Heang Chan

Block, the parent company of Square and Cash App, aims to leverage its dual ownership to create synergy between its point-of-sale software and peer-to-peer payments app. Jack Dorsey, Block's founder, highlighted the advantage of having relationships with both merchants and consumers, stating it's a rare position in commerce and payments. Ryan Budd, Cash App's head of financial products, hinted at plans to integrate a small business experience into Square and incentivize Cash App users to engage with Square merchants. Block is focused on connecting Cash App's consumer base with Square's merchant network, aiming to transform Cash App into a consumer app for interacting with Square merchants. This move aligns with Block's strategy to dominate various aspects of the consumer ecosystem and potentially monetize consumer spending data for advertising purposes. Read More Here: https://lnkd.in/eh-8KS9V Eugene Tsay Wade Robison John O'Beirne Emily C. Chiu Eileen Wiens Jim McKelvey Branded Hospitality Ventures #innovation #venturecapital #hospitality #technology Owen Jennings (OBJ) Brooke Ellis Jamie (Russo) HicksMing-Tai Huh

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🌟Innovative VC Firm Overcomes Exits Drought with Secondary Sales🌟 ⛵Navigating a challenging landscape where exits are scarce, Santa Barbara Venture Partners (SBVP) has pioneered a novel approach to sustain its growth and attract investors for its second fund: secondary sales. Instead of waiting for traditional exits like IPOs or acquisitions, SBVP opted to sell shares of its portfolio companies, demonstrating its ability to generate returns for investors and stand out in a competitive market. 🎤According to Dan Engel, founder and managing partner of SBVP, these secondary transactions have been a game-changer, sparking investor interest and bolstering the firm's credibility. By leveraging its recent successes, including a lucrative stake in sports-betting company DraftKings Inc.' acquisition of digital lottery app Jackpocket, SBVP seized the opportunity to return profits to its limited partners (LPs) and pave the way for its second fund. 💡Engel highlighted the challenges faced by young VC firms in raising subsequent funds, particularly amid a downturn in exit activity and heightened investor scrutiny. With traditional exit routes becoming increasingly elusive, the pressure is on for firms to demonstrate tangible returns and establish a track record of success. ✨"For us, secondary sales have been a game-changer. They've helped us return profits to our LPs and attract investors for our second fund," said Dan Engel. 💰For SBVP, the decision to pursue secondary sales was driven by the need to provide liquidity to LPs and validate its investment thesis in the eyes of prospective investors. By strategically offloading portions of its holdings in high-performing portfolio companies like Bark Technologies and Rad AI, SBVP not only generated substantial returns but also bolstered investor confidence in its ability to deliver results. ⚠Despite the complexities and potential stigma associated with early share sales, Engel emphasized the importance of prioritizing investor returns and seizing opportunities to unlock value for stakeholders. With a focus on profitability and transparency, SBVP remains committed to its mission of delivering sustainable growth and maximizing returns for its LPs. 🔍 "Returning profits to our investors is our top priority. By strategically selling shares, we're proving our commitment to delivering results and driving value for our stakeholders," added Engel. As SBVP continues to explore secondary transactions and expand its investor base, the firm stands as a testament to innovation and resilience in the face of market challenges. 🚀 ✅ 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 #VCInnovation #SecondarySalesSuccess #InvestorReturns #ValueCreation 

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🎧 Tune in to the latest Wharton Fintech episode to hear all about Plaid's journey and how we're building faster, safer, and more seamless financial experiences.

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118 VCs (one hundred eighteen!) are gathering in San Diego next week - to meet with 30 SD startups. But it's so MUCH bigger than just those 30 co's. It brings VCs back - when they see quality companies. It helps those who are next-in-line and adjacent. It enables us to send deal flow all year 'round. It attracts talent and other companies. It inspires entrepreneurship. Connect is working for SD. Together, we're building the best damn innovation ecosystem on the planet. Year over year. Five.Ten.Thirty.

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There’s a whole world of small farms and small businesses being powered by offgrid renewable energy. Understanding the business models that make it possible is critical for this bold new world. At the #GlobalSouthSouthSummit, innovators from across Africa and Asia will learn from each other to advance a sustainable world free of poverty.

