The hottest Venture Capital Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

The VC Voodoo Formula

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 14 Sep 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Investors focus on building a strong conviction about a team and its potential for the future.
  2. For sustainable success, founders' skills, vision, and ability to recruit top talent are crucial.
  3. In venture capital, success involves navigating uncertainty, focusing efforts on chosen battles, and capitalizing on network effects and timing.

Hello VC, Here’s A Gentle Slap in your Face: Contemplation is no Action, Success is Earned.

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jul 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Success in venture capital is earned through action, not just contemplation.
  2. European/French Venture Capitalists are urged to focus on improving governance, discipline, proactivity, software usage, and support for portfolio companies.
  3. Venture Capital should aim for long-term value creation, not just short-term gains, and actively seek out promising startups instead of waiting for opportunities.

La vérité sur l’Accélération. Et à la fin, tout le monde meurt.

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jul 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Success in startups and investing doesn't always require prior entrepreneurial experience - proven by examples like Michael Moritz and Neil Rimer.
  2. Not everyone who tries entrepreneurship, investment, or mentoring succeeds, but those who do shine through their actions and achievements.
  3. The inevitability of mortality applies to everyone, even successful figures like Steve Jobs, highlighting the transient nature of life and accomplishments.

En Levée de fonds, ce ne sont pas les meilleurs entrepreneurs qui gagnent, ce sont les plus forts

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jul 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. In fundraising, it's the strongest entrepreneurs, not necessarily the best, who succeed.
  2. About 80% of startups fail, highlighting the challenges many entrepreneurs face.
  3. Success in startups and fundraising requires resilience, methodology, and talent, emphasizing the importance of these qualities in the entrepreneurial journey.
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WARNING ENTREPRENEURS & STARTUPS: Les bons et les mauvais leveurs de fonds!

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jul 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. A good fundraiser typically does 2 to 3 deals per year, with 5 to 6 in active mode, always having 2 to 5 deals in progress at different stages.
  2. Effective fundraisers usually avoid working with very young companies raising less than 1M€/1.5M€, unless they have a strong interest and do not take retainers in such cases.
  3. Reputable fundraisers operate exclusively, charge between 4% and 6% success fees based on deal size, and never ask for a signed contract with commission and capital access.

Software Is Eating The VC World

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 28 Jun 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Kima Ventures uses software to streamline their venture capital operations and manage deal flow efficiently.
  2. The goal of Kima Ventures is to develop high-quality software that can revolutionize the VC world and benefit entrepreneurs.
  3. They plan to share their software with other VC firms and investors to enhance the industry as a whole.

High Valuation & Capital Allocation For Dummies

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 18 Mar 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Early stage valuations can be inflated and impacted by market conditions. Companies that raise more money may face increased expectations for rapid growth or risk failure.
  2. High valuations come with high expectations. Failing to meet these expectations can lead to negative perceptions, especially when a lot of money is involved. Wise capital allocation is crucial.
  3. Extension and bridge funding rounds can help correct course temporarily, but the pressure and expectations increase with each round. Careful consideration of financial decisions and market positioning is essential.

VC Services: Game Over

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 16 Mar 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Investors should focus on providing better support and advisory to their portfolio companies.
  2. Investors should ask questions and enable entrepreneurs, rather than dictating actions.
  3. Entrepreneurs need access to simple, smart advisory, resources, and a reliable network from investors.

The 7 reasons why I say No to founders reaching out to us for funding.

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 27 Feb 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Saying no to founders seeking funding is necessary but not enjoyable to do.
  2. Reasons for rejection include personal fit, belief in the team, understanding of subject/geography, liking the space/activity, alignment with criteria, and doubts about certain aspects.
  3. Investing in startups is a people business full of unpredictability, and success is often only visible in hindsight.

How To Pitch A VC

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 23 Jan 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Investors need to step out of their comfort zone to support bold entrepreneurs.
  2. Creating a compelling pitch is crucial for startups seeking VC funding.
  3. Good communication skills are essential when pitching to venture capitalists.

