Nitzan Shaer

In the next episode of the Duran Inci Podcast, we delve into the true nature of innovation with guest Alex Berg, exploring how it extends far beyond the pursuit of profit. Our conversation will uncover how a deep-seated desire to challenge the status quo can yield extraordinary and widespread impacts. We will examine the crucial decisions that ambitious individuals face, revealing how embracing daunting challenges can profoundly influence one's trajectory. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned executive, or simply intrigued by the dynamics of transformative change, this episode will equip you with valuable insights into the art of pushing boundaries and redefining possibilities. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of what drives innovation and how it shapes the future. #DrivingInnovation #MoreThanProfit #EntrepreneurialDrive #EmbraceChallenges #ShapeTheFuture #TechInnovation #LeadershipInsights #StartupJourney #AgentsOfChange #ExpandBoundaries

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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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NY friends! Please come see me at Tech Day on my panel discussing the future of the NY tech ecosystem and what I hope to bring to it!

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Wonderful article about Emily Knight and the whole The Engine Accelerator team on the amazing work their doing changing the world with #ToughTech!

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For NY Tech Week we'll be demo-ing Substrate at the South Park Commons Science Faire on Thursday: https://lnkd.in/e5JwDKKX There are so many incubator-shaped things out there these days, but there's nothing quite like SPC. It's like a chill, small-batch, locally-sourced alternative to YC, where you can either hang out as a member forever - or choose the VC-funded adventure. The -1 to 0 phase [0] they talk about at SPC is real, and it made a real difference for us to have a home at SPC. It takes a lot to quit your job and do something new, especially when it isn't entirely clear what you're doing. (1) Do it – take the leap! and (2) consider joining SPC. Though the core vision has remained the same, many of the important turns in our squiggle at Substrate (including the graph framework) came from those early days at SPC. If you're here for tech week and can't catch us at SPC on Thursday, DM me if you want to meet up! [0] https://lnkd.in/e6KEMr9V

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Want to learn more about the role of the business user in low-code. Watch this fun episode of Low down on Low-code!

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Product Market Fit (PMF) is a crucial yet elusive concept for many early-stage startups. Achieving it can make or break a company's long-term success. In the latest episode of the "Founder & CEO Podcast," Michael Viscuso and I discuss what PMF is, what it looks like, and what to do once it's achieved. Check out the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/g2fw7v9g

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Consumer founders in SF come check out our event next week and register below

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A Trade You Don't Make Inspired by the NBA Finals and from a WSJ story... There is an interesting lesson for companies to have a long-term view with some of your key people (while also having a discerning eye for talent). Summary: - There was a lot of pressure a few years ago to trade away Boston Celtics players Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown - critics called them overrated due to playoff failures - Turns out, the decision *not* to trade them has proven pivotal - they are central to the Boston Celtics' success in the NBA Finals - The retention of Tatum & Brown underscores the value of stability and growth within a team, countering pressures and criticisms with patience and long-term commitment to process and progress - Their performance in the Finals highlights the advantages of maintaining core players and evolve them, overcoming past past failures and solidifying their roles as integral components of a championship-contending team --- Source: WSJ - https://lnkd.in/eMUk4WQE --- #business #ceo #cro #pe #privateequity #talent #teams

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Whether I am on a sales call, at a party, or just speaking with friends, explaining the breadth of Viam’s capabilities in words has been difficult. I have, however, found that once I show the platform at work, eyes light up and ideas about the different devices that could benefit from Viam begin flowing. Here are some of my favorite projects to “show off” when I am giving a demo of Viam. What devices in your life would you hack to do the same? https://lnkd.in/eFn6eD52 #software #robotics #opensource

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This past June we held what has become our annual Finger Lakes Summit (FLX) at The Lake House in New York. It was, as it always is, sublime. What makes the event special is the intention of the organizers (David at Impellent Ventures and Sasha Hoffman, and all of our superlative sponsors, spearheaded by Fidelity Investments) to create a vacation-like, 5-star accommodated, pristine environment of connecting and learning. Moreso, the group focuses on diversity of background, credo, experience, and thought. I never get to see so many powerful, accomplished, supreme humans in one place at one time outside of our 3-day get-together - and if I've been blessed with one thing in life at this point, it's to be able to mix it up with the most amazing humans on Earth. This isn't a humble brag - it's objective fact. I'm a severely privileged, lucky person. David Brown, Sasha, and crew plan every attendee down to the quantifiable mix-up of sector, stage, gender makeup, race, and political affiliation. They are exacting in their ratios. It's an alchemy of epic proportions. Again, this post isn't meant to be some arrogant cavalcade meant to make eyes roll - it's just that good. Don't take my word for it, ask someone who's been. But I think my most important takeaway this year is a crystallization of a theme that's been running through my mind for my 3+ years in VC: startups and venture capital will inevitably change into an everyman sport. What I mean by that is, at some indeterminant point, the industry will no longer be dominated by middle-aged white men who were born on third base, or by those who only create and source alpha in one geography, from one facsimile of human. Understand something: under no circumstances am I claiming to be something I am not. I am a middle-aged white man. No matter how covered I am in tattoos or how many times I explain to myself that I am from a not-so-nice place, that fact will not change - nor do I even humor the thought of wanting it to. But I digress, this isn't about me - I just don't want you to think I am some sort of crusader. I just recognize that our industry is going to look less and less like me - and that’s a good thing. Hybrids are, by nature, evolutionarily superior. Back to the topic at hand - I believe that our world will increasingly tilt towards all walks of life in the marketplace that comprises our industry. Diverse founders will be funded by diverse investors. And by diverse, I mean of race, gender, sexual orientation, credo, political affiliation, academic background, and thought. Special people are special, and our Finger Lakes Summit reminds me of that, year in and year out. The inevitable is coming like a freight train. Get on board or get run over - it matters very little to progress. I, for one, am excited at the prospect of a brave new world.

