Desiree Almodovar’s Post

📢 Exciting Event for Female Founders! 📢 Boston New Technology and Prepare 4 VC are thrilled to promote an exclusive event hosted by our ecosystem partners at The Startup Station. Startup Station has teamed up with StartupSchool.NYC, to provide something especially designed for early-stage female founders: “The Emotional Side of Venture Investing - How Do Investors Evaluate Female Founding Teams?” We all know the fundraising journey for female founders is challenging, and the stats can be disheartening. But this is NOT a reason to give up. This event will help you understand how VCs evaluate the only non-numerical component of a venture - a founding team - and how you can turn this information to your advantage. 🗓️ Date: June 27th 🕛 Time: 12 PM EST Register: https://lu.ma/lse01zqw 🎙️ Speakers: Victoria Yampolsky: Serial entrepreneur, strategic CFO advisor, and expert in financial modeling and valuation. Victoria has helped founders raise $50M in venture capital. Founder of the Startup Station. Mark Gold: Award-winning managing director who built a $450m portfolio of early-stage startups from scratch for The City of New York. Founder of StartupSchool.NYC and former Managing Director of 2020 Startups Accelerator. 🔈 Special Guest: Jeanne Mariani Sullivan: Veteran venture capital investor with over 25 years of experience. Early investor in Oracle. Former Board of Trustees member of the New York Hall of Science and the Global Board of Trustees of Astia. 💡 Why Attend? Learn the specific characteristics investors look for in founders. Discover the key questions investors use to determine if you possess those traits. Gain immediate actions you can take to succeed in fundraising. UPDATE: More than half sold out! Register now! Don’t miss this unique opportunity to gain the knowledge and tools you need to excel in your fundraising efforts. Secure your spot today! #FemaleFounders #VentureInvesting #StartupStation #StartupSchoolNYC #BNT #Entrepreneurship #Fundraising

After 17 incredible years at Kleiner Perkins, a journey filled with learning, growth, and remarkable experiences, I'm embarking on a new chapter – one that resonates deeply with my personal and professional ethos. Today, I’m excited to announce the launch of Matter Venture Partners (MVP for short), a venture fund dedicated to early-stage HardTech startups.  With $300M raised in 2023 from prominent LPs, MVP aims to enhance the meaning of ‘value-add’ in HardTech venture investing. I’ve come to realize that fostering HardTech startups requires more than just technology and money; it's also about the intricate interplay of overcoming hardcore engineering problems, while navigating the realities of trying to scale a small company in a large complex ecosystem. MVP will leverage its HardTech expertise, experiences and strategic partners to help entrepreneurs address such challenges. I turned 50 last year, and I’ve always been inspired by tech leaders like Morris Chang, who founded TSMC in his 50s. My professional journey reflects a life framework that I deeply believe in: the first third of our careers is about learning, the second third is about responsibilities as part of a larger entity and mission, and the remaining third is about forging our own path. MVP embodies this third stage for me – it's about creating a new trajectory, not just for myself, but also for the HardTech startup ecosystem. I am immensely grateful for my time at Kleiner Perkins, where I had the privilege of working alongside and learning from extraordinary people like John Doerr, Brook Byers and Al Gore. Their mentorship has been invaluable in shaping my perspectives on technology innovation, societal impact, entrepreneur support and venture investing. Thanks also to Mamoon Hamid, Ilya Fushman and the other Kleiner Perkins partners who collectively were MVP’s first LP. My gratitude further extends to TSMC, who was MVP’s first strategic LP. Joining me in this new adventure are Haomiao Huang, PhD, my colleague from Kleiner Perkins, and Mel Tang, the former CFO of SpinLaunch and Amazon Ring. Together we combine decades of investing, company building and operational experience, that which will be focused on accelerating and scaling the next generation of HardTech startups. MVP is more than a venture fund; it's a commitment to the entrepreneurs and technologies that will define our future. Stay tuned for more. We’re just getting started on a journey to make a tangible impact on the world - one startup at a time. #MatterVenturePartners #HardTech #NewBeginnings #VentureCapital #Innovation

From Techcrunch: Geek Ventures targets immigrant founders with its first fund ------------------------------- Ihar Mahaniok designed Geek Ventures to provide immigrant-focused networking events so founders have an opportunity to grow their professional networks and break into the U.S. market. #techcrunch #startups #breakingtechnews

From Techcrunch: Geek Ventures targets immigrant founders with its first fund ------------------------------- Ihar Mahaniok designed Geek Ventures to provide immigrant-focused networking events so founders have an opportunity to grow their professional networks and break into the U.S. market. #techcrunch #startups #breakingtechnews

