Molly Manuel

Summary: Harlem Capital, a venture capital firm focused on backing diverse founders, is raising its largest fund to date of $150 million. This would be its third fund and is a testament to the industry's continued support for diverse communities. Key takeaways: Harlem Capital was founded in 2015 with the goal of supporting diverse founders. The firm has $174 million in assets under management and has made investments in over 80 companies. The successful raising of the $150 million fund would be a show of success for both Harlem Capital and the industry's continued focus on diversity and inclusion. #venturecapital #vc #venture #diversity #dei

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A great The Angel Nest Podcast episode recorded yesterday with Thomas Wisniewski of newark venture partners! Really insightful conversation around trends in Seed stage investing, how metrics matter in communicating traction, and important aspects of financial modeling for early stage startups. Many thanks for your time Tom and thanks David Hemenway as always for hosting. Look out for the release of the episode soon! #angelinvesting #seedstage #startups #financialmodeling #venturecapital #startups

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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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Earnings estimates are accelerating... https://lnkd.in/ePqHn-P3 TNTT - If this #BullMarket is to continue to grow, what’s the catalyst for robust broadening (also the inclusion of $RUT) w/the economy slowing? If none, just more growth in the recent gainers? #Economics #Industry #Markets #Finance #WSJ

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⛳ Emerging fund managers pulse check. PitchBook tracks over 10,000 funds that are raising money, with 45% being emerging fund managers (defined as firms with less than 3 funds). Despite a dip in available capital—down to 16% from the pre-pandemic 23%—these managers are finding creative ways to stay competitive, like partnering with larger firms. 💼 Joanna Drake (founder turned investor) shared how "wildly different" it is raising a fund versus for a startup. One key datapoint she shared on the fund side was how little feedback you get along the way (and the years you can wait for it). The “long-winded and challenging process to raise capital” inspired Drake and Ben Black to create RAISE Global, a community for emerging fund managers and the “forward-thinking LPs” who back them. (A decade later, several hundred emerging managers with AUM under $200m are on the platform) They've found the newest emerging managers are more diverse and geographically dispersed than Silicon valley, and more were able to crack the ceiling and raise larger $100m funds (although this is still a small % of the market, requiring partnership with larger funds at the late stage). ▶ And not a hugely surprising datapoint: A lot of action is in the sub $49 million range, where roughly 50% of emerging managers are raising. Theresa Sorrentino Hajer, Head of U.S. venture capital research at Cambridge Associates warns that past success isn't actually a strong indicator on it's own to assess emerging managers. We've had a valuation reset. And newer managers with investments during the 2019-2021 "party days", need to build relevant track record and play to their strengths. A lot of emerging managers are specializing (70% who applied for Raise had a thematic focus), and betting on getting in as early as possible in the startup's lifecycle (Raise: 31% at accelerator/ pre-seed stages, and 47% at seed stage). “Emerging managers have to compete on a different dimension,” Nick Moran from New Stack Ventures. You're no longer just dealing with capital. Emerging VC's need to be as innovative and nimble as the startups they invest in, having a unique thesis and insights. They also play a role at the top of the deal-flow funnel: helping larger firms find promising companies, so finding a thesis, sector or philosophy aligned partner at a larger firm is helpful. Onwards! #EmergingManager #Startups #VC

