Shaun Abrahamson’s Post

🥶 How can #climatetech #hardware start-ups can survive the funding winter? I recently co-hosted a much-loved annual tradition, the Tech Nation Climate track "Hardware is Hard" session, along with Sammy Fry. We have co-authored a blog post writing up some of the points covered in the discussion. The session was designed to help hardware startups survive the current funding and operational environment, but many of the points will apply to digital tech as well. The key takeaways are: when talking to investors be clear (and demand clarity), plan ahead for how you are going to physically get to market, and keep your focus. The Tech Nation programme provides valuable support to climate start-ups as they are starting to commericalise and grow - learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/eRb39AE4 https://lnkd.in/eFSgRQGT

🥶 How can #climatetech #hardware start-ups can survive the funding winter? ZCC's Pippa recently co-hosted a much-loved annual tradition, the Tech Nation Climate "Hardware is Hard" session, along with Sammy Fry. They've co-authored a blog post writing up some of the points covered in the discussion. The session was designed to help hardware startups survive the current funding and operational environment, but many of the points will apply to digital tech as well. The key takeaways are: when talking to investors be clear (and demand clarity), plan ahead for how you are going to physically get to market, and keep your focus. Let us know what you think! The Tech Nation programme provides valuable support to climate start-ups as they are starting to commericalise and grow - learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/eFq9iuPf https://lnkd.in/eBviXs6T

Hardtech is hard - but not impossible! Hardtech innovations are essential for transitioning to low emissions products and processes. Read Pippa and Sammy's tips for founders who are facing the challenges of building, scaling, funding much needed climate hardtech innovations!

Tech sector – is there a light at the end of the tunnel? This report looks into emerging trends and opportunities for the innovation economy. Here are my key takeaways: 🔶 VC fundraising in the US is facing challenges because fewer investments are being made and investors are changing their preferences. 🔶 But there's hope. We expect to see more Series A tech deals in the second half of 2024. This will be driven by loyal investors and a strong group of new startups. 🔶 Late-stage tech valuations have remained strong and are growing since mid-2023. 🔶 More fundraising is happening among a smaller number of big managers, which could change how the industry works. 🔶 It's important to keep an eye on key signs to make good investment choices, according to the report. 🔶 Despite some uncertainties, there's optimism about more tech deals happening. Despite tech challenges, there's a chance for more deals ahead. #InnovationEconomy #TechTrends #VCInsights #Fintech

Hardware doesn’t need to be (so) hard 🤝 🥁 That’s why we made a playbook to help founders build - and scale - hardware solutions. Software alone can’t combat our environmental crisis. It’s clear hardware technologies will play a huge role in reaching climate goals and de-carbonising economies. BUT, growing these startups is tough… Capital-intensive requirements hold back VCs, while complex paths to commercialisation mean founders struggle to scale. Alongside the well-documented financing gap, we have also identified a resource gap. Enter, The Hardware Playbook: 📚👩🏻💻 Together with our friends at Norrsken VC and Speedinvest, we built the ultimate playbook to help get your product off the ground. We ran 250+ founder and investor surveys, crunched 3,600 investments, and combined the findings with our learnings from working with some of the most ambitious hardware founders on earth. Key topics include👇 👩🏼🔬 What a winning team looks like 📊 Picking the right metrics 💸 Hitting the right financing mix 🇪🇺 Understanding and leveraging EU policy This isn’t your typical industry report. It’s an extensive guide, designed to empower your journey as an early-stage hardware founder. Dive in and start plotting your startup’s path to success! 🔗 www.climate-hardware.com Thank you to the authors Jessica, Florian, Kim, Christian, and Sophia Escheu — we couldn't be more proud of your dedication and vision in creating this asset!

Very useful information on building climate tech and scaling innovations in this field. Dive deep into this playbook and explore insights and strategies. Enjoy #itstime #climate

For investors, evaluating a tech startup goes beyond financial metrics; it involves scrutinizing the startup's aptitude for navigating the technological dilemmas inherent in each stage of development. https://lnkd.in/g-xEadpn

📣 Good news for the early-stage tech scene! "Investors say the U.S. seed funding environment was the most vibrant compared to other funding stages during the downturn." Read the full Crunchbase article here 👇 https://lnkd.in/e8FGY_Dg #earlystagestartups #earlystagetech #executivesearch #lawsonbrooke #seedfunding

VCs don’t predict the future. Founders do. At least in our eyes ! At Founder and Lightning, we don’t invest in world-defining, tech-defining or deep-tech companies. There’s plenty of smart people out there that take those bets, but it isn’t our game. For us, the founders we work with predict the future in their industries. Often, a space they have worked in for a huge chunk of their lives so they’ve spotted something - a problem - and have a burning desire to solve it. They know their domains inside out, and have a proven business model - they just don't have all the tech yet. There are a lot of people out there building the next unicorn, but in our model we see tech as the enabler of scale rather than the entire business. And we think it’s important that founders see the value in building a solid “proper” business and enabling it with tech, rather than the tech being the entire business. Tech is changing rapidly, and it’s going to become harder and harder to predict the future, and thus back the winners. That’s why we love to invest in real companies first, and then digitise them– they show us what a successful business looks like, they show us the future ! #investinginfounders #investment #buildingbusinesses

This article backs up one of the key messages I was delivering at a virtual event last week for my friends in DevRel, which is "bigger doesn't always mean better, (or more secure) from a career perspective." History teaches us that in times of economic instability, it is always seed-round funding that opens up first, before investors are willing to place bigger bets on later stage rounds. That means right now, super early start-ups can provide a safe harbour (plus a really exciting adventure) for those actively seeking their next opportunity! Plus - you get to work with me. Win! 😉 #earlystagestartups #earlystagetech #executivesearch #lawsonbrooke #devrel #developerrelations