Daniel Saynt

Early stage investors often weight investment criteria heavily on technological innovation, market size, and management teams. Great tech requires a solid management team to thrive. In my opinion, the best management teams hustle and work hard; learn, evolve, and survive; and are honest, upfront, and transparent with their stakeholders. The foregoing describes Cayley Pater and 🌱 Andy Ives at Made Trade. Made Trade is an impact venture that continues to grow and succeed in an unpredictable funding market. If you bet heavily on management teams, Cayley Pater and 🌱 Andy Ives are a bet worth considering. They are also good for a laugh, which, while not an investable quality, makes business interactions fun!

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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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Got a fundraising sea story for you . . . I've known Andrew Bialecki and Ed Hallen, Klaviyo co-founders, for >10 years. They personally helped me back when Klaviyo had ~10 employees. I was running marketing at a turnaround in Boston (Karmaloop--it had gone bankrupt). Klaviyo was a few doors down on Boylston street. Or Newbury. I can't quite remember. Our turnaround marketing team was FRUSTRATED. Karmaloop's email program was on some legacy platform (I won't mention it. . . we shouldn't speak ill of the dead). We couldn't do any of the lifecycle marketing we wanted to do . . . . . . and lifecycle marketing was critical to our turnaround thesis. It was the only way we were going to make it work. So after a particularly frustrating time trying to get a triggered email send to work, I threw up my hands, announced "I'm going next door," walked over to Klaviyo, and knocked on the door. Ed answered. Andrew waved--he was coding. "Hey, can your team help me migrate this beast onto your platform and make it sing? Like, this week?" Andrew and Ed bent over backwards for me and helped me get Karmaloop's 5M emails migrated and humming. It's not a stretch to say the turnaround (and the next ones) could only happen because of Klaviyo. I've stayed in touch with them ever since. They've given Michael Epstein and me advice over the years, been in our corner, and been a part of PostPilot journey. (PostPilot's original thesis was simple: "Klaviyo for direct mail." Now, it feels like the story's come full circle, because Andrew and Ed just invested in PostPilot's Series A. Like so many other things in my career, it all started with a turnaround. 

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Halle Kaplan-Allen and I will be chatting with Ali Hamed tomorrow about sourcing LPs. You can RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/edYZhKrA Ali wrote this excellent tactical piece on networking that is well worth a read for anyone networking their way to capital: https://lnkd.in/eZ_2f_4x This event is presented by Sydecar, a frictionless deal execution platform for venture capitalists. By pioneering a standardized approach to private investing, they enable capital allocators to identify and back entrepreneurs who are changing the world. Their platform reliably handles back-office operations, automating banking, compliance, contracts, tax, and reporting so that customers can focus on making deals and building relationships.

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Cannabis Industry, why are you putting the primary revenue-generating system to a third party? It's baffling. Instead of relying on external platforms prone to frequent breakdowns, consider the immense value of an in-house solution. Let's collaborate to craft a robust system tailored to your specific needs, ensuring seamless operations even on landmark days like 420. Initially, the appeal might have been compliance and connectivity, but that convenience came at a big cost, both in effectiveness and expense. Today, the market offers a myriad of compliant options, including the opportunity to internalize your critical revenue infrastructure with our expertise. Demonstrate the professionalism this industry demands. Let's not settle for amateur-hour solutions. Let's do better. Give us a call, and together, we'll build a solution that empowers your business for the long haul. https://kief.studio/metrc

