Jennifer (Lee) Krusius

Interesting piece from Marc Andreessen on how startups are not getting the regulatory support they need to sustain America's technological leadership. "Regulatory agencies have been green lit to use brute force investigations, prosecutions, intimidation, and threats to hobble new industries, such as Blockchain. Regulatory agencies are being green lit in real time to do the same to Artificial Intelligence." While many investors themselves (both in the US and Europe) are worried how AI will change our lives, our jobs and social interactions, the top VC opinion leader thinks regulation is already too restrictive. #techstartups #techleadership #strategicgrowth

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Meet MobilityVC. Back when we started this organization, the transportation landscape looked a tad bit different. But as we grew, and got to better know our LPs, portfolio companies, and the ecosystem at large, we saw they kept coming back for advice on growth, or market analysis, or access to new forms of capital. And so we’ve spent the past few years building out a truly tremendous team that can solve complex problems in the worlds of mobility, automotive and energy. That’s why I’m pleased to reintroduce this amazing organization as MobilityVC, which better captures our expanded capabilities and commitments to our partners. We offer advisory services to private and publicly traded companies – providing targeted transaction support for direct investments, acquisitions, technology licensing and product commercialization. This includes sourcing, due diligence, negotiation, integration and fundraising support. We’ve been successfully running a corporate venture capital program – sources startups, performs diligence and runs POCs on behalf of major OEMs. We have grown our funding capabilities to include SPVs & growth stage capital –  supporting companies as they scale, by establishing dedicated investment vehicles, allowing our LPs additional choice and transparency in their investments. And of course we still proudly invest in early stage investments – MobilityFund II is actively deploying capital into disruptive, seed and pre-seed investments across the mobility and automotive landscape, having just reached its second close milestone thanks to new partners like Jæger Group. I’ve got much more to share on this in the coming weeks and months, but I’m also eager to speak with you on a one-to-one basis. If you’ve got a thorny problem in the world of mobility, we’d love to explore how we can solve it together and accelerate your growth.

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Last week Peak Energy announced its $55M oversubscribed series A, which Xora Innovation led, joined by lead seed investor Eclipse (Greg Reichow, Ryan Gibson), as well as TDK Ventures (Anil Achyuta), TechEnergy Ventures (Alejandro Solé), Doral Energy-Tech Ventures (Roee Furman), Lachy Groom, and Tishman Speyer (David Aron). Special thanks to 🌱🤝🌍 Anil Achyuta for the original introduction.   Peak is commercializing a new standard in grid-scale energy storage systems based on sodium-ion batteries. Peak’s market is benefiting from the twin tailwinds of renewables and AI, and the company has just the right founding team to scale at "ludicrous speed".   Landon Mossburg, Co-Founder and CEO, is one of the most phenomenal team builders we have had the privilege of backing. He brings deep experience in building battery gigafactories from his prior role as Chief Automation Officer of Northvolt, where he didn’t shy away from sleeping on factory floors for months in Northern Europe.   We have a special place in our hearts for entrepreneurs who have the grit to spend 10 years+ building deep tech startups from the foundational stage to commercialization. Cameron Dales, Co-Founder, President and Chief Commercial Officer, has done it not only once, but twice, at Symyx Technologies and Enovix (current market cap $2.65B).   Liam O'Connor O’Connor, Co-Founder and COO, previously scaled major portions of Tesla’s and Apple’s supply chains, flying over 500,000 miles a year when required. Liam has a deep understanding of what it takes to build resilient supply chains in hypergrowth mode, having previously scaled from <$5B to $40B in spend over a matter of a few years.   The climate tech sector is in need of more entrepreneurs who truly understand what building on a massive industrial scale means. We couldn’t be more excited that Landon, Cam and Liam have decided to apply their talents to enabling grid-scale energy storage.

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As an investor, I'm much more excited by fast-growing markets with strong tailwinds than large sounding markets that lack a clear Why Now. 🏄‍♂️🏄‍♂️ 🌊 🌊 Why? Because startup success often requires a market to be in flux. Rapid change in a market is what generates opportunity. In 5 years, all cars will be equipped with ADAS, and 5 years ago this number would have been <10% 🚗 🚗 On the flip side, obviously large markets already have incumbents - and without a catalyst, are difficult to disrupt.

