The hottest Venture Capital Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

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.
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Be a rocketship or leave a big crater

Startup Real Talk • 1 HN point • 18 Oct 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Startup funding Investors Business Growth Financial Strategy
  1. Venture capital investors expect high returns, so startups need to aim to be either hugely successful or risk being considered failures.
  2. In the world of venture-backed startups, growth is essential - if a business can't sustain growth, it may face failure.
  3. Founders should carefully assess if venture capital funding aligns with their business goals and take steps to mitigate potential misaligned interests with investors.

The Journey of Melanie Strong: From Nike to NEXT VENTŪRES– Recognizing Talent and Building Relationships

The Healthtech Initiative • 0 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Venture Capital Innovation Marketing Leadership
  1. Melanie Strong's career journey showcases innovation and talent recognition in sports marketing.
  2. She transitioned from Nike to co-founding NEXT VENTŪRES with a focus on venture capital and healthcare innovation.
  3. Strong's leadership emphasizes embracing change, fostering authentic relationships, and driving industry-shaping innovations.

#36: Rubina Singh: engineer investing in frontier deep tech and climate tech w/ Octopus Ventures (>£1bn AUM)

Views • 0 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Tech investment Innovation Energy Climate tech
  1. Explore the extraordinary opportunity in deep tech investment with potential for revolutionary advances in technology and addressing critical global issues.
  2. Investment in breakthrough tech like deep tech can be uncommon due to perceived difficulties and misconceptions, but offers significant value.
  3. Mitigate risks and enhance deep tech investments by focusing on big problems, improving understanding of technology and market, and building a supportive ecosystem.

#35 Manuel Silva: VC firm building, LP fundraising hacks, and the future of finance

Views • 0 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Fintech Banking System
  1. Curiosity and diverse experiences play a key role in shaping a successful career in VC and fintech innovation.
  2. Building a corporate VC arm requires seizing the right opportunities, managing complex problems, and ensuring a personal fit.
  3. Lessons from Silicon Valley highlight the importance of strong relationships, ambitious thinking, ecosystem connections, and personal reputation.

#31 Oscar Farres: the semiconductor engineer turned biggest LP in European Venture Capital

Views • 0 implied HN points • 06 Jun 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Technology
  1. Oscar Farres started in tech by disassembling gadgets and coding at a young age, leading him to study electronics engineering.
  2. Transitioning into investments, Oscar founded startups before becoming a VC, then later the biggest LP in European Venture Capital.
  3. Key opportunities in European tech and VC include greater focus on research-based startups, adapting to macro contexts, and demonstrating solid team dynamics as important for LPs.

Series A activity: Week of January 22, 2024

Magid and Co • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Deal volume for Series A activity increased by approximately 60% compared to the previous week
  2. One notable Series A deal was Krutrim SI Designs raising $50M at a $1B post from Matrix Partners
  3. Data focused on Series A deals worldwide (excluding China) where the amount raised is over $5M and the companies are not focused on therapeutics

2023 VC Deal Data in Review

Magid and Co • 0 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Investors Funds Market Trends
  1. 2023 was challenging for companies raising venture capital, with the total capital, deal volume, and median deal size being below the peak in 2021-2022.
  2. Notable trend: Later stage rounds were more affected than early stage ones, possibly due to their IPO expectations and proximity to public markets.
  3. Brand name investors reduced activity, with a drop in the number of Series A, B, and C rounds led by them compared to the broader market, suggesting founders need to pitch to a broader range of funds.

Series A activity: Week of December 11, 2023

Magid and Co • 0 implied HN points • 18 Dec 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Startups Funding Rounds
  1. Mistral AI's Series A round over $400M challenges the typical size definition for Series A rounds, raising questions about business progress.
  2. The total amount raised in Series A deals last week reached $874M, with Mistral AI alone accounting for 48% of the total.
  3. The announced deal volume for Series A activity was 27% higher compared to the previous week, indicating a significant increase in activity.

Series A activity: Week of November 6, 2023

Magid and Co • 0 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. The post provides data on Series A deals done worldwide, excluding China, where the amount raised is over $5M and the company is not focused on therapeutics.
  2. The data summary includes statistics on Series A activity for the week of November 6, 2023.
  3. The article invites readers to subscribe for free to receive more posts and support the author's work.

Series A activity: Week of October 3, 2023

Magid and Co • 0 implied HN points • 10 Oct 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Startups Funding Rounds
  1. Data was shared on Series A deals done in the last week, focusing on deals worldwide (ex-China) where the amount raised is over $5M and companies are not therapeutics-oriented.
  2. A downloadable PDF file with data on Series A deals from October 2, 2023, was available for access, providing insights and statistics.
  3. Readers were encouraged to subscribe for free to receive updates and to support the author's work on Magid and Co.

How did Mamaearth scale?

