Michael Amtmann

2024's VC navigator for startups is here! Startup Insider's Investor Report covers over 100 of the most engaged and dynamic venture capitalists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 🇩🇪 🇦🇹 🇨🇭 Get a comprehensive overview of each VC, including: - the number of deals from 2022 & 2023 - how many of them were initial and follow-up investments - maximum investment amounts - focus areas and preferred startup stages - exclusive VC interviews, and more! The report features reputable VCs like Creandum, Cavalry Ventures, Lakestar, Cherry Ventures, hubraum and many more. We're delighted to be featured - thank you, Startup Insider! 🚀 Download the report here: https://bit.ly/441FEMl #Investors #VC #Startup

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Capmont Technology raises €100m fund to back early-stage B2B startups in Europe and the US Munich-based VC Capmont Technology has closed its first fund of €100m, to back B2B tech startups across Europe and the US. But the firm, previously known as DI Technology, isn’t a total newbie. Founded in 2016, the VC has already been making investments on a deal-by-deal basis into startups working in enterprise SaaS and industrial tech — in fields including robotics, industrial automation, manufacturing, IoT and supply chain and procurement. Its portfolio includes Konux, which optimises railway operations using AI, and ProGlove, an industrial IoT firm acquired by private equity investor Nordic Capital in 2022 for an undisclosed amount. The fresh €100m brings the total raised by the firm since its founding to €300m.  Fund strategy Capmont Technology invests in late seed stage to Series B startups that have proven traction and customer demand. With the new fund, it will write cheques of between €2-5m into 15-16 startups. It plans to reserve 40% of the €100m for follow-ons — however, it has “additional soft commitments from LPs” which allows the fund to make co-investments in addition to those from the fund, especially at the later stages, says Dr Torsten Kreindl, managing partner at Capmont Technology. The firm has already made seven investments from the new fund including Celus, a design platform offering solutions for electronic designers and component suppliers, and Arch Systems, an industry-4.0 machine data and AI platform for electronics and discrete manufacturers. Kreindl says that the firm is keen to back more companies using AI to improve industrial processes, saying that Europe is a good place to build these companies “due to its substantial industrial-related customer base”. LPs in the new fund include institutional investors, family offices and ultra high net worth individuals, such as entrepreneurs and C-level executives at enterprises in the DACH region, which Capmont declined to name. #economy #Bangladesh #World #economic #US #Bank #startup #UK #growing #investment #USA #investors #Europe #WorldBank #business #News #fund

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𝐔𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜: ‘𝐋𝐅𝐈’ 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 We rely on metrics daily: 🌟 NPS, 💻 Churn Rate, 📈 CAGR, 💰 Burn Multiples, 📉 LTV, CAC, MRR, ARR, etc. These metrics guide us through business strategy and decision-making. Even books like “Measure What Matters” focus on OKRs/ goals, which I LOVE as a leader. But as I took a step back, I realized there was something missing. Amidst the flurry of KPIs, frameworks and analyses, one crucial area often goes unnoticed: our own well-being 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 Imagine what would happen to a company if we didn’t measure performance or plot KPIs. It would likely fail, blindsided by unforeseen issues. "𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝." – 𝑃𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐷𝑟𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑟 If true, then why do we not apply the same logic and discipline to our personal well-being? I continue to see leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs silently suffering. It’s scary. It’s sad. But it’s also a wake-up call. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐅𝐈 🌞 Of course, you wouldn’t know what LFI means because I conjured this up, but hang with me… I did put some thought behind this 😎. I wanted to find a way to measure and monitor overall fulfillment and satisfaction in life, evaluating aspects like purpose, passion, joy, contribution, and alignment with core values. I call this the 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐱 (𝐋𝐅𝐈). The foundational rocks for my rubric include: • Time with Loved Ones: Cherish every moment with family and friends. Time is fleeting, and these moments are priceless. Aging parents? Toddlers time-traveling to graduates suddenly? • Personal Happiness and Satisfaction: Take stock of your emotional well-being. Are you truly happy and fulfilled? • Health and Wellness: Prioritize your health. Without it, nothing else matters. Even money can’t be the silver bullet. If Steve Jobs couldn’t do it, what are our odds? • Purpose and Passion: Are you excited about what you do or miserable? Are you working on something you are passionate about? Better to try and fail than live and regret never pursuing it 😡 So the next time you are overwhelmed or triggered by the typical “LFG” with a 🚀, I want you to pause and think about your #LFI 🌞. In a world where success is often measured by external achievements and the only constant seems to be layoffs, let’s not forget to measure what truly matters: our own well-being. Ready to measure and improve your LFI?  What's one rock you'd add to the list above? Please share your thoughts in the comments. With this in mind, I’m working on some exciting changes for my next act and will be sharing soon as I finesse my own rubric for my LFI! It involves a little dose of imagination, bonding with my kids, laughter, & a LOT of LFI 😀 #LifeFulfillmentIndex #CEO #WellBeing #LifeMetrics #Entrepreneurship #StartupSuccess #ZeeZeeAdventures