The Great Bubble

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 18 Jan 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Venture capital is about investing in companies for their long-term potential to grow
  2. Startups benefit from the bubble atmosphere, but should be wary of high burn rates and inflated costs
  3. The venture capital industry is unique and the bubble bursting can have significant impacts on the economy

How & Why

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 17 Jan 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Impressive leaders and creators have a clarity of vision that sets them apart. They move from understanding to over-standing, creating unique and incredible things.
  2. For entrepreneurs, answering fundamental questions like 'Why' and 'How' is crucial. Clear and brilliant responses are expected to shape the future of a business and gain investor confidence.
  3. Brilliant answers to questions about the problem, solution, uniqueness, and timing are key. Clarity, conciseness, and brilliance in responses are essential for success.

Kima Ventures >> Q4 Review & 2016 Preview

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 01 Jan 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Kima Ventures is a Super Angel fund owned by Xavier Niel, investing $100k to $300k per deal, focusing on US & EU markets.
  2. The primary mission of Kima Ventures is to detect and fund great entrepreneurs, with capacity to support founders being limited.
  3. Kima Ventures is launching a live status page for dealflow, a platform for founders called Forward, and more stories from their portfolio founders for the community.

Introduction Template For The Startups (Founders) & Their VCs (Investors)

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 16 Nov 15
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Founders should have a great pitch deck, relevant data, and a list of potential investors when seeking introductions from fellow investors.
  2. When making an introduction email, include clear market information, business metrics, unique selling points, and fundraising details.
  3. Investors need to be convinced by the business, team, and CEO in order to secure funding.

An Ugly VC-Founder Story

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 25 Oct 15
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Investors should empower CEOs by providing guidance and resources, not running the company in place of founders.
  2. It's crucial for founders to carefully choose investors who understand their market and can genuinely support their growth.
  3. Interference from investors who lack expertise and make poor decisions can lead to tragic outcomes for startups, impacting founders' control and company success.

Being Swift, Nice & Straight.

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 22 Sep 15
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. In the world of dealing with entrepreneurs and managing portfolios, it's crucial to care about people.
  2. At Kima Ventures, governance is strong, ensuring decisions are made collectively and responsibly.
  3. Discipline, proactivity, software, and support are keys to smooth operations in venture capital, aiding in getting things done efficiently.

Joining Kima Ventures

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 15 Sep 15
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Jean de La Rochebrochard has joined Kima Ventures, Xavier Niel's venture capital arm, after being part of TheFamily.
  2. TheFamily has experienced significant growth, with 25 team members and a strong startup ecosystem.
  3. Jean has helped various entrepreneurs with fundraising, including notable startups like CAPTAIN TRAIN and ALGOLIA.

DNA of a good VC.

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 30 Aug 13
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Raising funds for tech companies is a challenging but rewarding experience.
  2. Having a unique perspective and understanding the context is important for a good VC.
  3. The author shares their perception of good investors in France and Europe.

Creator News Roundup: 01/15/2024

Cosmos • 0 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Venture capital funds are directly supporting creators to launch products for their communities, with investments ranging from $500,000 to $2 million.
  2. Influencers are facing stricter regulations and consequences for misleading promotions, as seen in a case involving a Christmas cake campaign.
  3. Platforms like Twitter are shifting to prioritize video content, with video appearing in 8 out of 10 user sessions, and investing in original video series with personalities.

11/4 Tech Buzz China Insider Digest

Tech Buzz China Insider • 0 implied HN points • 05 Nov 21
🕹 Technology Venture Capital
  1. ByteDance restructured into 6 units, including Douyin, Dali Education, and TikTok, separating itself from TikTok.
  2. Kuaishou's reorganization showed material changes compared to ByteDance's, with a focus on resolving organizational design issues.
  3. Chinese Venture Capital trends show increased investment in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, enterprise software, and local services, with a shift in investment mix since 2014.

