Damien Peters

Super pumped to be speaking at Cedric Nash's Black Wealth Summit in DC on November 8-9! I’ll be breaking down "Understanding Artificial Intelligence" in a way that's super approachable—even if you’re totally new to AI 😊 I’m diving deep into AI cloning and the future that's already here—yep, it’s happening now! This is why the Black community needs to be early adopters in this AI revolution. From creating digital versions of ourselves to automating entire workflows, AI cloning can help us scale our businesses, streamline our lives, and create wealth in ways we’ve never imagined. 💪🏽💼 If you've been curious about how AI could fit into your life or business, come check it out! Let’s dive into the power of AI together and turn those “what ifs” into action. Grab your spot at Cedric Nash's Black Wealth Summit, and let’s make tech work for us! ✨ https://lnkd.in/edQCv4jd #AliciaLyttle #AIinBusiness #BlackWealthSummit2024 #ClosingTheWealthGap

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👋DC Startup & Tech Week (Formerly DC Startup Week)'s VC Math Workshop was such a 🔥hit🔥, Virginia Venture Partners and VIPC | Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation decided to do it again! But this time, it's virtual, so I expect to see EVEN MORE folks. Don't miss out on VC Math 2.0 this Friday, November 1st, at 9am with Jennifer O'Daniel, Steve Ryan, CFA, and yours truly 😊. Once again, we'll be talking about a lot: - founder dilution - how to set up a friends and family round - why VCs invest - how VCs set valuation - what is an industry multiple - why market size & opportunity matters Be sure to register here: https://lnkd.in/eVE9cykk and I'll see you there! 🫡 #virginiainvests #entrepreneurs #startups #VC #founders

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I refer to Sarah Tavel's "selling the work" thoughts on a regular basis when it comes to what kind of models will be built in our AI driven future. (https://lnkd.in/etBvUeQ9) Here's one snippet I rediscovered talking about the post to Ilya Vakhutinsky from Careswitch--the future of homecare work: "𝙰𝚗 "𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝" 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔. 𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗'𝚝 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕. 𝙸'𝚍 𝚐𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 "𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔" 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚌𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚑𝚎 "𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚎 𝚍𝚛𝚘𝚙-𝚘𝚞𝚝" 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚎. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚖 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚘 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛." Ilya's a perfect example of the kind of founder that is incredibly well positioned to build AI into the work experience of the stakeholders in this industry--caregivers, agencies, and patients alike. He not only experienced the lifestyle of a homecare worker through his mom, but he got certified to become one himself. AI Founders: What's your **getting certified as a home healthcare worker** to understand the work firsthand?

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Better Consumer Experiences in Everything... “We pride ourselves on being stridently anti-thematic, seeking out founders with bold, unexpected visions. From a black car dispatch service that became Uber to a Groupon-for-Korea idea that evolved into Coupang, a $30B ecommerce powerhouse, the best ideas often defy categories in their earliest days. We don’t know what category will be hot in 2025, but delightful consumer experiences are becoming a premium in an increasingly noisy world. People are demanding fewer, better experiences in everything from healthcare to content and media. For example, Suno transforms a few words into musical compositions made just for you. Whether mundane or magical, we plan to back ideas that turn the unexpected into essential experiences.” — Amanda Herson, General Partner, Founder Collective Thanks Maren Bannon and Forbes for a great topic with excellent curation ;) https://lnkd.in/ePgTvgvW

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Hi, everyone! DC Startup Women & Women and Gender eXpansive Coders DC are hosting an event on June 6, 2024 at 6 pm focused on the origin stories of several women and their journeys as founders and CEOs. If you are interested, please RSVP through the Meetup link below. We hope to see you there!

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If you're building a fintech startup, you likely know of this investor, but just in case... This week's findfunding.vc spotlight is on Neil Kapur from TTV Capital. He: 🛫 Is based in SF & Atlanta 💲 Has spent time at Google in consumer-facing payments & at two fintech startups  🏔️ Loves alpine mountaineering and has climbed Kilimanjaro, Denali, Rainier, and more!! Amongst founders, Neil and the team at TTV Capital , including Gardiner Garrard, Mark Johnson, Sean Banks, Lizzie Guynn, and Laney Lewis are known for saying “lift, not lean.” They believe that their job as investors is not to create work for founders, but instead ask the right questions and help navigate to the best outcomes. Knowing Neil well personally, he's not only my go-to person for anything related to fintech but I can also highly recommend having him on your cap table - he's the kind of human you want to have in your corner during both good times and bad. Make sure to: ✉️ Pitch him at [email protected] ➡️ Follow TTV Capital on LinkedIn For more, check out our funder spotlight card below along with TTV Capital's profile on findfunding.vc (link in comments).

