Lucas Gerard

The most important fundraising KPI: 1st pitch → 2nd meeting conversion rate Is yours low? (< 30-50%) Something is wrong. Here's how to diagnose your issue and fix it: There are two types of potential problems... 1️⃣ Investor targeting 2️⃣ Pitching 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: The most common issue is targeting the wrong investors. Usually you're reaching out to investors that focus on a different stage or industry. Do some research on the investors that didn't convert to a second meeting. The most important resource: their portfolio page. Ignore the "about" section, or their blog. That's mostly about marketing to potential investors in their fund. Instead, look at what they've actually invested in and the stage at which they invested (Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, etc.) Remember: trust the portfolio, not the thesis. __ The other main issue is unclear outbound messaging. Investors think you do one thing (industry, business model, tech, etc.) but you actually do something else. I recommend sending your outbound email template to 5+ friends that don't know anything about your startup. Ask them: • What kinds of customers do you think we serve? • What benefits do you think we provide for them? • What product features do you think we have? • What technologies do you think we use? If more 20% of your friends answer these questions incorrectly, you need to write new outreach emails. 𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆: The most common issue is just that your pitch is weak. Usually because you aren't telling a story. You're just sharing disconnected data. The best pitches are stories that foreshadow the only possible outcome: your startup's tremendous success. It feels inevitable. The easiest test to figure out if you're telling a story: try connecting the main idea of each of your slides with "but," "so" or one of their synonyms. If the natural link between slides is "and" or if you can move the order around, you don't have a story. Chronology matters in storytelling. Go back to the drawing board and try to write your inevitable success story. __ Maybe your overall pitch isn't weak. But VCs may still be spotting a red flag when you pitch. It turns them off right away. If you think this might be your issue, it's important to start asking questions. Most pitches have time for you to ask questions at the end. Here's my go-to to diagnose this issue: "What would you need to see in order to get excited about investing in <<STARTUP>>?" If they tell you a primary KPI that you need to improve, then you've probably identified the issue. The other possibility: They try to avoid giving you a specific answer. If they're evading your question, you NEED to dig in to get to the bottom of it. Your fundraising success may depend on it. —— Was this helpful? 👍 like and ♻️ repost it to help other founders!

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Official Naruto mobile apps are coming! This isn't just exciting news for fans – it's a massive opportunity for app developers! Here’s why: ➤𝐒𝐞𝐤𝐚𝐢, a French startup just secured the global license (excluding China and Japan) to develop official Naruto consumer apps. ➤Sekai is actively seeking partnerships with skilled developers to create innovative and engaging apps.For developers, this is your chance to be part of a pioneering project that will define how fans interact with their favorite anime. ➤The anime industry boasts over 600 million fans worldwide, and Sekai is paving the way for high-quality, officially licensed mobile experiences. ➤No more app store takedowns! With Sekai's official license, you can focus on crafting exceptional apps without copyright worries. ➤Sekai is tight-lipped about the exact format, but they're hinting at social features, immersive experiences, and the chance to truly feel like a ninja! ➤Sekai has ambitions to secure new anime IPs every year, creating a global platform for officially licensed anime mobile experiences. This could be the beginning of a whole new way for users to connect with their favorite characters and stories ---- P.S. Check on the comments for link of the full article #apps #mobile #startup #anime

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💡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞! 🌍 Fundraising is hard, but finding the right investors doesn’t have to be. This guide is your shortcut to 5000+ VCs, angels, and family offices across:  • 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: US, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and MENA.  • 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: SaaS, Web3, ClimateTech, DeepTech, and more.  • 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: Pre-seed angels, fund-of-funds, and diversity-focused investors. What you’ll get:  • Verified global VC lists, tailored by stage and geography.  • Specialized directories like AI angels, accelerators, and niche family offices.  • Tools to focus your outreach and scale smarter. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/dtdyuUqP

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According to Harvard Business School, around 65% of promising startups fail due to co-founder disagreements. And yet the general thinking - according to YC - is that it’s still more advisable to look for a co-founder than to go solo. So if the pressure of finding your ideal co-founding team wasn’t enough, it becomes even more daunting when you’re aware of the risks. And yet, I find it interesting that some of the most successful partnerships arise more or less serendipitously. Take Dropbox as an example: initially a solo venture, Drew Houston was advised by Paul Graham to find a co-founder if he was serious about YC. Through friends of friends, he met his co-founder, Arash Ferdowsi, spent a grand total of 2 hours talking in a coffee house, and in his words, “got married on the first date”. Against all odds, the two had an incredibly successful collaboration that lasted 13 years. Embracing serendipity whilst actively seeking out compatible partners seems like a contradiction - but it’s often the case that when it does work, it’s really something to see. 🍀 Check out Drew's story below! #cofounders #founderstories #ycombinator #startups #founders

