Caleb Mayer

I recently sat down with Michael Batko, CEO at Startmate and Founder of Puddle Pod for Episode 11 of Insane Ambition. Startmate has invested in 230+ startups, much of it under Michael's leadership, and now has $3.5b in value across its portfolio companies. In this episode, we discussed: - Michael's journey from consulting, then living in the Amazon rainforest, to leading Australia's biggest startup accelerator - The future of Australia's startup ecosystem - The labour government's very stupid plan to make it harder for people to qualify as sophisticated investors (now thankfully shelved) - Startmate City! Startmate's plan to build Australia's first startup city. Probably the most ambitious idea I've ever heard from a startup accelerator. - The balance between visionary thinking and traditional startup advice (think Elon Musk's plan to colonise Mars, vs Y Combinator's problem/customer obsession) - "The Courage to Be Disliked", and its influence on Michael's approach to life and business. Links in the description below 👇

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Startup founders, you don't have to do it alone! Apply now to join the Techstars Boston Accelerator and gain access to our extensive network! We are looking to select 12 high-growth startups to participate in our 13-week Techstars Boston accelerator program kicking off in September -- apply now or tag a founder below who you think might be a good fit!  https://lnkd.in/gbi3hAGi #startups #founders #entrepreneurs #boston 

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Couple of weeks ago had the pleasure of sharing my story to Alexander Benkendorf about starting CastPrint and later moving on to join Verge HealthTech Fund and the learning along the way. Some topics we discussed: 💡What does it take to bring innvation in healthcare 💡How did my startup background help me better prepare for VC work 💡How founders can better engage with VCs and what are the tips and tricks from the "other side" Thanks Alexander for having me!

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Health x Climate: I have spent a lot of time thinking about the intersection of climate and health, so I appreciated the City Futures: HealthTech and ClimateTech Intersections panel discussion during NY Tech Week, with Ben Furnas, Sara Holoubek, and Joel Cesare as panelists. They highlighted the work happening in NYC; even though subway use helps our GHG emissions, there is still opportunity to prepare the city and electrify our buildings for the changes to come. Some key takeaways 🔄 Health + Climate: The effects of climate change impact our health and our health decisions impact climate change. We often think about climate and health in silos but they are very connected.  🔥 Heat waves: Hotter temperatures are the biggest risk to health from climate change, so we must prepare now. I learned about NYC's AC giveaway to support vulnerable communities.  🤓 New ideas: There is much opportunity to engage in mental cross training and leverage learnings from analogous spaces and industries at this intersection. What do you think about the intersection of health and climate? A big thanks to Climate Health Innovation & Learning Lab, Women in Healthtech and Fenwick for hosting this event and showcasing how government, innovators, and investors can work together to address these challenges. Thanks Oriana Fuentes and Chethan Sarabu, MD, FAMIA, FAAP for your thoughtful curation too! #climate #healthtech #innovation #NYtechweek

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How does the American Cancer Society innovate & scale the mission, by launching its own VC fund & accelerator. Tomorrow on #AustinNext, I chat with Alice Lin Pomponio, who is leading these efforts. Venture & a non-profit are an unconventional combo, but could lead to fascinating results. #VentureCapital #Cancer #Innovation #AmericanCancerSociety #AustinNext

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As I said right at the start of this week's The Heart of Healthcare Podcast, Shivdev Rao is one of the most exceptional founders I have ever worked with. He is also a great human being. In this week's episode he shares what is it like leading the 🚀 that is Abridge and some awesome life lessons. IMHO this is a great listen for founders building in both the AI and healthcare fields!

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On this week's Andreessen Horowitz Raising Health podcast, Vijay Pande, PhD and I interviewed Tom Hale, CEO of ŌURA. Our conversation spans lots of fun topics, including: -- Our love for our Oura rings, despite them being literal “buzz kills” in revealing the ruinous effect of alcohol on sleep  -- How the worlds of consumer and healthcare are merging, as consumers essentially now have access to clinical-grade wearable devices  -- How AI algorithms are deployed in wearable devices & what wearables might look like 20 years from now (implanted into our bodies and clothes)  -- How the sexiest people sleep in earplugs and eye masks Check it out! https://lnkd.in/eTAsX_sY

