Kaushik Subramanian

✨ Chet Kapoor ✨ is quite the Silicon Valley legend. Three-time founder and currently the CEO of DataStax his wisdom for founders is incredibly spot-on ✅ and timeless ⏰ ! In this most recent and probably best-ever episode of The Enterprise GTM podcast, Chet discusses what it takes to build enduring tech companies. Some 🎤 soundbites 🎤 from our conversation: 👩‍🏫 The quality of people influences the outcome of your startup the most. 🔥 You do not need smart people who sit around and pontificate. ☄ Momentum is everything. Never underestimate it. 🌟 Having complete clarity of thought at any given time is very important--who are you doing this for, and how will it change their lives? 🌈 One of the best ways to create a large company is to create a parade or join one. ☝ Know who you are. There's a high likelihood that the company will become more like who you are rather than who you want to be. 🛑 Don't make the mistake of hiring sales execs too soon. Be extra cautious about partnerships. 📣 Tune in to hear about what he has to say about AI startups getting started today, the future of the data layer, the evolving importance of data roles (data science, data engineering), and so much more! #devtool #founder #startup #data #ai https://lnkd.in/gW-58nvE

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British fintech Revolut is gearing up to enter India in 2025. The question arises - do we really need foreign fintech companies operating in India? The innovation and products crafted by international entities could easily be developed by the young talent in India. It's time to promote and support our homegrown entities. UPI has taken by foreign companies. Something is right when you try to demystify financial system. Governments and Regulators must give attention and encouragement to indian innovators than strong foreign capital forces. Ek bhi indian indian company UK me active hai UK ke financial system mein. #Fintech #Revolut #India #UPI #Innovation

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Fundraising is tough - for founders. Fundraising is tougher - for VC’s. Let me explain. Founders need 1 yes for a 15-20 cr fundraise.  We, VCs need 50. All In Capital fund 1 has approximately 50 investors. So we need to pitch to almost 300-400 people. And when you come out of a meeting and a potential investor picks someone else over you - you do get a sense of self doubt. Is someone else doing it better than I am? And when these rejections pile up, they can intensify your self doubt and bring you down. In these cases - I turn to my founders and people who pass on their energy to me. Portfolio or non portfolio - startup founders have this infectious energy to keep going. You have to believe what you are doing is differentiated and will change the world.

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Founder to VC transition as a mother of two super active kids has been an incredibly amazing journey for me. Has it been demanding? Yes. But it’s been equally rewarding in terms of learnings, growth and new fun challenges. Thus, thought I would share my experiences and insights on balancing these dual roles and what I've learned along the way. .. First up, managing time effectively has been crucial. Balancing investor meetings, due diligence processes, and strategic discussions with school runs, homework help, and playtime requires meticulous planning and prioritization. I've learned to be present in the moment, whether I’m at a pitch meeting or attending my kids’ PTMs. .. Also, raising young kids, especially a teenager and a young child, teaches you patience and empathy. Especially because children are unpredictable. But, so is the startup world. The ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances has been a valuable skill in both my personal and professional life. Flexibility and resilience are key to navigating the ups and downs of both parenting and investing. Thus, as they say, I’m exploiting synergies :) .. But, most important thing of all? Setting clear boundaries and priorities. Knowing when to step back from work to focus on family and vice versa ensures that neither role suffers. This balance is a continuous process and requires constant adjustment. And here, having a strong support system has been invaluable. My husband, family, and a network of supportive friends have played a critical role in helping me manage my responsibilities. .. However, my biggest motivation has been my kids. Being a role model for my children is important to me. Demonstrating that it’s possible to pursue a demanding career while being there for them sends a powerful message. It’s about showing them the value of hard work, dedication, and the importance of pursuing one’s passions. .. No doubt, there’s immense joy in watching my daughter navigate her teenage years and my son’s boundless energy. Similarly, there’s a unique satisfaction in helping startups grow and succeed. Embracing and finding joy in both aspects of my life has been incredibly fulfilling. And, the transition from founder to VC has been a transformative journey, enriched by my role as a mother. .. All of that said, we at Dexter Ventures ($50k-$500k early-stage investments) and Dexter Capital Advisors (advise $3MM-$100MM) are always eager to work with like-minded founders, angels and other members of the PE/VC/Family Office ecosystem. Do reach out to us at deals@dexter[dot]ventures keeping anuradha@dexter[dot]ventures in CC if there is anything we can help you with :) Best, Anuradha Tags: Devendra, Jayant