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Getting into Y Combinator and building a unicorn (not to mention two) is not easy. Tom Blomfield knows more about it than possibly anybody. In his recent appearance on the 20VC podcast, Tom shared his thoughts on how great founders show signs of exceptionalism early on. This perspective strongly resonates with our vision at ETA Technologies. If these signs can be identified and presented in a sophisticated as well as quantified format, it can significantly aid in discovering the next unicorn founders. After all, investors always invest in people. #startups #venturecapital #fundraising https://lnkd.in/gaF-7zed

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📊 Reality Check: Are VCs Too Focused on SaaS Metrics? An important discussion is emerging in the VC world: Have we become too dependent on ARR multiples, neglecting true innovation in the process? Key Points to Consider: • The "SaaS Boom Loop" has created a focus on quick deployment and rapid scaling • Traditional venture capital was about patient capital and long-term value creation • Current metrics make it challenging for deep tech startups to demonstrate value • Management fee structures may be driving short-term thinking The Real Impact: Deep tech companies often need years of R&D before generating revenue. When VCs only understand value through ARR multiples, we risk missing the next semiconductor revolution. At YOBE Ventures, we believe in looking beyond simple metrics. True value creation often requires patience, deep understanding, and a long-term perspective. Read more about this crucial industry discussion: https://buff.ly/3OqRpoA #VentureCapital #Investing #Startup #Innovation #VCFunding #DeepTech #YOBEVentures

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How to choose a right VC fund? Picking the right VC is crucial for your project’s long-term success. Here are the main points to consider: - Dig into the fund’s history and check out their past wins - Make sure your funding needs align with their criteria - See if they’ve backed projects in your niche before - Check the founders’ backgrounds and whether they’ve delivered on promises - Read feedback from other projects they've worked with - Make sure their business philosophy aligns with your project’s mission By following these steps, you’ll be better positioned to secure capital for growth and scaling. Monolith takes each of these points 😎

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#fundingalert 💼Company: Langdock 💰Funding: $3Million ⚡Round: Seed 👥Investors: General Catalyst and La Famiglia, Y Combinator, Rolf Schroemgens, Hanno Renner, Johannes Reck, Erik Muttersbach Langdock, Maintain complete control on your data while enabling your staff with LLMs. Build personalised assistants, automate whole workflows, and have conversations with your internal experts. The money will be used by the business to grow both its operations and growth initiatives. Under the direction of CEO Lennard Schmidt, Langdock offers a platform with enterprise-grade security, on-premises and cloud-based solutions, and a chat interface that lets coworkers access LLMs from different departments. Tobias Kemkes, Nono Konopka, Niklas Hoelterhoff, Justus Tölle, Thomas Plattner, Karl Richter   Read more - https://lnkd.in/gaHs-B6f To share your startup story write us on - [email protected] #Langdock #security #business #growth #funding #fundingnews #startupnews #news #startuprise

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🕚Here’s a flashback to an exciting and bold VC fund launch from 2023. 💸 In Q3 2023, TVF Management GmbH (TVF | TechVision Fonds) launch its fourth startup fund, TechVision Fonds II (TVF II), with backing from NRW.BANK, Sparkasse Aachen and a number of private investors. The fund initially has capital of €42m which is expected to expand over the coming months. 🌍 ‘#Rhineland area (#Germany) and neighbouring #Netherlands and #Belgium.’ 💡 ‘Technology-oriented start-ups in the #preseed to #SeriesA phases with investments of up to €6m, with an initial ticket size of €500k to €2m.’ 📈 ‘The VC has over €100 million in assets under management. The fund already has companies such as Hemovent GmbH, Silexica and Taxy.io in its portfolio.’ 💭 “The entire Rhineland has gained strength as a start-up ecosystem. As soon as the economic conditions improve, it will become more dynamic.” - Dr. Ansgar Schleicher, Managing Partner TVF Management GmbH 🗞️by TVG https://lnkd.in/eKVWkNgx. 👏 For the #AudaciousInvestors unleashing innovation and empowering tomorrow🚀 Dr. Ansgar Schleicher I Bernhard Kugel I Björn Lang I Christopher Jahn I Pascal Bless I Dr. Lars Gussen I Lamyaa Genaid I Günther Bogenrieder I Sabine Biergans I Team TVF | TechVision Fonds … #venturecapital #vc #funds #startups #entrepreneurs #funding #tech #entrepreneurship #technology #innovation #fund #venture #europe