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Principal, analyst, partners, associate, scout, director, LPs, GPs… 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐕𝐂 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬: As a startup founder, it’s sometimes hard to understand: - Who’s in charge of what? - Who makes the decisions? - Who should I contact? Let’s break it down into clear, functional categories to simplify your fundraising journey : 𝟏. 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐋𝐏𝐬): 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐂 They provide the capital that VCs invest in startups. It can include pension funds, university endowments, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals. LPs are not involved in the decision-making for individual startups, so founders typically don’t need to engage with them. 𝟐. 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 / 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐬 / 𝐆𝐏𝐬: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 They have the authority to approve investments. If your startup progresses through the funnel, you’ll pitch to them. - 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬: The senior leaders who raise capital from LPs, manage the fund, and decide on investments.   - General Partners (GPs): The key decision-makers at a VC firm.   - Managing Partners: GPs who also oversee firm operations. - 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐬: One level below Partners, Principals evaluate startups and often play a significant role in recommending investments. They are senior enough to champion your case internally and influence final decisions. If you’re in the final stages of pitching, you’ll be engaging with Partners or Principals. 𝟑. 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 / 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐬: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 These team members focus on identifying and evaluating startups, often becoming the first point of contact for founders. - 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬: Mid-level team members responsible for sourcing deals, building relationships, and conducting due diligence. They’re your main advocates within the firm. - 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐬: Junior team members focused on research and initial evaluations. While they don’t have decision-making power, they’re often your first touchpoint and can influence whether your pitch moves forward. Partners and Analysts receive hundreds of pitch decks every week—many of which are out of scope and spammy. That’s why they value collaborating with Awake Partners. We know their investment criteria and bring them opportunities that align perfectly. When we present a startup, they know it’s worth their attention. Understanding this structure of VCs is key to making your pitch count. But above all, don't forget to Stay Awake! 🥱

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🤨 What do I look for in co-founders ? 🤨 This is the question I get asked the most often, and I (finally) have a good answer! At Hexa, I partner with entrepreneurs ~3x/year, a CEO and CTO for each project— essentially “marrying” 6x/year to build the best partnerships. I look for 4 key traits in my co-founders ⤵️ ⚡️ Energy booster Building and growing a company is about convincing people to follow you—investors, clients, team members—and the person’s natural energy is a key factor in achieving this. I call these people exothermic: they move things around them simply by the energy they exude. How do I test this? I need to feel more energized at the end of a meeting with them than I did at the start. ⏰ Sense of urgency The higher the velocity in a startup, the faster it will grow. Having a deep need to act and get things done sets the fast-paced tempo I’m looking for. 🧑‍🏫 Thirst for self-improvement Founders who are constantly looking to improve by proactively seeking feedback and showing vulnerability have an endless strength to overcome the (inevitable) challenges of entrepreneurship. 🏋️‍♀️ Commitment Being a founder means making your company part of your top priorities, it’s a journey that’s all-consuming. If you believe you embody these traits and are ready to build a transformative company, let’s connect!

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Remember the fiasco with the French-German Interrail project? They aimed to sell a massive number of tickets but ended up leaving the data of about 245,000 registrations almost unprotected on the web. We hear this happening to SaaS companies often. For non-technical founders, it can even be crippling. The silver lining — it's avoidable! Let's talk about how you can prevent similar mistakes in your SaaS products.

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The Startup Tech Stack 2024 by Ollie Forsyth Huge startup tech map packed with ressources to build ventures from the ground up👇 Row 1 👀 Product: Support in making products better Security / KYC: Customer onboarding and compliance Marketing: Website builders, data collecting and more Fintech / Insurance: Payment providers, expense management and insurance Row 2 🎯 Collaboration and project management tools HR: Employee onboarding and payroll Fundraising: Cap table management and investor reporting Analytics: Product analytics Row 3 🚀 Customer Service: Customer support Cloud: Cloud providers Sales: Closing deals faster Employee Benefits: Giving your team great benefits Brand: Design platforms Row 4 🏁 Productivity: Tools to save you time Data: Data & analytics CRM: Customer relationship management tools Automations: Automations for your startup Legal: Sign docs quickly 🛎 What to do next 1. Tag a founder who might find this useful 2. Tag a company that you are missing #letsbuild #venturebuilding #startup #techstack #prototyping #mvp

