Chris Young

Underrated pitching advice for founders: avoid making weak statements like “we hope to raise” or “if things work out, we plan to do X”. It exhibits indecisiveness and lack of confidence. Replace them with strong statements like “We are raising XX, we will make yy revenue by ZZ” or “We will sell x products through Y channel to record Z profits.” Know that pitching is a confidence-winning game. Until you’re 100% confident of what you’re doing, it’ll not translate into the investor’s approval.

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For founders, it's important to understand the different stages in a startup's lifecycle This video, posted by Bessemer Venture Partners covered some important points, but I wanted to riff off a topic I’ve been thinking a lot about. Particularly sharing a model which is popular at Harvard Business School, (which gives a 50,000-foot view of this lifecycle), and is known as the Diamond Square Model The Diamond is a four-component framework that provides a comprehensive overview of a startup's progression. These components include the Customer Value Proposition, Go-To-Market Strategy, Technology and Operations (TNO), and the Profit Formula: 1.) Customer Value Proposition - This is the first stage, where you define and refine the value you're providing to your customers. What solution are you offering? What makes your product or service unique? This stage is typically refined by the seed stage 2.) Go-To-Market Strategy - Once you've defined your value proposition, the next step is to determine how you'll deliver your product or service to the market. This stage usually begins at the seed stage, where you're trying to gain traction and look to achieve product-market fit 3.) Technology and Operations (TNO) - As you start to gain traction, you'll need to focus on the technology and operations that will allow you to scale your business. This stage often aligns with the Series A funding round 4.) Profit Formula - The final component of the Diamond Square Model is the Profit Formula. This is where you'll start to focus on revenue generation and monetization. This stage typically aligns with Series B or Series C funding rounds That being said, not all processes are alike… and some might follow a different path, but by and large these are the main stages, and the progress one can expect. The progression through these stages is not only tied to the development of your business model but also to the type of investors and funding rounds you'll encounter In the pre-seed stage, you're likely to be funded by family, friends, angel investors, or specific VCs that specialize in pre-seed investments. As you move into the seed stage, you'll start to attract larger angel investors and VCs that specialize in seed rounds. By the time you reach Series A… you'll be looking at venture capital, and from Series B onwards, you'll be dealing with venture capital and private equity, until you reach the exit or IPO stage If you’re planning on building a startup, understanding where you are in this model can help you identify your current milestones, the type of investors you should be targeting, and the next steps you need to take… It's a roadmap that can guide you through the often chaotic and unpredictable journey of building a #startup A big thank you to Elliott Robinson and Janelle Teng at Bessemer Venture Partners for creating this helpful video for #founders Safra-Tech #foundersjourney #venturecapital #startupnation

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Join for free 500+ family offices, VCs, venture studios, founders & angels on Zoom at the 𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐂 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 & 𝐕𝐂 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟 on Sept 20th. Buy network & recordings: inniches.com/apac. Must-attend if you’re investing/fundraising/partnering with Singapore, Australia, India, China, Indonesia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Philippines & other Asia-Pacific countries. 1. How does our Single Family Office evaluate venture funds & startups? – Nitesh Aggarwal, CIO @ SFO Fund, AUM $130M, invested in 38 funds & 27 startups. 2. Panel "VC Trends in APAC in 2024" with Nruthya Madappa, Partner @ 3one4 Capital, $520M+ AUM; Ashwin Raguraman, Co-Founder and Partner @ Bharat Innovation Fund, Fund I - $100M. 3. How GPs can leverage and work with their LPs to drive more value to the investment portfolio? – William Bao Bean, Managing GP @ Orbit Startups, Chinese VC with $180M+ AUM. 4. Why and How I Invested in 315 YC Companies? – Yotam Rosenbaum, Partner @ Access Fund, raised 6 funds and invested in 315+ Y Combinator startups. 5. How to fundraise from Family Offices? – John Milanovich, Director @ Family Office Club, #1 ultra-wealthy investor club incl. 7,500+ investors: Family Offices & UHNWIs. 6. Panel "Ways to Partner between Family Offices, VCs, and Venture Studios" with Sheetal Khullar, Growth Lead & Sustainability Expert @ FutureLabs Ventures, Venture Studio & VC with 30+ multi-$100M high-growth ventures. 7. How to fundraise for the venture studio and set up relationships with investors? – Farhad Alessandro Mohammadi, CEO @ Mamazen Startup Studio & IH1, Italian venture studio with €4,5M raised and €6M own funds. 8. Venture Building and Investing in the New Economy for Traditional Family Offices – Harshit Joshi, Founding Partner @ Favcy Venture Builders, venture-builder with 30+ portcos and go-to platform for 5,000+ angel investors and family offices. 9. Panel "Family Office Allocation Strategies: in What Assets do APAC Family Offices invest?" with Shiraz Poonevala, Director Investment @ GP Group. 10. Panel "How AI is changing venture building" with Toby Cox, Partner & Chief Venture Technologist @ Paloma Ventures , portfolio valued at $250M+. 11. The Transformation Factor for Breakthrough Startup-Team Performance – Ariya Chittasy, Director @ Engenesis Ventures, Australian Venture Builder that has worked with 800+ startups. 12. Why venture studios might be interesting to Family Offices in the APAC region? – Keirn O'Connor, Single Family Office. Other speakers and moderators: Kate Park, Reporter @ TechCrunch; Leesa S., Managing General Partner @ R3I CAPITAL; Jeremy Au 区汉辉, COO of Lucence & Host of BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech podcast; Sunil Goyal YourNest Venture Capital; Subham Panda @ Xartup. More speakers will be announced soon. Tag relevant VCs, family offices & founders in APAC.