September 2021: The Latest from Tech Buzz China

Tech Buzz China Insider • 0 implied HN points • 30 Sep 21
🕹 Technology Venture Capital
  1. Tech Buzz China offers a community where insiders can engage in discussions and access exclusive content like livecasts with industry experts.
  2. The Chinese government plays a significant role in economic development by actively supporting businesses through financial assistance, investment facilitation, and other means.
  3. Alipay's recent split into separate apps was a response to government directives to address issues like unfair competition and financial product integration.

Would you rather be working on flying cars or 180 characters?!? - Issue #88

Robots & Startups • 0 implied HN points • 10 Nov 22
🕹 Technology Venture Capital
  1. The post discusses the choice between working on flying cars or 180 characters, hinting at the contrast between futuristic technology and social media.
  2. It mentions a link to the ANA Avatar XPRIZE Competition Presentation, highlighting the involvement of judges, the winning team, and finalists' experiences.
  3. There is a mention of a list of female venture capitalists in the Pacific Northwest, shedding light on the presence of women in the venture capital industry.

DC edition: Musings on the SatShow 2024 conference

Intersections (by Filip) • 0 implied HN points • 11 Apr 24
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. The industry at SatShow 2024 is experiencing a shift from emergency cash needs to a desire for expansion, with companies wanting to grow but facing cash limitations.
  2. Venture capital discussions at SatShow delved into strategic deployment of capital, survival rates of VCs in the industry, and the impact of new micro/solo GPs on the ecosystem.
  3. SpaceX's increased openness and the emergence of proliferated space infrastructure are changing dynamics, with new challenges for startups and a focus on optimizing the use of existing space infrastructure.

The Tyranny of Venture Capital Math

Rob Leclerc • 0 implied HN points • 11 Mar 21
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. In venture capital, it's crucial to focus on the potential size of outcomes, not just the product or service utility.
  2. To succeed in venture capital, aim for investments with the potential for very large outcomes to make up for inevitable losses.
  3. The "tyranny of venture capital math" highlights that not every good idea is a viable venture capital investment, as each investment must have the potential for significant growth.

Dry Powder

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 0 implied HN points • 10 Jul 24
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Venture capitalists in India are eager to invest in AI startups and are actively looking for new talent.
  2. One firm, Peak XV Partners, has a significant amount of money ready to invest, highlighting their commitment to the AI sector.
  3. Investors are emphasizing the importance of more people starting businesses in AI to drive innovation and growth.

Why So Desperate?

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 0 implied HN points • 04 Jul 23
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. A founder pranked investors by creating a fake LinkedIn profile and got attention for a made-up startup. It's surprising how easily investors were fooled by this.
  2. The story highlights how desperate venture capitalists are to invest in AI startups, sometimes overlooking the truth.
  3. There's a funny idea that one day, these investors might even fund startups run by actual AI, instead of real people.

The Market is Huge! Revisiting the Big Market Delusion

Musings on Markets • 0 implied HN points • 30 Dec 19
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. A lot of new companies think they can succeed just because the market seems big. They often ignore the fact that success isn't guaranteed, and many companies fail despite the big market promise.
  2. Overconfidence is a major issue for entrepreneurs and investors, leading them to believe their app or service will win big without considering competition or practical challenges.
  3. Investors and companies often focus on growth numbers instead of actual profits, leading to high prices for companies that may not have a solid business model, which can result in dramatic price corrections later.

Insights on VC Pricing: Lessons from Uber, WeWork and Peloton!

Musings on Markets • 0 implied HN points • 17 Sep 19
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Companies often exaggerate their market potential to attract investors. They use fancy terms to describe their business, which can make their market claims seem less credible.
  2. Many of these companies focus heavily on scaling their user base and revenue, but not enough on developing solid business models. Sometimes they grow so fast that their financial foundations get ignored.
  3. A lot of these newly public companies have poor earnings and complex ownership structures, making them feel unstable. Investors should be cautious as they might not have a clear plan for profitability.

