Alan Hudson’s Post

Asking my network to support Simon's request below with a great opportunity for angel investors to connect to the newly launched University of Sussex Business Angels. So if you're an angel investor, know one or would like to be one - then take a look below ⬇

🌟 Exciting Times at The 98 Semi-Annual Limited Partner Meeting in NYC 🌟 The fund focuses on female-led technology enabled companies. I’m proud to have invested at their launch. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending The 98 Semi-Annual Limited Partner Meeting in the vibrant heart of New York City. It was an inspiring day marked by insightful discussions and forward-thinking ideas. The co-founders of our fund, Lynda Clarizio and Joy Marcus Marcus, led a dynamic review of our fund's performance. Their leadership continues to steer us towards exciting opportunities and growth. One of the highlights was the provocative presentation of PrivateAI, an innovative AI-based business. Co-founders Patricia Thaine and Pieter Luitjens showcased their cutting-edge technology, offering a glimpse into the future of AI and its market potential. The discussions around fund performance were not just informative but also invigorating. It's thrilling to see how our fund is navigating the complex market segments and attracting diverse investor categories. Networking with fellow investors and limited operating partners added to the richness of the experience. It's always refreshing to connect with like-minded professionals who share a passion for growth and innovation. As I reflect on the day, I feel optimistic and excited about the future. The fund is diverses, and it's clear that we are on a path to continued success. Looking forward to the next gathering! www.the98.com | Private AI | Identify, Redact & Replace PII (private-ai.com) #Investment #LimitedPartnerMeeting #AI #Networking #Innovation #the98fund

Taking the barbell approach to early stage investing. There is no one-size-fits-all for early stage. https://lnkd.in/gGVUkBYY #nassimtaleb #earlystage #growth #southeastasia #Philippines #venturecapital #privateequity

As a self-learner, I read a lot and try to learn as much as possible from successful people. Several investors inspired me along the way. In my latest post, I share some of the lessons learned over the years. Thanks to Paul Andreola, Ian Cassel and Philippe Bergeron-Bélanger for inspiring me to become a better investor!

Things You Don’t Want In Your Seed Round: ☠ Board seats - after your valuation, maintaining control of your company should be your priority. It’s OK at seed to allow a lead investor to become a board observer (even with the right to speak), but they shouldn’t have a right to vote in board meetings or you will be on a fast track towards losing control of the board. 👿 Liquidation preferences - institutional investors, particularly those investing public sector funds, will often demand a liquidation preference (an ‘LP’). But as soon as you include an LP for an investor, that will become the base line for future investors. And with each incoming investor with an LP, the founders and pre-seed investors will fall further and further down the 'waterfall'. Don’t give up LPs until late seed at the earliest unless you really have no choice. 👹 Consent rights that restrict strategy choices - if you are raising a seed round, you will probably still be in the process of working out product/market fit. You have to be able to pivot quickly without having to waste time tracking down fund managers (you know that it’s always going to happen during the holidays when they're on the slopes or the beach). Granting information rights is fine. Having to ask permission about how you address your market is not. 🤑 Anti-dilution - as per LPs above 👾 Under-performance provisions - especially if this is tied to things like cash-flow. This is a tactic that can be used by the unscrupulous to seize control of a business from its founders. It has no place in any seed round. Remember, there are #NoStupidQuestions ... Just stupid answers. We are all learning, everyday. Don't pretend you know something. Ask.

We had the opportunity to work with the mighty Kauffman Fellows again, this time on the launch of their 2024 Sentiment Survey. Kauffman does a better job of explaining what they do than I will, so I'll just copy and paste: "Kauffman Fellows is a global network that gathers the best venture capitalists in the world." There you go. 30 years of VC magic with over 800 fellows. This is their first Sentiment Survey and all I'll say is things are looking good for VCs this year. Check it out for yourself! 👉 https://lnkd.in/exax8HF8 #vc #venturecapital

VC winter seems to be over, and Kauffman Fellows are deploying! 💸The latest report from the Kauffman Fellows network reveals a vibrant outlook for the rest of '24. Investments are on the rise, with a significant shift in sentiment: 50% of managers plan to ink more deals in 2024. While expectations soar for founders with a surge in deal-making, fundraising trends spell a hopeful path for GPs. 🔗 Download the Full Report: https://bit.ly/3U6SbLa

VC is so focussed on doing, you rarely get a chance to learn. The past week at the Kauffman Fellows module in LA taught me a lot about investment thesis and portfolio construction. My top takeaways and nuggets: 1. Your investment thesis ≠ your personal brand 2. Find ways to make your fund 10% better each week (Austin Clements) 3. Board members are stress absorbers not generators 4. You build your reputation on pass emails (David Lee) 5. Winning a deal is about understanding the "why" behind a founder's asks 6. 55% of VC funds return <1x (Mark Mullen) 7. Finding the intersection between your investment threshold and market inefficiencies (by stage, geo, etc) is the key to generating alpha (Clint Korver) 8. Minimise drag on your firm at all costs (Phil Wickham) 9. The most valuable investor skills are: persistence, resilience, leadership, work ethic, ambition, cultural alignment and attention to detail (Mark Suster) 10. Today there are 350 public unicorns across internet and software, but 1,400 private ones. That doesn't add up. Massive kudos to Nick Kim and Solomon Hailu for bringing together these speakers to challenge and inform our ways of thinking. Coming from the UK, I appreciate how much we have to learn from the more developed West Coast venture ecosystem. Photo and hiking creds Susie, Ines 🙌 #venturecapital #vc

Great tips that Henrik Wetter Sanchez is sharing here! #vc #venturecapital #startupfounders #angelinvestors #angelinvesting #startupjourney #tech #techinvesting #seedfunding #startups #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #founders #fundraising #innovation #technology #business

If you are wondering which real estate conference to attend in 2024, wonder no more, as the Best Ever Conference is truly the BEST that I have attended so far. What has been your experience at BEC?