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Sam Altman was the President of YC. Startup advice given at YC: - Launch right away - Launch 1st version you’re embarrassed about - Raise very little capital up front - Don’t take big R&D risk - Find PMF quickly, with ‘something’ Versus how he launched OpenAI: - Raised 1B dollars of capital before any PMF - Took 4 to 5 years after launch to release - Didn’t talk to users upon release Moral of the story? Be careful of textbook advice, no matter who it came from. Prioritise finding smart people with solid analytical skills, instead. Then, make educated bets together.

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I've raised every type of funding over 17 years of building startups. There's one thing that every investor needs to see: Your ability to tell 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆. When introducing yourself for the first time (cold or warm): ↳you have <3 mins ↳tell 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: Product - Customers/Market - Why Us? ↳show prep: why do you expect *they in particular* will invest? When you get to pitch for the first time: ↳you have <15 mins ↳send a 10-12 slide deck ahead of time that tells 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 on its own ↳in person hit the high notes (<10 mins) then move to two-way Q&A When you start getting into the detail: ↳the financial model tells 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 in numbers ↳your team knows 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 too ↳every startup has major flaws - weave in 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 when answering hard questions Do not: 🔸 bring in irrelevant backstory 🔸 lose presentation momentum and run over 🔸 plunge into execution-level detail every time you're asked a question 🔸 have 4 growth channels and 6 revenue streams before proving even one Why does this matter? It's not because '𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝘂𝗺𝗯' - that's a terrible take. Investors want you to be the next team they're going to spend 5-10 years watching up close - and building alongside. But they: 🔹 are time poor    🔹 (usually) don't know you 🔹 are bombarded with dozens of pitches 🔹 have partners / co-investors to discuss you with Communicate the essential value of your startup. Get them thinking about you for days after. Let them discuss with their key people. This also shows you: 🔹 sell like a machine   🔹 are an effective leader 🔹 think and communicate with clarity I've raised $20MM+ from every type of investor out there: accelerator (YC) - angels - family offices - the crowd - VC (Index & Sequoia). Being able to tell 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 is the price of entry. ---- 🖖🏻 Follow me for posts on what I’ve learned building startups over 17 years of breakout success and crushing failure. ♻️ Repost if I helped something click in your mind. 📧 DMs always open to founders who want to move faster - let's talk.

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What you need to know this week in 🇫🇷 French Tech Updates: 🤦‍♂️ My thoughts on this tweet and the reactions it sparked 🤴 Why San Francisco is the Iron Throne of the startup world 🤖 Mistral reportedly raising again at a $5b valuation 💶 5 French startups who raised €22.75M Get the whole update here! https://lnkd.in/eaYbFT94 #startups #venturecapital #frenchtech #ai

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***Roam September 2024 Investor Update*** Strong month of paid member growth and record usage, conversion, retention, & new customer activations. +4.3% paid member growth +9.4% meetings (Record) +5.3% messages sent (Record) 99.1%  Meeting Quality Score (Record) 69% free to paid conversion 70 New Customer Activation Meetings Scheduled (Organic Record)

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As someone who recently raised a pre-seed round for Topicflow, I can attest to this. Don't waste time on fancy decks and focus on conversations and creating urgency. If an investor is getting you to update your deck, you should pass. You should also push the investor to make a yes/no decision. Referrals from other founders to investors are so crucial.

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Learn from OpenAI’s playbook: Prioritizing key projects and empowering a mission-oriented team are essential for startups aiming to make a significant impact 👇 ➡ 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗲: Sam Altman, CEO at OpenAI and Brad Lightcap, COO at OpenAI 🔌 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿: Harry Stebbings, Founder at 20VC ✏ “20VC: OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Brad Lightcap on The Future of Foundation Models” ⭐ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗜 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲: "There are two strategies to build on AI right now: [...] (1) to assume the model is not going to get better and then you kind of build all these little things on top of it; [...] (2) to build assuming that OpenAI is going to stay on the same rate of trajectory and the models are going to keep getting better at the same pace." ⭐ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀: "At any given point in a company's life, there's only one to three things that really matter. And that spills over into how we run the team because [...] if we can align on what those things are, [...] then it helps me to translate down to the teams that I'm building." ⭐ 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗜 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆: "I think people criminally underrate how important it is and how much return you really get on just giving people access to the technology. [...] Someone who used to spend two days doing something now spends two minutes doing it and is freed up to do 85 other things in their daily life." ⭐ 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆'𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: "I watched what has happened to other tech companies when they just become the place you want to work because it's a good resume item. [...] I think companies that lose their mission orientation and get taken over by mercenaries usually come to regret that." ⭐ 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘂𝗻𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀: "Find a way to make sure that there's this very flat and even playing field when it comes to how you look to the team for perspective, decision-making, judgment, and creativity." ───── 👉 Follow me, Alexander Small, for tactics and strategies for building startups from industry-leading Founders, Operators and Investors

