 2024, while a record $40 billion AI deal led VC investments.
- PE tech deals accounted for 40% of all transactions, with deals like Blackstone's $16 billion acquisition of Airtrunk making headlines.
- AI investments are changing how value is created, challenging traditional PE and VC models.
- AI companies demand both PE-sized capital investments and early-stage venture risks like technology and market uncertainties.
- Operational excellence is crucial for AI applications, differing from past tech waves that allowed for 'faking it till making it.'
- PE firms are adopting VC-style value creation, focusing on operational support, due diligence, longer hold periods, and talent retention.
- VC firms are getting more operationally involved, increasing deal sizes, investing in AI infrastructure, and using AI tools in operations.
- A new investment model is emerging that combines VC's risk tolerance with PE's operational sophistication.
- Successful firms in both asset classes are developing expertise in specific AI applications and adapting to the changing landscape of AI investments.
- Winning in AI for PE and VC requires blending traditional strengths with new tech capabilities, deeper operational involvement, and longer-term thinking.
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Saastr
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5 Interesting Learnings From Monday at $1.125 Billion in ARR
- Monday.com continues to exhibit impressive growth, with $282M in revenue in Q1 FY25, showing a 30% YoY increase.
- The company's profitability metrics have significantly improved with a 90% gross margin and 14% non-GAAP operating margin.
- Enterprise traction is strong, with a 38% YoY growth in customers with $50k+ ARR and a 46% YoY growth in $100k+ ARR customers.
- Monday.com has a remarkable 112% net dollar retention rate overall, reaching 117% for enterprise customers.
- The company's upmarket strategy is successful, evident from the substantial growth in $100k+ ARR customers and increased percentage of total ARR from larger customers.
- Monday.com's platform strategy, positioning itself as a 'Work OS platform,' creates a strong differentiation moat and offers flexibility to customers.
- With significant global presence and diverse revenue sources, Monday.com displays substantial growth potential beyond North America.
- The company's impressive free cash flow margins and adherence to the Rule of 40 showcase its sustainable growth model.
- Monday.com's multi-product approach is successful, driving natural cross-sell opportunities and effective expansion within existing accounts.
- Their efficient customer acquisition strategies and transition to profitability demonstrate strong leadership and disciplined operational execution.
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Medium
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369
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The Truth About Hockey Stick Growth — Is It Really for Every Startup?
- The concept of hockey stick growth, where a startup experiences explosive growth after an initial period of slow progress, is widely idealized in startup culture, but it may not be suitable for every business.
- Venture capital investors expect high returns and quick exits, which puts pressure on startups to scale rapidly to meet these expectations.
- However, rapid scaling can come with challenges such as cash burn, endless fundraising cycles, loss of control, team burnout, and a narrow focus on massive exits like IPOs.
- The push for hypergrowth can lead to instability and potential collapse if not managed carefully.
- Founders are advised to consider if hypergrowth aligns with their long-term goals, their willingness to constantly raise funds, and if their business model is suited for rapid scaling.
- Success should not be solely defined by speed or achieving unicorn status, and sustainable, healthy growth can be just as valid.
- Ultimately, founders should build the company they want to run, rather than conforming to external pressures for rapid growth at all costs.
- The key is to define what success truly means for the business and to focus on creating a company that aligns with the founder's vision.
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Alleywatch
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Sweep Raises $22.5M to Keep Enterprises Ahead with Intelligent CRM Management
- Sweep has raised $22.5M in a Series B round to enhance intelligent CRM management for enterprises, bringing total funding to over $45M.
- Sweep's agentic workspace integrates intelligence into platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot to analyze metadata, personalize GTM operations, and identify system improvements in real-time.
- The platform offers automated monitoring, issue flagging, and implementation of improvements, catering to industry leaders like LG Electronics, Mass General Brigham, and NBC Sports.
- Led by Insight Partners in Series B, Sweep plans to expand its agentic system management to platforms such as NetSuite, SAP, and Marketo, positioning itself as a comprehensive solution.
- Sweep's AI-driven system aims to transform GTM operations into a layer of clarity and control, providing actionable insights, risk flags, and autonomous actions.
- The company offers tiered pricing based on the level of intelligence and automation required by customers, targeting enterprise teams managing systems like Salesforce and Netsuite.
- Sweep prepares for economic slowdowns by focusing on helping teams achieve more with less and ensuring profitability as a long-term goal.
- In the funding process, Sweep emphasized proving the real-world impact of its agentic AI layer to investors, showcasing tangible outcomes for customers.
- Future milestones for Sweep include doubling revenue in the next six months and expanding the agentic workspace to additional systems beyond Salesforce and HubSpot.
- CEO Ido Gaver emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships with investors and customers, showcasing how Sweep's product drives significant outcomes.
- Sweep's vision focuses on technical and strategic advancement, aiming to help customers stay ahead while continuing to innovate and execute effectively.
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Saastr
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MNTN and Hinge Health IPOs: No, You Don’t Need $500m ARR to IPO. But You Do Need ~50%+ Growth
- MNTN and Hinge Health recently had successful IPOs, with MNTN focusing on performance advertising for Connected TV and Hinge Health providing software for musculoskeletal injuries and rehabilitation.
- Hinge Health and MNTN IPO'd at $500 million and $260 million in ARR respectively, both experiencing around 50% YoY growth, which is essential for a successful B2B IPO.
- Recent IPOs in the tech market have outperformed the historical average, with top performers like Rubrik, Astera Labs, and ServiceTitan showing significant returns.
- Key learnings from recent IPOs include the importance of infrastructure software, challenges in identity/security software, struggles faced by niche B2B tools for scale, the impact of timing and market conditions, and the significance of clear revenue models.