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Join Titanium Ventures for a SXSW Mixer with our friends at TEN13 + OIF Ventures 16 Oct 6-9pm, The Strawberry in Surry Hills Be part of the SXSW Sydney Festival Buzz with us at The Strawberry in Surry Hills from 6pm on Wednesday 16 October where we will bring together over 200 of the best founders, operators and investors. ​​TEN13, OIF Ventures and Titanium Ventures are joining forces for an evening of all-inclusive longevity food, drinks and access to the greatest minds in the startup ecosystem. Secure your tickets now! https://lu.ma/5rwlocuv ​Titanium Ventures (fka Telstra Ventures) is an independent venture capital firm that fuels the growth of high-potential technology startups. Our investments include category-makers and market leaders like DocuSign, Box, CrowdStrike, BigCommerce, Snap and GitLab. ​TEN13 is the network-driven VC, with a global network of 500+ world-class investors, operators, and innovators. With TEN13, you build your own portfolio and stay in control of investment decisions. We provide access to the best category-defining venture opportunities, vetted and curated by our expert deal team. We make investments of $300k to $2m in Pre-seed to Series A and beyond with a focus on technology that will define the future. Since 2019, we've deployed over $100 million to fuel some of the world’s most ambitious founders from companies such as me&u, go1 and Chipper. ​OIF Ventures is an Australian venture capital firm, championing exceptional founders to build the iconic technology businesses of the future. Founded by some of Australia’s leading entrepreneurs, business builders and investors with significant investment, operational and strategic experience, OIF Ventures always seek to add material value to the founders and teams they partner with. OIF Ventures have backed some of Australia’s most iconic technology companies including Go1, Instaclustr, Assignar, Enboarder, Kasada, Clear Dynamics and more.

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With a positive outlook for the next four years for crypto, I’d love to invite you to think about crypto as a VC investment. Our Fund 5 is open 🥂 #crypto #blockchain #venturecapital #VC

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🌏 As industry leaders gather at #token2049 and Solana #breakpoint, we spotlight the Web3 innovations thriving in Asia. Asia stands as one of the most dynamic regions for Web3 and blockchain development, driven by its burgeoning tech infrastructure, cultural affinity for digital gaming, and favorable sentiment and adoption of digital assets. In Decasonic's blog, Kathy Tong and Rizza Torres highlight some key token use cases and the ecosystems in Asia that are gaining adoption.  They highlight five categories of token use cases: 1. Gaming Tokens and Community Engagement 2. User Generated Content for Digital Assets and Collectibles 3. DeFi and Real-World Asset Tokenization 4. Cross-Border Payments and Fintech Innovations 5. Generative AI Decasonic remains committed to the role of tokens in the Web3 ecosystem and is excited to work with the best founders to help realize the potential of this new incentive layer. If you’re building or investing in a durable token ecosystem, we’d love to chat.  We’re here to help you bring your vision to life.

