Maciej Kraus

Great discussion about VC Deal Drivers, Origination and Challenges for 2024/2025 at 0100 CEE conference in Prague today. Different opinions, but also a lot of similarities among Rune Theill from Rockstart and Vahan Mgebryan from LETA Capital. Only one LP in the room, which is symptomatic for the current VC market 😩 Thanks for the spicy moderation Marvin Liao. Tenity

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What does it take to succeed as a startup founder in Central and Eastern Europe? Investment analyst Daniel Nikic shares his insights, having analyzed thousands of startups throughout his career. Discover why resilience, a global mindset, and the ability to thrive under pressure are essential qualities for CEE entrepreneurs navigating unique challenges and tight timeframes. Whether you're an investor looking for the next big thing or just curious about this dynamic part of the world, you'll want to hear what Daniel has to say. #MuchLovePodcast #GlobalInvestment #Entrepreneurship

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What makes 2020 and beyond so intriguing.... Is how the venture capital market has evolved since the Covid-19 pandemic. Valuations have been adjusted since 2021, and the rise of AI, particularly generative AI, has transformed the way companies operate. For more insights on why this period became the focus of the investment data platform, check Dodires' resources linked in the comments. #trends #investment #research #marketresearch #data

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How do we define success ? How our definition of success changes as we navigate the different stages of our career and life ? During a Masterclass , I had the opportunity to talk with amazing women from the Global leadership certification program about defining success as an evolving journey of accomplishments and priorities that evolve at different stages of our lives. We talked about resilience as an important leadership skill that helps us to navigate challenges , build self-confidence and continue to perform when we feel unbalanced , which is becoming the norm in today’s world. Lastly, build a support network and find mentors that will inspire you. Look forward to follow ups 1:1 conversations on this topic. #mentoring #leadership #resilience #divershefyclub

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🎤 Honored to participate as a panel speaker at today’s webinar where Sorainen and Baltic Family Firm Institute (BFFI) unveiled the results of the first pan-Baltic survey on family businesses! The survey was designed and coordinated by Jelena Luca (University of Latvia (Latvijas Universitāte)) in Latvia in Fall 2023 (114 respondents), followed by identical surveys of Estonian (99 respondents) and Lithuanian (89 respondents) family businesses in Spring 2024, conducted by University of Tartu and ISM University of Management and Economics students and supported by Sorainen. The survey revealed a heartening trend: Baltic family firm owners are overwhelmingly eager to pass their businesses to the next generation, with 9 out of 10 Lithuanians, nearly as many Latvians, and 8 out of 10 Estonians wanting to keep their legacy within the family.🎉 However, there's a crucial gap in succession planning – only 44% of Latvian, 27% of Estonian, and 25% of Lithuanian family businesses have a formal or informal succession plan in place. 📉 My key messages from the discussion: 1️⃣ Values and strong family governance are the backbone of a successful transition. 2️⃣ Start succession planning early – it's never too soon to prepare for the future. 3️⃣ Don’t hesitate to bring in outside expertise to navigate the complexities. Looking forward to seeing more family businesses in the Baltics embrace structured succession planning and thrive across generations! 🌱 #FamilyBusiness #SuccessionPlanning #Baltics #NextGeneration

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🌟 Is Authenticity Possible in the Startup World? 🌟 In my recent interview with MamStartup, I shared why authenticity is at the heart of my approach to personal branding for founders. Personally, I believe in the power of being genuine (even if we don’t always implement it successfully) as a key factor in building trust, attracting the right partners, and fostering sustainable growth. 👣 You can read more about my thoughts on this here: https://lnkd.in/dswqKAtR But a recent read from The Economist has left me wondering: Is true authenticity even possible in the startup ecosystem? 👣 The article: https://lnkd.in/dz_pstAK dives into imposter syndrome and the pressure professionals often feel to measure up, especially in high-stakes, fast-paced environments like tech startups. When everyone around you seems to be pushing boundaries and achieving “impossible” goals, maintaining an authentic identity can feel like an uphill battle. This brings up an interesting question: Is "fake it till you make it" the most effective mindset for founders today? Perhaps this approach, though imperfect, is what keeps many founders resilient in the face of challenges and helps convince investors of their vision’s value. After all, demonstrating unshakable confidence—even when doubts creep in—can sometimes be the key to attracting support and keeping momentum alive. 👉 Can founders truly be themselves while striving to meet ambitious goals and investor expectations? 👉 Or is "fake it till you make it" the most realistic path for building resilience and achieving success in this environment? Can authenticity and startup pressures coexist? Or is “authenticity” becoming a buzzword in a world where founders are continually proving themselves? #authenticity #startups #founders #impostersyndrome #personalbranding #fakeittillyoumakeit #leadership

