George Khalife

🎙⚡️ Excited to share Episode 48, our latest podcast with Kareem Saleh, Founder and CEO of FairPlay AI, the world's first Fairness-as-a-Service company backed by leading venture investors Nyca Partners, Fin Capital, TTV Capital. Financial institutions use FairPlay AI’s APIs to embed fairness considerations into their marketing, underwriting, pricing, and collections algorithms as well as to automate their fair lending compliance. 🎧 Listen to the entire episode here: https://lnkd.in/diAJsUk4 🎙⚡️In this insightful conversation, we discuss the challenges and triumphs of building a technology-driven solution to one of today's most pressing issues in financial services. Tune in as we cover Kareem’s journey from growing up in the vibrant and diverse city of Chicago, to helping negotiate the Paris Climate Agreement serving in the Obama Administration, and before diving into AI and machine learning. 🎙⚡️Kareem's story is a compelling blend of personal experience and professional achievement. Background and Early Influences Raised in Chicago by North African immigrant parents, Kareem was deeply influenced by the city's academic and political environment. His early exposure to international events and technology sparked his interest in economic development and civil rights. Early Career and Ventures Kareem's initial foray into technology included working on an AI startup aimed at preemptive search queries. This experience, combined with his work at the U.S. State Department on the Paris Climate Agreement, solidified his belief in AI's potential to drive social change. Commitment to Fair Lending Witnessing his mother's challenges in securing a loan as an immigrant inspired Kareem to address financial disparities. He discovered that many lending models were biased against minorities and women, which motivated him to seek fairer credit underwriting solutions. Founding Fairplay AI Kareem co-founded FairPlay AI to eliminate biases in credit underwriting using advanced algorithmic fairness techniques. A notable success included helping a major mortgage originator increase approval rates for applicants without increasing risk. Vision and Team Building Kareem stresses the importance of a diverse and high-performing team, hiring for potential and fostering trust. His vision for FairPlay AI is to create inclusive financial systems, ensuring fair credit decisions and promoting social progress. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! 🙏🏼🎧💡

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A new flood of fresh funds is reshaping the venture capital landscape! 🚀 Recent highlights include TVM Capital Healthcare’s $250M Afiyah Fund LP, SVC's $30M investment into General Atlantic’s private equity fund, Golden Gate Ventures' $100M MENA-focused fund launch, and Investcorp's $570M fund closure. These announcements signal a broader trend of escalating financial commitments within the industry. MEA funds are heating up! 🌡️ Our data reveals a 74% YoY increase in the number of MEA-based funds being financed as of May 20th, 2024. Since Q4’23, there has been a notable surge in regional funds securing capital, with international investors also establishing localized funds. Stay informed with the latest trends in VC activity: https://lnkd.in/dP6ZkmCd By MAGNiTT Repost by : Salem Bagami Chief Executive Officer Digital Transformation Company & Managing Director 2080 Ventures Email: salem@2080.ventures Website: www.2080.ventures #VC #Funds #Investing

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$10m Fund I announcement! Steel Atlas covered in the The Wall Street Journal for an exclusive on our fund strategy. Thank you, Yuliya Chernova. At Steel Atlas, Cameron Porter and I seek concentrated investments in early industrial technologies that enable economic resilience across the value stack. Post-investment, Steel Atlas partners with portfolio companies to accelerate commercialization via partnerships with industrial groups in Saudi Arabia. There are two driving forces that have led to more volatility across core sectors of our economy – global interconnectivity and fragility induced by an extended era of low interest rate environments. Our investments in new industrials (software & hardware) directly mitigate or provide the capacity to respond to these emergent volatilities. We expect this to lead to outperformance. If you want to dive deeper on the thesis, feel free to check out our website (www.steelatlas.vc). They include: —  Venture Opportunities in Critical Mineral Volatility ⛏ → analysis of vanadium market supply concentration and technology target. — Building Resilience in a Multipolar World 🔋  → geopolitical tailwinds for our thesis through the lens of the battery supply chain. — A Tale of Two Countries & The New Nuclear Future ⚡ → looking at the over deployment of renewables in Germany as case study for the adoption of nuclear broadly. Can't forget our amazing LPs for making this a possibility. To name a few: Antoine Souma from Galliott Capital Advisors, Christian Angermayer from Apeiron Investment Group, Mazen Altamimi, and the team at UNTITLED. Special thanks to Michael Oakes! https://lnkd.in/dKU9w4Xz