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🚨 Funding Alert: It's the last day of October, and 2024 is slipping away faster than you think... You know it, I know it – the funding world moves at LIGHTNING speed ⚡️ Timing is everything, and opportunities vanish in the blink of an eye. If you're aiming to land a funding deal before year's end, we've got your back! 💪 At Magdalena Reith, we're offering a special Q4 deal: Book a pitch deck package before November 15th and get a FREE one-pager 🎁 Your strategic conversation starter that turns "Maybe later" into "Let's talk!" Looking to finish Q4 strong and slingshot your startup into 2025? Here's what you get in our Q4 Power Package: 🎯 Expert guidance  🎁 FREE one-pager  💼 Professional pitch deck  ⏰ Priority completion (optional) Reach out via DM or drop a comment below to learn more and lock in your package before November 15th! #StartupFunding #PitchDecks #Startups

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Spring has sprung 🌞! Are we witnessing a Fintech resurgence 🚀💰? After Revolut seeing its valuation upped by 45% by one of its investors, Ramp's Value Rises 36% - Ramp raised another $150 million at a post-money valuation of $7.65 billion. Despite challenges in fundraising, the fintech industry continues to grow, meeting the diverse financial needs of consumers and businesses globally. For a closer look at where Fintech is heading, explore the attached report link in 👇 comment by World Economic Forum and Cambridge University Press. 🙌💡 We're honored that Agora (Financial Technologies formerly Agora Services) is one of the 200 fintech companies worldwide selected to contribute to this insightful report. The future is promising for Fintech, but thriving requires the most advanced embedded fintech infrastructure platform. 🌐🏛️🚀 https://lnkd.in/en24-85q #digitalbanking #corebanking #bankingsolutions #payments #fintechsolutions #digitaltransformation #fintech #baas #neobanks #challengerbanks #embeddedfintech #creditunions #communitybanks #embeddedfinance #nichebanking #ai

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Always be launching. Read this interesting piece by Andrew Chen at a16z today. Gone are the days when you would do a big bang launch and hope for the best. Of course, do those well synchronised launches, keynotes and what not. But, in the meanwhile, also always be launching and sharing. How does this look like for a founder / marketeer? You could start with: First up, jump onto your favorite social app and share your latest small win at work. Hit that share button! Keep doing this every day, and mix it up with things like: - A customer quote you really loved - Your favorite feature of your product - Something new you learned at work - An interesting article you read related to your job - A shoutout to someone who helped you and what they taught you ...or anything else that comes to mind! Just share a few lines every day, and keep doing it. Make sure you do it yourself—don't let someone else handle it—and let it really speak to you. It's that easy. When you've got something big to announce, just go ahead and say it. Don't overthink it. The next day, share that big news again but in a different way. Keep repeating :)

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⏰There is a Tick Tock pulse in fundraising and sales⏱️ If Tick is fundraising, Tock is sales. ❌ The problem is most founders go Tick Tick Tick > Tock Tock Tock ❗️Now the next Tick will be much harder because your valuation has now priced in all that past revenue (fair) but without a clear line of sight to future revenues that drive venture-scale growth. 🕥This can prolong the fundraising process as investors wait to see your next batch of contracts come in. 💡One solution is to fundraise after signing a contract but before servicing it. In other words, pre-A/B rounds. It’s a short window but this is the Tick Tock pulse that works incredibly well if you get it right. Here’s the narrative: 1️⃣We have $x in signed contracts and will have to service them over the next 12 months 2️⃣We’re raising now so we can focus on pleasing our customers when the time comes. 3️⃣For this peace of mind, we’re willing to take a 20% discount on our next round valuation given the contracts are already signed. 4️⃣Of course, you are welcomed to join after we’ve closed the revenues. We might be raising at 20% discount to the following round by then. 💡As an added benefit, founders get to focus on one thing at a time - fundraising > sales > fundraising > sales (Tick Tock Tick Tock!) ➡️As with most things I share, works for B2B deep tech. I think? 🧐 💸Don’t try this at home (consumer tech).

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Really good view on GPs and fund sizes in venture capital. Aligning the incentives is super important. Two types of ventures capitalists are at play these days, the asset managers vs the company builders. Asset managers choose to make their money from the 2% management fees while company builders aim for wealth creation through the 20% carry.