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What’s going on with the food and beverage tech industry? 🍔 Over the past decade, MAGNiTT has seen a increase in VC investment for F&B startups. However, the momentum slowed after mid-2022. Fast forward to H1 2024, and there's cautious optimism in the air. Early signs of recovery are showing, with 33 deals totaling $84M. Grubtech’s $15M raise and Anabolic's $9M seed funding from the MENA region are two of the standout investments leading the way. 🥙 Local investors are playing a pivotal role, contributing to 79% of all investments in the MENA F&B space since 2010. While international players like 500 Global made early waves—becoming the first to back an F&B startup in 2016—their activity has since declined. On the local front, key players like Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP), Flat6Labs, BY Venture Partners, Vision Ventures (VV), and Shorooq Partners are actively shaping the industry. Compared to other regions we cover, including Southeast Asia and Africa, MENA also leads in F&B exits, with the UAE accounting for eight exits 🇦🇪 🍦 Get the full scoop on F&B trends cooking in EVMs, MENA, and the GCC: https://lnkd.in/dhWPeirb Are you attending Expand North Star in 10 days? Let us know as the team will be around... #VC #FoodAndBeverage #StartupEcosystem #MENA #F&B #Investment #Innovation #Tech #Entrepreneurship #UAE #SaudiArabia #Egypt #EmergingMarkets #VentureCapital

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Get GAP news: http://eepurl.com/sBQCT Resources for Research Institution POC, Startup Accelerator, and Venture GAP Fund Programs: https://lnkd.in/gRD4yDMC Berkeley to lead ‘Innovation Hub’ helping turn basic research into innovative businesses Picture this hypothetical: Another cutting-edge discovery happens in a laboratory beaker or on a computer screen crisscrossed by lines of code. Researchers agree it’s a big leap with real-world applications, but when it comes time to turn the published scientific paper into a business plan, they’re unsure of next steps or what use cases for […] #innovation #university #research #gapfunding #proofofconcept #startup #accelerator #venture #commercialization

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Check out the latest issue of my investor-focused newsletter Not From Concentrate!

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At SJF Ventures have been investing in solar for 20+ years, from groSolar/EDF to Community Energy, Inc./AES to Nextracker Inc. to PosiGen to Terabase Energy ... in the early years, solar was a luxury but now it is usually the lowest cost energy... and will be so in nearly every part of the world by 2030 according to this Nature Magazine article. Key quote: "We find that, due to technological trajectories set in motion by past policy, a global irreversible solar tipping point may have passed where solar energy gradually comes to dominate global electricity markets, without any further climate policies. Uncertainties arise, however, over grid stability in a renewables-dominated power system, the availability of sufficient finance in underdeveloped economies, the capacity of supply chains and political resistance from regions that lose employment." https://lnkd.in/eke9jtNd

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I think Elena Lipilina and I could stay 2 more hours talking! It was great to be with you in Femtech Real Money Talks. Sharp questions, demystifying some concepts and having fun! She could also make me confess one of my biases when evaluating founders to invest in (we all have biases, some of us are aware of it). Oh, and in the end, I recommended a dear friend to be one of the next guests in the podcast. Who is it? #angelinvesting #startups #femalefounders #founders #innovation #funding #fundtheworldyouwant #coreangels

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5 Habits of Visionary Leaders Eric Lam I am a venture innovator who helps entrepreneurs scale for exit. I wrote the book 📘📙The Fast Founder: from Startup to Exit in 36 Months 📕📗, that made AmazonSG’s #1 Bestseller (Small Business) in 2 weeks and Kinokuniya Bestseller in 5 weeks. #visonaries #leadership #leaders #innovation #breakthroughs #habits

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What Do VCs Really Look For in a Financial Model? 💡 E27 Article: https://lnkd.in/g8zzKBeP Every VC has slightly different priorities when reviewing a financial model. Some focus on how you plan to scale to SGD100M in revenue, while others are assessing your commercial instincts and the logic behind your numbers. But amidst the variability, there are universal factors that every investor pays close attention to: 📈 Traction & Sales Funnel: Clear insights into your sales and marketing funnel, showcasing traction and your ability to grow consistently. 💰 Unit Economics: Are your economics sustainable? Investors want to see profitability at the unit level, reflecting a scalable foundation. 🚀 Route to Profitability: A clear plan for turning your business into a sustainable, profit-generating enterprise is essential. 🔍 Funding Gap: It’s critical to highlight your growth strategy and account for working capital and capex needs, ensuring the numbers make sense over time. Crafting a compelling financial model is about telling the right story with the right data. Founders, what are your go-to strategies for aligning with VC expectations in your financial models? Share your thoughts below! 👇 #Startups #VentureCapital #Fundraising #FinancialModels #GrowthStrategies

