Gina Bauman’s Post

2023 will be a year that no one will be forgetting any time soon! It was one of the hardest environments to build in and one of the hardest environments to get funding. And yet, the best operators persisted! They were flexible when they needed to be, and steadfast when it counted. To all the founders and fund managers out there that dug in, worked hard, held onto their visions and got to the other side, you rock! 🤘 2024 already feels like an easier market and those that pushed through 2023 will have rightfully earned prime position as risk appetite starts to rebuild 🌅 https://lnkd.in/g9FJdZhu

The VC secondaries market is booming, with Hamilton Lane leading the charge by launching a record $5 billion fund. This surge in activity signals a shift in the #investment landscape, offering new opportunities for liquidity and growth. Why is this important? Secondary transactions provide a vital avenue for early investors to exit and re-deploy capital, fueling further innovation in the #VC ecosystem. Learn more about what's driving this trend in PitchBook's Q&A with Hamilton Lane’s managing director, Matt Pellini, here👇

Ever wondered why #venturecapital or the so called #alternatives are so inaccessible? That's by design. Although there are legitimate reasons for the #sec 🏦 to establish #accreditedinvestor requirements in order to safeguard the naïve investor, this is a crucial avenue for long term wealth generation 💰 and the common investor deserves to a share of this pie. One of my goals this year is to further my Angel Investors network and make moves to break into the seemingly murky world of #VCs. I strongly believe that, putting it out there will make this a self-fulfilling prophecy!! Here is what I have been up to: 🤝 I partnered with a great Investment Advisor with experience in Private markets and started allocating 50% of my wealth in VC/PE funds, Private credit, Private Real Estate etc. ✌ I passed my Finra #Series65 exam just to feel grounded on the various investment vehicles and laws around running a VC or Hedge Fund. While I could technically register as an Investment Advisor Representative, it is not for me yet. ✍ I found my way into angel investing syndications like AngelList and Syndicate meeting founders, operators, UX designers etc. 🦄 I joined Hustle Fund’s Angel Squad, the YC of Angel Investing, to get access to quality deal flow and a community of 2k+ angels. 💫 Enlisted myself as a mentor at leading accelerators such as #techstars First Round Capital and started offering pro-bono advise. 💥 Setup my advisory (Goldilocks Advisors LLC) and developed my playbook and service offerings around Trust, Risk and Security tailored for the needs of early stage founders. Started attending VC events where I meet founders, investors, operators, lawyers and a whole breed of others, who I am yet to figure out what they do and how they make their living, but one thing is for certain, they all seem so optimistic about the future and share a passion for changing the world. I’ve already kicked off new collaborations with some and loving it!! So for me, this is a new chapter and I am only getting started - Stay tuned. 🤞 #angelinvesting #alternativeinvestments #innovationecosystem #hustleculture #payitforward #wealthcreation #fundraising

The VC secondaries market is booming, with Hamilton Lane leading the charge by launching a record $5 billion fund. This surge in activity signals a shift in the #investment landscape, offering new opportunities for liquidity and growth. Why is this important? Secondary transactions provide a vital avenue for early investors to exit and re-deploy capital, fueling further innovation in the #VC ecosystem.

#insights ❄ ☃ Winter is here! Yes the weather...but also the current phase of the VC landscape. Thank you Robin Haak and Robin Capital for the interview with Matias Collan 🚀 discussing the industry's evolution over the decades and the industry's impending sunnier era. 3 main themes discussed: 1. The Rise of Regional VC Players: Exploring the shift from centralized hubs to a diverse spread of fund managers across Europe, with a spotlight on the Southwest, Eastern Europe, and Germany. 2. Evolving Capital Dynamics in VC: Tracing the journey from a decade of funding challenges to the recent surge in investments across various stages of startups. 3. Tech, Innovation, and Tomorrow's Leaders: Delving into the pivotal role of technology in tackling global issues and the indispensable contributions of young, innovative entrepreneurs backed by private capital. What types of LPs and GPs do you think will be resilient and prosperous during these challenging times? Let us know in the comments below! #tech #innovation #vc #administration #fund #fundraising #LP #GP

Friend of HERMESA, Amina Ahmad has written a great post about her learnings from 1 year of angel investing. So much good advice in here, but we particularly like the comment about the need "to get focused and loud about following my instincts about a founder" rather than following the herd. (We paraphrase! Do read her full post below)

🏆📈🏅 Check out the finalists for the Innovation & Impact categories at the Growth Investor Awards 2023 - What a great lineup! #InvestmentExcellence #impactbeyondinvestment #GIA2023

(A day late but...) Officially 5 years on this path as an investor. Cribbing off the famous Gates' quote: “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in 5 years.” It's really been an incredibly fun, challenging, and rewarding journey. The top 3 all come down to people: + Have had the opportunity to invest and work with amazing founders & teams + Be able to co-invest with great partners walking the walk + Folks investing in my journey - esp as LP's in the fund and trusting me with their hard-earned money, and as mentors, and friends (w/ lots of overlap on these categories). Would never have imagined where I'd be just a 'short' 5 years later from pushing the chips in. After exiting my agency, I realized there was something special about early-stage founders + teams. The excitement around building 0 => 1 is palpable and I wanted in! Started as an angel investor and advisor for ~2.5 years. Fortunate to invest in lots of special companies but shout-out to Nabeel 🦄 and Lunchbox. Before Covid, I worked out of the Lunchbox office. Was furiously reading Secrets of Sand Hill Road, so I could sound smart in all my meetings with Nabeel and the VCs we were pitching. After 25 investments, 7.5x+ TVPI in the angel portfolio, and pushing by folks like Kevin Weatherman, Ben Zises, John Neamonitis and others > I launched my fund in Summer 2021. Fortunate to have 60+ LP's trust me with their capital but special shout-out to the fund anchor Apple Core Holdings. And ofc thanks to the founders who have allowed us to be part of their journey. We are now fully deployed ~$9MM into 21 companies. Special shout-out to two Israeli companies Visually Anya Geimanson 🇮🇱 and Monocle Noam Szpiro Mark Lotman. Esp awesome to support them during these times. We've also deployed an additional $8MM+ into five later-stage opportunities via SPV. Fortunate to learn about these deals via our strong network and earn allocation via our value-add on GTM and product roadmap! Onwards and upwards, excited to see what the next 5 years bring!

In case you missed this.  Read this super enlightening article written by our CiC, Harry 'Tomi Davies if you are looking to become an angel investor or even become a better one. https://lnkd.in/dPdX8Vhb #angelinvestors #angelinvesting #africanstartups