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[GENERATIVE AI] The Wharton School professor Ethan Mollick says your team should bring generative AI into everything they do – right now (!!!). Ethan discusses what he’s learned through direct experimentation with AI, where he sees the most potential, and why organizations are struggling to create value with them - with Camila Nagano and Jacques Meir: https://lnkd.in/dKstZFAn

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The New York ecosystem for dual-use technology is small but strong and growing rapidly. Thanks to companies like Decisive Point and @a16z who continue to support the community with networking events for founders, investors, and community members. More and more founders are recognizing the value in partnering with the DOD as a strong way to support the country's national security interests while hopefully decreasing the tax burden on citizens regarding government spend as commercially available technology becomes more available and affordable for government organizations. Not only this, but the DOD serves as a great test bed and sandbox for emerging technologies and talent. #dualuse #emergingtech #defensetech #Kilsar

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How to Raise a Series A in 2024: What Founders Should Know. The venture capital market may be stabilizing, but raising a Series A is still tough. Here’s how founders can navigate today’s challenges: 1. Start Early: Begin fundraising with 12-15 months of runway left. Investors recommend prepping your business model and metrics at least 12-18 months in advance. 2. Focus on Metrics: Investors are prioritizing profitability and customer retention. A strong product-market fit is essential. Founders need to demonstrate a clear path to profitability and solid unit economics. 3. Prepare Your Pitch: Decks should emphasize the team’s strengths, market potential, and customer acquisition costs. Metrics, not flashy presentations, will secure the funding. P.S. When do you plan to start your Series A journey? Learn more about how we are helping Startups raise Series A: https://lnkd.in/dKFgJcbF #StartupFunding #SeriesA #VentureCapital

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These insightful founders' observations highlight that TCA VG provides entrepreneurs with high level of added value compared to other angel investors and groups. This substantiated by their IRR.

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Summary: VC Neil Mehta, co-founder of Greenoaks Capital, has been facing criticism for his growing number of building purchases in San Francisco's Fillmore Street. In an op-ed, Mehta defends himself and states his intention to revitalize the city. Key takeaways: Mehta is facing backlash from local politicians and community members for displacing small businesses with his building purchases. He argues that his purchases are being made through a non-profit organization and he will not personally benefit financially. Mehta plans to reinvest any profits back into the community. Counter arguments: Local politicians, including SF Supervisor Aaron Peskin, argue that Mehta's purchases will harm the small business community. Mehta's ownership of a real estate fund that is backing the purchases raises questions about his personal financial motivation. #venturecapital #vc #venture #realestate #startups

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NEW: Senators Cory Booker, Mike Rounds, and Martin Heinrich introduce the AI Grand Challenges Act, a bipartisan bill to harness the promise of #artificialintelligence to solve complex problems across a range of sectors, including health, energy, environment, national security, materials science, and cybersecurity – as well as address AI system-specific challenges like bias mitigation, content provenance, and explainability. In the 20th century, organizations operated in closed environments. They competed for talent, invested in research and development, created intellectual property, and build a fortress around the entire thing. Our current AI moment is no different. But what if we accepted that best ideas might not come from within their four walls? Or that the most novel solutions might live at the fringes of an industry’s or field’s ecosystem? Or that partnership is the path to viability? This is precisely the kind of thinking behind #openinnovation: when organizations open up, they can accelerate the identification of talent, development of novel solutions, and creation of value for the world at large. Here are a few examples of this methodology in practice from Luminary Labs on behalf of federal agencies: ▶ MagQuest (National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency) seeks new methods of geomagnetic data collection; the results will inform NGA’s acquisition strategy for a WMM global magnetic field data collection capability, with an expected procurement that can provide operational capacity to support production of the WMM2030 ▶ The Neuromod Prize (The National Institutes of Health) seeks to bridge the gap between early-stage neuromodulation research and clinical use. Participants are expected to complete IDE-enabling (Investigational Device Exemption) studies by 2025. ▶ Mission Daybreak (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs), a $20 million prize to reduce Veteran suicides, is in a post-award phase offering select teams piloting and contracting activities, as well as further technical assistance. ▶ Your Place in Space Challenge (U.S. Department of Education) invited high schools to submit designs for a product or service that would contribute to space missions and exploration. ▶ Patch Forward Prize (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)) is a $50 million Project NextGen competition to advance microneedle patch-based RNA vaccines. ▶ The Lead Detect Prize (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is a $1 million open innovation challenge to address the urgent need to identify and foster new or existing breakthrough solutions and products for optimal lead testing in children. ▶ The LymeX Diagnostics Prize (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)) is accelerating solutions to accurately diagnose an active infection of Lyme disease and will be submitted to the FDA for review and clearance by 2025.