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📢 Exciting Insights into CEE Venture Capital Trends! We've been exploring the evolving landscape of venture capital in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), and the data is incredibly promising! Here are some highlights: 🌟 Emerging VC Powerhouses: Poland, the Czech Republic, and Turkey are stepping up as major hubs for venture capital activity. These regions are becoming hotspots for innovation and investment. 💡 Fund Explosion: Over 45 new VC funds have launched in the past three years alone, signaling strong confidence in the region's startup ecosystem. 🚀 Startup Efficiency: CEE startups are leading the way in capital efficiency, achieving significant revenue milestones with 40% less capital compared to their Western European counterparts. However, challenges persist: the region faces a growth-stage funding gap, with a scarcity of investors willing to write €10M+ checks. Scaling founders, we see you, and we understand the hurdles you’re navigating! 💼 Let’s bridge this gap and drive the next wave of innovation in CEE. Your thoughts? #CEEStartups #VentureCapital #StartupFunding #PolandStartups #CzechRepublicInnovation #TurkeyTech #CEEGrowth #ScalingChallenges #EfficientStartups #GrowthStageFunding #VCTrends

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📢I had the pleasure, together with Maciej Cwikiewicz and Grzegorz C. in Puls Biznesu, of discussing the chances of Polish #AI companies to obtain funding from #VCs and, more broadly, to build a new #flywheel for our economy. According to a recent Dealroom.co's report, the AI Core startups received 45% of all VC investment in the CEE region. This is an opportunity we cannot miss!💥 My key theses: 📌At Movens Capital, we are investing in AI-enabled companies starting in 2019 based on our previous startup experience. They distinguish the #CEE region. By 2023, more than 1,000 AI/ML startups had emerged here, raising more than USD 4 billion in funding. 📌We see a great opportunity for Polish AI startups to succeed due to their unique technological talent. Building a sustainable #competitiveadvantage is key, as illustrated by ElevenLabs, but also examples from our portfolio, such as Talkie.ai or SKY ENGINE AI. 📌 The current stagnation in the VC sector has led to lower startup valuations, benefiting funds in executing transactions. In Poland, VC fund conditions will remain favorable in the coming years, but careful selection of AI companies is necessary, as most new entities have little chance of building lasting entry barriers. Thank you, Anna Bełcik, for taking on an important topic and inviting us to talk. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dxtGvvD7

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#Sharingknowledge and inspiring #founders is central to Movens Capital's work. That is why we are very proud of yesterday's "Foundations of Scaling Open Day Warsaw" event organized in partnership with Google for Startups and one of the world's best business schools, IESE Business School ;- consider their #SchoolofFounders if you are in a seed or Series A startup. Many thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience to: Growth strategy: Prof. Germán Loewe Scaling yourself and your business: Dr Sebastian Ross and a panel of great experts and entrepreneurs Pricing: Wojciech Gorzeń Operational growth procedures: Konrad Kwiatkowski A special tribute to Prof. Germán Loewe for the most elegant definition of strategy I have ever encountered: "#Strategy is Your choice of where and how to compete". #Founders, choose wisely! Maciej Kraus, Przemek Jurgiel-Żyła, Zofia Sidorska, Amelia Niemiec dzieki za super organizację!

