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GUIDE on how to apply to Y Combinator and raise money for early-stage startups by Yurii Rebryk who himself is a YC W24 alumni. Yurii has prepared this excellent 50 slides document that includes: - Y Combinator guidance - Advice for early-stage startups - Fundraising materials - Accelerators - Fundraising calls - Things to do before you talk to investors - How to go for the SAFE Round This guide is a summary of Yurii’s personal experience in raising $4.5M for his two startups at Pre-Seed and Seed rounds. So, It would be valuable for those Startup Founders who recently launched a startup or plan to raise funds in the future. Credit Yurii. ~~~~~ ♻️ Found this helpful? Repost it so your network can learn from it, too. Follow All Chance to learn from more innovative insights

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Only 1% of pitch decks get venture capital. Why? Success is in the details. Here's what Sequoia Capital recommends: - Clearly define your purpose. - Insightfully address the problem. - Present your solution as essential. - Explain why now is the perfect time. - Map the market; show potential. - Highlight your competitive edge. - Detail your product thoroughly. - Make your business model compelling. - Showcase your team’s strength. It's more than numbers—it's about a compelling narrative. Each slide should tell a part of your story. Start with why, end with how. PS. check out 🔔 for a winning pitch deck the template created by Silicon Valley legend, Peter Thiel https://lnkd.in/ejp-Bhnu

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You’ll not hear this OG guest on any other podcast. 🧠 What are the 3 different archetypes of PM? 🗣️ What are the 4 different types of product review meetings? 💰 Why do women not negotiate in compensation discussions? 🇪🇺 Why is Europe a more challenging place to build a $10BN+ business? Maria Angelidou-Smith is a product OG having led Facebook app monetization, driving $BN’s in revenue. My 5 key takeaways 👇 1. Transition from IC to Manager - There are 2 things that will change: 1. You are responsible for all the products your team is working on. 2. You are responsible for the people on your team. - The sooner you change your mindset about these 2 the better. 2. Promotions Need to Be Lagging Not Leading - You only promote people when they’ve consistently demonstrated that they can operate successfully at that level.  - Promote too early & they are compared to the next cohort of people who are already successful. - This can really hurt their career. 3. 3 PM Archetypes - Aside from generalist there are 3 others: 1. Captain: Excels in managing complex projects. 2. Entrepreneur: Incredible at zero to ones. 3. Specialist: Deep expertise in a specific domain. - These allow ICs to progress all the way to VP. 4. Women Negotiate Less Than Men on Pay - There is a misconception that that could reflect badly on your relationship with the manager. - You should always negotiate on comp. - If you’re not comfortable, negotiate with the recruiter. 5. Difference Between US and EU - In the US people feel like their jobs are a bigger part of their identity. - In Europe this is less of a phenomenon. - Availability of talent is less deep in EU than in US. (links in comments) #founder #funding #business #investing #vc #venturecapital #entrepreneur #startup #seed #funding #product

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Having co-founded Carbon Re, an AI and ClimateTech spinout of UCL and University of Cambridge, I have first-hand experience of the highs and lows of setting up and running a company in the UK (and trust me, the highs may be high but the lows can be devastating!). If Carbon Re is going achieve our mission to reduce gigatonnes of Industrial CO2 emissions we need a tech ecosystem in which we can thrive and scale fast. I have signed the Startup Manifesto 2024 Open Letter because the Startup Coalition exists to make the UK the best place in the world to start and scale a disruptive company and gives companies like ours a voice. We desperately need disruption to transform our economy and hit our #NetZero goals, so if you haven't signed this already, get involved. See more 👇

