Nancy Wang

🐺🚨🚀Three years ago, we launched Pack Fund I. Today, we launch Fund II with some big news from U.W.!🚨🚀🐺 We are now a Preferred Venture Partner of the University of Washington and CoMotion at University of Washington! After three years of hard work, during which we backed 29 startups, mentored on campus, and sponsored entrepreneurship clubs and competitions in the UW Foster School of Business and Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, we are thrilled to be taking our collaboration with U.W. to the next level! On the back of this news and early successes, we are hosting a webinar for accredited and interested L.P.s to learn about joining Fund II - https://lu.ma/pbwih7xa What Is the Latest On Fund I? - 26 companies backed in 3 years - 12 have raised additional funding at higher valuations - $135M+ in additional funding and grants - Invested alongside Madrona, FUSE, Khosla Ventures, Y Combinator, Pioneer Square Labs, Trilogy Equity Partners, Cercano, Washington Research Foundation, and dozens of other top investors. - Supported founders in Software, Life Sciences - Recognized as a top 5 most active life science investor in the PNW in 2022 - 80+ L.P.s supported our vision How is Pack Fund II Starting? - Ti Zhao joined full-time - let's go!!!! - Agreement (M.O.U) signed with U.W., making us a preferred venture partner - 2 investments alongside top VCs - 50+ L.P.s already joined - Fund II is larger than Fund I already - Hundreds of companies reviewed already See the news from U.W. here -https://lnkd.in/girhA3BM GeekWire and Taylor Soper covered our vision masterfully here - https://lnkd.in/gHYFAxzY Thanks to all of the Pack members and founders who have been on this journey with us!

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The microbiome is crucial to human, animal and soil health, yet we’ve lacked the tools to study it effectively… until now. 🔬 Exciting news! Dr. Matthew Cheng, MD, CEO of Kanvas Biosciences, where I serve as an observational board member, was recently featured on The Economist’s Science and Technology Podcast, Babbage. You can catch his interview at the 30-minute mark: https://lnkd.in/ezfVTtPi. In the interview, Dr. Cheng delves into Kanvas’s groundbreaking approach to understanding the microbiome. Their platform works like Google Maps for the microbiome, identifying microorganisms and their impact on the host. This offers an unprecedented view of the microbiome’s impact on health and disease. Kanvas is first harnessing this knowledge to target cancers that have been resistant to immune checkpoint therapy. Their innovative therapies aim to boost immunotherapy effectiveness with a consortium of microbial strains, providing more scalable, standardized, and safer alternatives to fecal microbial transplants (FMT), which is currently the standard for those not responding to their therapy. The potential of this platform extends beyond therapeutics to agriculture, animal health, and food applications, ushering in a new era of microbiome-based innovations. #Microbiome #Biotechnology #Healthcare #Science #Medicine #Innovation #Immunotherapy

