James Fabricant

Last week, Suno announced $125M in funding, marking a significant milestone in their journey to reshape the music creation landscape. On this week's episode of Unsupervised Learning, we caught up with Suno's founder, Mikey Shulman, to hear the latest (and workshop some new intro music for the pod 👀). Some of my favorite take-aways 👇 Non-text based prompting While text-based prompting has been an effective approach so far, Mikey argues that it’s a sterile way to describe what you’re really after. Users should be able to really pour themselves into a song, which might require expressing themselves through a montage of visuals or recorded sounds from every-day life, belting out a melody or tapping on the table to create a beat. Everything multi-player Picture musicians jamming together in real-time shooting musical ideas back and forth—it's all about making music creation as natural as having a conversation. Mikey’s really into the idea that these collaborative sessions can be just as fun for someone who's just starting out as they are for seasoned pros. It's about opening up music making to everyone, no matter their skill level, and creating a community vibe that lets everyone contribute their own flavor. This way, making music becomes not just more enjoyable but a shared experience that anyone can be a part of. One of the coolest night’s of Mikey’s journey Mikey got a kick out of seeing a popular Twitch streamer use Suno for a digital concert that pulled in a football stadium’s worth of people. It wasn't just about the size of the crowd though—the cool part was how viewers could use micropayments to interact directly with the performer. This takes your usual digital concert and turns it into something super interactive.   How Suno does model eval Mikey shares how tricky it is to evaluate models in music compared to other fields. Suno looks at things like audio quality, but those metrics are far from perfect. At Suno, they believe that aesthetics really matter—so much of this comes down to how the music feels, which is super subjective. Unlike text AI, where you can measure correctness, music doesn't have one right answer. It's all about whether the music resonates with users and gives them the control they want over the creation process. A lot of it relies on human judgment and that's probably not changing anytime soon for Suno. Check out the full episode to hear more from Mikey about the future of music with AI. YouTube: https://lnkd.in/ghh_qhnd Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3WXvkDN Apple: https://apple.co/4aCIOrz

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By accident, I re-watched a couple of episodes of Silicon Valley over the weekend. It premiered in 2014 and is still a perfect introduction to the crazy world of startups and venture capital. Anyone in the ecosystem can recognize themselves and/or all the weird characters occupying this space. Watching all six seasons should be mandatory before starting or investing in a tech company. It’s mind-boggling how the creators managed to showcase futuristic elements like self-driving cars, AI, robots, and VR headsets, even before they became mainstream topics of discussion. It’s only the bubble content that changes, not the actual way the bubble is inflating… Movie nerd comment: It would be fun to see someone use the Silicon Valley characters the same way Lemon uses the Thomas the Tank Engine characters in Bullet Train! https://lnkd.in/dsGqTRA3 #siliconvalley #startups #VC #techbubble #buzzwords #piedpiper

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Welcome to the club! At Antler, we are proud to announce that we have just invested over £1m into nine new British tech startups. Our tenth residency in the UK attracted more than 1,100 ambitious founders, with 66 founders taking part. Representing 27 different nationalities, with women comprising 24% of the cohort, it was truly a diverse group of amazing people. Spending 10 weeks with us allowed us to undertake over 200+ hours of due diligence, helping us make high-conviction investment decisions, in which we end up investing in 1% of all applicants. We are delighted to welcome the following eight startups to Antler’s portfolio, and we’re excited to be on this journey with you! ⚙️ AlphaLoops - Automating investment management operations using AI ⚠️ BankBridge - Bridging the due diligence gap between financial institutions 🔎 Capsa AI - AI Operating System For Private Equity 📝 Falco - powered platform that empowers financial firms to identify and translate regulatory changes into actionable insights 🚚 Fleevo - The AI-driven Operating System for Modern Commercial Fleets. Driving Efficiency, Uptime, and Sustainability 🛍️ frnt - Optimising retail operations with digital workers 🎯 Intriq - Transforming businesses with the power of AI through the use of private equity playbook strategies 🦾 RoboMinder - Elevating industrial robot uptime with AI-powered computer vision In addition, Antler has made one seed investment in the first quarter of 2024, into a tech startup that is currently in stealth mode. Check out the press release in the comments section! #VentureCapital #Investments #Founders #TechStartups