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Calling Founders: My friends Khari Austin-Rawls and Sydney Robertson over at Harvard Business School just opened applications for the Black New Venture Competition (BNVC)! BNVC is dedicated to connecting promising early-stage Black founders with the resources needed to transform their ventures into thriving businesses. Winners will receive over $200K in non-dilutive funding, along with access to an incredible network of mentors and investors.   Applications close on Monday, November 11th, 2024, at 11:59 PM ET.   Who Should Apply? They encourage applications from Black founders or startups with Black co-founders whose ventures:   - Have a proven minimum viable product (MVP) - Are in the early stages (Pre-seed – Seed) - Have been operating for less than 5 years - Have raised less than $500K in funding - Have not previously received funding from competition sponsors   What Winners Receive:   1. Community & Engagement: Access to a strong network of BNVC alumni, along with tactical resources to drive startup success. 2. Access to Investors: Private networking events with angel investors and VC sponsors. 3. VC Mentorship & HBS Resources: New this year! Semifinalists will receive mentorship from venture capitalists and educational programming from HBS faculty.   Learn more and start your application at  https://lnkd.in/eQ5RWwDN  

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Yesterday was one for the books at the KSU AI Club Hackathon Final Presentations! From tackling global health challenges to revolutionizing our relationship with food and learning, these projects didn’t just impress me—they left me genuinely inspired. Here’s how the leaderboard stacked up: 🥉 3rd Place: Cookly.ai - Imagine having a personal AI chef at your fingertips. Upload a picture, enter your dietary needs, and voilà—a perfectly tailored meal plan! Their ingenious use of AI and meticulous attention to detail created a seamless meal-planning experience, great presentation pitch too! 🥈 2nd Place: Easy Peasy Recipes -A mix of high energy, clever tech, and chef hats brought this team to life. Powered by a custom trained SLM, they didn’t just build an app; they redefined recipe creation. I would love to see them combine their tech stack with Cookly.ai’s UI, and I think they’ve got a recipe for market success—hint, hint! 🥇 1st Place: Pseudo.ai - The future of coding education, distilled into one platform. This platform doesn’t just generate pseudocode; it walks you through every step with a personalized AI assistant. Gamified features and integration-ready design gave them the gold. I'm definitely looking forward to their go-to market strategy. 🎗️ Honorable Mention: Cancer Bouncer - A masterclass in design and impact. With AI-driven insights into cancer risk and prevention, this team didn’t just build an app; they created a powerful tool for awareness and empowerment. The sleek UI and thoughtful UX scream potential for widespread adoption. Kudos to all participants for your passion, brilliance, and determination. The world is watching—keep building, keep dreaming! #Hackathon #KennesawStateUniversity #FutureOfTech #GivingBack #Mentorship #AiInnovation #SoftwareEngineering

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🚨 Attention early-stage founders raising – excited to spread the word about open applications for PEERLESS 2025! Led by AlleyCorp and Management Leadership for Tomorrow, curated programming will culminate in 5 founders pitching at Google's NYC headquarters in April, where one winner will receive a $1M investment from AlleyCorp. This isn't only about creating a more equitable tech ecosystem, it's about backing the next generation of exceptional founders who are uniquely positioned to shape the future. Applications opened on October 15th and close on December 6th 2024. While they welcome all early-stage founders with exceptional ideas, AlleyCorp is encouraging applications from startups that: ✅ Have raised less than $2M ✅ Are technologically innovative ✅ Have a strong go-to-market advantage ✅ Have identified a large market opportunity ✅ Are led by Black, Latine, Native American, or female founders All applicants will be invited to various ecosystem events with top founders and VCs. Learn more and start your application at www.peerlesspitch.com. 💯 👏Desiree Almodovar + #alleycorp