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We have over 5,500 members in the Connectd community. Here’s what we see the top-performing startups on our platform do: ✅ DO: 👉 Religiously analyse your metrics and adjust your focus accordingly: Data is your guide through uncertain times. Cut the bs and focus on these key growth metrics when thinking about your future Revenue 📈 Average Revenue Per User 🔢 Churn Rate ♻️ CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) : LTV (Lifetime Value) Net Revenue Retention 🤝 Payback Period ⏳ Understand what good looks like, understand where you need to be, and understand how you’re going to get there. 👉 Speak to your team and ensure everyone is aligned with the plan: Transparency and collaboration are crucial. Empower your team to solve significant problems by involving them in key decisions and giving them accountability. Incentivise everyone and ensure those incentives align with the metrics above. ❌ DON'T: 👉 Stick you head in the sand In the fast-paced world of startups, optimism is valuable, but assuming that issues will resolve themselves, and not aggressively hunting them, is a one-way street to failure. 👉 Delay addressing the issue: Procrastination can be detrimental in the startup world. The longer you wait to tackle declining growth, the harder it becomes to reverse the trend. We’ve seen that the most successful startups on our platform have agility as a core trait. Being agile means not just adapting to change, but actively seeking it. Key: Once you’ve made a decision, stop messing around and make it happen. Founders, how do you foster an agile environment in your startup? Let me hear your thoughts in the comments. #Founders #Startups #Entrepreneurs 

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Y Combinator's Pitch Deck Template: Y Combinator's pitch deck template has shaped the trajectory of household names like Airbnb and Dropbox. But here's the catch: simplicity doesn't come naturally to everyone. Translating complex visions into an impactful story is an art. PS. check out 🔔 for a winning pitch deck the template created by Silicon Valley legend, Peter Thiel https://lnkd.in/ejp-Bhnu

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If you're pitching your startup to VC, that feature comparison slide - with checkmarks in your column and Xs for the competitors - isn't helping you. At worst, it may be hurting. Here's why: ¶ Features can be copied. If you have something the incumbent is missing, why won't the incumbent add that thing once customers show that they care? ¶ When presented with an idea - even (especially) if it's a very clever idea - we investors ask ourselves whether what you've got is a 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, a 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵, or a 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺. A feature, by itself, does not make a successful product; a product, by itself, does not make a sustainable company. ¶ Most founders know an enormous amount about their own product, a reasonable amount about their customers, and almost nothing about their competitors. That's ok; your time is generally better spent on customers than on competition. But don't fool yourself, on the basis of that limited knowledge, that the competition doesn't have X or can't build Y - it's better to be paranoid, as Andy Grove wrote. Also, because your competitive analysis is likely to be both overconfident and underinformed, VCs are going to discount it anyway and do their own diligence. You'd be surprised how often I Google a startup's competitors 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 and find evidence that directly contradicts the founder's claims - meaning they've scored a credibility own-goal. Of course, competition does matter, and in some businesses even more than others. You will need to convince investors that you can achieve sustainable competitive advantage. That's something that isn't accomplished in just one meeting; so in the first meeting, you need to make a high-level argument that your business 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 be defensible over the long term, and invite a deeper discussion in follow-up meetings. As for how to project sustainable advantage - that's a hard one, and in the age of AI it's becoming even harder, as barriers are getting lower. Two main approaches I've seen: 1) comparing yourself to a successful company whose playbook you are following, 2) using a strategy framework, such as disruption theory, blue ocean theory, "What is Strategy", or one I developed called the "Can'ts and the Won'ts." But that's a subject for another post! Credit Spencer Greene

