Mariia Glazkova

Thousands of applications and hundreds of interviews later, we have selected a spectacular class of 12 startups for the Techstars Miami program. Our companies are in Biotech, Aviation, Defense, Climate, Compliance, Healthcare, Logistics, E-Commerce, and more. BioReact : Bioprocess Meets Ai: AI-driven biotech analytics software for R&D scientists. Cai Creative: AI-driven composing environment that simplifies music production for non-technical musicians. It overcomes the complexity of DAWs and empowers users to create and edit music effortlessly. Cosito Inc.: Physical world insights for businesses, powered by AI sensors. Fivvy: Real-time insights into customer behavior and market trends by analyzing user device metadata, enabling businesses to optimize marketing and accelerate growth. Climatta: Simplified ESG compliance for businesses with an easy-to-use platform. Galilei Learning (Techstars 24') Learning: Boost your frontline training with gamified learning and real-life application. HyperVention: AI platform that personalizes drug schedules for hypertensive patients. Kindlee: Debiasing tools for high-risk AI/ML use cases, making inclusion profitable and ensuring fairness while complying with AI regulations. Konvas AI (Techstars '24): AI agents that automate marketing and boost sales for e-commerce brands. Roger: Real-time flight advice for pilots to enhance safety and efficiency. VendorConnect: Automated document processing for logistics operators, solving slow, costly, and error-prone manual data entry to help small and mid-sized companies scale efficiently. Stealth Company Stealth company in the AI and defense space. #givefirst #techstars Techstars

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Controversial opinion - but in any case, we have to note "THE IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION SUPERIORITY", as John Cowan writes. Startup Studios, Venture Studios, Asset Studios, but also VCs that want to stay competitive in the future have to take data-driven decisions, based on actual, life data from what humans do in their projects and startups. AI can help, but in the end it's human decisions (still) that make the difference for success or failure. I have been monitoring Max Pog and his grand research, cited in the article, for a while. He already promotes and lives the principles of collaborative startup ecosystem in his online community. We on the other hand are happy to build a platform that facilitates these interactions and the value creation as an operating system for studios and VCs. https://lnkd.in/eQ2uK2U6

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Summary: Crosscut Ventures, a venture capital firm in Los Angeles, is launching a $100 million fund focused on hardware-centric technologies, particularly in the areas of energy and power, space and underwater exploration, and advanced manufacturing. This shift in focus is driven by the emergence of talented entrepreneurs from companies like SpaceX and a recognition of the potential impact that hardware startups can have in solving big problems like climate change. Key takeaways: Crosscut Ventures is shifting its focus from solely investing in software startups to also including hardware startups, particularly those addressing frontier tech. The firm sees a growing number of talented entrepreneurs coming from companies like SpaceX and recognizes the potential impact of hardware startups in solving big problems like climate change. With the launch of the new hardware-centric fund, Crosscut is also bringing on a new partner with expertise in growth and project finance to help bridge the funding gap for hardware startups. Counter arguments: Some may argue that investing in hardware startups is riskier and more capital-intensive compared to software startups, making it a less attractive option for investors. Others may question the broad range of verticals that Crosscut Ventures is targeting with its new fund and the potential lack of specialization in any one area. #venturecapital #spacetech #vc

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Last month, Uncork Capital celebrated its 20th anniversary with a jubilant gathering attended by 420 guests, marking two decades of success in the venture capital realm. Over the years, the firm, alongside industry peers like First Round Capital and Felicis, has witnessed remarkable growth, now managing billions of dollars in assets. This expansion reflects the flourishing landscape of venture capital, with the industry experiencing exponential growth in investment. Moreover, positive shifts in VC norms, such as the evolving attitudes towards board seats, underscore a commitment to providing tailored support to startups, enhancing their growth prospects. Amidst discussions surrounding sectors like AI, optimism prevails, emphasizing a steadfast dedication to investing in innovative ventures with lasting impact. Read More Here: https://lnkd.in/efN6-Spd Branded Hospitality Ventures Jeff Clavier Susan Liu Ashley Cravens Tripp Jones Sarah Du Andy McLoughlin Amy Saper #innovation #technology #management #venturecapital #startup

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Summary: Keith Rabois, managing director of Khosla Ventures, is on a mission to turn Miami into the next Silicon Valley and has been actively promoting the city as a tech hub. Despite some challenges and opposition, Rabois remains optimistic about Miami's potential and the growth of its tech ecosystem. Key takeaways: Keith Rabois is determined to make Miami the next Silicon Valley and has seen progress with a growing number of seed investments in the city. Khosla Ventures, where Rabois works, has made multiple investments in Miami, including one into a startup aiming to "reinvent education." Rabois continues to split his time between Miami and San Francisco, but believes that Miami offers a better quality of life and potential for building a thriving tech community. Counter arguments: Some big name investors, such as Andreessen Horowitz, have pulled out of Miami, suggesting that the city does not offer the same opportunities as other established tech hubs. Miami still has a relatively small share of total U.S. seed investments (2.6%-3.5%) which may indicate a lack of resources and opportunities compared to other cities. #venturecapital