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OpenSky Ventures isn't your typical venture capital fund. We are a strategic partnership that combines the expertise of Josh Resnick, founder of Sugarfina USA LLC, and Josh Payne, founder of StackCommerce and Onward. Our $10 million fund is strategically focused on two verticals: 1. E-commerce Infrastructure (⅔ of our current portfolio) 2. Consumer Brands (⅓ of our current portfolio) What differentiates us in the VC landscape? We are not just investors; we're active operators in the industries we invest in. We understand the challenges you face because we have encountered them ourselves. Partnering with OpenSky grants you and your startup access to a robust network of connections, resources, and guidance that can move your business to new heights. As an OpenSky portfolio company, we will connect you with the most suitable SaaS solutions, provide data-driven strategic guidance, and offer unmatched growth support that can only come from fellow entrepreneurs who have walked in your shoes. If you are a founder ready to take your brand to the next level, it's time to connect with us. Let's build something incredible together.

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After their most recent fundraise in March, Carputty CEO Joshua Tatum weighs in on venture debt in 2024 🗞 "Especially as a fintech with lending products, the ideal capital structure calls for a mix of equity and debt. Venture capital is funding our operational growth. Venture debt, on the other hand, is essential for us to fund our loans. The combination of the two is essential to keep the train moving steadily." Read full article ⬇ #venturecapital #startups #venturedebt #ceo #portfolio

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When I first read Jevgenijs Kazanins's very excellent fintech take on why Cash App Pay could be the next major driver of Block’s growth, I was floored by his initially compelling case that if Cash App can incentivize more payments payments volume to go through Cash App Pay, they can drive massive gross profit uplift, because Cash App Pay’s take rate is substantially higher than Cash Card’s take rate on purchase volume (2-3x). But if it were true, why hasn’t Cash App taken advantage? Whereas Jevgenijs is more optimistic about the ~$2.5bn in GPV that Cash App Pay has generated in its first ~2.5 years of existence, I find it downright embarrassing. That’s less than 1% of Square’s GPV after two years in the wild? And that’s despite it being essentially pre-installed on every terminal with no change in hardware required. I started to have a sinking feeling that maybe something was missing in the calculus. And as I dove deeper, it became clear that the “magic” take rate uptick we thought we’d found was more of a magic trick, relying on some deception. The seeming increase in take rate comes about like this. Normally, when a Cash App user makes a purchase, Cash App acts as the Issuer which means there are several intermediaries between what the merchant is charged and what Block earns on the transaction, meaning its ultimate take rate is relatively low. But in the case of Cash App Pay, there’s potentially a few magic tricks at work. The first is that in this case, Block is facilitating the Square merchant’s acquiring POS AND it’s issuing the Cash App user’s debit card, thereby cutting the intermediaries down in the typical payments flow and seemingly increasing Cash App take rates by 35-50% (instead of just interchange, you’re now getting interchange and markup). But then gets even better with the second trick, because if you’re both the acquirer and the issuer, *you don’t even need the payment network at all*. You can simply move money by book transfer between your merchant’s bank account and your user’s bank account in a perfectly closed loop payment network. Suddenly, Cash App Pay has a magical 2.9% take rate with no money movement costs at all. The problem with these magic tricks, like the ones in life, is that they are actually using some deception to hide what’s truly happening. Let’s play it out. In the status quo, without Cash App Pay, Square would earn ~1.85% in acquirer markup and Cash App would earn 0.90% in interchange for a total of 2.75% in take rate. In the Cash App Pay case, Square and Cash App would split the 2.90% Merchant Discount rate they artfully charged without having any money movement. So instead of the 2-3x markup, the uptick is more like +15bps (+5%). So maybe there isn’t a massive take rate arbitrage, but Block should still be focusing on its closed loop payment network because it represents huge opportunity for other reasons. Read the full post at https://lnkd.in/d93nkn29.

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OPEN DEALS Homepage for Founders and Investors - Irvine, CA - A platform for investors to meet founders and for founders to grow their businesses with access to high-value community members, vendors, securitization tools, and capital. (Seed) _______________________ Looking to invest? Let us know if you want a warm intro —> invest@thetech.buzz Raising for your startup? Send us your Open Round —> invest@thetech.buzz #opendeals #startupinvestment #venturecapital #angelinvesting #seedround #investorplatform #foundercommunity #capitalraising #startupnetwork #investmentopportunity #seedfunding

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Calling all fintech start-ups! C10 Labs has exciting news to share. J.P. Morgan is now supporting C10 Labs and its cohorts of entrepreneurs. As part of this partnership, C10 Labs companies will have access to J.P. Morgan's insights, products, bankers, and technologists. This support will assist C10 founders through their entrepreneurial journey and help them accelerate business growth. If you're interested in co-creating AI-First ventures, especially those in fintech, C10 Labs' 2nd cohort is now open for applications. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/eCjnUBnn Contact a C10 Labs team member about partnership opportunities here: https://lnkd.in/ewGCfhBb We want to extend our thanks to the incredible support by the J.P. Morgan team. To connect with them, click here: https://lnkd.in/eeEgvzSC. #entrepreneurs #accelerate #AI #fintech #partnership