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Here we go! The Extra Innings Ventures team, including Jacqueline Dinsmore, Mohamed (Mo) Al-Borno, and I, will be attending Collision this week! We're looking forward to connecting with fellow founders, investors, and innovators. If you're attending, let's connect! Reach out to us via LinkedIn, and let's schedule a meeting. Whether it's this week or in the coming weeks, we'd love to chat about your projects and explore potential. Looking forward to a great conference and meaningful connections! #Collision #Startups #Investors #Innovation"

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Summary: The article discusses the current challenges faced by VC firms in attracting new capital, but highlights how established firms like Kleiner Perkins are still able to raise large funds. It also touches on the potential impact of AI on investment strategies. Key takeaways: Many VC firms are struggling to secure new capital in a tepid IPO environment. Established, brand-name firms like Kleiner Perkins are still able to raise significant funds. AI is emerging as a potential game-changer in the investment landscape. Counter arguments: It may be premature to attribute Kleiner Perkins' fundraising success solely to AI; other factors could also be at play. The article may overlook smaller VC firms that are also finding success in fundraising. #venturecapital #vc #venture #startups #artificialintelligence

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Coming soon on Aug 1: "Transformation to a Fresh Tomorrow." This is theme of our 3rd Annual Web3 Investor Day, as we welcome the innovators and investors convening in Chicago for these discussions around the next generation Internet. Our theme reflects the optimism, determination and commitment investors and innovators have solidified off the depths of the bear markets to drive success in the bull markets. Broader investor optimism suggests that fresh institutional funds into Web3 across both tokens and equity may endure.  Across adoption metrics, customer interest and developer activity, Web3 seems to have normalized. It’s refreshing to see the transformation and next evolution of Web3 and it’s refreshing to meet many of you on August 1.  And yet, even with the improved optimism from last year, there still remain open questions in the development and adoption of our next generation Internet:  1. the balance of speculative versus productive investor capital in this current cycle 2. the productive role of liquid trading capital in fostering Web3 innovation 3. the attractiveness of venture investments in follow on financings 4. the role of policy and regulation that may enhance innovation 5. the continued developer activity to improve the underlying infrastructure 6. other Web3 recovery characteristics in target customer use cases. We remain committed to navigating regulatory shifts, fostering investor optimism, and building the customer use cases for Web3.  Physical spaces enhance our innovation conversations.  In person relationships foster our collaboration.  Relationships drive breakthrough innovations.  Reach out to Rizza Torres at Decasonic if you would like to join us! #web3investorday #web3 #venturecapital

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Sonoma, Ca - Women in CVC Summit! 65 women in CVC gathered together for real, honest conversations about the challenges and complexities in CVC investing versus traditional venture capital. CVCs face challenges such as aligning the interests and expectations of the corporation and the startup, managing the relationship and communication between the two parties, and balancing the trade-offs between strategic and financial returns. But what's truly inspiring is the impact women are having in this space! Female-founded companies exit faster but make up a smaller share of total exit activity. CVCs participated in 17.5% of all female-founder deals in 2023, while more CVC firms have majority female checkwriter representation. Furthermore, female founders closed a record of 22.8% of total VC funds in 2023. We are thrilled to support this vibrant community of women alongside our friends and partners, Counterpart Ventures. Tanvi Narain and Abbie Wolf, congrats on curating such an impactful event. Special thanks to Annemarie Donegan from PitchBook for the data and research she shared with the group. The phenomenal lineup of speakers from corporate and traditional venture capital funds included: ​Amy Daniels Burr, President, JetBlue Ventures Danielle D'Agostaro, Partner, WVV Capital Vivien Ho, Partner, Pear VC Betty Lee (Lee) Bryant, Principal, Woven Capital, Toyota's Growth Fund Savannah Greene, Principal, Workday Ventures Heather Reginelli, Ventures Manager, State Farm Ventures Marie-Christine Razaire, Principal, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures Beth Devin, Scout, Investor & Advisor, HearstLab Priya Saiprasad, Co-Founder and General Partner, Touring Capital Agustina Sartori, Founding Managing Director, Prisma Ventures #WomeninBuisness #VentureCapital #CVC #CorporateVentureCapital #WomeninLeadership TriNet Abbie Wolf Tanvi Narain Patrick Eggen David Haraburda Kim Thomas Matt Mahoney Samantha Santaniello-Lawrence