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Coming soon on Aug 1: "Transformation to a Fresh Tomorrow." This is theme of our 3rd Annual Web3 Investor Day, as we welcome the innovators and investors convening in Chicago for these discussions around the next generation Internet. Our theme reflects the optimism, determination and commitment investors and innovators have solidified off the depths of the bear markets to drive success in the bull markets. Broader investor optimism suggests that fresh institutional funds into Web3 across both tokens and equity may endure.  Across adoption metrics, customer interest and developer activity, Web3 seems to have normalized. It’s refreshing to see the transformation and next evolution of Web3 and it’s refreshing to meet many of you on August 1.  And yet, even with the improved optimism from last year, there still remain open questions in the development and adoption of our next generation Internet:  1. the balance of speculative versus productive investor capital in this current cycle 2. the productive role of liquid trading capital in fostering Web3 innovation 3. the attractiveness of venture investments in follow on financings 4. the role of policy and regulation that may enhance innovation 5. the continued developer activity to improve the underlying infrastructure 6. other Web3 recovery characteristics in target customer use cases. We remain committed to navigating regulatory shifts, fostering investor optimism, and building the customer use cases for Web3.  Physical spaces enhance our innovation conversations.  In person relationships foster our collaboration.  Relationships drive breakthrough innovations.  Reach out to Rizza Torres at Decasonic if you would like to join us! #web3investorday #web3 #venturecapital

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Space tech-focused investment firm Seraphim Space Space launched its second VC fund, SSV II, to back early-stage startups in the global space tech market. The fund aims to build a portfolio of 30 startups, investing in seed and Series A stages. The latest fund's target size is larger than its predecessor's, which closed at £70M ($90M) in 2017. The fund's investment themes include AI applications for space data, in-orbit computing, space-enabled communications, and microgravity for science. Eutelsat is one of the limited partners that contributed to the latest fund. Seraphim Space aims to stand out with its track record, having returned three times the original investment from its first fund. The first fund's returns were driven by five exits, including Siemens' acquisition of UltraSOC and four IPOs of Arqit, AST SpaceMobile, Nightingale, and Spire Global. The British firm listed its growth fund Seraphim Space Investment Trust (SSIT) on the London Stock Exchange in July 2021, getting about £250M (~$300M) in gross proceeds. The fund's market cap touched an all-time low of £130M ($162M) in July 2023. The market for space tech is expected to grow significantly, with the World Economic Forum and McKinsey estimating it could be worth $1.8R by 2035.

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āltitude: 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞-𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝 We're excited to learn more about remote work from co-founder Matteo Benedetti from our portfolio company Debtist in our SME Tech Leaders webinar "Scaling your Startup Remotely" 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lu.ma/mqgwi5p0 When Marc, Ingo, and I started āltitude last year, we did it remotely from Berlin, London, and Zurich, meeting monthly in person. Our team has since expanded to include Torge, our Chief of Staff, and Fernanda, our visiting analyst, currently based in Luxembourg and Munich. Post-pandemic, we believed against the consensus that building a firm apart was possible—we just had to prove it. Remote work naturally sharpens our focus on priorities, which is crucial for any business but also comes with challenges. Here’s how we’ve approached remote work: 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: We utilise tools like Notion, Asana, Google Docs, Shared Google Calendars and Folk. We also streamline our financial operations by using our own portfolio company cleverlohn for payroll. 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: We hold daily check-ins—morning for strategic decisions and afternoons for operational priorities. If needed, we schedule dedicated calls for deeper discussions on strategic topics. Regular in-person meetings in different cities keep us connected without the overhead of a permanent office. 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀, 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁: Remote work demands trust as you cannot see what people are doing, which we build through clearly defined tasks, deadlines and roles. This clarity ensures that everyone is aligned. 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗞𝗣𝗜𝘀: Understanding what outcomes need to be achieved every quarter is key. Especially as we continue fundraising and deploying capital. 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Our culture is built on radical candor and transparency, ensuring everyone is working towards the same goals. Open discussions and quick feedback loops allow us to address issues openly. This environment encourages accountability and continuous improvement. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: We meticulously discuss and document our processes via Loom recordings, google docs or notion so everyone understands how things are done. Regular iteration on these processes helps us stay disciplined and efficient. This is particularly important in a remote setup where discipline is key to consistency. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: We anticipate predictable workload:, such as attending events (booking travel/meetings) and LP updates, by planning and working ahead of time. This allows us to be proactive rather than reactive, a necessity in remote work where spontaneous problem-solving isn’t as easy. These strategies have enabled us to build and scale our venture capital firm remotely, proving that it’s possible. #scaleup #venturecapital #remotework