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Exciting news! We just sent out the inaugural newsletter for Future Frontier Capital, our pre-seed venture fund backing frontier tech startups. As I hit "send," I realized how launching FFC parallels the path of the founders we support. Starting FFC has required the same passion, perseverance, and self-belief that drive entrepreneurs. Just like a startup, getting a VC fund off the ground demands relentless hustle—building the brand, perfecting the pitch, and networking tirelessly. There are constant challenges that test your resolve and endless hours of unglamorous work behind the scenes. And perhaps most daunting - the self-doubt, wondering if you're crazy for attempting something so bold. Pushing through that negative self-talk requires unshakable faith in your mission. Raising this VC fund reminds me of starting our IP strategy and patent analytics firm two decades ago. It’s a powerful reminder of the perseverance, creativity, and resilience needed to turn an ambitious idea into reality. This experience makes us more empathetic partners, ready to support the founders we back. Our work is just beginning, and this inaugural newsletter underscores our commitment to supporting frontier tech startups every step of the way. #startups #VentureCapital #EmergingManagers #Entrepreneurship #InnovationMindSet

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Agricultural technology startup Superplum secures $15 million in Series A funding. Agritech startup Superplum has secured $15 million in its Series A funding round, with Erik Ragatz, former partner and current senior advisor at private equity firm Hellman & Friedman, leading the investment. Ragatz joins a roster of existing investors including Mark Siegel, Dan Rose, Steve Jurvetson, Rick Kimball, Binny Bansal, and Kabir Misra. Having previously raised $3.8 million in its pre-Series A round in June 2021, Superplum has now amassed nearly $22 million in total funding. The infusion of capital will fuel the expansion of Superplum's infrastructure and expedite its mission to revolutionize the produce supply chains in India, as stated in a press release by the company. Founded in 2019 by Shobhit Gupta, Superplum has developed a direct-from-farm produce supply chain, leveraging proprietary technology and cold-chain infrastructure to optimize the cultivation and distribution of produce. By extending shelf lives and enhancing fruit quality, the company aims to mitigate food waste and bolster farmer incomes. Positioned as India’s premier fruit brand, Superplum offers consumers top-tier quality and healthier produce, spanning a variety of fruits including mangoes, litchis, apples, grapes, cherries, and plums. The company collaborates with farmers across 22 states in India, operating modern sourcing and supply chains for 25 fruits throughout the year. Superplum distributes its produce through various channels including Amazon Fresh, Zepto, Swiggy, and Blinkit, as well as prominent retailers such as Spar, Metro, Lulu, Modern Bazaar, More, and Trent, along with local grocery stores in the NCR region and Bengaluru. According to startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, agritech startups witnessed a substantial decline in investment, dropping to $182 million in 2023 from $773 million in 202#startup #startupindia #startupnews #startupindianews #startiyapa #motivationalquotes #DreamBigWorkHard#ChaseYourGoals#BelieveInYourself#NeverGiveUp#StayPositive#InspireOthers#MakeItHappen#BeFearless#EmbraceTheJourney#KeepPushingForward#SuccessIsEarned#PositivityOverNegativity

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Earlier this year, we surveyed our fellow Los Angeles-based GPs to get a pulse check on the LA venture ecosystem. Here’s what we found: 💗 Deal flow is healthy, and most LA venture investors (68%) are seeing the same or more deal flow YoY. ✈ LA investors are spending time in a variety of markets, with NYC, Austin, and SF following closely on LA’s heels. 🔍 Innovation is concentrated in AI and machine learning, space, and commerce. 💸 Funding is happening, but it’s barbell-shaped, with deals concentrated at the early and late stages. Funding post-Series A has been challenging. 🚩 LA is differentiated, but not without its challenges. Key difficulties include not attracting enough AI talent (despite having the largest number of engineers graduating from our region over any other in the United States); talent relocated to more tax-friendly or less expensive locations; and the great SoCal / NoCal divide 🙏 Thank you to all our many respondents! I’m so glad to be part of a venture ecosystem that includes great minds like Anna Barber, Brent Murri, W. Christine Choi, Sarah Tomolonius, Rob Smith, Win Chevapravatdumrong, John Tabis, Jill Royster, Jesse Draper, Ashley Balla, Britt Danneman, Tram Lai, Carmen Palafox, Elaine Russell, Deborah Benton Amanda Schutzbank, Brian Lee, Petra Griffith, Minnie Ingersoll, Shamin Walsh, Gabe Greenbaum...wow, this list could go on forever...plus too many other exceptional humans to name. You know who you are! Explore our findings more deeply with our survey dashboard: https://bit.ly/3JsaLaB