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I couldn’t be prouder to be a Venture Partner at Isomer Capital (aka the best European FoF - at least for me) as we just announced the launch of our pioneering £100m secondaries fund. This fund is dedicated to acquiring stakes from LPs in various VC funds, tapping into a massive and largely unexplored market. 🌟 Key Highlights: - Focused Investment: Primarily targeting stakes in VC funds, with selective investments in private companies. - Robust Funding: Already over 20% funded, thanks to strong support from Nordic family offices and a German foundation. - Market Potential: With a growing number of private tech companies and a VC liquidity crunch, Europe's VC secondaries market is poised for rapid growth. - Track Record: This isn’t Isomer’s first foray into the secondaries market. As a firm we’ve done several secondaries deals with portfolio companies and VC firms, including early-stage VC Seedcamp (in 2021) and mobility giant Bolt (in 2023). - Expert Team: Welcoming the amazing Omolade (Rachel) A., formerly of Coller Capital, as a principal to lead this initiative. 💡 Investment Strategy: - 65-75% of the fund will buy "LP interest" stakes in VC funds. - 15-25% will be directed towards stakes in companies. - Up to 15% reserved for flexible investment opportunities. 📈 Looking Ahead: We're targeting returns of 2-3x, with significant distributions expected in the next 4-7 years. As one of the few players in this space, we're not just participating in the market—we're driving it forward. Read all about it here: https://lnkd.in/dc7sbC3G #VentureCapital #SecondariesFund #EuropeanVC

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UNLOCKING THE SECREATS OF THE GLOBAL VC ECOSYSTEM : A SUMMIT FOR LIMITED PARTNERS AND VENTURE CAPITALISTS TO THE GLOBAL VC's ECOSYSTEM SUMMIT -------------- 💰💵 Check 1st post in features section in my profile 💵💰 -------------- #VCEcosystemSummit #VentureCapital #LimitedPartners #Investment #PortfolioManagement #GrowthStrategy #IndustryLeaders #Networking #Collaboration #Innovation #Startup #Entrepreneurship #Funding #Investor #LP #GP #VC #PrivateEquity #HedgeFund #AssetManagement #WealthManagement #FinancialServices #InvestmentBanking #CapitalMarkets #BusinessGrowth #Scaling #Expansion #Disruption #Volatility #RiskManagement #Resilience #Sustainability #ESG #ImpactInvesting #Diversity #Inclusion #Equity #Equality #WomenInVC #WomenInFinance #MenInVC #MenInFinance #VentureCapitalist #InvestmentBanker #FinancialAnalyst #PortfolioManager #InvestmentManager #AssetManager #WealthManager #FinancialPlanner #InvestmentAdvisor #VCFirm #StartupAccelerator #Incubator #CoworkingSpace #EntrepreneurialEcosystem #InnovationHub #BusinessNetworking #ProfessionalDevelopment #Leadership #Mentorship #CareerGrowth #IndustryTrends #MarketInsights #FinancialRegulations #InvestmentStrategy #RiskAssessment #DueDiligence #DealMaking #MandA #IPO #PrivatePlacement #HedgeFundManager #AssetAllocator #FamilyOffice #SovereignWealthFund #PensionFund #EndowmentFund #VentureCapitalInvesting #StartupFunding #GrowthCapital #ExpansionCapital #Buyout #Recapitalization #Restructuring #Turnaround #DistressedInvesting #SpecialSituations #EventDriven #CreditInvesting #DebtFinancing #EquityInvesting #MezzanineFinancing #GrowthEquity #VentureDebt #SeedFunding #SeriesA #SeriesB #SeriesC #IPOPrep #PreIPO #PostIPO #PrivateCompany #PublicCompany #MicroVC #NanoVC #SeedStage #EarlyStage #GrowthStage #LateStage #PrivateEquityFund #HedgeFundManager #InvestmentPortfolio #RiskManagementStrategy #InvestmentResearch #FinancialPlanning #WealthCreation #CapitalGrowth #InvestmentOpportunities #BusinessExpansion #MarketTrends #IndustryInsights #FinancialInnovation #InvestmentInnovation #VCDeals #StartupSuccess #InvestmentStrategy #PortfolioDiversification #InvestmentRisk #InvestmentReturn #InvestmentGrowth #InvestmentIncome #InvestmentManagement #InvestmentConsulting #PrivateEquityInvesting #HedgeFundInvesting #VentureCapitalInvesting #AngelInvesting #ImpactInvesting #SustainableInvesting #ESGInvesting #ResponsibleInvesting #InvestmentFirms #InvestmentCompanies #InvestmentPartners #InvestmentNetwork #InvestmentCommunity #InvestmentEvents #InvestmentConferences #InvestmentSummit #InvestmentForum #InvestmentRoundtable #StartupInvesting #EarlyStageInvesting #GrowthStageInvesting #LateStageInvesting #PrivateEquityFirms #HedgeFundManagers #VentureCapitalFirms #AngelGroups #ImpactInvestors