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Which SaaS Benchmarks Should You Follow? 🤔 Dirk Sahlmer has you covered. 🤝 He compiled all the useful resources for you. 📚 The listed sources cover crucial topics like: ➡️ SaaS Valuations, ➡️ Operational KPIs, ➡️ Startup Funding Data, ➡️ Spending Patterns, ➡️ Pricing, and more. Check it out and let us know if you think anything is missing! #saas #benchmarks #reports

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B2B SaaS Entrepreneurs on Mastering the Exit We wanted to let you know that Carlsquare Founder & Managing Partner Mark Miller will be moderating a panel at ARRtist Summit 2024 in Berlin. The theme is ‘Mastering the Exit’, and Mark will be joined by three people who have as much up-to-date insight into this subject as anyone in Germany – all three are B2B SaaS entrepreneurs who have recently sold their companies: Nader El Ali, CEO of DemoUp Cliplister, acquired by Bregal Unternehmerkapital Emil Beck, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Remazing, acquired by IK Partners Manuel Hinz, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Cross Engage, acquired by Spotler Group, Founder of Toroleo GmbH, acquired by Delticom AG, and CFO at DailyDeal, acquired by Google. The panel will take place on October 10 at 16:00-17:00 CET. If you’re planning on attending ARRtist Summit, do come along, it will be great to see you and we’re confident you will learn a lot from the discussion. Since space is limited, you’ll need it to indicate it as one of your preferred sessions on the online from ARRtist provides. For those not currently planning to attend, you may wish to consider doing so. ARRtist is the most relevant event for the European SaaS community, bringing together 500 high-profile Founders and CxOs with 125 top-tier investors for a day of networking and knowledge exchange. You can learn more here: https://www.arrtist.net/ Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the panel or ARRtist Summit. #manda #saas #berlinsaasweek #saasalon

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Is a high valuation always a good thing? Should you try to maximize your startup valuation? Stephan Moraes, the GP of Indico Capital, doesn't think so. Stephan has backed 5 European unicorns and built a VC fund with $200M AUM in the last 6 years. In my conversation with him, we went over the valuation pitfall a lot of startups fall into. Founders assume just because they CAN raise a lot of money, they SHOULD. But those sky high valuations can quickly backfire on founders if they're not careful. There are two reasons for this. 1. Later fundraising rounds become a challenge If you don't have the performance to back up your higher than average valuation, later fundraising rounds become impossible. Not to mention if there is a downturn in the market, you might not be able to raise at all as your last round was bigger than it should have been. Knowing that startups are cyclical by nature, this isn't an unrealistic scenario. 2. Achieving liquidity becomes harder Whether you're looking to IPO or get acquired, an excessively high valuation, especially in the wrong part of the cycle, can make an exit impossible. If when the market is good you raise as much money as possible, exiting or fundraising when the market isn't as optimistic will put you in a tricky position. Keep this in mind as you go into fundraising rounds.

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📊 SaaS vs. Non-SaaS: The Valuation Gap Did you know? SaaS businesses often command higher valuations in contrast to non-SaaS companies. Here's why: ⭐️ Predictable Revenue: Subscription models provide stable income streams ⭐️ Scalability: Cloud-based delivery allows for rapid growth ⭐️ Lower Costs: Cloud-based delivery also enables a more cost-effective business model These advantages translate into higher multiples and increased investor interest. Is your tech company leveraging the SaaS model to its full potential? #FutureOfWork #SaaS #Technology #EdTech #HRTech #WorkTech #WellbeingTech #MergersAndAcquisitions #InvestmentBanking