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Medium
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Strange thing — the inner voice.
- The startup world is similar to the gold rush era, but with the fundamental difference of venture capital playing a crucial role.
- Dumb money in the startup ecosystem is shaping the game with a risk-averse, short-term, and spreadsheet-driven approach, impacting the true essence of entrepreneurship.
- Founders are now focusing more on raising funds rather than building something substantial, leading to an inflation of the term 'startup'.
- The excessive influx of dumb money has made it difficult for real entrepreneurs to thrive, emphasizing the importance of real knowledge, persistence, and a tangible product.
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TechCrunch
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Litehaus raises €1.46M pre-seed to build home-building platform
- Thibault Launay and Simi Launay faced challenges in the home-building process, leading to the creation of Litehaus to assist landowners and property developers.
- Litehaus acts as a platform connecting various professionals involved in home construction, aiming for efficiency and affordability in the building process.
- The company focuses on modular construction, promising cost savings, faster completion, and greater sustainability compared to traditional methods.
- Litehaus recently secured a €1.46 million pre-seed funding round co-led by Cornerstone VC and Explorer Fund, with plans for expansion.
- The European construction industry seeks more innovation and catching up with the advancements seen in America's construction technology sector.
- Investors see the potential in Litehaus to address the housing shortage crisis in Europe by introducing transparency, sustainability, and trust to the construction process.
- Thibault and Simi Launay's fundraising efforts have been intensive, leveraging their backgrounds in entrepreneurship, investing, and strategic consulting.
- Simi focuses on marketing and design at Litehaus, while Thibault handles fundraising, business development, and technology.
- The company plans to use the funding for scaling up operations, hiring talent, and further developing its platform to support more users.
- Litehaus aims to address the delays and challenges faced in home construction projects, with Thibault and Simi's personal experience shaping the company's mission.
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Saastr
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Dear SaaStr: What’s the Best Way to Build a Comp Plan for Account Managers Focused on Upsell?
- Building a commission plan for Account Managers focused on upsell requires aligning incentives with outcomes like customer satisfaction and revenue growth.
- Key components include a base salary with a split of 70% base and 30% variable, tied to metrics such as Net Revenue Retention (NRR).
- Incentivizing upsells and cross-sells at a lower rate than new deals, implementing customer satisfaction bonuses, and clawbacks for churn are crucial strategies.
- Simplicity, clear targets, and rewards for exceeding goals are vital in ensuring AMs are motivated to focus on long-term account health and company success.
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Medium
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Search Funds as a Training Ground for Emerging Fund Managers
- Limited Partners are increasingly seeking to back emerging fund managers with real-world competence, leading to a growing interest in the search fund model.
- Unlike venture capital, search funds provide a comprehensive training ground for future institutional GPs in deal sourcing, operational leadership, and capital stewardship.
- Search funds offer hands-on experience in managing capital, enterprises, and operational challenges, providing invaluable lessons in a real business environment.
- The search fund model presents a unique opportunity to develop emerging fund managers who understand the complexities of ownership, management, and value creation in real businesses.
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Saastr
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The Wild Ride of Informatica: 32 Years, 2 IPOs, to $8 Billion Acquisition by Salesforce
- Informatica, founded in 1993, was acquired by Salesforce for $8 billion after two IPOs and a private equity buyout.
- Lessons learned from Informatica's 32-year journey include market timing, importance of AI infrastructure credibility, and focus on long-term growth.
- Despite a peak market cap of around $10 billion in 2021, Informatica's acquisition in 2025 at $8 billion shows market fluctuations and compressed multiples.
- Permira's private equity strategy with Informatica involved a 10-year hold period, cloud transformation, and operational model shift from license to SaaS.
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Medium
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169
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Beyond the Grind: Your Guide to Growing a Sustainable Service Business with TheFixers.App
- TheFixers.App is a platform for skilled professionals and growing service businesses in Melbourne, Australia, aiming to provide a better solution in the competitive marketplace.
- Updates include mandatory verification for service providers, giving them a competitive edge through public liability insurance and active business registration.
- The platform empowers service providers to define their services and pricing models, attracting clients who value expertise over lower pricing.
- New features like 'Team Up Opportunities' for collaboration, 'Refer & Earn' program for community-driven leads, and Stripe Delayed Payments for secure transactions aim to support business growth and sustainability.
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Medium
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27
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Keep Your Home Clean the Smart Way with the Renewed eufy Robot Vacuum
- A renewed product is pre-owned and refurbished to work like new, offering quality at a lower price.
- The eufy Robot Vacuum cleans autonomously with its slim design capable of fitting under furniture, operates quietly but effectively, features smart sensors to avoid collisions, and can self-charge.
- Opting for the renewed eufy vacuum provides the same performance as a new one but at a more affordable cost, making it a smart investment.
- The eufy robot vacuum is recommended for those seeking convenience in maintaining cleanliness at home effortlessly, especially useful for busy individuals, pet owners, or families.
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Medium
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123
Humanities Next Step: Bionics
- Upper-limb bionics, focusing on prosthetic arms and hands, remains underfunded despite a large global market of around 20 million potential users.
- Existing prosthetics fall short in functionality, leading to high abandonment rates, with most amputees unable to afford the advanced prosthetic arms due to high costs.
- Key challenges in the industry include signal interpretation, high production costs, lack of insurance coverage, and insufficient focus on high degree-of-freedom limbs for better mobility.
- To succeed in the field of upper-limb bionics, a founding team requires expertise in robotics, neuroscience, and product/business strategy to develop advanced, affordable prosthetics that address real user needs.
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