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Back when I started working in VC, the concept of a 'VC Tech Stack' was unfamiliar, and manual tasks were the norm. It's amazing to see how much and how fast things have changed since then, with the emergence of software tools enabling investors to do more with less. Software is changing industries across the board, and venture capital is no exception. At Signal, we're excited to be a part of driving this change, and we're proud that Dealroom.co has acknowledged us in their market overview of VC tools, listing us as one of their solutions for signal providers - and to be featured on Startup&VC's VC Stack - link in the comments 👇

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Welcome ecoLocked to the Climentum Capital portfolio! We are proud to have led the €4M funding round together with Matterwave Ventures, and delighted to have existing investors Counteract, Startup Family Office, Sabancı Building Solutions, and VOYAGERS.io joining the round. The investment will support ecoLocked’s mission to revolutionize the construction industry with carbon-negative building materials. Concrete production accounts for 8% of global CO2 emissions, making innovations in this field crucial for achieving net-zero goals. ecoLocked is leading the change by converting carbon captured from biomass into functional, carbon-negative building materials. This funding will accelerate ecolocked's efforts to turn buildings into carbon sinks, scaling their innovative biochar-based solutions and enabling 1Gt carbon removal by 2040. Doerte Hirschberg Morten Halborg Stefan Maard

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Normally I don't pay much attention to different ranking articles about startups to watch, etc. When we invest, we need to have a conviction about startups that we want to invest in before any article mentions them. However, I agree with Sifted about Ki Hydrogen. In my opinion it's an exceptional company with great team and very promising technology (hydrogen production using biomass electrolysis while needing up to 70% less energy). The hydrogen economy is already at around $200 billion, with over $500 billion of estimated infrastructure investments. The key misconception is that hydrogen is mostly used in the transportation industry. In fact, that is less than 10% of the hydrogen market. Congrats to Koji Muto, Michael Stanton and Carl Banbury, PhD for their steady progress! We are honoured to be working with you on bringing the world hydrogen made from waste at scale.

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One of the most frequent questions budding recruitment founders have is 'what investment/start-up support do I need?' There are so many options out there, it's sometimes difficult to see the wood from the trees. I recently recorded an interview with one of our founders Colt Sarginson on exactly this topic. In this clip, Colt talks about how he made the decision to partner with Recruiter Labs and why it was the best option for him. If you're confused about your options, let me know and I'll be happy to chat with you. #recruitment #startups

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In a recent Sifted article, I share thoughts on emerging managers esp. Solo-GPs, here's what I think 👇🏽 https://lnkd.in/eYx7h5Qv I’m a solo-GP building OpenseedVC, here’s what some think this means; 🔻That there is key-person risk 🔻That there is little accountability or governance 🔻That it is a one-person show Here’s what it ACTUALLY often means; 👇🏽 ✅ We've set up governance that foster accountability, not bureaucracy ✅ As a fund, we have a dizzying depth of complementary skillsets ✅ We build conviction and move quickly; critical for early stage ✅ We are process geniuses, automations and efficiency is in our DNA ✅ We have a lean, mean team optimised for high for efficiency There is no "founder-like fund" quite like a Solo-GP emerging manager. For us at OpenseedVC, we invest up to $150k at the angel stage, and are flexible. We can lead your angel round. We can follow if the terms work for us. We don't take board seats. Whatever it is, we are first investors in ambitious and experienced operators just as they start their technology companies! We are founders ourselves, and have parallel experiences to the most ambitious and resilient founders, and this is ultimately superpower 💥 Solo-GPs are outliers, and in the business of #VC #venturecapital, outliers signal potential for outsized opportunity. #operators #openseedvc #europe #africa #soloGPs