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🚀 Technological trends are my passion. Unsurprisingly, I have been deeply focused on AI development recently: testing new features, participating in trainings, and observing trends. I was delighted to share my insights on ChatGPT-4o in the MamStartup article. 👉What surprises does ChatGPT-4o hold? 👉How will the new version of ChatGPT change things? 👉What do experts believe is missing in Omni? 👉How can the new model from OpenAI be utilized? You can find the answers to these questions in the article by Przemysław Zieliński, where I had the opportunity to provide my insights: https://lnkd.in/dbhviZz2 The article also features thoughts from other experienced experts: 🔹Małgorzata Pietraszewska, CEO at 10Clouds, 🔹Mateusz Chechliński, member of AI Chamber and CEO at Appotype, 🔹Jan Szumada, Investment Associate at Warsaw Equity Group, 🔹Mariusz Tarnaski, member of AI Chamber and CTO at Develtio. I am delighted to read the insights from Małgorzata Pietraszewska, because as Come Creations Group we have the opportunity to work with the 10Clouds team for their communications and PR for a few months! I encourage you to read the article and share your insights in the comments. 💬 I would also like to know your answers to the questions asked in the article. Feel free to express your opinion! ✍ #AI #ChatGPT4o #Trends #Communication #PR #NewTechnologies #Innovations

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Huge congratulations to these exceptional individuals who have been recognized in this year’s edition of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list! 🎉 ✨ Lukasz Pajak - former Junior Associate at McKinsey Poland ✨ Piotr Pajda – former Intern at McKinsey Poland ✨ Paweł Burzyński - former Intern at McKinsey Poland ✨ Olga Kotyk - laureate of McKinsey & Forbes 25 under 25 list ✨ Joanna Maraszek-Darul - laureate of McKinsey & Forbes 25 under 25 list ✨ Mateusz Masiak - laureate of McKinsey & Forbes 25 under 25 list ✨ Dawid Moczadło - laureate of McKinsey & Forbes 25 under 25 list ✨ Marcin Waryszak - laureate of McKinsey & Forbes 25 under 25 list   As McKinsey & Company we are immensely proud to have played a part in their journeys and to see them achieve such remarkable success. Their inclusion in this list is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and the potential they demonstrated along the way. With the right support, mentorship, and opportunities, talent can truly thrive. As a firm we are committed to spotting and nurturing talent, and it is incredibly rewarding to see our alumni and honorees continue to excel and make a significant impact in their respective fields. We wish Łukasz, Piotr, Paweł, Olga, Joanna, Mateusz, Dawid and Marcin even more success in the future. Keep pushing boundaries, innovating, and inspiring others with your achievements. The sky is the limit!   #McKinsey #Forbes30Under30 #TalentDevelopment #FutureLeaders

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This week may provide key signals to investors about the future direction of Federal Reserve monetary policy. The focus is on the release of the latest US labour market data and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell's speech. Meanwhile, the final quarter of one of the most volatile years on the markets begins. Here's what you need to know to start the new week successfully. ☑ https://lnkd.in/eE2U3aWf #investments #riskmanagement #assetmanagement #algoimperial #markets #economy #finance #capitalmarkets #earnings #bank #fed #futures #inflation #algotrading #ai #forex #czechrepublic #oil #china #FED #FOMC #BOE #UK #PBOC #ECB #BOJ #Japan

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"Thanks to you, I've started to see the world differently." If there is anything more fulfilling for a educator & mentor to hear from a mentee, let me know in the comments 😅 Łukasiewicz – Poznański Instytut Technologiczny is a place where 3 worlds meet: the research & innovation, education & governance and business. It's a huge effort and unique set of skills for people in this organization to fill out all of those with success 😱 During leadership mentoring processes we talk a lot about how to meet those three and lead a team effectively in that kind of environment. Not an easy thing! 🤔 This sentence appeared during one of our sessions where we were discussing the communication area in the leadership space. I have goosebumps and feel proud of both of us working together in that kind of direction 💪 Do you think that it's possible to combine business, academic & governance world? Or even 2 of them, i.e. business & academic? 🤔 Gosia P., Malgorzata Kusyk, PMP, Przemek Kotecki, Iwona Bobrowska-Budny, Anna Szczepkowska and all of you who work in business & academic world at the same time!

