Manfred Bodner

Tune into Episode 4 of The FPC Podcast, and our conversation with Alvaro del Castillo, the Founder and CEO of Taptap Digital, one of Europe's leading adtech companies that joined the bd-capital portfolio in 2021, for an undisclosed 9-figure sum. Spotify, Apple & Acast link in the comments. 👇 #podcast #adtech #business #venture #vc #mergersandacquisitions

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The latest update from the research team at Primal Capital explains the importance of wallets in the Web3 ecosystem and highlights the evolution of solutions in the market today. These solutions provide greater utility compared to the original Web3 wallets, which was simply to safeguard assets from centralized platforms.

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Insightful look into bioplatform strategy, and what it takes to raise a Series A from my partner, Omri Amirav-Drory: https://lnkd.in/dFv7GbF6

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Developing an investment framework was one of the first things we did when starting Silence. Nothing is set in stone, but having this set of principles has proven to be really valuable throughout all the changes in VC markets over the last years.

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Controversial opinion - but in any case, we have to note "THE IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION SUPERIORITY", as John Cowan writes. Startup Studios, Venture Studios, Asset Studios, but also VCs that want to stay competitive in the future have to take data-driven decisions, based on actual, life data from what humans do in their projects and startups. AI can help, but in the end it's human decisions (still) that make the difference for success or failure. I have been monitoring Max Pog and his grand research, cited in the article, for a while. He already promotes and lives the principles of collaborative startup ecosystem in his online community. We on the other hand are happy to build a platform that facilitates these interactions and the value creation as an operating system for studios and VCs. https://lnkd.in/eQ2uK2U6

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Excited to lead a $5M Seed in Daytona, building powerful and flexible development environments for individuals (open-source, https://lnkd.in/gy_u7j-m) and enterprise teams. Establishing a uniform computing environment is challenging, everything from missing or invalid env variables to inconsistent database states to 3rd party integration can break your development environment. Tack on multiple projects per developer and many developers per org, the problem becomes a nightmare for the developer and internal platform team tasked with fixing it. Daytona enables devs to spin up an env in the cloud while using their favorite IDEs (VS Code, JetBrian) on their local machine. Companies can also host the development env however they like: public cloud, private cloud or on-prem. Leading tech companies like Meta, GitHub and Spotify have moved to cloud development environments, and we believe Daytona can democratize the practice for individuals and teams. We are thrilled to jump on this journey with cofounders Ivan Burazin, Vedran Jukic, Goran Draganić. They have been tireless advocates for developer experience, dating 10+ years ago to their prior startup Codeanywhere, one of the first web IDEs. Check out our blog and interview with the founders to learn more, they’re hiring! https://lnkd.in/gpn36TXt #DeveloperTools #OpenSource #DevExperience

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The real issue isn't the asset class itself, but rather selecting the right VC. Unlike other asset classes, the return dispersion in VC is immense. VCs that adopt a gambling approach often drag down the median returns. In contrast, those with a structured and disciplined investment thesis can significantly reduce exposure to losing companies while enhancing their upside potential by investing the right amount at the right valuation. Achieving favorable returns in VC requires a programmatic approach: 1. Great manager selection and access: Identifying and gaining access to top-tier managers is crucial. 2. Consistency across cycles: Long-term commitment and consistency in deployments across various market cycles are key. This doesn’t mean investing the same amount each year, but maintaining a relatively stable investment pace where the VC is able to invest for value not just a trend follower. Many LPs tend to commit more capital during peak periods (e.g., 2019-2021) and scale back during tougher times. This natural psychological behavior often results in suboptimal outcomes. Peak periods can lead to behavioral changes and the inclusion of 'tourist' investors, ultimately affecting valuations and returns. It's all about dollar-based risk-adjusted returns. Selecting the right VC with a disciplined investment approach can make all the difference. Consistent, strategic investments, rather than reactionary ones, are essential for capturing the best returns over the long term. Thoughts?

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I spend a lot of time discussing #VentureStudios — often these are #investors (#angels, #LP's, #VC's, and #FamilyOffices), current and aspiring studio operators, and #startup #founders curious about how being part of a studio might benefit them. This is a relatively new asset class, so many of the questions I get come down to understanding the studio model itself (e.g., what exactly is—and isn’t—a studio). For me, the simplest way to explain it is this: a venture studio is a company that builds companies. They typically serve as founding or cofounding entities. While #incubators and #accelerators can offer similar support, they tend to work with businesses that are already up and running. What sets studios apart is their involvement from the very start.