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6 different types of VC Credits to Ivelina Dineva, follow her and GoingVC for more interesting post. Here's the original post: Recently wrote a piece on the 6 different types of VC firms and how each one works: 🟣 1. Micro VC ➙Overview: Focus on very early-stage startups with smaller funds ($10M to $100M). ➙Investment Stage: Seed or pre-seed stage ➙Focus: Technology startups, innovative business models, high-growth potential ➙Support: Hands-on mentorship, operational assistance, and strategic guidance ➙Examples: First Round Capital, Uncork Capital, Initialized Capital, 500 Startups, Haystack 🟣 2. Institutional VC ➙Overview: Traditional VC firms managing large funds (>$100M) across various stages and industries. ➙Investment Stage: Series A, Series B, and beyond ➙Focus: Established startups with proven business models and significant growth potential ➙Support: Strategic advice, industry connections, operational improvements, follow-on funding ➙Examples: Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Benchmark Capital, Accel Partners, Greylock Partners 🟣 3. Corporate VC ➙Overview: Investment arms of large corporations aiming for strategic alignment. ➙Investment Stage: All stages, depending on strategic fit ➙Focus: Startups aligning with corporate strategic goals and innovation areas ➙Support: Access to corporate resources, R&D facilities, market channels, potential acquisition opportunities ➙Examples: Google Ventures (GV), Intel Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Microsoft Ventures, Samsung NEXT 🟣 4. Government VC ➙Overview: Funds managed or backed by government entities to stimulate economic growth. ➙Investment Stage: All stages, with a focus on strategic industries ➙Focus: Startups contributing to economic development goals ➙Support: Financial support, regulatory guidance, networking opportunities, subsidies, tax incentives ➙Examples: In-Q-Tel (USA), British Business Bank (UK), Bpifrance (France), Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) Investments (Singapore), KfW Capital (Germany) 🟣 5. Family Office ➙Overview: Private wealth management firms for high-net-worth families investing in startups. ➙Investment Stage: All stages, depending on family investment strategy ➙Focus: Diverse industries, often aligned with family interests or values ➙Support: Patient capital, mentoring, access to family’s network and resources ➙Examples: Grove Street Advisors, Ludlow Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, March Capital Partners, Soros Fund Management 🟣 6. Angel Syndicate Overview: Groups of individual angel investors pooling resources for early-stage investments. Investment Stage: Seed stage and early-stage Focus: High-growth potential startups, often in technology and innovation sectors Support: Mentorship, industry expertise, connections from experienced entrepreneurs and investors Examples: Tech Coast Angels, Band of Angels, AngelList Syndicates, Golden Seeds #Startup #innovation #entrepreneurship #networking #venturecapital

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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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How to Pitch a VC: The Essentials When pitching to a VC, it's all about getting to the point quickly and making a strong impression. Here’s what to focus on: 1) The Elevator Pitch: Nail the 30-second quick pitch—be concise and memorable. 2) The Problem & Solution: Clearly define the problem you're solving and why your solution is the best. 3) Market Size: Show the potential for growth and scalability with concrete numbers. 4) Business Model: Demonstrate how you plan to make money and reach profitability. 5) Team: Highlight the superstars on your team who will drive success. Follow All Chance Hub, to learn from more innovative insights.

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How to Pitch a VC: The Essentials When pitching to a VC, it's all about getting to the point quickly and making a strong impression. Here’s what to focus on: 1) The Elevator Pitch: Nail the 30-second quick pitch—be concise and memorable. 2) The Problem & Solution: Clearly define the problem you're solving and why your solution is the best. 3) Market Size: Show the potential for growth and scalability with concrete numbers. 4) Business Model: Demonstrate how you plan to make money and reach profitability. 5) Team: Highlight the superstars on your team who will drive success. Follow All Chance to learn from more innovative insights.

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Corporate Venture Capital by BCG & Insead: Did you know that Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) is reshaping the startup landscape, delivering not just funding but strategic value to parent companies? Here are some game-changing insights: 1️⃣ **Massive Growth:** In 2020, CVCs poured in around $73 billion, primarily during the Series A and B stages. That’s nearly a quarter of all VC-backed deals! 2️⃣ **Strategic Moves:** Top CVCs nail the balance between strategic and financial gains. They often operate independently, ensuring agility and swift decision-making. 3️⃣ **Industry Focus:** IT and Healthcare are leading the charge, with a significant pivot towards Asia. This shift mirrors broader market trends and untapped opportunities. 4️⃣ **Creating Synergies:** It’s more than capital. CVCs are driving partnerships that boost innovation, build synergies, and create immense value for both startups and parent firms. PS. check out 🔔 for a winning pitch deck the template created by Silicon Valley legend, Peter Thiel https://lnkd.in/ejp-Bhnu

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Another masterpiece by Sequoia Capital !!! “Apps: The most interesting layer for venture capital. ~20 application layer companies with $1Bn+ in revenue were created during the cloud transition, another ~20 were created during the mobile transition, and we suspect the same will be true here.” I agree with the thesis AND actually think we will have 100+ application layer companies in the AI era with gargantuan outcomes because AI is impacting and disrupting EVERY industry sector in ways never seen before. Imagine a few *unicorns*, *decacorns*, *hectocorns*, *kilocorns* in healthcare and education and industrial and consumer and retail and … and … and…. Perhaps a couple of *megacorns*? Oh, what exciting times and investor’s dream 🚀🚀🚀. Aileen Lee, would love to hear your perspectives. Full report here: https://lnkd.in/g44cBgGS #AIDecade #InvestorDecade