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In conjunction with Cooley's Q1 2024 Venture Financing Report, we sat down with Chris Ahn of Haun Ventures to get his take on the state of venture capital investing, including insights on: 💥 The significance of up rounds representing 65% of deals. 💥 His approach to risk management and mitigation strategies when investing. 💥 The most effective monetization models for community-based ventures. Read the full conversation on #CooleyGO with the link below. #CooleyGO #venturecapital #VC #investing

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MATH Venture Partners, established in 2014, is a Chicago-based investment firm specializing in early to growth-stage investments. They actively support startups in technical and digital sectors such as SaaS, AI, cybersecurity, and FinTech, with an investment range of $5M to $20M. Operating as hands-on partners, MATH Venture Partners collaborates closely with founding teams, leveraging their expertise to unlock early signals for creating a competitive edge. Investment Range: $5M - $20M Stage: Early to Growth Sector: Technical & Digital Companies (e.g., SaaS, AI, Cybersecurity, FinTech) Investment Geography: Chicago (Focused) Notable Investments: Cleanshelf, Ginkgo Bioworks, GrubMarket, Icertis, Relativity Space, Tempus Labs, UiPath

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Exciting news for startups! California accounts for about 50% of all venture investments. The not-so-secret reason is that non-competes are illegal in California, so engineers at FAANGs can build competitors without fear. Today, the US Federal Trade Commission declared non-compete agreements illegal nationwide. This means that engineers at big tech companies can now leave and build their own companies without fear of violating a non-competes (legacy agreements for executives are still enforceable - talk to your lawyer), this is a step in the right direction for fostering innovation and competition across the country. A variety of big-business groups have vowed to sue to bring non-competes back, but at least for now, they're gone! #startups #innovation #competition #noncompete Official Announcement: https://lnkd.in/gRXUpgDy Impending lawsuit: https://lnkd.in/gqSiVuTd

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In the world of startups, a fascinating trend is emerging from Y Combinator (YC) cohorts: smaller rounds with higher valuations. Loren Straub of Bowery Capital noticed this shift while engaging with recent YC grads. These startups seek modest investments but aim for hefty post-money valuations, typically around $15 million. This departure from the norm reflects a nuanced understanding of market conditions. YC's stamp of approval holds weight, but founders are recalibrating their strategies. While some outliers like Leya and Yoneda Labs reel in substantial funding, many tread a leaner path, testing the waters with angel investors. Yet, this shift isn't without its complexities. This evolving narrative underscores the dynamic interplay between startup culture and investor sentiment. As the startup ecosystem continues to adapt, one thing remains clear: YC's influence reverberates far beyond Silicon Valley, shaping the contours of innovation. To delve deeper into this captivating narrative, check out the original article on TechCrunch.com 🚀 #StartupInsights #VCtrends #Cre8tiveCapital https://lnkd.in/g5aSS9gX

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Check out this week's venture capital investment summary (16 featured companies) spanning early & growth-stage US based Environmental Technology & Enterprise Software startups! 🚀 Every Monday, the team here at Bearhug Recruiting aggregates, researches, and publishes a recap of the prior week's fundraising activity within the early and growth-stage Environmental Technology & Enterprise Software startup ecosystem. 🎯 This research not only allows us to keep our finger on the pulse of the type of startups we serve, but also benefits others who, like us, enjoy analyzing the latest trends that signal investor confidence AND startup growth within what we believe are the most exciting and impactful market segments. 🌎 We also hope the people and companies we feature enjoy both a virtual fist bump from the team at Bearhug, plus benefit from some additional free market exposure to amplify their mission. Click the link below to get caught up, and make sure you reach out to any that are interesting/relevant that you might be able to help! ❤️ 💥 Link: https://lnkd.in/ddvpZ-da 👈 #Hona #Hark #GrayMatterRobotics #AikidoTechnologies #Substrate #Maxterial #Pomerium #MoltenIndustries #SewerAI #Finaloop #Valuebase #ScoopAnalytics #Decagon #Factory #Trustwise #HumataHealth #BearhugRecruiting #EnvironmentalTechnology #Sustainability #ClimateTech #CleanTech #DeepTech #FrontierTech #IndustrialAutomation #EnergyTech #ArtificialIntelligence #EnterpriseSoftware #StartupFunding #Startup #Entrepreneur #Entrepreneurship #Startups #Funding #StartupNews #VentureCapital #Technology

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