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🚀Stanford Alumni Angel Investor Opportunity Fair & Networking Mixer🚀 The Bay Area Founders Club is excited to co-host "Stanford Alumni Angel Investor Opportunity Fair & Networking Mixer" with Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs (SA&E) at Stanford University on August 23rd from 4:30 PM to 8 PM. Please join us on campus for an evening of networking with other supporters of the entrepreneurial community and exploring ways to get plugged into Stanford innovation and entrepreneurship. ​This event will draw a diverse group of influential angel investors, industry leaders, and dedicated supporters of the startup ecosystem. Please register here: https://lu.ma/BFCStanford ​Here’s a lineup of our esteemed speakers. ​The AI Dilemma: Growth Versus Existential Risk (Prof. Charles Jones) ​Stanford Graduate School of Business STANCO 25 Professor of Economics Dr. Charles "Chad" Jones's influencial paper explores the dual nature of AI, which offers significant economic growth potential but also poses existential risks. Dr Jones will summarize the paper in the context of the startup world. ​Stanford High Value Healthcare Incubator (Prof. Craig Lindquist) ​Inadequate access to the right medical care over time results in high-cost, sub-optimal care at crucial times, a major problem in rural communities. These access problems are at the heart of much of the inequity in healthcare throughout the United States. Learn how Stanford's Clinical Excellence Research Center (CERC) is addressing these access problems through the High Value Healthcare Incubator, an entrepreneurial organization using the design thinking method to uncover the root causes of inadequate access, evaluate healthcare system data, and define solution concepts to increase participation in programs. ​Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs (Alec Walker, Founder and Co-President, Texas Chapter) ​Learn about Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs (SA&E) and how it serves the alumni network and beyond: how the organization is organized as a non-profit to not take carry, how we provide deal flow through pitch sessions and curated blind introductions for our angel members, how we assemble and deliver educational content on timely startup-related topics, and insight into our strategies for how we choose which startups we support. ​Bay Area Founders Club (Paul Fang, Ph.D.) ​The Bay Area Founders Club (BFC), founded by Dr. Paul Fang in Silicon Valley in 2022 and managed by a dedicated group of Stanford alumni and students, is a thriving community of over 4,000 members, including more than 120 startups and over 80 venture capital firms. With most startups in our network raising $1-10 million, and some exceeding $20 million, our mission is to empower creators who aspire to make a global impact. We provide the essential resources, support, and connections needed to transform visionary ideas into reality. Dr. Fang will discuss the BFC and how to get involved.

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Every fall, I return to Stanford University for a couple of days to reconnect with my fellow board members at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Alumni Association, as well as with students, faculty, and staff. This time, we discussed: - GSB’s centennial — Founded in 1925, #GSB is just weeks away from closing in on 100 years. Reflecting on a century of growth and imagining what the next century could bring was exciting. - Evolving campus debates — Students are engaging in more open, thoughtful exchanges that elevate the learning environment. I can confidently say that since I graduated in 2021, the business school has significantly strengthened its commitment to giving every point of view the voice, courage, and empathy it deserves. - AI’s pivotal impact on the classroom — While AI can feel daunting, in typical Stanford fashion, the school is embracing this change with an openness to its possibilities. From enhancing learning methods to encouraging students to explore new applications, AI is transforming how knowledge is shared and applied. I left feeling optimistic, not only for Stanford’s future but also for the potential these shifts have to shape broader conversations across the country and the world at large. David Yoon, Anna Neverova, Alan Chiu, Valerie Shen, Lamia Youseff, PhD, T.J. Duane, Joanna Ng, Senia Maymin, PhD, Nishant D'Souza, Kim Chan, Fausto Miranda, Susan O'Malley, Marquis Parker, Owen West, Grace Zales, Leslie D. Sweat-Campilongo Dave Dodson Neil Malhotra Derrick Bolton Peter DeMarzo #BusinessLeaders #Stanford #StanfordGraduateSchoolofBusiness #GSB100

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The most popular question among startup founders this week is 'Which Tech Week events are you going to?' I've done my homework: went through 450 events. Of course, I had some help from AI, but I double-checked everything myself. I’ve drawn some conclusions: who’s the most active, where the top tech minds will be, which funds and corporations have really put in the effort, and I even created a personal list of the most unique formats.* In the end, I came up with a schedule – the week kicks off with an ice plunge at 7 AM on Monday, followed by 3 events a day for the first 3 days (since I’ll get lazy after that), then 1 event per day, and saving the lightest and most fun formats for the weekend. Feel free to use, save, and share! 😉 *Last year, morning hikes were all the rage, this year it’s all about the Cold Plunge. Interesting!

