The hottest Venture Capital Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Announcing the Seed and Series A of ThreeFlow

Equal Ventures • 19 implied HN points • 15 Jan 21
💼 Business Startups Venture Capital Technology Insurtech Entrepreneurship
  1. ThreeFlow announced funding and rebranding as a benefits placement system connecting brokers and carriers.
  2. Equal Ventures led ThreeFlow's seed round after building a relationship and seeing potential in the company.
  3. ThreeFlow has become a rapidly growing company in the insurtech landscape by focusing on efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Promoting Ali Afridi to Principal

Equal Ventures • 19 implied HN points • 11 Jan 21
💼 Business Venture Capital Entrepreneurship Promotion Team Building Career development
  1. Ali Afridi's determination and eagerness to learn led him to drop out of college to pursue a career in the venture community, showing his unique perspective and intelligence.
  2. Cognitive diversity is valued in the workplace, as demonstrated by Ali Afridi's ability to bring impactful insights and expose blind spots, making the team smarter and better.
  3. Ali Afridi's promotion to Principal after his impactful contributions and continuous pursuit of knowledge showcases the value of investing in talented individuals within a firm.

Pitch Me: what Europe's largest climatetech VC fund is looking for

The Green Techpreneur • 4 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Climate tech Investment Renewable Energy Entrepreneurship
  1. Danijel Visevic started the World Fund, Europe's largest climatetech VC fund, with a unique approach to fundraising, focusing on building a strong portfolio and attracting investors by taking risks early.
  2. The World Fund invests in companies with significant Climate Performance Potential, aiming to save at least 100 megatons CO2 emissions annually.
  3. Danijel Visevic's investment style involves ESG support, expansive network connections for funding rounds, and a strategic focus on energy and agricultural sectors for climate impact.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Issue #78: X Gets Licenses in Multiple U.S. States, Open Banking Payments Are On The Up And A Partnership Between Hallmark And Venmo Brings New Meaning to 'Embedded Finance'

Fintech Radar • 6 implied HN points • 04 Sep 23
💼 Business Fintech Payments Financial regulation Venture Capital
  1. Elon Musk's X obtaining licenses in multiple U.S. states to process payments, entering into the fintech space.
  2. UK experiencing a surge in open banking payments, with significant growth in single domestic payments.
  3. Hallmark and Venmo partnering to allow sending money in physical greeting cards, showcasing embedded finance innovation.

Can Detroit Become a Product Innovation Hub?

Midwest Humble • 6 implied HN points • 19 Apr 23
💼 Business Innovation Startups Entrepreneurship Venture Capital Manufacturing
  1. Starting a DTC startup in Detroit comes with advantages like a rich history of design and a growing talent pool.
  2. Venture capital interest may be cooling for DTC startups, but a slower growth model can still be successful.
  3. Facing challenges in talent recruitment, Detroit is evolving with access to younger talent and mentorship opportunities.

Softbank's Masayoshi Son Wants to Build an Nvidia Competitor too

Machine Economy Press • 2 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Chips Venture Capital Semiconductor industry Artificial Intelligence
  1. Softbank's Masayoshi Son plans to build an AI chip company to compete with Nvidia and other giants in the industry.
  2. The project named 'Project Izanagi' aims to leverage Arm design and raise a staggering $100 billion, with $30 billion coming from Softbank and potential $70 billion from Middle Eastern institutions.
  3. Venture capitalists like Son see the potential for AI chips to drive artificial general intelligence development, with a goal of surpassing human intelligence.

Developer to Solo Founder: The Books That Built My Path

Navaneeth’s Newsletter • 1 HN point • 22 Sep 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Startups Venture Capital Leadership Sales
  1. Reading can provide valuable insights when transitioning from a technical role to a leadership position. Important books can help navigate challenges and focus on new responsibilities.
  2. Understanding the venture capital world is crucial for founders looking to attract investors. Books can offer guidance on pitching, financials, and maintaining relationships with investors.
  3. Positioning your product effectively in the market is key to success. Learning how to communicate value to customers and refine your messaging can make a big difference.

AI, Insurtechs and the Coming Wave of US Climate Migration

James Ledbetter's FIN • 5 implied HN points • 23 Jul 23
💰 Finance Climate migration AI Bitcoin ETFs Venture Capital
  1. Insurtech companies are using AI to predict climate risks and help insurance companies price policies accurately.
  2. Climate change is causing more extreme weather events, leading to increased insurance losses and potential migration.
  3. Venture capital funding for insurtechs is on the rise, indicating a growing interest in using technology to address climate risks in the insurance industry.