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Miami F1 did not disappoint, with all sorts of legendary entertainers, investors, and even scientists descending on Miami to see who could throw the best party of the week. I was fortunate to receive an invite to a party on the legendary 180-foot Gene Chaser, the support vessel for the floating laboratory, Gene Machine, which carries all the toys. The owner, best known for his contributions to next-generation DNA sequencing, was a fascinating person to meet and get to know. This yacht was the fastest in the marina, equipped with four Caterpillar engines reaching a top speed of 22 knots. It was also the most traveled last year, visiting places like Antarctica and Singapore. Fun Fact: This boat isn’t allowed in St. Barts because the intense heat from its exhaust could melt other yachts. My favorite part was trying out all the hardware, especially the first-ever portable brain MRI that will soon be going into space. This was probably my favorite event of the entire weekend. https://lnkd.in/eRF6Z7RN For specs on the boat, click on the link here: https://lnkd.in/eP7bnYtr #MiamiF1Experience #GeneChaserYacht  #NextGenSequencing #PrivateInvestmentLuxury #FamilyOfficeEvents #SuperyachtScience  #InnovativeInvestors  #LuxuryAtSea  #TechOnDeck #AdventureYachting

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🛰️ Extending the lives of satellites in geostationary orbit and disposing of end-of-life satellites and space debris in low-Earth orbit are reaching the commercial phase with three news items this week: two from the US and one from France. With SpaceX set to build the deorbit vehicle for International Space Station, this is the big one. It will be interesting to see how this segment will evolve. Mission success will guarantee a significant advance for the first one. It will probably become a winner-takes-all scenario, with the lion's share of the market going to the leader.

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Global startup funding jumped by 16% in Q2, fueled predominantly by a surge in mega-rounds, according to Crunchbase data. AI emerged as the standout performer, capturing a staggering 30% of all investments and seeing its funding double quarter over quarter to $24 billion! ▶ Watching liquidity - there were also signs of an improved M&A market, with larger deals in Q2 as compared with 2022. Gené Teare #Startup #VC #AI

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Insightful look into bioplatform strategy, and what it takes to raise a Series A from my partner, Omri Amirav-Drory: https://lnkd.in/dFv7GbF6

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Some highlights from last month at Hof Studio ✨ Highlights:  - Completed 8 design projects in 1 month - Brought on Dymension as a new client. Dymension has raised $6.7 million in funding to build its blockchain platform that enables team to quickly launch app chains. - Offered a new web development service with dedicated frontend and backend engineers.  - Live projects (8): Subsquid, Twin, Kodiak, Vase, Dymension, David, Hodl, Mande Notable projects - Designed a blockchain explorer for Dymension - Redesigned Vase’s pitch deck, resulting in increased booked meetings and closing 50% of its target raise in one week. - Designed a dashboard for compliance product for tokenized funds - Rebranded Mande network and redesigned their new website Team growth - Added 2 new UI/UX contract designers to manage the increased workload Asks - Referrals for experienced account managers to help manage increased project load - Portfolio introductions to Web 3 seed/pre-seed startups in need of app design, web design, and branding services. - Introductions to VCs in need of design partner for their marketing initiatives. Need design help? Let's chat!

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In the value of the venture studio model: interesting short article about how a venture studio built up its activities and how they approached financing. https://lnkd.in/e2iWH52K

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5️⃣ 🇪🇺 early stage rounds to pay attention to this week 👇 1️⃣ Fifth Dimension AI 🇬🇧 (AI / Real Estate Tech) – Revolutionizing document-heavy workflows in the real estate industry with generative AI. 💰 Raised $7M in seed funding led by Speedinvest, with participation from Seedcamp and Anthemis Group Female Innovators Lab. 2️⃣ Turneo 🇬🇧 (Hospitality / Experiential Tech) – Reshaping how hotels enhance their guests’ experiences with unique in-destination services. 💰 Raised €2M in seed funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with support from Underline Ventures. 3️⃣ fal 🇺🇸 (Generative Media / Developer Tools) – Providing developers with tools to create AI-powered media content at scale. 💰 Raised $23M in funding from Kindred Capital VC, Andreessen Horowitz, and First Circle Capital. 4️⃣ Nurture 🌱 (EdTech / Immersive Learning) – Tackling the Life Preparedness Gap with interactive, story-driven learning experiences for children aged 4-7. 💰 Raised $2.8M in pre-seed funding led by Seedcamp, Reach Capital, and Golden Gate Ventures. 5️⃣ Timefold 🇧🇪 (Optimization / AI) – Solving complex scheduling and routing challenges through advanced AI solutions. 💰 Raised €6M in seed funding led by Lakestar and Smartfin.

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The Magnificent 7 "invest nearly $400 billion annually into frontier tech (comparable to the GDP of Norway), of which $20–30 billion is in VC rounds (comparable to UK’s total VC investment)." 🤠💰 Good stuff here from Dealroom.co on the tech giants. Their market caps are big, and there's a good chance they'll all just keep getting bigger. That greatly impacts R&D, CVC, M&A, HR, etc. in deeptech globally. https://lnkd.in/ehExX8sa #vc #venturecapital #tech #technology #innovation #deeptech #ai #artificialintelligence #nvidia #facebook #apple #microsoft #tesla #amazon #google #startups #entrepreneurs #entrepreneurship #money #business

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