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Meet Dylan Kim, the 20-year-old founder of MLV Ignite and this week's story profile for Gen Z Acts. Dylan is a rising junior at Boston College, a 3x founder, and the current co-founder of MLV Ignite, a startup dedicated to empowering high school students in Southeast Asia to explore their entrepreneurial passions and start their own companies. MLV Ignite hosts summer and winter programs for Vietnamese students in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi City, with plans to expand to a third location in Hong Kong. Dylan's journey is led by his passion to innovate and transform the future of education for high school students across Southeast Asia and globally. Here are some of the insightful questions I asked him about his journey and what you can look forward to in his story profile 👇 𝗤: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁, 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲? "We’re at a stage where sometimes I don’t even know if we’re going in the right direction. When starting out, you have a clearer idea of what you need to do—talk to customers, analyze competitors, etc. Now, it’s more about self-trust and having strong co-founders, which I’m fortunate to have." 𝗤: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀? "I think the mission is something I will never compromise on. The methods of achieving that mission can always change, but the core problem you're trying to solve should remain constant. As the saying goes, don't get married to the solution; get married to the problem." 𝗤: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗟𝗩 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲? "A key factor in how I view entrepreneurship is accessibility and social impact. Our program is priced at $500, which is much cheaper compared to similar programs in the States that cost around $6,500. However, $500 is still a hefty amount for Vietnamese families, especially local students. I didn't want financial barriers to prevent students from accessing our program." 𝗤: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘀? "Explaining my entrepreneurial path to friends and family has been challenging because it's unconventional. They are used to the traditional path of graduating college, getting a job, and working a nine-to-five. Making it clear that I want to do my own thing and assuring them that it’s a viable career choice is difficult, especially coming from an Asian household." You can read his full story profile here: https://lnkd.in/gpTzsv_m #genz #entrepreneurship #genzentrepreneur #startupfounder #MLVIgnite  

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I love YC Demo Day season. It’s an insane concentration of driven founders building something they deeply believe in at the frontier of tech. I know it's more trendy for VCs to complain about YC. But I believe Garry Tan when he says 5-10% of companies become worth a billion dollars. Maven’s hit rate from YC is even higher: 16% have had $B+ exits, and we’re trending toward a 40% graduation rate from Seed to Unicorn with investments we’ve made alongside YC. Since Maven’s founding in 2013, we’ve funded 12 YC startups out of the 66 companies we’ve invested in. Here are a few: Cruise: acquired by GM for $1B+ Embark: $4B SPAC, acquired by Applied Intuition Chariot: acquired by Ford before Series A May Mobility: raised $300M+ in follow on funding, including from Toyota Carrot Fertility: raised $100M+ in follow on funding, including from CRV and USVP Daybreak Health: Series A from Lightspeed, Series B from USV Moment Robotics: acquired by Cruise founder Kyle Vogt’s new company, The Bot Co (Maven is an investor) Our strategy differs from other YC investors. Many funds build a YC “index fund”, investing in many startups per batch. It’s not a bad move. But we focus on concentration, meeting all the companies in our thesis area and investing in one or two. Gratefully, I think every company from the list above can point to Maven as one of their most trusted partners that made a difference: intros to customers, closing follow-on funding from top VCs, connecting key hires, and offering genuine care and advice in both the best and toughest of moments. What are we looking for in a YC investment? 1) Team - a technical product team with startup DNA and hustle that can achieve a bold vision. Brilliant, determined founders no one would bet against who are ambitious enough to build an iconic company. 2) Vision worth fighting for - what are you bringing into the world that is worth all the time, effort and money required for success? Why aren’t existing solutions good enough? Are we proud to help bring this idea to the world? 3) Massive market - because of the valuation premium YC demands, even a $B outcome may not return today’s average Seed fund. Honestly, that math sucks. In order to pay the premium, we have to believe that if we’re right, we’ll be wildly successful. 4) Consumer trend - Maven invests in tech companies addressing emerging consumer trends. Even if some investments are B2B or B2B2C, they are always grounded in a consumer insight: autonomous vehicles in 2014, fertility care in 2017, mental health in 2020. Today, we’re looking at consumer applications of AI and frontier consumer health. Many successful companies we fund are outside of YC as well – like Zoom, Hello Heart, Epic!, Class, Wildtype. So we match YC’s Unicorn % across the rest of our portfolio, too 💪 YC founders in consumer tech and digital health: if you want to build an iconic company that delivers a positive impact for millions of consumers - I can’t wait to talk to you!