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Our mission is clear: to make top-tier services affordable and accessible to the mid-market. Freelancers were often the only viable option in the past, while consultancies came with high costs and other downsides. Our experience shows that a small integrated team of senior operators delivers the best results. A rapidly growing number of repeat customers agrees. Reach out to learn how we can help you accelerate growth affordably yet through a best-in-class delivery model. #operatingpartner #commercialexcellence #privateequity #freelancer #managementconsultant Mitul Ruparelia Pedro Correia Krishna Chaitanya Simon Blackburn

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Pretty excited about this one - a team with a remarkable track record across top DeFi protocols, propelled by a clear & effective go to market strategy. The result? Over $300 million in TVL and $2 billion in trading volume within just a few short months. ___________________________ As Blast was gearing up for its launch, the market was flooded with over a dozen different spot and perpetual DEXes seeking funding. At the time, Blast had already achieved over $2 billion in TVL and we anticipated they would launch various mainnet incentives to maintain liquidity within the protocol. Our aim was to identify the team most capable of capturing the majority of mindshare and swap volume from the $2 billion+ of captive liquidity in the ~3 months leading up to the Blast token generation event (TGE). Consequently, we engaged in several discussions and reviewed numerous pitches to better understand how the DEX competition might unfold. We were particularly impressed by the Thruster team and their strategy to attract early attention and liquidity through focused partnerships and integrations. ___________________________ At Futureproof, we invest our own capital, which can sometimes be seen as a limitation in the venture capital space. We do not write overly large checks and cannot invest in all the deals that come our way. However, this constraint sharpens our investment focus. Ultimately, it leads us to invest in those we believe are best positioned to dominate their respective niches, rather than just securing a competitive position. High conviction, high hit rate... betting on the fastest horse. Thruster is exactly that - winning, growing and showing zero signs of slowing down. We can't wait to support them as they staff up and double down on their winning formula to integrate Thruster products and liquidity into other top protocols across DeFi, NFTFi and beyond.

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We had the pleasure of speaking to the inimitable Gordon Sanghera, co-founder and CEO of Oxford Nanopore Technologies, valued at around $6.8bn in 2021. Gordon somewhat accidentally ended up as an entrepreneur, breaking the conventional VC wisdom around 'born founders'. The technology is wild - democratising access to genomic sequencing giving us a new understanding of living organisms. In the episode of Riding Unicorns, we cover: 00:00 Defining Entrepreneurship 00:55 Understanding Oxford Nanopore's Technology 06:10 Gordon's Journey to Founding Oxford Nanopore 12:09 Commercialization Challenges and Strategies 16:27 Building a Strong Founding Team 20:55 Navigating the Ups and Downs of Deep Tech 25:54 Innovative Applications of Nanopore Technology 28:57 Company Culture and Operational Insights 35:05 Attracting Talent in a Competitive Market 37:22 The IPO Experience and Future Outlook https://lnkd.in/eQZVSGeK

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"“European startups tend to rely much more on public funding sources or traditional bank loans,” Meyers says. “Atomico’s [report] also reports that VC and limited partnership funders all have a decreased appetite for investing in Europe. This suggests that we have more and more small startups in Europe, but they are fighting over a pool of increasingly sceptical investors,” he says." #sifted #startupfunding #startups #vc #venturecapital #funding #publicfunding #investors #investmentstrategies #investmentmanagement #roi #europe #policy #eu

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Welcoming Sorbet to the Antler Portfolio! 🚀🚀🚀 Sorbet is revolutionizing the freelance ecosystem by integrating workflow solutions with its Web3-enabled payment platform, enabling seamless cross-border collaboration. 🌶 Why does this matter? 85% of freelancers are not using marketplace platforms to land gigs (high platform fees, low visibility, and lack of viable works) and 74% are claiming not to be paid on time. 🌟 What does Sorbet provide? - Instant Global Payments upon milestone completion. - 0% Freelancer Fee. - Secured Transactions, milestone-based escrow smart contracts on the NEAR Blockchain. 👨‍💼 Who are the founders? - Rami Djebari: Blockchain and arts enthusiast with experience at Deloitte's OMNIA AI. - Maher Ayari: Specialist in VC-backed startups, fintech operations, and data consultancy. Antler is proud to support Sorbet located in The Garage | الكــراج in Riyadh 🇸🇦. #Antler #CreatorEconomy #Blockchain #USDC #NEAR #Payments #Creatives #VC #Startup #Freelancing