The Horned Frog Investment Network more than exceeded expectations for their first ever Venture 101 event last week. The entire team did an amazing job bringing color and a critical baseline understanding to those already involved or interested in the Ventures and startup ecosystems. It was both educational and a place to gain invaluable insights from world class firms and leaders in the space. Inspiring to see the roles that funds like RevTech Labs Capital, universities like Texas Christian University, and networks like Techstars Physical Health Fort Worth Accelerator are playing in fostering the growth of bringing venture capital and entrepreneurship to Fort Worth and the greater metroplex area. Venture Capital regularly punches above its weight when it comes to allocated capital vs impact on national and global markets. At least 4 of the top ten companies in the S&P 500 were venture backed, including the likes of Apple, Meta (previously Facebook), and Google, to just name a few. Arguably, these and companies like them wouldn’t exist in the capacity they do not without the foundational capital that they received early on through VC. Though venture capital is not right for every startup or entrepreneur, the role that it plays is pivotal in the backing of ideas and founders that will go on to impact the world in ways not yet imagined. The aforementioned institutions, venture firms and networks are helping usher in this reality to DFW where we will get to witness these impacts locally through founders in our own backyards. Looking forward to the next Venture 101! Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at TCU #venturecaptial #founders #entrepreneurship #innovation #TCU

In 2023, Black founders raised a smaller portion of early-stage venture capital compared to 2021 and 2022. The overall trend is clear: this year marked the lowest share since 2020 across pre-priced, Seed, and Series A rounds. Here are some key insights: 1. Consistent Declines: The decrease in funding has been observed across all early-stage rounds, from pre-priced to Seed and Series A. This consistent decline highlights systemic issues within the venture capital ecosystem that need addressing. 2. Risk Aversion: During the recent venture downturn, VCs have been focusing more on reducing risk by funding repeat founders. Due to historical barriers, Black founders are less represented among repeat founders, making it harder for them to secure funding in this risk-averse environment. 3. Funding Totals: According to Crunchbase, Black-founded startups in the U.S. raised only $705 million in 2023, marking the first time since 2016 that this figure has fallen below $1 billion. This sharp decline underscores the challenges they face in accessing venture capital. 4. Sector Shifts: There have been noticeable shifts in the sectors where Black founders are securing funding. The fintech and health tech sectors, which previously saw significant investment, have experienced the most considerable drops. For these founders, this means navigating a more challenging funding environment. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for aligning fundraising strategies with current VC trends and advocating for inclusive funding practices. In working with early-stage startups mostly led by Black founders, I've seen firsthand the importance of resilience and adaptability. While the statistics can be discouraging, there are pathways to success for those who can effectively navigate the venture capital landscape. We must continue striving for a more equitable future in venture funding. Graph from Peter Walker! #StartupFinance #VentureCapital #DiversityInTech #RaisingCapital #GrowthStrategies #Entrepreneurship

Business building, venture building or corporate startups - kärt barn har många namn as we say in Sweden. 🇸🇪 Certainly there is something special about combining the agility of startups with the unique assets of the corporation, an idea that more and more companies seem to be recognizing. 🙌 But apart from being able to work more like a startup, what are the reasons why so many firms are adopting venture building strategies? https://lnkd.in/dshnjE4q

14 days since landing in Australia, 5 days into Startmate - a big warm welcome to Emma Grife ❤️🔥 Some of my favourite quotes below! 👇 🌎 Global from Day 1 Startmate is well beyond a local accelerator, but already, and going forward even more so, it helps companies think and act global from day one. 🇨🇭 Switzerland of VC [Emma] was attracted to Startmate’s self-described role as being a “Switzerland” in sitting in the middle of Australia’s start-up sector. 💥 Epicentre of Startup Ambition Self-described as the epicentre for start-up ambition across Australia and New Zealand, Startmate has invested in more than 230 start-ups through its accelerator programs, and has a collective portfolio value of more than $2b. 💸 Our Fund Returns are 🔥 In a letter to its investors last week, Startmate said its funds between 2011-2016 returned cash worth 2.69 times the $2.18m poured in by investors, according to its unaudited figures, with paper returns 10.29 times that amount. 🤝 SM as Connective Tissue They’re the connective tissue of taking emerging founders and connecting them with successful operators, accomplished investors and industry stakeholders. 💃 The Outsized Impact At Startmate, we have an outsized impact on the next wave of successful startups so it is even more important to have a considered approach towards diversity. With 40% of our startups being women co-founded and 500+ women coming through our Fellowship to join startups every year we are custodians of the future make-up of technology innovation. Hence, we’re consciously building a diverse team split 50/50 men/women and are excited for Emma’s appointment to lead the next generation of ambitious founders. That 40 per cent of Startmate’s investments in the past four to five years are in female co-founded teams, that’s a lot better than the industry average which some people say is less than 1 per cent, which is awful. 👏 Kudos to David Swan for covering! ps://https://lnkd.in/gnVFCn4W