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🚗🔋 Driving the Future of Mobility with WeaveGrid ⚡ At Woven Capital, we’re committed to accelerating the transition to a cleaner, smarter, and more connected world. That’s why I’m thrilled to share our latest blog post, highlighting our partnership with WeaveGrid. WeaveGrid is addressing one of the most pressing challenges in the EV ecosystem—seamlessly integrating electric vehicles into the grid. Their innovative software solutions optimize EV charging, reduce stress on the grid, and unlock greater use of renewable energy. This partnership aligns perfectly with Toyota’s vision for a carbon-neutral future and our mission to support transformative technologies that deliver real value. Check out the blog to learn more about how WeaveGrid is driving the future of mobility. Let’s keep building a sustainable tomorrow! Apoorv Bhargava John Taggart Zona Liu Woven Capital, Toyota's Growth Fund #WovenCapital #FutureOfMobility #EVs #Toyota

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Autonomous Vehicle (AV) funding is surging, according to PitchBook with Q2 2024 seeing $2.9 billion invested in AV startups - the highest since Q3 2021. While self-driving cars grab headlines, innovative startups are finding unique applications beyond passenger vehicles. Key developments: - Supply chain optimization: Outrider is revolutionizing yard operations with autonomous electric vehicles, addressing a $60 billion market. - Specialized transport: Pyka's autonomous planes for cargo and Gatik's local distribution trucks are gaining traction. - Safety & efficiency: Evitado Technologies automates airside operations, mitigating airport collision risks. Of course, more established companies such as Lyft & Uber are working on AV rideshare integration via partnerships with Waymo, BYD, Zoox, and others. The AV sector is focusing on gradual integration and specific use cases. While concerns about job displacement exist, proponents argue that automation could shift human capital to higher-value roles. What those roles are remains to be seen. As the AV landscape evolves, it's clear that the future of transportation extends far beyond just self-driving cars on city streets. Check out the full article by Nadine Manske here: https://lnkd.in/g3HJXZHc? And access the PitchBook Mobility Tech Report here: https://lnkd.in/g4_xP5pr #VentureCapital #AutonomousDriving #FrontierTech #FutureMobility

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Electric trucks are coming to the freight industry, and Nevoya is spearheading this next generation of growth. In 2020-2021, we witnessed the first wave of hype in electric trucking. Several companies went public via SPACs. Unfortunately, many of them failed, primarily because they lacked a compelling economic case for their customers. But as is often the case, after a boom-bust cycle, smart entrepreneurs find a better way to solve the underlying problem. That's exactly what we are seeing now. Sami Khan founded Nevoya to bring electric trucks to LA, where traffic congestion and government regulation create a real need. Nevoya is focused on becoming the “first zero-emissions technology and trucking platform” in the US. And they are gaining real traction. It's exciting to see Nevoya's growth, punctuated by its seed round led by Third Sphere, RedBlue Capital, Necessary Ventures, Ciri Ventures, and Never Lift. In the short run, adoption will focus on niche markets like the LA ports, as well as Fortune 500 customers seeking to reduce their carbon footprint. In the long run, the superior unit economics of EV trucks will win out in high-density markets. Where do you see adoption opportunities for electric vehicles? #supplychain #electrictruck #investment https://lnkd.in/eDcXd84j

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Fun session with Silas Mähner 🔍🌎 Hopefully non controversial takes on how we think about adaptation and resilience Third Sphere. Also weighed in on thinking about engagement with Big Oil. Absolutely not possible to generalize here. TLDR on one end of the spectrum is Norway, generating substantial GDP from oil, but leading the way across multiple climate efforts, like EVs and heatpumps. On the other end are some state actors that have worked to undermine organizations like COP and sew broader chaos, very, very likely as a way to shift resources away from energy transition (likely very, very hard to spend on defense and green transition at the same time in the US and EU, for example).