The Desi startup boom in Europe. What does it mean for European VCs?

Kaul Center • 3 implied HN points • 28 Nov 23
💼 Business Startups Entrepreneurship Venture Capital Investing Global Markets
  1. A growing diaspora of Indian talent in Europe is fueling technology entrepreneurship.
  2. Favorable immigration policies are attracting Indian workers and founders to the UK and Germany.
  3. European VCs can consider investing in Indian founders building in Europe and in B2B, SaaS, and Developer Tools in India.

0 to 10 Billion

Venture Prose • 19 implied HN points • 29 May 19
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Venture Capital Startup Growth Investing Ambition
  1. French entrepreneurship has shown significant growth in market maturity and capital raised, leading to ambitious founders and valuable companies.
  2. Venture capitalists are supporting entrepreneurs with high ambitions to create companies worth over $10 billion at exit or IPO, fostering growth and innovation.
  3. Entrepreneurs should surround themselves with individuals who push them to unlock their full potential and think big, aiming for ambitious goals rather than settling for mediocrity.

Why should Indian VCs look towards Europe?

Kaul Center • 2 implied HN points • 05 Dec 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Investments Entrepreneurship Startups Global expansion
  1. Indian VCs should consider investing in Europe due to the growing opportunities and momentum there.
  2. Indian VCs have started branching out to other regions like the US, South East Asia, and the Middle East, but Europe has been somewhat overlooked.
  3. Europe offers massive potential for investment, with success stories in various sectors like climate tech, deep science, bio tech, and AI, making it an attractive market for Indian VCs.

What you need to know about VC world as a founder

Build Startup In Public • 1 HN point • 13 Apr 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Startup Investment Finance Entrepreneurship
  1. There are different types of money that VCs use, and understanding them is important for founders. This knowledge can help you decide how to plan your funding.
  2. Convertible notes are a common way for startups to raise money and later convert that debt into equity. It’s essential to grasp how this affects your ownership.
  3. Valuation is a key aspect of raising funds. It's vital to keep your employees' expectations in mind, as they will look at the company's valuation as a sign of progress.

Getting Off the VC Train

Venture Reflections • 1 HN point • 15 Dec 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Fundraising Entrepreneurship Startups Decision-making
  1. For many founders, 'getting off the train' means no longer relying on future venture capital rounds for success.
  2. Due to recent volatility in fundraising markets, founders are hesitant about staying in the VC ecosystem.
  3. Founders wanting to get off the VC train often do so due to mismatched business models, fear of uncertain funding future, or a desire to control their company's destiny.

The Coinbase Curse Revisited: Deadcoins Are a Harsh Lesson

startups and econ (Fais Khan) • 2 HN points • 29 Mar 23
💰 Finance Cryptocurrency Investing Regulation Market Manipulation Venture Capital
  1. Coinbase listings have significantly underperformed in the past year, with many coins down more than 90%.
  2. VCs, like a16z, have seen significant losses on their crypto investments, underperforming BTC and ETH.
  3. FTX and Binance have raised concerns over market manipulation and lack of transparency in their operations.

Does it Make Sense to Invest in a Foundation Model Startup?

Superfluid • 2 HN points • 12 Jul 23
💼 Business Startups Investing Funding Venture Capital Economics
  1. Foundation Models are like the shovels in a gold rush, essential but overlooked.
  2. Investing in a Foundation Model startup can be a high-risk, high-reward venture due to the need for huge resources like data and GPUs.
  3. Financially, investing in a Foundation Model startup might not make sense for smaller funds, but for larger ones, maintaining ownership and predicting outcomes are crucial.

Can you Scale a Venture Capital Fund?

Superfluid • 2 HN points • 14 Jun 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Investment Strategies Startup Ecosystem Financial Analysis
  1. The current venture capital model is flawed with oversupply of capital leading to inflated early-stage valuations.
  2. There is a need for a rethinking of venture capital funding model to balance fund size, number of investments, and ownership stake.
  3. Smaller seed rounds focused on hitting milestones may be more rewarding than accepting large cheques with high valuations.

Clouded Judgement 1.12.24 - Hard Truths

Clouded Judgement • 1 HN point • 12 Jan 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Startups Investing Market Trends Company Valuation
  1. In 2021, there was an influx of funding in the venture market, leading to challenges for startups to meet milestones in the future.
  2. Startups need to assess if their product has a unique market fit and can sustainably operate independently.
  3. Having honest conversations now about a startup's viability can prevent future struggles, especially as funding balances decrease.