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Unveiling the 2024 UK Fintech Top 50 Report (Top 50 UK private fintech companies). Takeaway 1: less growth but much more profit -      Total Revenues of top 50 UK Fintech companies in 2023: £6.2bn; -      Revenues growth rate 2023 vs 2022: +45%; -      The annual revenues growth rate declined from 68% in 2022 to 45% in 2023; -      Combined positive EBITDA of £169m (vs a total loss of over £300m in 2022); -      Chip, Oxbury Bank, Truelayer and Moneybox registered the highest revenues growth rate in 2023 (+800%, +243%, +189%, +183%). -      The 10 most profitable companies have also a higher growth rate than the rest (+74% growth rate vs 48% of the benchmark). Takeaway 2: The breakeven message was heard by the sector -      17 companies are now profitable (34% of the panel); -      20 companies are > the Rule of 40 (Growth Rate + EBITDA Margin should be over 40%) vs. 10 in 2022; -      The median EBITDA margin was -39% (-96% in 2022); -      For the second year in a row Oak North has the best EBITDA Margin (64%), followed by Starling (47%) and Trading 212 UK (33%); -      Median GP Margin of 76%, The companies with positive EBITDA have a GP Margin 35% higher than the unprofitable companies (81% vs 60%). Takeaway 3: Fintech is just 10 years old but represents already 5% of the total UK finance industry -      The revenues of the top 50 fintech companies represented in 2023 around 5% of the total revenues of the top 5 UK Banks vs 3% in 2022; -      On average the companies in the fintech index are 10 years old (the top 5 UK banks are on average 249 years old).   Takeaway 4: Valuation are still too high, new down rounds are coming -      On average the fintech panel is valued @ 11.1x Revenues (latest disclosed valuation considered); -      The fintech sector in the US (70 listed players) is valued at 4.5x Revenues; -      In the UK, the main fintech listed players are Wise (8x revenues, 19x Earnings), AJ Bell (8x Revenues, 20x Earnings) and Pension Bee (12x Revenues, still loss making).

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Starting v Scaling: Same Goal, Different Tactics? Only 22% of start-ups make the transition to become scale-ups (McKinsey). Working with a founder on the strategy to support the ongoing exponential growth of her business, we had an interesting debate on starting v scaling and the strategies needed at each stage. Starting a Business... Vision & Innovation: starting a business is about creating something new, solving a problem, having the passion to bring your vision to life. Building from Scratch: every decision, from branding to product development, is made with a blank slate, with a healthy does of gut instinct. Wearing Many Hats: founders are involved in every aspect of the business, from operations to marketing. And scaling? We've done the hard work - now it's just pressing repeat and doing more of the same, right? Sadly not, hence the fact 78% of start-ups don't become scale-ups. This is where it actually gets more complex... Scaling a Business... Operational Excellence: processes and systems are needed for efficiency, whilst encouraging innovation, and supporting sustained growth. Talent Development: building and leading a team capable of executing at scale becomes critical; doing this at speed adds complexity. Organisational Culture: it's going to be a bumpy ride, and it requires strong and aligned founders and leadership team capable of clearly communicating their vision, to stay on the road. Investors attribute 65% of portfolio company failures to these issues. The challenge isn’t just about securing resources anymore - it’s about evolving your organisation as fast as your product or market demands, whilst continuing to be unreasonable in your expectation. Achieving exponential growth without introducing exponential complexity requires balancing stability with dynamism. On an emotional level, starting a business demands creativity and risk tolerance, while scaling requires discipline, delegation, and the ability to let go of control. As a founder, I certainly found the last of these the most difficult - until I finally did it! What’s been your biggest challenge in either starting or scaling your business? Let’s discuss! #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Startups #ScalingUp #FandBInnovation #Leadership 