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I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to amplify the voices of leading women at the intersection of AI, policy, governance and ethics during New York Tech Week alongside Vital Voices Global Partnership. Every day we are inundated with new data and insights* on how women are at greater risk than ever before: gender-based violence moving from the physical to digital (e.g. deepfake revenge porn, online harassment), GenerativeAI that discriminates against women (e.g. amplifying regressive ideas and hate speech about women, or girls' careers as homemakers with tech designed and built by men) and misinformation threatening democracy and human rights across the world, accelerating conflict and violence, and the punishment of women that stand up to dictators, like the courageous Nobel Prize Winner Maria Ressa. Thank you to S. Mona Sinha, Camille François, Janet Haven and Manira Alva for speaking truth to power and for their service and stewardship in helping drive new laws and protections that are needed to ensure that AI acts as an enabling tool for women’s success, for advocating for gender diversity in tech leadership so that women and girls are heard, and for pushing tech companies for increased transparency and prioritization of features that are protective of women online. With these leaders at the helm, the future is bright! *some sample data and insights: 1. The World Economic Forum reported in 2023 that women accounted for just 29 per cent of all science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workers. Although more women are graduating and entering STEM jobs today than ever before, they are concentrated in entry level jobs and less likely to hold leadership positions. 2. A study by the Berkeley Haas Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership analysed 133 AI systems across different industries and found that about 44% of them showed gender bias, and 25% exhibited both gender and racial bias. 3. Prominent women, such as US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have had their heads placed on a naked body in order to shame them. Schools have reported cases of teenage girls being subjected to the same treatment. 4. The bulk of AI-induced job losses will affect women without college degrees because those women disproportionately populate the entry-level jobs likely to be most affected by automation. The World Economic Forum predicts that by 2027 there will be 26 million fewer jobs in roles such as administrators, cashiers, payroll clerks and secretaries. 5. This cutting of women’s jobs could have a knock-on effect on their ability to thrive into old age, exacerbating the 40% pension equity gap that already exists. Women are already worried: Insights from the 2024 Global Talent Trends study show women are less likely than men to trust their organization to provide them with a new job or alternative career if their role is eliminated. #NYTechWeek #genderequality #humanrights #GenerativeAI #AI #LLM #startups #startup #newyork

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Still buzzing from an awesome startup/tech event at The 1904 in Braselton, GA by Braselton Tech and ATDC yesterday evening! It brings so much joy to my heart to see innovation taking root beyond Atlanta, especially in places like Braselton (about an hour northeast or WAY more, depending on our infamous Atlanta traffic). This is right in my back yard… truly a dream come true for this traffic-hating, time protective gal! My background in VC stems from a deep interest in economic development. I've always believed that a thriving tech ecosystem can really transform an area by bringing in companies and jobs, talent, and ultimately boosting quality of life. Seeing the Town of Braselton GA and its economic development department team up with ATDC to build this kind of community is exactly what I love to see. We chatted about everything from robotics, medtech, critical infrastructure startups, to defense tech and more. Met some incredibly smart people and hopefully added something useful to the mix. Plus, made some new friends… always a bonus! 🙂 If you're interested in this space and being a part of a budding ecosystem, there's a startup pitch competition coming up in Braselton this September that I’ll link in the comments. I'd love to see some of my connections support our local innovators and a community committed to a bright future, even if it is a bit of a trek for you. I think they mentioned there will be at least five startups pitching, and downtown Braselton itself is worth visiting and exploring anyway. Talent and brilliance aren’t confined to big cities. The next big thing could come from anywhere - why not here? I know I'm missing a few people (and there were a few folks that left before we could get them in the picture), but Marc Carson, Alexander Schmitt, Tyler Boyd, and Jeff Ford - great meeting you all. #braseltontech #vc #startups #robotics #pitch #entrepreneurs #innovation #economicdevelopment #startupecosystem #georgia

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Amazing news for all startup founders out there! If you're struggling to validate your idea, build your MVP, or get traction early on, this opportunity is for you. Pre-seed accelerators can provide the capital and support needed to get your product to market, and Tré Baker has shared an amazing opportunity to access these resources. As a fellow early-stage founder, I know how difficult it can be to secure funding, which is the stage where many startups unfortunately fail. By providing underrepresented founders with the resources they need, these accelerators can help ensure higher returns for everyone involved. Don't miss out on this chance to take your startup to the next level! #startupfounders #preseedaccelerators #earlystagefounders #funding #resources

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