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Exciting news from Monica Chopra, Jeffrey De Flavio, MD, Samantha Adelberg, and the rest of the Auxa Health team as they officially announce their $5.2M Seed round. The team's deep industry expertise and drive for change have led them to solve critical infrastructural friction to providing quality healthcare and adoption of value-based care. Auxa's AI benefit navigation platform is simplifying the complexities of healthcare by streamlining all of the fragmented and siloed data and information to make it actionable in real-time for healthcare organizations. For the 70% of Americans who aren't getting access to the health and social care benefits they deserve, Auxa's solution will be pivotal in enabling equitable care. We're thrilled to partner with co-investors Zeal Capital Partners, AlleyCorp, Laconia, and Chaac Ventures on this journey and look to share many more milestones ahead. Cc K50 Ventures, Ryan Bloomer, Daniel Vásquez, Nick Talwar, Stefanie Ng https://lnkd.in/dPDY7-Db

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I recently chatted with Rachel Mackey and the Strut Consulting team about ways venture teams can leverage events when engaging founders and LPs. A few highlights: 1. Understand what you're trying to accomplish 🎯 Not everything needs to be accomplished with an event. What are your goals? Who are your stakeholders? Is there another format we could use to accomplish this? 🎯 Tailoring the format (e.g., intimate dinners, virtual events, panels, summits, demo nights) to your objectives (e.g., deal flow, access to LPs, network expansion) will help maximize success. 2. Constraints breed creativity 💰 If you have a small budget, get creative! Try and spend the money on facets that your team finds most valuable (ex. food + music) and avoid extra costs around speaker fees, entertainment, and floral. 3. ROI can vary event to event 🏆 What deems a demo night successful might not be the same for a dinner. Think about sharing both quantitative and qualitative data with your team to provide a full picture of what was achieved. 🏆 Some components could be sponsorship dollars, brand recognition, attendance, PR and media coverage as well as participant experience (NPS). Thanks for having me, Kristen Ostro! https://lnkd.in/eHiw2gib

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Venture fundraising has been tough recently, even for firms with strong track records. Foresite Capital, despite 47 IPOs, 28 M&As, and 58 FDA-approved drugs, took two years to raise its sixth fund. 💸 Foresite’s sixth fund closed at $900 million, nearly matching its previous $969 million fund. They bridged the gap by bringing in new LPs, including family offices from Asia and the Middle East. 🌏 The firm is already investing from this fund, backing innovative companies like AI drug discovery startup Xaira Therapeutics and biotech company Latigo Biotherapeutics, Inc. 🧬🤖 How do you think the integration of AI and genomics will shape the future of healthcare investments? 💡 #VentureCapital #Fundraising #HealthcareInnovation #AI #Genomics #Biotech #Investment #MedTech #Startups #LifeSciences

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Abby Levy talks about venture's role in US healthcare and what we can expect to see as technology impacts the space on TFR. Check out the rest of the conversation with Abby & Alan Patricof of Primetime Partners on Episode 433.

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I’ve aggregated a list of 50+ VC roles in one spreadsheet. It’s updated weekly and can be filtered by location, position, firm, etc. Check out the latest list here (as of June 24th) 👇 https://lnkd.in/dRC3XtjS Tag someone who needs this in the comments 💭 — Want a quick snapshot? Here are a few of my favorite postings: Associate, M12, Microsoft's Venture Fund Link: https://lnkd.in/eNFaaSBy Associate & Principal, Wischoff Ventures Link: https://lnkd.in/gu6Mun7p Consumer Investor, Stripes Link: https://lnkd.in/eZdRk6jV Venture Lead, Struck Studio Link: https://lnkd.in/exGcNHJ5 New Ventures Associate, Live Nation Entertainment Link: https://lnkd.in/e3mBYGCt — I’m creating more tools, guides, and other free resources for Junior VCs to (1) 2x their network and (2) carve their path to partner. If you found this helpful, check out the Venture House website for more 👇 https://venturehouse.xyz/ #venturecapital #startup #recruiting #hiring

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🗽🌳 Exciting News for NYC Tech Community! 🚀 Join us for an invigorating Venture Walk & Talk, proudly part of NY Tech Week! Scheduled for June 4th from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the scenic Maine Monument in Central Park, this unique event is hosted by Founders Committee Ventures. 🌟 Why Join Us? Imagine a relaxed stroll through the beautiful pathways of Central Park, where you can disconnect from the digital world and engage with NYC’s finest founders, angel investors, and venture capitalists. This is more than just a walk; it’s an opportunity to forge meaningful connections, share innovative ideas, and enjoy the great outdoors—all within the heart of Manhattan. ✨ Event Highlights: - Network with industry leaders and peers - Brainstorm new ideas in a refreshing setting - Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Central Park Whether you’re looking to collaborate on new projects, explore potential investments, or simply enjoy a break from the office routine, the Venture Walk & Talk is the perfect occasion. 👉 Registration is open but spots are limited and approval is required. Don’t miss out on this chance to be part of something special during #TechWeek. Lace up your walking shoes, grab a coffee, and let’s make strides together in the tech ecosystem! 🔗 https://lu.ma/wj9o67iy See you there for a breath of fresh innovation! #NYTechWeek #TechNetworking #StartupLife #VentureCapital