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BluWave has a deep bench of 800+ interim CFOs that allow us to quickly and expertly connect private equity firms and their portfolio companies to the exact-fit interim CFOs they need.    In one case study example, a PE firm came to us in need of a stopgap interim CFO for their automotive operations portfolio company. Here's the details of how we helped:   The Situation - Needing to make a leadership change in their portfolio company, a PE firm came to us in urgent need of an interim CFO who could focus on the portco's cash flow and working capital optimization while the search for a permanent CFO was underway. Given the protfolio company's industry, the PE firm not only needed an interim CFO with financial acumen, but one with the ability to handle a complex operational landscape and turnaround skills.   How BluWave Helped - Thanks to BluWave's deep network of exact-fit interim CFOs, we quickly connected them with a select few interim CFOs with the exact experience they were looking for.    The Outcome - The client selected their preferred interim CFO from our presented options. Their leadership marked a significant turning point for the automotive manufacturer, helping them tighten cash flow, meet reporting requirements and guide them through a crucial transition period.   When you need an exact-fit, PE-grade interim CFO, contact BluWave and we'll be ready to support.   #interimCFO #interimchieffinancialofficer

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We are so excited to announce our investment in Raechel Lambert, Bernard Kobos, and Ryan Lambert and their company, River Platform Company. River is a platform that empowers brands and influencers to build large-scale, in-person communities. To date, the platform has hosted over 2,000 events with 3,000 crowdsourced hosts and 55,000 attendees across more than 15 cities worldwide. We like to think of it as the operating system for community management. If the Catholic Church were founded today, it would use River to coordinate its global activities. No kidding. Jason Calacanis, the American internet entrepreneur and investor known for his All-In podcast with Chamath Palihapitiya, David O. Sacks, and David Friedberg, saw their potential early on. So did Balaji Srinivasan, Bryan Johnson, Tim Ferriss, and many others. We met the River team six months ago and have been incredibly impressed by their big-picture thinking, relentless hustle to connect with the right people and flawless execution. And as if that wasn’t enough, working with them is an absolute pleasure. These guys are a source of renewable energy. We’re proud to be part of this journey alongside wonderful co-investors like Blue Wire Capital, Blockwall, Solana Foundation, very early Ventures, and LAUNCH. Congratulations to the entire River team on this exciting milestone! We know firsthand that when things seem effortless, it’s because a tremendous amount of hard work went into making it happen. Want to join or host an IRL community event? Head over to getriver.io. #getriver #community #blockchainfounderscapital #startup #venturecapital #creatoreconomy

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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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We’re excited to announce that Pyka has raised $40M in Series B funding to accelerate the commercialization of their autonomous electric aircraft! Led by Obvious Ventures, with support from Piva Capital, Prelude Ventures, Metaplanet, and Y Combinator, this investment will expand Pyka’s impact in sectors like agriculture, cargo transport, and defense logistics. With commercial operations already underway across multiple continents and partners like Dole and Embraer, Pyka is transforming aviation while driving sustainability and decarbonization. ⚡✈️ More here from TechCrunch: https://lnkd.in/gGYfc824

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Proud Investor Alert! Congratulations to itselectric Tiya Gordon Nathan L. King on raising $6.5M to expand operations and accelerate curbside EV charging across seven US cities in 2024. This fresh funding will bring itselectric’s affordable and accessible EV infrastructure to some of the densest urban areas in the country with key deployments directly supporting Uber’s goal of helping rideshare drivers go electric. itselectric’s chargers are installed and maintained at no cost to cities, utilities, or property owners and help build the infrastructure that will allow gas cars to be replaced with EVs. Halogen Ventures Jesse Draper Ashley Balla Adriana Gadala-Maria Ochi Jessica Robertson The bonus: property owners earn passive income – aligning climate action with urban living, making cleaner, greener cities a reality 🌿🔌 Read more by Irina Ivanova at Fortune Magazine on post attached. #EVCharging #ClimateAction #goelectric #driveelectric

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Listening in to the latest earnings call, we note that the rapid progress Tesla is making in #FSD technology is bound to reshape the transportation industry over the coming years. Change is likely coming faster and with greater impact than currently expected. We were surprised to see the fast rate of improvement when trying out the product ourselves and when watching additional YouTube videos on the latest FSD advancements. We have seen this before with the adoption of electric cars more broadly; Elon Musk and Tesla are likely being underestimated again. The company's advancements in FSD technology are not just incremental improvements; they represent a fundamental shift in the transportation paradigm. Software updates are coming more frequently and the progress is staggering each time. The future where autonomous vehicles are the norm, and human driving becomes a relic of the past is likely coming sooner. Read on below..