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🚨 10 Days Left! Get $20,000 in SaaS Growth Secrets—FREE! 🚨 🔥 Attention SaaS CEOs & Founders with $1M to $100M in ARR! 🔥 Just a quick reminder—our once-in-a-lifetime offer ends in 10 DAYS! Until August 31, 2024, you can access the SaaS Growth Course by Ryan Allis, normally valued at $20,000, completely FREE! Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to transform your SaaS business. 💡 Why Act NOW? This course isn't just another program—it's the definitive guide for taking your SaaS company from $1M to $100M in ARR and positioning yourself for a nine-figure exit. It’s the most advanced and thorough course available for accelerating SaaS growth! Is This Opportunity for You? If your SaaS business: ✅ Has achieved product-market fit ✅ Is generating $1M-$100M in ARR ✅ Is ready to build a powerhouse sales and marketing engine Then THIS is your chance to accelerate your growth and dominate the market! What Will You Learn? ✅ How to build a repeatable, scalable, metrics-driven growth system ✅ Mastery of inbound and outbound marketing, paid ads, and channel partnerships ✅ Systems to scale efficiently and prepare for a successful exit This course is designed for companies poised for serious growth. Ideal for CEOs, CROs, and CMOs focused on reaching $100M+ exits! ⏳ The Offer Ends in 10 DAYS!—August 31, 2024! How to Claim Your Free Course: 1️⃣ Apply to join at SaasRise 2️⃣ Once accepted, start your two-week free trial by August 31 to receive the course at no cost #SaaS #GrowthSecrets #BusinessGrowth #SaaSFounders #Entrepreneurship #FreeCourse #GrowthHacking #SaaSScaling #MarketingStrategy #SalesExcellence #SaasRise #TheSaaSGrowthCourse #GrowthMindset #LimitedTimeOffer #BusinessSuccess #SaaSCommunity #ScalingUp #SaaSRevolution #ExitStrategy #OneInALifetime Interested or need more details? Drop a comment or DM me!

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Founders: writing a business plan is key for fundraising. 💰 (here is a template by Sequoia Capital) To approach VCs, you need to have a clear narrative. This is your business plan. It helps articulate your value. Here is how to structure it: → 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: define your company in a single sentence. This is harder than it looks, it’s easy to get caught up listing features instead of communicating your mission. → 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: describe the pain of your customer. How is this addressed today and what are the shortcomings to current solutions. → 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: explain your eureka moment. Why is your value prop unique and compelling? Why will it endure? And where does it go from here? → 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘄? This reminds me of the story of Google. Right time, right place, right team = amazing product and company. → 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹: identify your customer & your market Some of the best companies invent their own markets. Think about Amazon with AWS, the cloud wasn't even a concept back then. → 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 Who are your direct and indirect competitors. Show that you have a plan to win. Show that you understand the environment in which you evolve. → 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹: how do you intend to thrive? → 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺: tell the story of your founders and team members. → 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀: include today and tomorrow → 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: if all goes well, what will you have built in 5years? However, as Sequoia said, they invested in Airbnb because of the founders' ideas, their thoughts process, their ambition, not because of their slides. Credit Hugo Rauch, follow for more insights. #Startup #innovation #entrepreneurship #sustainability #investing #networking #venturecapital