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How do different groups think about deploying capital, and what outcomes does it produce? Justin Stevens gave a talk at Drexel the other day highlighting the differences between VCs and Wall Street, how it results in them tackling very different pieces of the puzzle, and what it means for capital-intensive fields like climate tech. This article highlights some of the same challenges. Taking a step back can sometimes reveal why gaps appear in the system. https://lnkd.in/d_mAhVZG

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🧬 This week's Austin Bio & Health Roundup features nearly $200M in funding & new capital, M&A, more infrastructure coming, & hopefully an opening of the Texas Bio & Health IPO window🧬 💰 Funding Function Health has closed its Series A, securing $53M in total funding. Function’s platform offers 100+ tests for $499 per year, focusing on prevention and empowerment. The round was led by a16z Bio + Health and includes several celebrity investors. Congrats to Mark Hyman, MD, Pranitha Patil, Jonathan Swerdlin, Mike Nemke, Seth Weisfeld, and Dan Swerdlin. Sensi.AI raised a $31M Series B led by Insight Partners and Zeev Ventures to enhance its 24/7 monitoring technology for seniors and home care. Way to go Romi Gubes and the entire team! Ironspring Ventures raised $100M for their second fund, focusing on “manufacturing, construction, transportation, and energy.” Exciting times for Ty Findley, Adam Bridgman, Peter J. Holt, and the expanding Ironspring team! Now, why include this in a Bio & Health newsletter? I believe there will be a value migration from drugs, devices, and diagnostics to the bio innovation tech stack itself. One key area of that stack is biomanufacturing. As new modalities like cell and gene therapy rise, the challenge of scaling these therapies presents a significant opportunity for innovation. While as far as I know Ironspring hasn't invested in this subsector yet, I look forward to seeing what they do with Fund 2. 🤝 M&A and Partnerships Significo, a software development that builds healthcare apps and solutions, acquired Bunch, an AI leadership coach app. Congrats to Rick McCartney and team! 🚀Launches, Expansions, and Milestones BrainCheck, a cognitive assessment software platform, announced their adoption by the Physicians Hearing Network (PHN), bringing insights to 270 members across 12 states.  Keep up the momentum Kim Rodriguez and team! 🏗️ Infrastructure Texas State University is partnering with Concept Companies to build a life sciences incubator at their round rock campus. The incubator will have labs, offices, admin support, and collaboration spaces. The teams hope to complete construction by the end of 2025. DES Architects + Engineers opened a new office in Austin, aiming to bring their expertise to the city’s burgeoning life science market. Welcome Kevin D. Norman, Tracy Wong, and the rest of the DES team! 🚩 Texas Bio Triangle Fort Worth-based biopharma company Actuate Therapeutics, Inc. is preparing for an IPO, targeting a raise of about $50M. What’s Next? #AustinNext #LifeSciences #Healthcare #Biotechnology

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🧬 This week's Austin Bio + Health Roundup has acquisitions, funding, leader’s insights on national healthcare news, critical new infrastructure, and developments from across the Texas Bio Triangle. 🧬 🤝 M&A and Partnerships Subjectwell, a patient access marketplace connecting patients to clinical trials and treatments, was acquired by Windrose Health Investors.  This acquisition will also provide Subjectwell with additional capital for its next growth phase. 💰 Funding Thoughtful Automation, an AI company specializing in revenue-cycle management tools for healthcare providers, has announced its move to Austin and has secured $12.5M in funding. Congrats and welcome to Central Texas! 💡 Insights from Local Builders and Innovators Michelle Davey, Founder and CEO of Wheel, provided her commentary to FierceHealthcare on the recent exits from the virtual care market by major players Walmart and Optum. Michelle said, “It's not just about being big—it's about the platform that drives the care delivery itself - and how it's purpose-built to scale to mass adoption and repeat utilization." 🏗️ Infrastructure Dell Med is launching a Center for Rare Diseases, focusing on cutting-edge research and therapies. This initiative will support advances in diagnostics and boost awareness, providing critical assistance for patients and families dealing with rare conditions. 🚀 Launches, Expansions, and Milestones The co-founder of artist collaborative Meow Wolf is leaving to launch a new $15M wellness and spa experience in Austin. They are branding it as the “world’s first neuroscience-enabled spa,” bringing a new element to the Austin’s strength at the convergence of bio, health, and tech. 🚩 Texas Bio Triangle First Bight Ventures’ industrial biology accelerator, BioWell, is now seeking its first cohort of 10 companies, with applications due by May 15. The STRONG STAR Consortium has secured $17 million in DoD funding to address brain injuries, PTSD, and related conditions, which will launch 8 programs spanning detection, prevention, and treatment. As always, the news is as varied and dynamic as our region, let’s keep it up! What’s Next? #AustinNext #LifeSciences #Healthcare #Biotechnology