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In October, we announced our $1.8 billion Series C financing and take-private of SP+ (SP Plus). Today, I couldn’t be prouder to share that we have officially closed our transformational acquisition of SP+. This acquisition and Growth Buyout (GBO) is creating a paradigm shift in how technology companies scale and represents the largest venture-backed M&A deal and the third largest AI fundraise (just behind OpenAI) in the past year. We’ve created a once-in-a-generation opportunity -- allowing us to deploy our proprietary, artificial intelligence technology to more than 50 million consumers, across 4,000+ locations, and processing over $4 billion in payments a year -- enabling checkout-free experiences with a speed, ease, and convenience that is unparalleled, even online. While re-envisioning parking is our focus and priority today, the opportunities for growth beyond parking are limitless. In the future, we’ll use our artificial intelligence platform to power checkout-free transactions in new verticals – making the everyday experience of living, working and playing remarkable – giving us back our most valuable asset, time. From the outside, an entrepreneur’s journey can seem linear and academic – identify a problem, develop solutions, raise capital, deploy, scale – and repeat. In reality, it’s entropic and riddled with roadblocks. We’ve been repeatedly told our ambitions are impossible. But – our team comes back each day with strength, tenacity, determination and conviction. We’ve learned from every failure, every denial, every slammed door, and we’ve gotten stronger, smarter and faster. Today we closed our $1.8B financing and take-private of SP+ – creating a company that’s stronger together. The last six years have been a remarkable journey. I couldn’t be more thankful for our investors, advisors and most importantly, the entire Metropolis Technologies team that helped get us here. Special thanks to my co-founders and executive team Peter Fisher, Travis Kell, Courtney Fukuda, Ryan Hunt, Eddie Thomas and John-Paul Sukkar. I’d also like to thank the newest members of our executive team Chris Sherman, Ritu Vig, Kris Roy and Wenyu Blanchard. Our Series C was comprised of a best-in-class syndicate, led by Eldridge Industries with significant investment from BDT & MSD Partners’ affiliated credit funds, Vista Equity Partners, and Temasek as well as strong support from Metropolis’ existing shareholder group led by 3L. Thank you to all our exceptional partners, investors and advisors who thought outside the box and believed in our vision, every step of the way -- including Tony Minella, Todd Boehly and Lisa Ohlmeyer at Eldridge, Anton Zietsman and Dave Leyrer at 3L, Goldman Sachs and BDT & MSD Partners. We’ll celebrate today but know, we’re just getting started.

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Timing is everything, right? During my time at USC, I was part of the USC Incubator with the startup I was working on (filtr). Paul Orlando - who leads the incubator - just wrote a book called "Why Now: How Good Timing Makes Great Products" - addressing the critical role timing plays in business. If you're a founder or working in innovation in any capacity & are interested in learning more about practical frameworks and real-world examples on how timing impacts market dynamics and business outcomes - from the gold rush to more current events - you should check out his book. 👇

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We quit. Earlier this year, Roshan and I made the leap of faith to pursue Apten (YC S24) full-time. When we were freshmen at Berkeley, the ultimate goal was to make it into big-tech - it seemed like the prize at the end of the road. But a couple years into our jobs, we became disillusioned with the reality of working at a large company. We were just a cog in a larger machine, and any growth/ownership was limited to the scope of our roles and team. Over nights and weekends, we started working on the beginnings of Apten - I conducted customer discovery calls, while Roshan put together our first MVP. But it wasn't enough. Startups are ultimately about growth, and there's only so much you can accomplish part-time. In the moment, the decision to commit full-time was terrifying. We had zero funding, and just a couple hundred in MRR. But looking back, the decision seems rather straightforward. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐟 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰? So to those thinking of taking the leap, do it. Time is limited - better to pursue what you truly want than settle and regret later. side note: this is a picture of Roshan and I 6 years ago, the first time we ever visited SF - we looked a lot different then 😂