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Introducing Cambrai Partners and our Investment Thesis    Who We Are:    At Cambrai Partners, we are a boutique UK buyout fund dedicated to investing in businesses that strengthen national resilience. Our mission is simple: to acquire, grow, and hold companies that are essential to the security and prosperity of the UK and Europe.    Our Backgrounds:    Our backgrounds blend military leadership, operational experience, entrepreneurship, and financial acumen, enabling us to partner with businesses and management teams to unlock growth and deliver enduring value.    What Is National Resilience?    National resilience is a country’s ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from shocks such as geopolitical disruptions, economic crises, or technological threats. It’s about ensuring the strength of critical sectors like energy, data, financial services, and defence to safeguard our way of life.    Why Is It Important—and Why Now?    Recent geopolitical events like Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and global conflicts have exposed vulnerabilities in our supply chains, infrastructure, and cybersecurity. The need to protect and strengthen critical sectors has never been more urgent, as the UK must adapt to an increasingly uncertain world.    Our Focus Segments:    We are starting with three pivotal sectors:    Cybersecurity – Ensuring digital resilience against evolving threats.  Industrial Services – Supporting the backbone of the UK economy.  Defence – Investing in technologies and capabilities vital to national security.    Our Value:    We go beyond capital, acting as partners to help companies scale sustainably through:    Servant Leadership inspired by our military ethos.  Strategic expertise, operational support, and network-building.  Long-term investment horizons focused on growth and stability.    Call to Action:    If you’re a business leader or founder in one of our focus sectors and looking for a trusted partner to take your business to the next level, we’d love to hear from you.    📩 Contact us: [email protected]    Together, let’s build a stronger, more resilient future for the UK.  

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Understanding AppLovin In the latest episode of the Mobile Dev Memo podcast, I present a long-form analysis of AppLovin's business and its significant recent growth. But understanding AppLovin the company is fundamentally predicated on understanding the market in which it operates, mobile games advertising, and the direct response digital advertising landscape more broadly. And so the podcast is structured in three parts: - Understanding direct response advertising - Understanding mobile gaming advertising - Understanding AppLovin’s growth Link below.

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In the most recent episode of the Mobile Dev Memo podcast, I speak with Mikołaj Barczentewicz about the EDPB's recent opinion on the Pay or Okay model. We discuss the implications of the EDBP's opinion and the future of the Pay or Okay model for "large online platforms" in the EU. Find this episode wherever you consume podcast content by searching for Mobile Dev Memo.

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I couldn’t be prouder to be a Venture Partner at Isomer Capital (aka the best European FoF - at least for me) as we just announced the launch of our pioneering £100m secondaries fund. This fund is dedicated to acquiring stakes from LPs in various VC funds, tapping into a massive and largely unexplored market. 🌟 Key Highlights: - Focused Investment: Primarily targeting stakes in VC funds, with selective investments in private companies. - Robust Funding: Already over 20% funded, thanks to strong support from Nordic family offices and a German foundation. - Market Potential: With a growing number of private tech companies and a VC liquidity crunch, Europe's VC secondaries market is poised for rapid growth. - Track Record: This isn’t Isomer’s first foray into the secondaries market. As a firm we’ve done several secondaries deals with portfolio companies and VC firms, including early-stage VC Seedcamp (in 2021) and mobility giant Bolt (in 2023). - Expert Team: Welcoming the amazing Omolade (Rachel) A., formerly of Coller Capital, as a principal to lead this initiative. 💡 Investment Strategy: - 65-75% of the fund will buy "LP interest" stakes in VC funds. - 15-25% will be directed towards stakes in companies. - Up to 15% reserved for flexible investment opportunities. 📈 Looking Ahead: We're targeting returns of 2-3x, with significant distributions expected in the next 4-7 years. As one of the few players in this space, we're not just participating in the market—we're driving it forward. Read all about it here: https://lnkd.in/dc7sbC3G #VentureCapital #SecondariesFund #EuropeanVC

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Check out my latest video where we dive into one of the most crucial aspects of fundraising for startups: securing a lead investor. Discover why having a lead investor—your keystone—is essential to closing your funding round and how it can bring other investors on board. If you're in the process of raising funds or preparing for it, this video will give you valuable insights into navigating the complex world of startup investment. https://lnkd.in/eEi_9M_y

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