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Summary: The article discusses the current venture firm fundraising market and the success of emerging VC firm A* in raising $315 million for its oversubscribed Fund II. It highlights the firm's focus on early-stage investments and its experienced founding partners. Key takeaways: Venture firms raised $9.3 billion in Q1 and it is unlikely that 2023's record-breaking total of $81.8 billion will be surpassed. A* has been successful in fundraising due to its focus on seed rounds and backing breakout companies in its portfolio. The firm's founding partners have a strong track record and diverse experience in different industries. Counter arguments: The article mentions that emerging managers are feeling the frost in the fundraising market, suggesting that not all emerging VCs may be as successful as A*. While A* has found success in raising institutional investors for Fund II, this may not be the case for all emerging VCs. #venturecapital #vc #fundraising #startups #innovation

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Serial Claremont entrepreneur and VC Shahram Seyedin-Noor shares the lessons he's learned from years of founding, operating, exiting, and investing in startups and founders. It’s a Claremont world out there. 👇

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The venture capital and M&A landscape is showing promising signs of resurgence. With valuations adjusting favorably and the IPO market reopening, opportunities for strategic acquisitions abound. While the first quarter saw a modest increase in deal activity, there's a palpable sense of anticipation for what lies ahead. Cash-flush buyers, buoyed by robust balance sheets, are poised to drive the next wave of innovation, particularly in AI and related fields. Regulatory hurdles persist, but optimism remains high as companies explore both IPOs and strategic acquisitions.The stage is set for a dynamic period of deal-making and portfolio expansion. Here's to a promising journey ahead! Read More Here: https://bit.ly/3yqhWh2 #VentureCapital #MnA #Innovation #BusinessGrowth #hospitality Branded Hospitality Ventures Crunchbase News Today Daley Ervin Jason A. Vita Shane Larisey, PE Diane Yoo Josh Barer

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🚀 Exciting news! I teamed up with Jamie Lane of FWDstart to launch the "VC React Podcast"! 🎙️ Each week, we bring you dynamic insights and reactions from three different VCs, diving into the latest news on MENA startups, VCs, and investment rounds. A huge thanks to Khaled Talhouni, Sara Ebeid, and Waleed A. Alballaa for an incredible first episode! 🌟 I hope you all enjoy the conversation as much as we did. Tune in and join the excitement! 📈✨ We talked about: - Rasan Going Public Summary: Saudi Arabia-based insurtech Rasan has announced its IPO, becoming the first insurtech company in the region to go public. The move aims to capitalize on the growing demand for digital insurance solutions and expand its market reach. - Connect Money Raising $8 Million Seed Round Summary: Egypt-based fintech Connect Money secured $8 million in a seed round led by Disruptech Ventures and Algebra Ventures. The funding will support the launch of five new business verticals in North Africa. Connect Money offers a white-label card issuing platform for businesses to provide debit and credit cards without developing fintech infrastructure or regulatory licensing. - SMPL Holdings Launching A $10 Million Fund Summary: SMPL Holdings has launched a $10 million fund to support tech and AI startups across the MENA region. The fund aims to foster innovation and accelerate the growth of emerging technology companies in the area. Please let me know if you have any comments or suggestions to enhance the format or content. https://lnkd.in/gqydVXMF

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Becoming an Accredited Investor unlocks access to diverse investment opportunities like private placements, hedge funds, and venture capital. Yet, with this privilege comes added risk due to reduced regulatory oversight. Accredited Investors must conduct thorough due diligence to safeguard their financial interests and pursue wealth creation responsibly. 📈💼 #nexphaseventurespartners #creinvesting #creinvestor #passiveincome #realestateinvestment #incomeproperty #investingtips #realestatemarket #commercialrealestate

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Over the past few decades, the region has witnessed a remarkable transformation in its investment ecosystem, driven by a combination of factors, including economic diversification efforts, technological advancements, and shifting investor preferences. For this year’s list, we highlight 30 asset managers who manage assets on a fiduciary basis. The list includes leaders of both independent asset management firms as well as the investment arms of financial institutions. 16 of the top asset managers on this year’s list are from subsidiaries of banks, and 14 of them head independent asset management firms. #investment #Fundrasing #Fundmangers #alternativeinvestmets #Fundmangers #Middleast