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Historically, every time a new lending asset class has prevailed, there has been an emergence of new players given the reluctance of conventional lenders to participate before performance across a few cycles has been demonstrated. We believe that there is a similar opportunity brewing in the EV financing space, which builds a strong case for a “venture-friendly” business and outcomes. Read on to hear my thoughts on the space and do let us know what you think! https://lnkd.in/dkTHZNJi Alteria Capital

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While not always true, but mostly true. Capital formation at scale can drive major shifts in industry. We are seeing it with VC and AI. We have seen it with PE and AEC. What I am starting to see is capital formation to truly disrupt the AEC. Why? Massive Market Slow adoption/digital transformation. Outdated business practices that may or may not align with the clients goals. It is a bit of a perfect storm. You can bet against capital allocators. But the forcing function of large amounts of capital entering any market will have a resounding effect. Stay tuned…

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Check us out on Substack! If you like what you see, please subscribe. More to follow!

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We are thrilled to officially announce the launch of Escalera Capital! This marks the next chapter in the evolution of MLSA Ventures, now restructured into an investment company with a unique, vertically integrated ecosystem spanning three operating subsidiaries: Presidian Hospitality, Source Strategies, and Mulberry Realty Partners. By rolling up and consolidating our subsidiaries—comprising over 800 employees—we have created a cohesive organization designed to drive synergy across capital formation, acquisition, development, and management of our investments. Here’s what makes Escalera Capital’s ecosystem exceptional: Presidian Hospitality: With a legacy of award-winning hotels across Texas and Colorado, Presidian is renowned for its purpose-driven, hands-on approach to developing, acquiring, and operating experiential hotel properties. Source Strategies: A powerhouse in hotel feasibility and market analytics, Source Strategies has grown from humble beginnings as a pen-and-paper research provider to now holding 50% market share for hotel feasibility studies in Texas. Its recent launch of a real-time digital product is transforming how the hospitality industry accesses critical data. Mulberry Realty Partners: Our asset-class-agnostic commercial property management company integrates across industrial, retail, and other sectors. Mulberry allows us to maintain operational control, drive efficiencies, and enhance value creation across a diverse portfolio. Escalera Foundation: Formerly Presidian Cares, our nonprofit focuses on promoting health equity and early adult education for both Escalera associates and the broader San Antonio community. It is proud to spearhead impactful projects like Hope Lodge San Antonio, which provides housing and resources for cancer patients and their caregivers receiving treatment in the San Antonio Medical Center. With $400 million in assets under management and a vertically integrated structure, Escalera Capital is poised to lead with purpose, create lasting value, and continue making a positive impact across industries and communities. We are excited for this next phase and look forward to growing together! #EscaleraCapital #PurposeDrivenWork https://lnkd.in/gmYEHXf8

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As a GP in climate venture capital, I often meet high-net-worth individuals or family offices new to VC, wondering if they should invest as LPs. While LPs choose which VC funds to partner with, GPs also select which LPs to admit. VC is not a typical financial product—it's a relationship. LPs and GPs will work together in the same fund for the typical 10-year fund life. It's crucial for LPs to understand the firm's strategy before becoming fund LPs and be good partners with the other limited partners, potentially supporting the fund's best outcomes. Common Questions from New LPs 1. Can I take my money back in the middle of the fund? Typically, no. VC investments are long-term, and GPs expect LPs to stay for the full time horizon. Startups need time to mature and exit, requiring patience. However, you can trade your LP shares in the secondary market, though this may involve negotiation and a valuation cut. 2. Can I force the GP to invest or not invest in a startup? No. LPs cannot and should not influence GP investment decisions. GPs have a portfolio strategy and make decisions for specific reasons. Trust the GPs' expertise. If their financial returns align with the fund's goals, join the next fund. If not, look into the reasons but don't interfere. 3. Is VC more risky than growth capital? Many believe early-stage investments are riskier than later-stage ones, but VCs typically return 3x with longer time frame, whereas growth funds return 2x with shorter time frame. Growth investments need careful valuation. The 2022 SPAC wave's stock price drop did not end too well for many growth investors. 4. Does having brand-name co-investors demonstrate a good GP? No. Each fund or investor has its own strategy. Strategic investors might invest for synergies, not just financial returns. Focus on understanding GPs' rationale rather than buzzwords. 5. Should LPs have irrelevant requirements on how GPs should run a fund? LPs need to know the asset class and sectors they are investing in. If unfamiliar, GPs can provide background information. Imposing irrelevant requirements can hinder operations and make GPs reconsider the partnership. GPs prefer constructive input and have limits on the number of LPs and the size of checks accepted. By understanding these points, new LPs can better navigate the venture capital landscape and form productive partnerships with GPs. Fellow GPs, other points to add?

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