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where’s OpenAI ‘s sama? oh look. he’s in elon’s shadow. makes sense. he’s shorter. Lol. the island of cannibals that is silicon valley has a new co-chair as mayor of sf. unelected. uninfluential in washington. has weasled his way into a transition team for sf. I wonder is watching elon w trump he found his trump locally in sf. sama is a mirror. he was for pg. he was also for many others. including elon. I guess this is a way to perhaps shore up political points locally in sf. to protect himself as best as he can. washington is a country wide, global game. kinda reminds me of another rebranding. im just jenny from the block. https://lnkd.in/e_jNXXRD if ai companies are to flourish OpenAI Google Microsoft Amazon Apple will require that startups are not somehow impeded. this is a game of davids and goliaths. where the slingshot appears innocuous. that is llms, transformers, access to privileged data. this out of no-where announcement demonstrates that this is a defense tactic by sama. he speaks fondly of sf and has done nothing until now. so his disingenuous nature finds yet another loop hole to worm into. we would be more supportive of his efforts except he’s created an industry for himself through a con game approach. why is he ceo of OpenAI when he’s there 6-7 hours a week. forgive me. isn’t a ceo supposed to be singularly focussed. his game is getting funding that invests in companies that he’s already invested in and as it’s a non for profit there are no conflicts of interest applied. wow. he uses other peoples money to invest in what he’s already invested in. sounds like y combinator showed him how to play the sv players. the next trick will be to do something no one has ever done. take a multi-billy non for profit and flip to for profit. as a non for profit there is no reporting required. there are tax incentives. a moral narrative to spin. then. oooops. how do we monetize this. we believe he will not succeed. to do so would cannibalize capitalism as it’s structured. it also would create a new pathway for universities which are by definition research centres. creating this precedent would alter their business. given that elon has beef with sama. and elon has never been more on top of his game. well. we find local political maneuvering is a way of squirming. OpenAI investors chiefly Microsoft are about to be thrown under the bus. unwittingly. recall it’s the talent at OpenAI that makes it special. the a team has left. the b team is in place. 2025 will not be good for OpenAI elon will have his revenge. 44 millys invested. for what. for sama to throw his weight around. he’s a lightweight. just look at him. lol. source: https://lnkd.in/e9WtQ48k < . >

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Grateful to the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business for the opportunity to speak at their Product Con Summit alongside an incredible lineup of leaders I look up to as Ami Vora (CPO Faire), Laura Teclemariam (Sr. Director LinkedIn), Shreyas Doshi and Todd Yellin (ex-VP of Product Netflix). My panel explored the transformation of Product Management in the AI era. Here are some of the key takeaways: 1️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻, 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿. It is time to learn "Enough" the capabilities of tools beyond PM tools. PMs need to know enough about : prototyping with Figma,  ML concept, applications as well as the latest developments, data analytics (Amplitude, Mixpanel), and prompt engineering. 2️⃣ 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗔𝗜 "𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱" 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀. 70% of PMs already use AI tools to increase their productivity so if you are not using AI tools you are going to not be able to compete with those who do. Must-have AI tools: ChatGPT for ideation, Claude for analysis, Midjourney for mockups, ChatPRD for PRDs, GitHub Copilot for basic prototyping. 3️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗮𝘁. Did you know in a recent Wharton MBA, GenAI generated 90% of the winning business innovation ideas, thanks to good prompting. 4️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Entrepreneurial spirit paired with a creative mind and a business hat. It is going to be less about mastering how to write PRDs, and writing updates in decks and more about how to leverage tools to come up with some great ideas to quickly test. 5️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴. Beyond the classical skills like Customer obsessions, analytical skills like creativity, great product sense, adaptability, and a growth mindset will make you stand out. 6️⃣ 𝗔𝗜 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: AI tools are generating outputs faster than we can process them. That together with the Constant context-switching and multitasking between tools, calls, and channels will present true human challenges to overcome. Special thanks to Ansu George Raghuveer Ausoori for the invite and for pulling this event off. It was truly inspiring to talk to you all and be back to school (even if it was only for a little bit :)) #HaasProductCon #ProductManagement #AI #Networking #CareerGrowth #Innovation #HaasMBA #UCBerkeley #techsummit