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Polish broker looks for investors interested in participating in real estate development projects and also agents willing to search for such investors. Short summary An SME from Poland, an investment broker for VIP clients, specialises in planning, coordinating and executing real estate development projects. The firm is looking for investors - and agents who can bring new investors - ready to participate in its projects. It offers projects in favourable locations, with scenic views and good transportation access. They are suitable for residential, commercial and heavy industry development. Full description A company from north-west Poland operates as an investment broker helping partners (companies and individuals) to invest in the following industries: aviation, yachting, luxury apartment and real estate development. It specialises in planning, coordinating and executing multinational real estate development projects. It has experience working with foreign partners from i.a. Belgium, China, Germany, Spain and the USA. The firm offers new investment opportunities and searches for partners ready to participate in its real estate development projects. One such investment is the development of a sailing and leisure resort by the Szczecin Lagoon, near the Baltic Sea and large cities such as Berlin and Szczecin. It will consist of: a marina for 500 boats; boat-building, -maintenance and -storage facilities and service providers; a hotel; autonomous villas with smart solutions improving the building's energy efficiency and making it environment-friendly. The area (ca. 14 hectares) has a healthy climate (attractive for medical tourism) and rich flora and fauna, with rare bird species. The company has six other similar locations. Some of them have picturesque landscapes, which makes them suitable for building houses, hotels, and resorts, i.e. infrastructures to be used by individual customers. Others have, among their advantages, good road connections, which makes them a right fit for factories, logistics/distribution centres and other similar buildings for businesses. The firm is also ready to cooperate with agents. They've got to represent the company abroad and find investors willing to participate in its projects. The agents are going to be paid a success fee. Advantages and innovations - a wide range of investment projects for a partner to choose from - the company currently offers 7 locations ready for development, from 2ha to 120ha large; - high ROI (return on investment) - investments in real estate development pay dividends ranging from 10% to 35%; - offered projects are all located in attractive places in terms of their landscapes (nearby forests, lakes and rivers, healthy air/microclimates) and logistics (good access to roads and other modes of transportation, location near large cities of Berlin and Szczecin, and the Baltic Sea). - 20 years of experience cooperating with strategic partners and managing their investments.

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In the newest piece in the Verita HR news section, we discuss a bit of Polish financial sector history. A couple of facts: - The Warsaw Stock Exchange (GPW), established in 1991, was a major milestone for Poland’s financial sector. - Investment banking was already underway in the early '90s, with UBS and Credit Suisse opening offices in Warsaw by 1992. - Nowadays, big names like HSBC, UniCredit, and Morgan Stanley are key players in Poland’s asset management and capital markets. - The Polish investment fund market is still catching up to other EU countries. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/dJJWu_UH

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Digital Champions CEE 2024 report is available listing top 100 tech companies - Absolvo also contributed. Valuable insights if you want to learn more about the region, its tech & VC/PE ecosystem. Thanks Piotr Mieczkowski for the opportunity, good thoughts Ivan Gyuracz Nemeth (as always 😉 )!

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📢 Meet my startup, ImmunoTronics, at the Masters&Robots conference! I am glad that our startup, a spin-off of SGH Warsaw School of Economics, MBA for Startups was selected for the InCredibles program earlier this year. It is a big honour for us, as innovative healthcare solutions are now on the horizon, contributing to humanity's greater good. So, it will be interesting to present ideas and findings during the upcoming Masters&Robots Digital University conference. Our CEO, Marcin Szymon Filipiak, will participate on a panel titled "Breaking Barriers: How Startups are Transforming Health and Human Well-being," moderated by Jaroslaw Sroka. We’d love for you to join us and discover how startups make a real difference in health. #healthtech #startups #innovation #InCredibles #ImmunoTronics #MastersAndRobots

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