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I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of being a lead mentor to two incredible companies in the Techstars NYC Spring Cohort! Everlong helps people regain control of their health and nutrition by providing access to personalized care from top-vetted telehealth dietitians for $0 out-of-pocket. I believe in this mission so much — there is so much opportunity for healing from bringing more awareness and intention to what we’re feeding our bodies. Everlong has had incredible traction throughout the program, but what I’ve been most impressed with is Adi Wyshogrod, RDN, LDN and Nick Roberge. They’re serial entrepreneurs who have been working together for 7 years. They are passionate, deeply thoughtful and purpose-led leaders executing on a mission born out of their own personal experiences. -- offe market is a digital-first, off-price retail marketplace where Gen-Z and Millennials can shop their favorite brands at the best prices on the market. This is such a good idea you guys. Rachel Gannon is building the next TJ Maxx, except digital and cool and a place Gen-Z and Millennials actually want to shop. Her organic traction before the program was amazing and I’ve seen her grow sales AND brands on her platform like crazy since she started focusing on growth in Techstars. I’ve been so impressed with Rachel’s strategic approach and all she’s been able to accomplish. -- Both Everlong and Offe Market are kicking off fundraising. If you’re an investor interested in connecting with either, feel free to message me. Or if you just want to shop amazing deals from cool brands or get support from a dietician for $0 out-of-pocket, you should most definitely check them out. Excited to cheer you guys on at Demo Day! 😊

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Financial details and exact figures were not disclosed by A24 and Thrive Capital, but sources confirm to Variety the investment from Thrive Capital gives it a valuation of about $3.5 billion — a 40% increase since A24’s most recent round of funding in 2022, which was $225 million at a $2.5 billion valuation. Kushner’s New York-based investment firm has previously backed Instagram, Spotify, Stripe and other companies, and together with his wife, Karlie Kloss, leads Bedford Media (which owns i-D Magazine and is planning to relaunch LIFE magazine). He is younger brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law and former White House adviser. In addition to Thrive Capital’s investment, A24 has also received “increased support” from existing investors who participated in the previous round of funding, per the studio. Founded in New York in 2012 by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel and John Hodges, A24 boasts a catalog of 150 films and 50 TV series and has garnered 16 Oscars, 14 Golden Globes and 18 Emmys. A24’s business also includes 2AM, Half Magic and the Cherry Lane theater. In 2021, A24 explored a sale with a floated asking price of $2.5 billion to $3 billion. Source: Variety

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Our BankTech Ventures ecosystem at work! Kaitlyn Shevlin getting perspective from a bank-enabling company, ZSuite Tech, a partner, Ncontracts, and our banks on how they do 3rd party risk management and vendor due diligence better with tech companies and service providers. I love these productive conversations with multiple perspectives. So many insights and actionable suggestions. And it’s so cool to see my teammate organizing and leading this discussion! #banktechsummit #makingbanksbetter

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Enjoyed sharing the Empire Startups stage to discuss AI in underwriting with Shawn Budde (Ensemblex), Alex McLeod, MBA (Parlay (Techstars '23)), Jessica Pillado Gonzalez, PMP, MBA, POPM (Informed.IQ), and Noah Breslow (Bain Capital Ventures)! A few takeaways from our discussion: 1️⃣ Finance LLM use cases today include supercharging professional productivity and “agent assist” tools (e.g. Sixfold, Liberate) and augmenting core decision models (e.g. Slope Transformer to enhance bank transaction data categorization) 2️⃣ LLMs are still challenged with complex financial reasoning but are improving 3️⃣ Security and regulations will be critical factors for financial institution adoption of LLM applications 4️⃣ Lots of innovation still on the horizon for finance AI (e.g. AI agents) Thank you Jon Zanoff and Empire Startups - Everything FinTech for hosting an incredible week of events!

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Big news - Georgetown is partnering with Crunchbase to build a directory showcasing our entrepreneurial ecosystem of founders, funders, and companies! Launching this fall, you will be able to view the Georgetown alumni entrepreneurship community through this collaboration. Georgetown University wants to make sure that all of their alumni founders and funders are represented so… 1) If you already have Crunchbase profile, make sure to indicate Georgetown in your education profile. 2) if you a founder or funder and do not have a Crunchbase profile, make sure to add and update your company as soon as you’re able (click below!)