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for a community of VC enthusiast who wanted to know specifically my experience/learning's from the program VC Labs, prepared a short deck (only 6 slides), added some resources from whatever i picked in past couple of years- this might be useful for those trying to gain entry into VC ecosystem (hopefully🙂) TOP 5 Take-aways~ highlighted in one of the slide... #1. Build your personal brand (goes hand in hand with your Investment thesis) #2. Build a solid network to crack deal sourcing (incubation centres, angel networks, emerging VC’s & those ahead in the journey) #3. Try your hands on angel investing and syndicate route if you are unable to get full time into VC role. #4. VC is all about power law (picking winners) & managing portfolio~ learn by doing & observing seasoned players. #5. Stay ahead of the trends in the area of your investment thesis. happy to learn from seasoned VC's in my network on what they have to guide? under comments Investors can find the link to my focussed investor community called- India focussed investors a.k.a. IFI 🚀 #vc #venture #capital #investmentthesis #startups #founders #transition

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Dropbox reviewed 100,000+ pitch decks to determine the perfect deck 👇 Here are the Key Insights: 1️⃣ Length of Pre-Seed Decks: The average deck contained 19 slides. 2️⃣ Investor Meetings: On average, founders engaged with 52 investors before successfully raising funds. 3️⃣ VC Engagement Time: Venture capitalists spent an average of 2 minutes and 42 seconds reviewing each deck. 4️⃣ Focus on Traction: Pitch decks that secured funding saw VCs spending 28% more time on their traction sections. 5️⃣ Business Model Scrutiny: For decks that didn’t receive funding, VCs spent 233% more time examining the business model sections. After this extensive study, Dropbox created a Pitch Deck Template: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟮 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘂𝗽 𝗮 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗸👇 Source: Rubén D. Find this helpful? [ 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 ] Anything to add about this subject? [𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁] Nice story, Marcel. Next! [ 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 ] #startups #startuplife #startup #founders #entrepreneurship

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One of the most BS statements about VCs: VCs do not add value to companies pre product-market-fit. RUBBISH. They can hone ICPs, advise on messaging, channel selection, content creation, pricing. I have seen countless VCs move the needle in helping companies find PMF. #founder #funding #business #investing #vc #venturecapital #entrepreneur #startup

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What is Product-Market Fit? "Product-market fit is being in a good market with a product that can satisfy that market. It's a clear signal that the startup's product is starting to satisfy real market demand." - Ben Horowitz, Andreessen Horowitz 🔸 BEING IN A GOOD MARKET: This means the startup is operating within a market that has strong demand, growth potential, and is substantial enough to support the business. A good market is one where customers are actively seeking solutions to specific problems or needs. 🔸 PRODUCT THAT CAN SATISFY THAT MARKET: The startup has developed a product that effectively addresses the needs, problems, or desires of the market. This product resonates well with customers, providing them with significant value. An important point to highlight is that his definition emphasizes "satisfying a market," which means it is driven by market needs, customer demands, and problems, rather than starting with the solution or the product itself, a common mistake among startup founders. When these two elements align, it indicates that the startup is beginning to meet real market demand. This alignment often manifests through measurable indicators such as increased sales, higher customer retention rates, and positive customer feedback. Essentially, it means the product is gaining traction and the market is responding favorably, validating the product's place in the market and its potential for scalable growth. _________________________________ 🔔 Follow me and ring the bell on my profile to get notified of new posts. If you're looking to dive deeper into achieving Product-Market Fit (PMF), don’t hesitate to reach out. As a PMF strategist and product advisor, my passion lies in supporting early-stage and first-time founders. I've been where you are, and I know how isolating and challenging it can be. You're not alone on this journey—I'm here to help you navigate it. Let’s connect and make something amazing together! 💖 #startups #founders #productmarketfit #mpf

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