Venture Capital: It is a pricing, not a value, game!

Musings on Markets • 0 implied HN points • 02 Oct 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Venture capitalists focus on pricing companies rather than determining their actual value. This means they often set prices based on what similar companies are fetching rather than deep financial analysis.
  2. The process of pricing in venture capital relies on small data samples and infrequent updates. This can lead to pricing errors and a greater amount of subjectivity in their valuations.
  3. Successful venture capitalists tend to be better at pricing and timing their investments. They can influence the companies they invest in and ensure they're well-positioned for profitable exits.

The Bonfire of Venture Capital: The Good, Bad and Ugly Side of Cash Burn!

Musings on Markets • 0 implied HN points • 19 Aug 16
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Cash burn isn't always a bad thing. It's common for startups to spend more cash than they earn while they focus on growth.
  2. There are risks with high cash burn, especially if a company cannot secure new funding. This can lead to serious financial trouble.
  3. Investors should look at the reasons behind cash burn. Understanding a company’s business model and management is key to deciding if cash burn is manageable.

Runaway Stories and Fairy Tale Endings: The Cautionary Tale of Theranos

Musings on Markets • 0 implied HN points • 12 Nov 15
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Theranos started with a great story of innovation, aiming to make blood tests cheaper and less painful, which attracted a lot of excitement and investment.
  2. However, the company faced major issues when it was revealed that their technology didn't deliver reliable results, leading to a decline in trust and support.
  3. It's important for investors and journalists to look beyond a compelling narrative and question the science and governance behind a company to avoid being misled.

Billion-dollar Tech Babies: A Blessing of Unicorns or a Parcel of Hogs?

Musings on Markets • 0 implied HN points • 11 Jun 15
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Unicorns are private companies valued over a billion dollars, and their numbers are increasing. This rise can be both good due to more investment options and concerning if it's just a bubble.
  2. Valuing unicorns isn't straightforward because capital investments and protections can distort their true worth. For example, investors might gain ownership stakes that adjust based on company value changes.
  3. While protections help investors feel secure, they can complicate the investment landscape. Both investors and founders should strive for clarity and balance to avoid overvaluing companies or risking too much equity.

Illiquidity and Bubbles in Private Share Markets: Testing Mark Cuban's thesis!

Musings on Markets • 0 implied HN points • 20 Mar 15
💰 Finance Venture Capital
  1. Not all rising tech stock prices mean there's a bubble. Current tech companies are more solid compared to the bubble of the 1990s because their market values match their actual revenues and profits.
  2. Private markets are not as liquid as public ones, but that doesn't mean they're always less stable. Some private markets have improved in terms of liquidity, and both types can struggle when investors lose interest.
  3. Bubbles can happen in both public and private markets, but the impact of a bubble burst may be less severe in private markets if the investors involved are wealthy. They are more likely to absorb the losses without causing wider financial harm.

Blood in the Shark Tank: Pre-money, Post-money and Play-money Valuations

Musings on Markets • 0 implied HN points • 04 Feb 15
💰 Finance Venture Capital
  1. Pre-money and post-money valuations are important in venture capital. They help determine how much a business is worth before and after an investment.
  2. The ownership share an investor gets depends on the business's value and their bargaining power. A strong entrepreneur might keep more ownership if capital is easy to find.
  3. Pricing a business can be tricky and unclear. It's better to be transparent about how ownership rights are assessed to avoid confusion and ensure fairness.

Stay Private vs Going Public: Changing landscape

Musings on Markets • 0 implied HN points • 24 Jul 11
💼 Business Venture Capital
  1. Businesses can choose to stay private or go public, and both choices have pros and cons. Staying private means less access to capital but more control, while going public allows for more investment but less personal control.
  2. There are new ways for private companies to get funding, like private share markets, which let them operate like public companies without strict rules and disclosure.
  3. Some private businesses, especially from China, are using a trick to go public by merging with small U.S. companies. This approach can hurt the investors because they have less information and power over the management.