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As founders of growing brands, many of you understand the struggle of scaling your vision. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Anthony Standifer, Co-Founder and CMO of mSEED group, who's revolutionizing the beauty industry. Anthony and his team specialize in helping small-scale entrepreneurs overcome the daunting barriers of minimum order quantities, enabling them to start small and scale efficiently. In our conversation, Anthony shared insights on how mSEED supports burgeoning businesses, particularly those in the beauty sector, to not just start, but to thrive amidst industry giants. Their unique approach to small-batch production and comprehensive brand support really opens doors for many who thought entering the beauty industry was out of reach. For all the innovators out there hustling to bring your products to market, Anthony’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance and innovation. What challenges have you faced in manufacturing or scaling your products? 🎧📺 Listen or Watch the Full Episode here: https://ecpg.us/4diQW3j #CPG #ecommerce #amazon #podcast #beautyindustry #entrepreneurship #scalingbusiness

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Good chat with Jeff Weinstein about equity options for roll up companies. Is your acquisition project a VC or PE play? What makes a roll up investable? Really valuable insights. Thanks Jeff!

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This is a big deal. A new #investment structure for #startups like this is a big #deal. Helping more #founders connect with more #angelinvestors is a great project that can have beneficial ripple effects of increasing #startup investment worldwide. Thanks to the Angel Capital Association for initiating this work to help #entrepreneurs. Pat Gouhin Ronald Weissman John Harbison Tony Shipley Marcia Dawood Silvia Mah PhD, MBA Eli Velasquez Nicole Washington Damien Delgado TCA Venture Group TCA Venture Group Orange County David Friedman Digvijay (Sunny) Singh, Ph.D. Parisa Khosropour Dave de Csepel Pat Hwang StartupCouncil.org

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The state of venture capital signals early stabilization. Venture equity funding totaled $58.4B in aggregate in Q1 2024, with approximately $2-3B funding Web3 and crypto. Across these 6,238 deals, 70% was invested in the US and Asia. Importantly, in the US, venture capital totaled $34.2B, higher than the past three quarters, but still down from Q1 of 2023 at $46.1B and Q1 of 2022 at $76.0B. More from CB Insights in their broad and deep deal coverage by region.

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It’s one thing to go to events in DTC and e-comm, it’s another to fully take advantage of them. Here are my two main takeaways from the conversations I had at Shoptalk in Vegas: 1) Meeting/chatting in person is key to deepening relationships. I had the opportunity to meet customers, partners, and even Prive team members for the first time in person while at the event. Chatting in person helped us bond and understand each other better, which holds a lot of value. It was also cool to see that even in a very competitive market, people are still genuinely kind and friendly. It might seem from the outside that competitors should dislike each other, but I saw first-hand at ShopTalk that we’re all in this together and can still be kind to one another in the process. 2. Strong partnerships are something more brands are looking for. When talking with brand founders, the one big thing a lot of them mentioned was the desire for a strong partnership with every company they work with. Many people shared that they were left unsupported with tools/tech after buying them — this underscored the value of our approach at Prive. We prioritize a partnership mentality, offering whatever help our customers need post-onboarding. For a lot of brands and industry leaders, the emphasis is on the quality of partnership, not just the product features. Overall, ShopTalk was a blast and it was great getting to chat with every single one of you. If you were there — do you feel a similar way?

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Charles Hudson is hands-down one of the sharpest minds in early-stage investing. As the Founder and Managing Partner at Precursor Ventures, Charles has backed over 375 companies and supported more than 400 founders. → His portfolio includes hits like Clearco, Juniper Square, and Carrot → He's helped founders raise over $175 million across four funds → He's an active leader in the VC community, serving as the 2023-2024 Chair of the NVCA Board of Directors But even with all of his successes and accolades, what really sets Charles apart is his founder-first philosophy. He's not looking for "coachable" founders who hang on his every word. He wants founders who are decisive, independent thinkers. He believes his job is to give founders what they need, not impose his own agenda. Charles is the kind of investor every founder wants in their corner. One who shows up, follows through, and builds genuine relationships over time. And on this week’s episode of Minimum Viable Podcast, he's sharing his insights on what makes for a truly productive founder-investor partnership. Founders, this is a conversation you’ll want to hear. — What's the #1 quality you look for in an investor? Tune in to the full episode when it drops this Wednesday to hear much more from Charles and learn how to make the most of your investor relationships.