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Are you developing a medical device or digital health? Come learn about regulatory and legal impacts and how design for manufacturing is critical to your startup's success.

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Today, Two Chairs announces $72M of new funding to continue building a world where everyone has access to exceptional mental health care. Since late 2017, when Maveron led the Two Chairs Series A, the need for mental health services has grown considerably as our society has become lonelier and more isolated than ever. At the same time, our culture’s willingness to openly acknowledge these challenges is greater than ever. Sadly, the rapid growth of Two Chairs affirms the fact that our society is in desperate need of better mental health support. Two Chairs has built a business that believes clinical quality is the defining characteristic of success. Alex Katz has always emphasized the paramountcy of measurement-based clinical outcomes, which the team works tirelessly to achieve. In the process, Two Chairs has illustrated that embracing the ‘move fast and break things’ mentality doesn’t always work. Instead, Two Chairs opted for a different approach: they went slow to go fast. They built a proprietary algorithm that matches patients with the perfect therapist at the onset and hired a team of W2 clinicians oriented toward providing the highest quality care available. Even as the Two Chairs team has grown, their culture has remained small. This has enabled more intimate relationships within the team and between clients and clinicians. Reflecting on this milestone brings me back to the founding of Maveron and the values we hold dear. In 1998, my friend Howard Schultz and I founded Maveron to help entrepreneurs build companies that improve the lives of everyday people—their employees and their customers. There is perhaps no better example of this than Two Chairs. *** Thank you to TechCrunch's Marina Temkin, CFA for the great write-up. https://tcrn.ch/4aMt7yG

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Instacart is a market leader when it comes to leveraging AI tools to boost productivity at work. I had an amazing conversation with JJ Zhuang, Instacart’s Chief Architect, who has shepherded over 50 AI-driven initiatives to market across the org. We explored what catapulted Instacart to the forefront of AI integration, supporting radically diverse use cases across various functional areas. One striking insight (echoed by Ethan Mollick and others elsewhere) is that you often don't need specialized tools for specialized work. Frontier models like GPT-4 can seamlessly adapt to a wide range of functions and use cases. They're not just for engineers; they're incredibly versatile tools used by marketing, comms, and legal teams. From generating code to proofreading and ideation, GPT-4 empowers every department to leverage AI for enhanced productivity and innovation. By integrating LLM’s like GPT-4 into their workflows, teams can streamline processes, automate repetitive tasks, and unlock bandwidth for new creative possibilities. How can you harness the power of AI in your own work to boost productivity? Share your thoughts below 👇 Want to hear more insights from JJ? Check out the full podcast episode by clicking the link in the comments.

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So cool to hear this story on NPR this morning. Our partner, Prism Labs, Inc., provides developers with the tools to integrate precise body scanning capabilities into their apps. Their technology goes beyond traditional BMI measurements, offering a more comprehensive view of health by analyzing muscle and fat composition. If you are a developer and are considering adding body scanning to your fitness app, please don't hesitate to reach out, and I can connect you! #HealthTech #Innovation #BodyScanning #PrismLabs #Wellness #HealthInsights

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It was a real honor to interview Brad Burnham co-founder of Union Square Ventures and partner Placeholder on the history of hype cycles in technology and the value they bring to capital and market formation. Brad has had tremendous success across decades investing at the frontier - when it was the frontier/ before it was obvious. Crypto is still the underdog and his views on the opportunity and its nuances are prescient. Specifically it is both a technical and financial innovation which can lead to excess volatility and a unique muscle as it relates to being a venture manager. But the returns are real. And the innovation is real despite some of the the common narratives. No one debates the breakthrough applications in AI at M13 we have been very active. It is also very clear that incumbents have massive data and distribution advantages which can make it challenging to find the right pockets to invest. AI is on its own hype cycle and as always the best teams (typically with contrarian takes) win. Very exciting times to be a venture investor.

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Here are the 23 most common human-centric reasons that tech companies fail. * All solvable * All not addressed by the usual cocktail of mentoring, advisors, and directors * All addressable through the Exponential Founders program that I'm happy to shill, because it removes 65% of the reason for tech-company failure, gives founders their lives back, and VCs their integrity back.

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Zypsy, a design firm with a track record of helping early-stage startups, has launched a new and somewhat unique venture investment program.  It will be offering 10 startups up to $100,000 of brand and product design services, spanning 8 to 10 weeks of engagement, for no cash payment. Instead startups will pay by issuing Zypsy 1% equity of their companies via a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity). There is one potential gotcha: if a startup needs more work than outruns that cap, it will need to pay for it. https://lnkd.in/eAuiJbbz

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What an amazing discussion! From regulations and implementation to finding news ways to utilize AI to save money, hyper scale your business and dominate your market, AI has tremendous potential if used judiciously. Gentreo @Alineaventures AuditMate

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