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Attention all ambitious founders seeking investment opportunities! Get ready for Pitch&Drink with P2S.vc — a night in London where founders and investors meet under one roof 🚀 This event will feature a speed dating format of pitch-session. Startups will have 2–3 minutes to present their elevator pitch directly to investors, followed by a 6-7 minute Q&A session. Why You Should Join: 👉 Benefit from live pitch reviews and align your startup with investor expectations. 👉 Don't miss this opportunity to make valuable connections and explore funding possibilities! 👉 Connect with a community of like-minded individuals and VCs and gain insights into your next fundraising venture in a relaxed and fun environment. The speed dating part of Pitch&Drink with P2S.vc exclusively for investors and approved startups will start at 6:00 PM. After 8:00 PM, the event will continue with music, drinks, lots of networking, and discussions of the hottest vc news 🍸 Join us on June 3rd! Secure your spot now: https://bit.ly/4alEgpC Pre-seed to Succeed (P2S) is an investment program launched by AltaIR Capital, Yellow Rocks, Smart Partnership Capital and I2BF Global Ventures. The P2S is designed for early-stage startups with MVP and first traction and focuses on the following industries: B2B / SaaS, FinTech, AI, Future of Work, Productivity Tools, Digital Health, and HR Tech. The program offers initial funding from participating venture companies, ongoing support from seasoned experts and mentors, and 50% of the next round for proven startups.

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Ever wonder what its like to run a Private Equity fund? Now you have the chance to follow along with successful investment managers by participating with Fund Launch Partners. Join me and Lincoln Archibald and next week for the Third Thursday @ Three to hear about direct investment opportunities with General Partnerships in the one of the fastest growing portfolio investment sectors. Pick up a free ticket here: https://lnkd.in/dd2yzxDd #HolyGrailofInvesting #GPOpportunities #FundLaunch #Alternatives

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Great insights from Adam Agius on what to consider when raising debt for a search fund buyout. Most relevant to the UK market, but a worthwhile read for all searchers. There's more debt capital keen to support search acquisitions than ever before, but approaching it naively can be very costly...

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Great idea for investor reporting I heard from a friend and great founder. Below every email you send to your shareholders, include a list of asks. Every time shareholder X helps you with one of the asks, give that person points. In your email reports, share a ranking where you can see all shareholders ranked by their points. It may sound irrelevant, but it seems to motivate shareholders to want to be at the top of the ranking. Thoughts on this? Has anyone tried something similar? #shareholders #fundraising #venturecapital #startup #entrepreneurship

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Thrilled to share the achievement of one of my investments: Atomontage Inc., a revolutionary deep-tech company developing groundbreaking 🤯 Atomontage's Virtual Matter technology that represents a paradigm shift in 3D content streaming and collaboration, allowing for entirely new ways to stream and interact that can be used for example in social gaming experiences as described in the article bellow 🎮 . And guess what? It’s not just for gamers. Atomontage’s technology allows completely different user experiences of everything from architectural walkthroughs to medical simulations or any other applications where real-time 3D interaction is of utmost importance. You can guess the type of classified applications 😀. 👩‍⚕️Their technology is the future for 3D real-time interaction and let's see if my bullish assumption on Atomontage's potential to disrupt the industry will materialize. 🚀 #venturecapital #startupinvestor #deeptech #gaming #3Dcontent https://lnkd.in/ePAFtT7x

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🚀 Seeking early investment for your startup? Don't miss my insightful session last week with Anthony Rose, co-founder and CEO of SeedLegals—the go-to expert for 1/3 of UK startups during their early fundraising. In this session, Anthony shared invaluable insights on: 1. Key elements of an effective pitch to investors. 2. Common early mistakes founders make. 3. Benefits of SEIS/EIS for early-stage founders and investors. 4. And much more! It was truly an epic discussion! 🌟 🔗 Find links in the comments to join Apollo, our startup community for Hyper, or watch the session on YouTube.

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Its's a deal flow time! We are about to share the details of 637 start-ups who joined Rare Founders London's largest #demoday 2 weeks ago with all the investors (only verified ones) in our community. If you are a #founder who is #fundraising and want to get more exposure to investors (IT'S FREE) - submit your details following the link in comments. If you are an #investor interested in pre-seed to series A start-ups join our community (link in comments) to get access access to the monthly deal flow. Please tag #investors and #founders who this might be applicable for.

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