📢 Advice on building startups from Hustle Fund, Cleo Capital and Haje Kamps The Equidam Monthly is a curated collection of articles from the best in the industry delivered on (or near!) the last Friday of the month: • 📢 Trends in the startup and venture capital world • 🚶 Advice from founders, investors and experts • 🏃 Fundraising news, acceleration opportunities Read the full newsletter here: ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eVnPg6Fw Here's a quick preview of this month's stories: Ready ... 📢 • Laura Noonan of Financial Times covers the impending FCA-led review of valuations in private markets, in "UK regulator to launch review of private market valuations" • Kaidi Gao and Susan Hu of PitchBook share their updated methodology for classifying 'pre-seed' companies, in "PitchBook Analyst Note: Introducing the Pre-Seed Dataset" • Abraham Augustine of TechCabal offers his thoughts on shifting IPO market, in "Your favourite tech startup wants to go public; it may make everyone involved unbelievably liquid" Set ... 🚶 • Anne Sraders of Fortune speaks to Eric Bahn of Hustle Fund and Sarah Kunst of Cleo Capital about the upcoming fundraising season, in "How founders can prepare for the fall fundraising ‘marathon’" • Dan G. of Equidam looks back on the historical revenue growth performance of top startups, in "Benchmarks for startup revenue growth" • Haje Kamps of TechCrunch looked at the data on how VC behaviour towards pitch decks has changed in the last quarter with Justin Izzo of Dropbox DocSend, in "5 trends in VC funding for pre-seed startups" Go!!! 🏃 • Equidam partner SeedBlink launches a new program aimed at enabling fundraising at the earliest stages, in "SeedBlink introduces "Community Stars" for helping pre-seed tech start-ups fundraise easier" • Dan Taylor of Tech.eu covers news from a startup with an innovative approach to testing new materials in space, in "Spacetech startup Space DOTS® connects with $1.5 million in pre-seed funding round" • Juliane Butty of LatamList shares fundraising news from a SaaS platform with integrated financial tools for content creators, in "Blind Creator INC raises $582K pre-seed round to professionalize influencer marketing" #Startups #Fundraising #VC Bianca Cefalo Boost VC Sie Ventures 7percent Ventures Blue Wire Capital Heinz Sohm Ionut Patrahau Eric Bartha

🚀 Accelerating Ventures and Bridging Communities 🚀 "The only thing worse than starting something and failing... is not starting something." - Seth Godin I am thrilled to announce an upcoming initiative that's close to my heart. In the dynamic world of innovation and entrepreneurship, the journey is just as important as the destination. It's with this spirit that I introduce a new chapter in my journey with Plug and Play Tech Center. Over the past two months, my time at Plug and Play has been nothing short of inspiring. The commitment to fostering innovation, especially through the DRIVE program aimed at empowering diverse founders, resonates deeply with me. Our industry has seen incredible strides, but it's undeniable that historical limitations remain. Female-led startups, on average, outperform their male-led counterparts, yet their access to venture capital remains constrained at a mere two percent. Drawing from my experience, I've observed striking parallels between veterans and founders. Both embody unwavering resilience, calculated risk-taking, and adaptive leadership. The problem-solving acumen that veterans refine in the face of challenges finds renewed purpose in navigating the complexities of the business world. Interestingly, post-World War II, nearly half of the veterans started businesses. Today, this number has dwindled to a mere 5%. With the recent addition of Accrual Funds, I hope more funds will invest in Critical Technology Areas and more veterans will consider building companies in spaces like duel-use technologies. Beginning this September, I'm thrilled to introduce office hours from 1 PM to 3 PM PST, an initiative that aims to bridge the gap in venture capital accessibility and equity. Whether you're curious about Plug and Play's investment thesis, intrigued by the dynamic startup realm, or simply looking for an engaging conversation, I'm here to connect! Book here: https://lnkd.in/gbcMfRmX #PNPTC #OpenInnovation #VentureCapital #Startups Dominique Reese Daren S.