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Last Week Funding & M&A Updates (5 - 10 Aug) 🚀 Funding Highlights: - 29 startups raised around $117.68 million. - 8 growth-stage deals and 19 early-stage deals. - 2 early-stage startups kept the transaction details undisclosed. 🌟 Growth-stage Deals: - 8 startups raised $104.8 million. - Telehealth and Visit Health spearheaded its $30 million Series B round. - Neo Wealth and Asset Management, ShareChat, Country Delight, and ShopDeck (Previously NuShop) followed with $26.5 million, $16 million, $8.45 million, and $7.85 million in funding respectively. 🌱 Early-stage Deals: - 19 startups secured $9.8 million. - Agrizy led the list. - Scimplify, kindlife.in, Punch, Metadome.ai followed. - Other mentions: IppoPay and FlexiBees 🏙️ City-wise Deals: - Bengaluru led with 11 deals. - Followed by Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Udaipur, and Chandigarh. 📈 Segment-wise Deals: - Agritech and Fintech startups topped with 4 deals. - E-commerce, Manufacturing, and Proptech tech startups followed. 🔍 Series-wise Deals: - Series A funding led to 10 deals. - Followed by 7 seed, 4 Series B, 3 pre-Series A, and 3 Debt deals. - Series C and Angel round deals are next on the list. 📉 Funding Trend: - Weekly startup funding slipped 46.81% to $177.68 million compared to $334.04 million the previous week. - 8-week average: $297.56 million with 29 deals per week. 💡 Fund Launches: - Sauce VC closed its third fund at Rs 365 crore. - O'Neil Capital Management India launched a new quant fund aiming for stable returns. - Pantomath Capital Management also secured a significant initial close for its second fund, focusing on value investing. 💼 M&A: - Nazara acquired Fusebox Games. - Instawork took over Able Jobs. - Nazara's Absolute Sports acquired DeltiasGaming.com - Shobitam, Inc acquired IsadoraLife - Exicom acquired Tritium - Apax Partners picked up 52% stakes in greytHR 📰 News Flash: - UPI daily transactions cross 500 Mn mark. - No appraisal for Unacademy employees in 2024. - Namma Yatri expands zero-commission cab service to Delhi-NCR. - Ola Electric's share price surged 20%. - Tech IPOs subscription: Unicommerce 168X and FirstCry.com (BrainBees Solutions Ltd.) 12X. - Astroyogi accuses Astrotalk of trademark infringement. - Saas unicorn Postman's valuation takes a hit. Stay tuned for more fundraising and M&A updates! #StartupFunding #IndianStartups #FundingNews #Investments #funding #weeklyupdates #mergersandacquisitions #fundraising

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Want to exit as an early-stage founder? Yes, it is possible. But it requires a different approach to typical M&A dealmaking. A bit of context… I get 5-10 messages per week from relatively early-stage founders (traction, but not massively profitable yet) who are looking to exit. There are many reasons why - one of several projects, need more stable finances, tapped out and unsure what to do next. Etc. This also applies to relatively small businesses (sub-£5M revenue), owner-operated with a good team where the motivation may be a life-style change or retirement. Now. To be blunt and honest, in 90% of cases there isn’t an exit path - usually because of mis-match in expectations. (Eg: “We’re just one small investment away from building a $BN+ company”) But. Most of the time you can salvage a £1-10M outcome over a 12-36 month period. How? By treating it as an investment case to deliver an outcome for a specific target company. For example: You have a software product that helps insurance companies manage supply-chain risk. Let’s say the business does £500k revenue and covers costs. Your average M&A Advisory would try to sell the company based on the revenue/EBITDA and (after many months of false hope) fail to do so. They will get offers - but rarely ones you want to accept. My advice - and what I always recommend founders / owners do below 1M EBITDA - is to approach specific targets with an investment case to deliver outcomes. For example: Making / saving a target insurance company Z benefits over an agreed timescale with milestone payments. Becuase taking supply chain risk. This is a multi-million, even billion, sized problem that all wrestle with - and invest significant CapEx and OpEx into annually. If you can solve that - or deliver X saving … you get Y. Sounds fair, no? This is a very standard deal in enterprise consulting land. And beats shutting the venture down and feeling like you’ve failed. No. It’s not the all-cash deal from Google. Yes. It will require work to implement. Yes. It is a viable path for most owners / founders to realise a good return for creating value in a relatively de-risked way. See. What many founders / owners overlook is that the most valuable thing they have created isn’t IP … software … their service offering … etc … It’s actually their understanding of the problem, how to solve it, and a team who can solve it. So. If you are in this situation and looking for an exit. But aren’t really acquirable yet, why not give this a go? First step is putting together a short-list of targets who you might approach and are already investing in the problem (bigger is better). Hope useful. I wish someone had given me this advice on the dozens of early-stage ideas I walked away from over the years! #exitstrategy #founder #openequity

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#fundingalert 💼Company: Birdwingo  💰Funding: €1.2 Million ⚡Round: New Round 👥Investors: Bienville Capital Partners LP, bank officials and other startup founders. Birdwingo is a user-friendly site that provides financial education and investing opportunities for the upcoming generation of ethical, long-term European investors. Birdwingo is a unique software in the European Union that enables underage minors to invest in major companies and ETFs, such Apple, Nvidia, and the S&P 500, among over 12,000 other alternatives. The programme was founded by two brothers who wished they had had access to such a tool when they were younger. Adam Hano, Andrej Hano Read more - https://lnkd.in/gfE_eW-N To share your startup story write us on - [email protected] #Birdwingo #financial #software #funding #fundingnews #startup #news #startupnews #startuprise

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