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Big news out of #London yesterday. #Fintech #Revolut after a 3-year wait has finally received a UK banking license. While given initially with some restrictions this will help them compete directly with the traditional banks. The banking and financial services industry is aware, at least in the C-suite, that massive change is coming to the industry not least because of AI supercharging #DigitalTransformation.   The recent #SingaporeFintechFestival report on how to address the new skills in an AI world said “Diversity of thought is going to be a challenge, which is why perhaps the #softskills will be becoming more critical. It’s not what’s the answer, but what are the questions you’re seeking.” #criticalthinking, the ability to #communicate & #collaborate with #adaptability have been listed as critical at the last two festivals.   But developing such behaviours doesn’t happen by dictat and isn’t solved by traditional defaults such as content libraries or seminars that are quickly forgotten. You don’t train an army to win a war with a content library and two days in the classroom.   Arguably, with more Revoluts on the horizon the biggest challenge to the big banks is to find the will and intention to strategically develop people both effectively and at SCALE in the #humanskills required for the Age of #AI #singapore #banking #banks #financialservices #cfte #elevandi #humancapital #development #training #mindset

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UK Payment ecosystem: Vision of payments is almost similar but execution is quite different. 1. **Payment Volume**: Nearly **50 billion payments** are made annually in the UK, highlighting the scale and importance of an effective payments system for economic activity. 2. **Regulatory Congestion**: The Garner Review identified two key factors contributing to regulatory congestion: - A **lack of a central and strategic vision** for prioritizing initiatives. - The need for improved **coordination between regulators**. 3. **Fraud Prevention Initiatives**: The government has called for demonstrable action from the technology and telecommunications sectors to reduce fraud incidents, with updates expected at the **Joint Fraud Taskforce in March 2025**. 4. **Intelligence Sharing**: There are promising solutions within the financial services sector that allow firms to share data to tackle fraud, emphasizing the need for **upstream fraud prevention** and prioritizing intelligence sharing initiatives. 5. **Consumer Protection**: The Vision underscores the necessity of maintaining high standards of consumer protection while ensuring that payments are made efficiently and safely. 6. **Innovation in Regulation**: The government is committed to revoking prescriptive requirements in technical standards to allow for more **agile and outcomes-based rulemaking**, which will enable firms to adopt new solutions to combat fraud effectively. UK payments market is interesting but not as large as the Indian ecosystem. #PaymentVision #Payments #Fintech

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My take on the Future of Automated Trading in FinTech- The financial markets are evolving at lightning speed, and those who don't keep up will be left behind. In this era of rapid transformation, the next big leap is in Automated Trading. Gone are the days when trading was purely manual and time-consuming. Now, it's about leveraging AI-driven algorithms that learn, adapt, and optimize on their own. The future is predictive analytics, real-time decision-making, and stress-tested strategies that outperform human intuition. At Public Algo, we're not just building algorithms—we're pioneering a new frontier where traders don't just compete; they dominate. #FinTech #AutomatedTrading #Innovation #FinancialMarkets

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Underrated quality - Just be by your portfolio founder when the chips are down or when they are going through a rough patch. Ups and downs are part and parcel of a startup lifecycle, more so in the early days where one can experience high and low within minutes! TDV Partners stands by its portfolio founders throughout their journey and beyond. Glad that many of my portfolio founders reach out to me whenever they are going through tough times and just want someone who is on their side. #startup #investor #relationships

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There is no doubt that the fundraising environment in 2024 is tougher than previous years. This is partly due to the pre-seed and seed funding goalposts moving under the feet of founders without much notice or public announcement. So, how does one achieve the milestones needed to raise venture funding if the capital to achieve those milestones is not as readily available? ➡ Scroll through the carousel to discover our "lean startup" playbook to cheaply get you to a place where funding is more plentiful and easier to secure. ---- ♻ Repost to help founders in and out of your network! If you want to delve deeper into tactics to reverse engineer the venture capital investment decision, you'll find our newsletter helpful. Click the "try our free newsletter" in the bio to sign up.

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Much Ado About Equity Split Have you thought about what equity percentage to give a co-founder you are bringing on to build your idea? Or are you a technical head (CTO) wondering what equity split you should bargain for? What’s the best equity split? Whether you decide on 50/50, 70/30, or even 80/20, it all depends on the mutual agreement between the parties involved. Some questions that can help determine equity split - 📌 Consider the roles and contributions of each party.  📌 Who makes the final decisions on important matters?   📌 Who is bringing in or has brought in the initial capital or resources?  📌 Who will handle the day-to-day operations? 📌 Who is responsible for securing funding and managing investor relations? No matter the agreement reached, each founder should feel that they are being fairly compensated relative to their contributions. Equity splits can be tricky, but with mutual understanding and negotiation, you can find a balance that works for everyone. 💫 Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need advice on equity splits! #cofounder #equity #startup #CTO #equitysplit

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