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Why do we need a cross-border innovation fund for the Middle East now? I'll be in Abu Dhabi this week with Ryan Hyuckchan Kwon. This week we're here with a Korean deeptech startup, Autonomous a2z, attending Bayanat's DRIFTx Abu Dhabi event. I'm hoping this could be the first of JV company building efforts by Bigbang Angels, Inc. Bigbang Angels, Inc. has already received 350 applications from Korean deep tech companies for this year's program. It will select 15 of them within a month, and will help them prepare for pilot projects with large global companies. At least three to five of the 15 companies will be looking to expand into the Middle East and will be in talks with Burjeel Hospital, SEE Institute and others. If they start to create a JV or MENA regional company, they will need a fund that invests in local companies. Therefore, Bigbang Angels is preparing a similar approach to Joy Capital as seen in the article. Deep tech startups from China, South Korea, and Japan are increasingly looking to expand into the Middle East. This is not just because the Middle East is known and has large sovereign wealth funds. It's because the market is growing. The GCC and even Egypt are investing in new cities, tourist destinations, and manufacturing, which are the foundation of their economies. In particular, they are investing in sustainable infrastructure with a more advanced mindset than Korea. This is an opportunity for startups that are facing fierce competition in CJK, which is mired in low growth, and it is an opportunity for investors to invest in these companies. We have started discussions with LPs in Korea, Japan, and China, and interested LPs can contact us at https://lnkd.in/gSEh9xVi. https://lnkd.in/gQj-YEWX

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Join us August 1 for our 3rd Annual Web3 Investor Day. We once again bring over 200+ asset allocators, venture capitalists, and web3 innovators to assess the transitions today driving the changes tomorrow. Thank you for our partners in joining us this year - a curated group of industry leaders building adoption of blockchain innovations. Brian Walls and Keith Johnson of Bridge Alternatives have the energy and passion to bring together capital providers and technologists to accelerate innovation. Dean Marks and Keating Crown of Sterling Bay design and build the physical spaces such that innovation ideas flourish, across teams and borders. Bob Harazin of Grayscale Investments is leading the forefront of publicly traded products that enable investors access to digital assets. Jan-Dirk Lueders and Sam Hallene of CMT Digital are top investors in blockchain technologies and digital assets ventures, drawing on their decades of experience in ventures, trading and regulatory to advance our industry. Michael Frisch and Paige Bolinger of Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres are legal thought leaders in the evolving landscape of regulatory, financing and governance in digital assets. Jay Kolbe and Philip Robertson Impact Partners form the narratives for family offices, venture investors and web3 companies at the frontiers of innovation, crafting their stories that are relatable to the mainstream audiences. Stephen Vlasak of Richey May provides the world class technology risk and audit management for our industry across the patchwork of evolving special situations innovation entails. Gary Newlin and Patrick Clancy of MG Stover LLC streamline the fund administration processes across liquid and illiquid digital assets for investment managers to focus on their investment alpha in web3. Srinivas Dhulipala of New Form Capital deploys his decades of financing trading markets to today's crypto markets with liquid strategies that fuel this innovation cycle. Join us and many others to understand and build the future of our Internet.

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Mikal Ventures Annual Wrap-Up This week Mikal Ventures is pleased to bring you our year-long breakdown of the global venture capital market with an emphasis on the Mikal verticals. Over the 52-week period ending April 27, over 26,500 new companies were added. The market grew to just under 194,700 companies included in the Health Tech, Med Tech, Fin Tech, AI Tech, and Ed Tech verticals. The non-US market saw the largest percentage of new companies added-- the group is trending at over an impressive 22% annual growth rate, with all of the non-US verticals seeing double digit growth.  The total deal count saw about 93% in North America and Europe and Asia at 6.2%. AI Tech saw the largest projected annual percentage of growth in new companies, weighing in at a notable 21% and 35% in the US and Non-US markets, respectively. A global annualized growth rate topping an estimated 28% shows a striking indication of just how active this vertical has become. The 52-week indicated transactions in AI Tech were impressive as well, with US, Non-US and global rates coming in at 22%, 26% and 24% respectively. The use of AI is ubiquitous--AI Tech saw about 35% of the patents filed globally across all 10 PitchBook verticals. We see horizontal flow and crossover impacts of machine learning technology in every vertical we follow. Fin Tech is seeing a spate of uses including risk assessment and workflow improvement. Med Tech boasts new drugs, drug delivery platforms and disease detection systems as well as significant advances in robotic surgery. Ed Tech companies such as Zhipu AI and Cohere Health have incorporated AI in their business productivity software for healthcare and science tech B2B audiences. VC Investors are always adjusting their "Play Book" with a variety of options for investing. Mikal Ventures is one of those alternatives, offering curated solutions to real world problems. Reach out if you have questions on how we can be of assistance and bookmark https://mikalventures.com/ for additional insights and information.

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