This week I am curious about? • 0 implied HN points • 07 Nov 23
💼 Business Startups Entrepreneurship Marketing E-commerce Venture Capital
  1. Mamaearth founders identified a gap in the market by focusing on toxin-free, safe baby care products, which resonated with parents in India.
  2. The founders leveraged partnerships with organizations like Madesafe to gain credibility for their products and build a purpose-driven brand.
  3. Mamaearth engaged with blogger moms, utilized word of mouth marketing, and built personalized D2C capabilities to reach target segments effectively.

From $120M to Zero: An In-Depth Analysis of Juicero's Catastrophic Collapse

Founder Fuck-ups • 0 implied HN points • 19 Jul 23
💼 Business Startups Entrepreneurship Failure Venture Capital Innovation
  1. Juicero's downfall showcases the importance of delivering real value to customers. Without fulfilling promises or solving problems, even well-funded startups can face failure.
  2. High costs and lack of differentiation in a competitive market were key challenges for Juicero. Consumers questioned the worth of expensive products amidst other affordable options.
  3. Negative publicity can significantly impact a business. Juicero's flawed product and inability to manage media scrutiny led to widespread doubts and ultimately contributed to its collapse.

Tippets #188

Tippets by Taps • 0 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Space Exploration Venture Capital Data Access Tech industry
  1. Nvidia's market cap hit $2 trillion after a high-profile earnings call, spotlighting CEO Jensen Huang's leadership and insights on the future of computing.
  2. Reddit signed a $60 million/year deal with Google for content access to train AI models, emphasizing the growing importance of data access in the AI industry.
  3. The U.S. landed Odysseus spacecraft on the moon for the first time since 1972, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.

Your Fund Size is Your Strategy

Equal Ventures • 0 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Funding Investing Startup Ecosystem
  1. The size of a fund impacts the investment strategy - larger funds may need to be less collaborative and aim for higher ownership percentages.
  2. As funds grow larger, it becomes more challenging to syndicate deals and collaborate with other investors, leading to a need for more selective partnerships.
  3. Investing independently and leading deals can be a strategic advantage, especially for firms looking to maintain a specific investment focus and collaboration opportunities.

Welcoming Grace Penders to Equal Ventures

Equal Ventures • 0 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
💼 Business Venture Capital Climate Team Dynamics Recruitment
  1. Grace Penders joins Equal Ventures as the new Climate Product Owner, bringing impressive expertise and passion for the sector.
  2. Grace's personal qualities, like a knack for finding unrevealed insights and a team-first mentality, stood out in her candidacy for the role.
  3. Equal Ventures focuses on building enduring partnerships with founders, and Grace's addition is expected to further strengthen these relationships.

Seed is the New Series A

Equal Ventures • 0 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Investing Startups Funding Strategy
  1. Seed stage investing has evolved to become as prominent and important as Series A investments in recent years.
  2. Seed investors have seen success, leading to larger investments, pushing Series A rounds to later stages.
  3. The venture capital landscape is changing, with early-stage investing maturing, causing a shift in investment strategies towards earlier-stage opportunities.

Going Your Own Way

Equal Ventures • 0 implied HN points • 15 Nov 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Innovation Investing Originality Startups
  1. Venture capital managers should not rely on past success strategies in the rapidly evolving industry, but should forge their own paths.
  2. Breaking away from traditional venture capital norms and practices can lead to success, even when faced with skepticism from experienced investors.
  3. Innovation and originality are key in the venture capital world, with a constant need to push boundaries to stay ahead of the market.

ClimateTech 2023: Lessons from the CleanTech Bubble

Equal Ventures • 0 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Investments Market Analysis
  1. Climate industry has seen a rise in capital over the last three years, learning from the failures of the CleanTech bubble in the past
  2. CleanTech market suffered a crash due to investing in areas misunderstood by VCs, leading to poor returns and hindering future investments
  3. VCs during the CleanTech era made mistakes by investing in business models that required government intervention, leading to their downfall

The Great Page Break

The Down Round • 0 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Deals Industry Trends
  1. Deals are happening again in various industries like AI, SaaS, and crypto, despite many being down rounds.
  2. There's a shift in attitude from dwelling on past losses to looking towards the future with more acceptance and optimism.
  3. The industry is experiencing a reset after a tumultuous period, leading to a renewed focus on growth and a sense of moving forward.

Seed Investing: The State of the Union

Digital Native • 0 implied HN points • 15 Nov 23
💼 Business Venture Capital Startup Investing Market Trends Fundraising Financial Strategy
  1. Seed investing is experiencing a rough period due to market downturn, impacting both pre-seed and seed stages.
  2. Despite the challenges, early-stage investing remains compelling, attracting multi-stage investors looking for opportunities in Seed.
  3. Seed valuations are relatively high, but a focus on reasonably-priced rounds at the earliest stages can lead to significant returns for investors.