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We are thrilled to announce that our upcoming TECH WEEK by a16z event is going to be bigger than ever before! We’ve partnered with amazing women-led brands like The Fourth Effect with Breen Sullivan and Katrin de Haën , zant, and 2FIT BRANDS to bring you an unforgettable experience. Furthermore, we're adding two sessions on advancements in #AI and women's health to foster insightful discussions and exchange ideas. Join us for an evening of networking and deep dives into #GenAI during #NYTechWeek, personalized women’s health empowerment, and investment opportunities. We're excited to offer you the opportunity to join two exclusive sessions led by Marina Vieva, an active participant in the Bay Area community and leader in women's health. These sessions are packed with insider information, innovative solutions, and engaging discussions with industry leaders. Don’t miss out—spaces are limited to ensure interactive conversations! Session 1: GenAI Trends, Silicon Valley Vision, Concerns, and Opportunities Get insider access to the latest GenAI trends, visions from Silicon Valley, and the concerns and opportunities shaping the future. Marina Vieva will share her unique insights, and you'll have the chance to engage in a lively discussion with industry players. Session 2: Women's Health Perspective on GenAI and Future Advancements Discover how GenAI can revolutionize women's health. Marina Vieva will present innovative solutions and a forward-looking vision for the future of women's health. Participate in stimulating discussions and connect with market leaders. Sign Up Now! https://lu.ma/6esiktxd Future of AI: New horizons in Digital Health. Discussion, brainstorming, networking. NY #TechWeek · Luma #GenerativeAI #LeadershipInAI #WomenInTech #AIInnovation #FutureOfAI #TechSummit #NYTechWeek #AILeadership #AIConference #AI2024 #WomenInLeadership #AIRevolution #AICommunity #InspireAI #TechTalks #MarinaVieva #FemiSpace #AIEvent #AIInsights #TheForthEffect #Zant #2FITBRANDS

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Another large funding round in the virtual behavioral health space. It's interesting to note Talkiatry's focus on a physician-centric care model with W-2 providers, as opposed to most of the other players who are delivering care with 1099 mid-level therapists. However, it's still not clear to me how they are measuring care quality and outcomes, which is the foundation of true value-based care.

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Personal share - I got to go to Sonoma for the first time this week! Just got back from the inaugural Recast Capital Summit led by co-founders Sara Zulkosky and Courtney Russell McCrea. (Thank you Aurelia Flores VIPC | Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation for making this possible.) Met thoughtful #LPs looking for fresh strategies, and enjoyed time with the emerging generation of alpha-generators, like my Kauffman Fellows Class 23 friends Noramay Cadena, Jenny Fielding, Gale Wilkinson, and Jason Torres--and Recast cohort friends Shalanda Armstrong and Lister Delgado. While catching up with VC friends is inspiring, and having off-the-record conversations is helpful in the futurescape of #VC reality, the one thing I want to celebrate here is 🌹Sara. 🌹 Sara Zulkosky and I met in the Kauffman Fellows program. We were in the same class. I was learning to raise my first institutional fund--and she was with Greenspring just before they were snapped up by StepStone Group. She listened so deeply and advised so gently . . . I will never forget her passion for the alpha only available in emerging managers--and her empathy for the path of breaking into venture. When I cried, basically she cried too. Her wise words were ones I held on to tightly as I went through that first raise. It seems like yesterday. But just a few years later--today--I'm making investments out of my ✨ ⭐ 2nd⭐ ✨institutional fund at Valor VC. And Sara founded a platform with Courtney for top emerging managers and the LPs who seek them to change the game, not just the score. It's working. As a fundpreneur, each day can be a bit of a climb, but some days, you look back on the mountain range you've scaled and the view is breathtaking. That's the vibe I'm going into the weekend with. There's a whole continental divide of experience informing Recast Capital's approach to apha. Worth a follow if you invest in fund managers!

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