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Hello startup fam! 👋 Instead of a building in public update on Britepeer, I want to talk about something else that I think is important to have in emerging startup ecosystems: Someone telling the stories. Kathryn R. launched TENNBEAT officially as a non-profit this week. I feel very strongly about supporting her and her mission to tell more great stories focusing on tech, startups, politics, food/drink and the arts. This is personal to me! A long time ago, I cofounded and helped with a publication called SouthernAlpha. I learned first-hand how important it is to keep a record of events, people, ideas, and businesses emerging from our region. When there is no connective tissue, we lose the fabric that ties all our success together. There are a handful of extremely talented journalists covering Nashville tech and startups and I want TENNBEAT to join those ranks. I've seen the upside of people taking the time to cover our stories: a renewed focus on the region, proof of progress, relatability to our own journeys, attention, influx of capital, and in some cases, really big scoops that become national headlines. The thing is, if we want these outcomes, we need to support it financially. Kathryn met us half-way by launching her publication as a non-profit. A few of her jobs include: research, writing, publishing, marketing, discovery, coordination, double-checking sources, website development, website design, community, community partnerships, and the list goes on. She can't cover our region for free. If you like to read stories about startups in Nashville, please consider supporting her work in TENNBEAT by contributing. But let me sweeten the deal: If you show me your receipt to TENNBEAT, I'll let you advertise your business to StartupNash for a month in our newsletter for free. If you setup an ongoing subscription to her before July 1st, I'll give you all our business benefits free for three months. Please support local journalism. It's an integral part of our region's startup success story.

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I’m pleased to share exciting research from UC Berkeley's Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology that analyzes the evolving landscape of Venture Capital. Their latest white paper explores critical challenges facing the current VC ecosystem and introduces a compelling new asset class strategy, Corporate Innovation Capital (CIC). CIC represents a paradigm shift in investment strategy, leveraging multinational corporations’ extensive R&D investments and applying startup methods to launch innovations into commercial markets. As SVP of Strategic Partnerships at Catalyze Partners, I've had the privilege of helping multinational corporations unlock the full potential of their R&D efforts, turning underutilized innovations into market-ready solutions. This recognition from UC Berkeley validates our long-standing belief in the transformative potential of CIC. This strategy provides a turnkey path for large corporations to recoup the significant investments they have made into R&D while maintaining their market reputation. I encourage you to read the full paper and share it with your network who might benefit from monetizing underutilized R&D investments. #CorporateInnovation #VentureCapital #InvestmentStrategy #UCBerkeley

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At Inspired Capital, we love entrepreneurs who are deeply and personally infected by a problem. "Infected" is the right word because they can't stop thinking about it. They live, dream it, and breathe it every day. They exist in a future we cannot yet see and are immensely confident in their vision. This certainty in their solution gives them the conviction to will their vision into existence—no matter what it takes. To learn more about the founders we back and the businesses we help build at Inspired Capital, tune in to my recent conversation with Nick Moran on The Full Ratchet podcast:

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In August, I had the privilege of representing America’s Frontier Fund and speaking at the Quad Critical & Emerging Technology Forum hosted by the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies in Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵 by the University of Tokyo, RCAST. It was a hugely productive few days of cross-sector discussion on how to best foster collaboration across the Quad. In my remarks, I emphasized where we believe there is fundamental opportunity to forge shared opportunity and reinforcing outcomes: 💡 Collaborate to Compete - Japan is quickly growing as a startup ecosystem (10x increase in startup funding in just the last 10 years), Indian startups have raised nearly $4 billion in deep tech over the same period, while Australia is attracting major corporate and government investments - prioritizing shared focus areas could yield transformative technologies and a thriving ecosystem from quantum to AI through initial collaboration that blossoms into rules-based competition. 🏛 Harmonize Government-Aligned Capital - Forging alignment between partnered governments in focus areas will further enable shared resources, infrastructure, and drive earlier customer adoption. By focusing on shared areas of interest and harmonizing government catalytic funding to support ecosystem development, the Quad can transform deep tech development and entrepreneurship. 🇺🇸 🇮🇳 🇦🇺 🇯🇵 Shared value will be created through shared goals - the Quad has an opportunity to transform deep tech development in the Indo-Pacific and, ultimately, the world. 🌏 Quad Investors Network | The Australian National University | Observer Research Foundation | Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies | Daisuke Kawai | Jeffrey Payne | Jennifer J. | Anirban Sarma | Akira Igata