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Your brand is not your logo. 🎨 It's your reputation. 🌟 In today's noisy markets, having a compelling brand narrative is just as critical as having an innovative product. It's what sets you apart, earns trust, and drives growth. Warby Parker built a brand around making high-quality eyewear affordable for everyone. By anchoring their story in this authentic purpose, they've created a mission-driven, customer-centric brand. Craft your brand narrative around: 1️⃣ A clear, authentic purpose 2️⃣ A relatable protagonist (your customer) 3️⃣ A transformative journey 4️⃣ Your unique value prop 5️⃣ An inspiring vision for the future Tell a story that turns customers into fans and advocates. Build an asset that appreciates over time, even as your products change. #branding #startups #marketing

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Alternative Resources for founders, geared for startups with generous free tiers: 1) Papermark - Docsend alternative. 2) Tally - Typeform alternative. 3) Cal.com, Inc. - Calendly alternative. 4) Supabase - Firebase Alternative. 5) Sender.net - Mailchimp Alternative. What else are people using and loving in the founders stack?

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🚀DEMO DAY is coming soon! Want to come see what our founders are working on?🎉 Cohort 10 of the What If Fellowship is coming to an end May 17th! We will be showcasing 21 #digitalhealth startups at the earliest stages during demo day! We would love for you to attend. If you'd like to receive an invite, just fill out the typeform below. Who should attend❓ 1) Investors - those looking to invest in healthcare startups 2) Strategic partners / advisors - those who want to advise, help, or partner with digital health startups Demo Day will take place on May 17th at Noon ET remotely via Zoom webinar. We have limited spots, so please sign-up soon if you want to see what our #founders have been working on for the last 2 months! Attendees will see 21 healthcare #startups pitch for 3 minutes each and answer a few investor questions live in front of our audience. This is a great chance to find investment opportunities, and learn more about what the earliest of companies in our space are working on. This is about more than money - some of our founders need advice, advisors, Board members, co-founders and more. So come look for your opportunity to get plugged into the mental health hashtag #startup ecosystem with one of these early stage companies. One thing to point out - we highly encourage investors to attend, and pursue investing directly in these companies. We will NOT stand in the way nor require anyone to invest through What If Ventures to get access to any of these companies. So, please don't feel like we're trying to recruit you to give us money! Sign-up to attend demo day: https://lnkd.in/gEFt5YrY

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The sports venture ecosystem is booming! New startups, huge growth verticals and emerging leagues. Knowing how to navigate it all takes a tremendous amount of first had experience and industry knowledge. Why it's important is because founder and investors want to know where to look for deals, capital availability and outsized returns. We have really carved out a unique swim lane at Champion Venture Partners. -We don't do startups. We invest in growth stage companies, post product market fit and ready to scale. -If you can't have some control in the outcome then you are just gambling. This is exactly why (just like other huge firms deploy KPMG or similar) we deploy a Sports Mgmt Co, lead by Kyle Auffray, to jump into the fray and add value, -We bring on the best talent in the industry that these companies couldn't normally afford. -We let retail investors play right alongside the big hitters in sports deals they only dream they could play in -Liquidity points that are unheard of in this space and a secondaries trading platform We know how to navigate it all and do a damn good job being experts in our industry. So if you are a growth stage founder, jump in here: https://lnkd.in/gQ-3DhQ9 If you are an investor want to know where to look, just reach out!