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Last Call! Financing the Venture Series – over Zoom, with class-room option for last module - Starting this Thursday, October 3rd at 1pm PST Getting founders and their startups ready to attract capital and deal with all the complications of various finance forms, due diligence and ensuring enough capital is available for their venture.   All modules will be online (Zoom), option to attend Module 6 in-person class format in Victoria and Vancouver, all classes are from 1-3pm.   ✔ Oct. 3 - Intro to Financing ✔ Oct. 17 - Engaging Investors from Intro to DD  ✔ Nov. 7 - Term Sheets and Deal Structure  ✔ Dec. 12 - Valuation ✔Jan. 17 - Journey to Success ✔ Feb. 6 Victoria, Feb. 7 Vancouver - Deep Dive Cap Table, executive summary and pitch deck Info and registration here: https://lnkd.in/gvhFFCg5 New ventures and startups require capital to grow and scale up. Founders not only struggle to find the capital they require; they might lack the background to successfully engage and negotiate with investors.   The program helps you to be ready for pitching and engaging with the right investors, engaging in due diligence and using data rooms, discussing sources and funding and term sheets, understanding and negotiating valuation and managing post-investment relationships. Pieter Dorsman VIATEC New Ventures BC

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Please don't waste food. AMPLE update : Juniper Ventures Signs up to AMPLE Marketplace AMPLE : B2B Marketplace for Fresh Food. Impact Investment. See https://buff.ly/3W32D7p Steve Thomas - CEO/Co-Founder of AMPLE provides an update on a most recent business partnership: "...Juniper Ventures, which supplies over 23,000 meals daily to students in the London Borough of Newham, has become a keen buyer on the Ample Marketplace. Incorporated in April 2018 from the council’s catering and cleaning service, Juniper aims to operate with the social aspects of the local authority but with the business acumen and autonomy of the limited company that it is. Michael Hales, chief executive of Juniper Ventures and vice-chair-elect of LACA, said: “It is shocking that in the UK we waste 13m tonnes of food every year. As a hospitality business we are determined to do all we are able to help reduce this figure....".   Read the full update. https://buff.ly/3WnGEar REMINDER Ample Marketplace is a new B2B channel for unsold fresh food integrating e-commerce, logistics, and digital marketing. Ample is the UK’s first smart marketplace for wholesale food (with expansion plans for the US, EMEA and APAC). Ample creates value by shortening the supply chain, giving more control to sellers and value for buyers.  AMPLE is a portfolio company of XSS Capital. Join us on this investment journey? DM me for more info. #e-commerce #logistics #Impact Investing Join our mailing list at buff.ly/4cd2OCo

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Please don't waste food. AMPLE update : Juniper Ventures Signs up to AMPLE Marketplace AMPLE : B2B Marketplace for Fresh Food. Impact Investment. See https://buff.ly/3W32D7p Steve Thomas - CEO/Co-Founder of AMPLE provides an update on a most recent business partnership: "...Juniper Ventures, which supplies over 23,000 meals daily to students in the London Borough of Newham, has become a keen buyer on the Ample Marketplace. Incorporated in April 2018 from the council’s catering and cleaning service, Juniper aims to operate with the social aspects of the local authority but with the business acumen and autonomy of the limited company that it is. Michael Hales, chief executive of Juniper Ventures and vice-chair-elect of LACA, said: “It is shocking that in the UK we waste 13m tonnes of food every year. As a hospitality business we are determined to do all we are able to help reduce this figure....".   Read the full update. https://buff.ly/3WnGEar REMINDER Ample Marketplace is a new B2B channel for unsold fresh food integrating e-commerce, logistics, and digital marketing. Ample is the UK’s first smart marketplace for wholesale food (with expansion plans for the US, EMEA and APAC). Ample creates value by shortening the supply chain, giving more control to sellers and value for buyers.  AMPLE is a portfolio company of XSS Capital. Join us on this investment journey? DM me for more info. #e-commerce #logistics #Impact Investing Join our mailing list at buff.ly/4cd2OCo

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