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🚀 Business Insights from eSiPitch Networking and Pitch Event in Los Angeles 🚀 I recently attended the 2024 eSiPitch Networking and Pitch Event for Startups and Investors on October 23 in Pasadena, Los Angeles. The energy was palpable, the connections invaluable, and the wisdom shared was truly insightful. Here’s a recap of the talk by Zenobia Millett on Financing Your Business, condensed into key takeaways that can empower your entrepreneurial journey. 🌱 📝 Top Insights on Raising Capital 💡 Key Concepts: • Goldilocks Effect: Ask for “just the right amount” of funding based on the situation. • Entrepreneurial Edge: Leverage technology for deeper business insights. 🔄 VC Preferences Are Changing: • Then: Avoided any debt on the books. • Now: Revenue, even with debt, is seen as a positive. 💰 Funding Strategies: • Unsecured Loans: Personal financial data used, not tied to assets. • AI & ML are game-changers for assessing industry risks. • Self-Funding First: Retain control; bootstrap before seeking outside capital. • Alternative Funding: • Use bank deposits as proof of revenue. • Explore asset-based funding (patents, unique assets). 📚 Tell Your Financial Story: • Have a clear narrative and complete preliminary questionnaires. • Transparency builds trust and helps secure advocacy for funding. 🔄 Personal vs. Business Credit: • Personal Credit: Focuses on consumer purchases with lower interest rates. • Business Credit: Prioritizes profit potential, even if interest rates are higher. • Example: Using funds to stock inventory with high ROI justifies higher interest. 📈 Key Factors When Asking for Capital: • Detailed financial projections and documents (P&L, tax returns). • Decide between DIY or hiring pros for financial management. ⚖️ Assess Your Risk Tolerance: • How committed are you to your business vision? • Are you willing to leverage personal credit if needed? 📊 Funding Pre-Revenue: • Pre-revenue funding is possible with strategic planning and cosigners. 🎯 Case Studies: • Women’s Whiskey Brand: Successful launch through targeted marketing. • Restaurant Relocation: Overcame funding hurdles by submitting proper documents despite challenges. 🤝 Networking Pays Off: • Utilize networks for investor matchmaking and funding introductions. 📄 Final Thoughts: • Be prepared with complete financials and a strong business plan. • Use your insights and connections to open doors to funding. 🌟 Takeaway: Stay informed, stay prepared, and leverage your network to turn opportunities into growth. Business is a journey, and events like eSiPitch remind us that with the right insights and preparation, we’re better equipped to secure the future we envision. #Entrepreneurship #StartupTips #BusinessFinancing #Networking #RaisingCapital #Funding

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More than 100 talented Seattle-area individuals have already applied to Co-founder Connect and thousands more have visited the landing page less than a week since launch, reinforcing our thesis that Seattle is ready for a digital hub bringing together both technical and business-minded people to launch new ventures. We’ve been getting flooded with interest from engineers, operertors, and even former C-suite execs about what this is and what it could be. Others have volunteered to help build the platform. It’s so inspiring! If you’re in Seattle looking for a co-founder, check out our intake form (linked in comments). We’re moving quickly to onboard folks onto a platform to meet a potential match. My former editor Taylor Soper wrote an awesome article about what makes a good co-founder, featuring insights from attendees at Founders Bash. He also mentions Co-founder Connect! :-)

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