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A lot of investors have been asking me what the major industries are in the Venture Miami Built in Miami Startup Program. Here's the industry breakdown across 214 new South Florida startups. TLDR: The South Florida startups are pretty diverse across industries. Here's the largest categories in order: - 16.2% AI & Machine Learning - 14.2% EdTech - 12.2% Healthcare - 8.5% Marketing & Sales Tech - 8.1% FinTech - 7.4% Sustainability - 6.1% Travel & Hospitality - 6.1% E-Commerce The smallest category: Cybersecurity at 1.2% There's an additional 50 startups that didn't complete the survey in time but we'll get that info updated by Demo Day June 20th. #BuiltinMiami

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🚀 AlleyCorp Closes $250M Fund to Fuel Tech Innovation in NYC and Beyond🗽 🌟 Founded by NYC internet entrepreneur Kevin Ryan, AlleyCorp incubates and invests in transformative companies across diverse verticals including Diversified Technology, Healthcare, Robotics, and Impact. 💡💰 🤝 The fund, backed by a select group of LPs, supports AlleyCorp's mission to originate ideas, hire teams, provide initial funding, and maintain integral leadership throughout the company’s lifecycle. 🌱🔍 💼 With about 20–30 new investments and 5–8 incubations per year, AlleyCorp has a track record of nurturing early-stage tech pioneers. 📈🌐 🦄 Notable investments include MongoDB (NASDAQ: MDB), Business Insider, Gilt Groupe, Zola, and Nomad Health, shaping the landscape of tech innovation in NYC. 🌆🌟 🔬 AlleyCorp also announces the incubation of Radical AI, pioneering AI-driven materials design, and Conduce Health, revolutionizing access to personalized healthcare specialists. 💻🏥 ✅ Looking to raise capital for your #fund and increase the international pool of your LP #investors?   🤝 Need warm #LP introductions?   📝 Selling #secondaries to increase liquidity?   🧐 Looking for co-investments?   ▶ G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks: https://lnkd.in/gjC_EuTE #VentureCapital #TechInnovation #NYCTech #StartupInvestment #Incubation #AlleyCorp #ImpactInvesting #HealthTech #AI #Robotics #DiversifiedTechnology #InvestmentStrategy

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His career started when someone said to him, “well, have you thought about venture capital? We don’t think that you’d be any good at it.” The rest is history. Today’s Alt Goes Mainstream episode features one of the legends of the venture capital industry. Peter Barris joined New Enterprise Associates (NEA) in 1992 after a storied operating career as President and COO at Legent Corporation and an executive at GE Information Services. He served as Managing General Partner and Chairman of NEA from 1999 to March 2024. Under Peter's leadership, NEA saw tremendous success, growing into one of the world's largest venture capital firms and raising the largest-ever venture capital fund a number of times. Today, NEA's AUM stands over $25B. Peter was responsible for investing in a number of foundational and industry-transforming technology companies, including Salesforce, UUNET, Groupon, WebMD, Workday, CareerBuilder, Tempus AI, and more. We had a fascinating discussion about the early days of venture capital and how the industry has evolved. We covered: * The inside story of how almost every other Partner said no but Peter's investment turned out to be a 75x return. * What's the “best characteristic and the death characteristic” of an entrepreneur? * In today's hypercompetitive market do VCs have enough time to make good decisions? * Why the world of venture capital is about influence. * What does it mean to earn an entrepreneur’s trust as a VC? * Why VCs with operating backgrounds can bring unique value to startups. * How NEA came up with the term "Venture Growth Equity." * How can a VC tell that a founder is good at experimentation and that they have the good judgment? * Why specialization and domain expertise are prerequisites in today’s venture industry. Thanks to Ultimus Fund Solutions for sponsoring this episode of the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast. Thanks Peter for coming on the show. It was an honor and a pleasure to hear your views on the evolution of an industry and for you to share your wisdom and experiences. https://lnkd.in/eEJGEFWe

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Lotan Levkowitz of Grove Ventures is a rising star in the VC landscape! He is super intelligent, kind, and very articulate with his words. I really enjoyed talking to him about Deep tech investing, Grove Ventures, and the US elections, among other shenanigans and rhymes. Check out the interview and subscribe to the channel! It is a command, I mean, a request, I mean, do what you bloody want. https://lnkd.in/d6gjSvdQ

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