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Are you having doubts about raising capital in today's market? 💡Join our friends at Philly Tech Entrepreneurs for an exclusive event featuring Josh Devon, an entrepreneur who secured millions from top VCs, and David Luk, a veteran investor turned "rescue capital" provider at Palm Venture Studios. They'll be dishing the REAL on fundraising: 📌Pros & Cons of raising from VCs, strategics, angels & more! 📌Unveiling lessons learned from their experiences. 📌Decoding the current market and its impact on fundraising. Open forum Q&A to follow - get your burning questions answered! Don't miss this chance to gain valuable insights! Register here: https://lnkd.in/dZAciMfy

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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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BLOWN AWAY to have been interviewed alongside such trailblazers for this Fortune piece by Allie Garfinkle that details the state of Venture Capital as it relates to DEI. The piece highlights Primary Venture Partners recent launch of Factor Fellowship, a new nonprofit connecting untapped, exceptional talent in New York City to careers in venture-backed startups, spearheaded by Lisa Lewin, Tom Ogletree and Benjamin Sun. In the piece, I chat about the impact we hope to make for underrepresented founders with Peerless - our $1M pitch competition. TOP QUOTES from the piece... When asked about the growing conservative backlash against DEI, as some states ban DEI initiatives - “We’re not going to let you shut us up,” said Almodovar. “We’re not going to let you say this isn’t important, and we’re going to double down on saying this is really important.” When asked, "Why $1M for Peerless?" - “We wanted to really empower these founders to say, ‘take this risk,’” said Desiree Almodovar, AlleyCorp operator-in-residence and who is leading Peerless, which will hold its first competition on June 20. And most importantly, Allie writes, "We don’t talk about DEI as much as we used to. But if something was important on principle before, isn’t it always important? Yes, but it’s only possible to do something about it if people keep talking about it, and acting." JUST ONE MORE WEEK LEFT TO APPLY FOR PEERLESS!

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Join us on May 7 at BlackRock NYC for the 2024 MMI Alternative Investments Forum! General David H. Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) kicks off the event, connecting the dots between recent global developments and their impact on investment portfolios. Plus, an agenda full of the latest trends and topics for alternative investments. Learn about new products for the wealth channel, the adoption of AI in the alternative space, strategies for tax-smart investing, and how top asset managers are shaping their distribution strategies. Space is limited, reserve your spot now: https://lnkd.in/esfhyVC6 #MMIAlternativeInvestments #AlternativeInvestments #WealthManagement

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Summary: Industry Ventures has raised a $900 million early-stage hybrid fund for investing in emerging managers and directly backing growth-stage companies. This is their seventh hybrid fund and is larger than their previous one. The fund will be split between backing VC funds, direct investments, and acquiring stakes from emerging managers. Key takeaways: Smaller, newer funds are finding it more difficult to raise capital, but this fund from Industry Ventures offers hope for emerging managers. The fund will be split between various investments, including backing VC funds and buying secondary interests. Industry Ventures may have an advantage due to their ability to invest in both emerging and more established managers. Counter arguments: Some may argue that it is still difficult for emerging managers to raise funds. The success of Industry Ventures may not be indicative of the overall climate for emerging managers. #venturecapital #venture #startups #fundraising

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I echo and a firm believer of Laurel Mintz take on Diversity - "Diversity in thought, diversity in boards, diversity in public companies, diversity in all of this is what creates a better culture. It's what creates better outcomes, both financially and emotionally. Ultimately, it's just a better approach to creating a more well-rounded society.” #ImpactInvesting #VentureCapital #PurposeDrivenInvestors

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New York investment management partner Jan-Paul Bruynes spoke on emerging markets at the MFA Network Boston conference. His panel, “Mobilizing Capital in Emerging Markets,” covered the latest trends, strategies and regulatory concerns for hedge fund managers looking to expand into these markets. Learn more about how JP helps hedge fund leaders grow their businesses in emerging markets below. bit.ly/46QVZnq #Funds #ManagedFundsAssociation #HedgeFunds #Alternatives #Boston

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