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TechCrunch experience was game-changing for me +50 qualified meetings, +400 interested leads, +15 investor requests to support Mimetix I never thought these 3 days could make such a difference for my company I know it wasn’t necessarily the case for all exhibitors But here’s why we nailed it: ➡️ build a product that solves a real pain. it may sound boring, but it’s true—when we talk about automating repetitive tasks without needing their tech teams, people get genuinely excited ➡️ be outstanding, find a way to stand out, because otherwise, you’re just one company among 200 others ➡️ bring humor, be unique and authentic. everyone who stopped by our booth had a good time, laughed with us, and we created a real connection—that’s key Now it’s time to grind I want each person who believed in us to have a game-changing experience Let’s deliver on our promise: To save every sales, admin, and hr team member 3 hours a day 🤟🏻 To unlock companies' full potential, enabling them to grow more with fewer employees that focus on truly game-changing actions

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🌟 Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the release of the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2024 by Stephan Kuester, and it’s packed with exciting insights! Here are some highlights 👇: Top Ecosystems - 🌐 Silicon Valley is still on top, with NYC and London following closely. Rising Stars - 📈 Tokyo makes a significant leap into the top 10, showing impressive growth. - 🌍 São Paulo is emerging as a major tech hub in Latin America, especially in fintech and health tech. - 🌟 Mexico City is climbing the ranks, making great strides in the startup world. AI & Tech Innovations - 🤖 Over half of the new unicorns in 2023 are in Generative AI and Deep Tech, highlighting AI's growing impact. - 🔍 AI's true value lies in automation, making processes more efficient and improving user experiences. It's crucial to use AI strategically and not just follow the trend (FOMO). - 😅 Talking about FOMO, every city wants to be an "AI Hub" now. Funding Trends - 💸 Despite a global dip in VC funding, early-stage investments in Q1 2024 are bouncing back...though I haven't gotten my investment yet 🥲 - 📊 Series A funding in 2023 was down 46% from 2022, but there's a positive outlook for 2024. Regional Highlights - 🇪🇺 Europe leads with emerging ecosystems: -- Madrid moves up to #1. (Madrid is probably going to be more expensive now, so get your tapas while they last! 😂) -- Barcelona is now #2. 🌍 While Latin America is not yet in the top global ecosystems list, there are promising developments: - São Paulo and Mexico City are showing significant growth. - Mexico City moved up impressively in the Emerging Ecosystems Ranking. 🌿 Cleantech is thriving with strong late-stage funding growth, especially in Europe. Fun Fact - 🌍 The report covers data from 4.5 million startups across 300 ecosystems—that’s a lot of innovation! If you're into the latest trends and insights in the startup world, you don't want to miss this report. Dive in to explore more: Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2024 from Startup Genome. Let’s discuss! What trends are you seeing in your region? 💬 #StartupEcosystem #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #TechTrends #AI #LatinAmerica #SaoPaulo #Cleantech

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35 Days into YC: 3 Real Startup Lessons We Didn't Expect 🪄 #1 Master the Art of the Impromptu Pitch - Keep it magical: Your demo should always tell a story — keep the focal point your users, and make sure they experience the “WOW” moment of your trick. 🎯 #2 Activation Trumps Acquisition: The Real Metric That Matters - At Spur (YC S24) we measure activation by measuring the frequency with our users are creating and running tests on the platform. - Signing up for a demo, a pilot, or even onboarding does *not* signal activation The question that really matters: are your users actually using your product and finding value from it? ✨#3 Make things ridiculously easy for your customers - Set up easy channels of communication with your customers, and be proactive about using them. - Handoff doesn't cut it, your customers should hit the ground running when you onboard them — even if it means you are doing the work to set them up P.S. 👀 Keep an eye out! Exciting things to come from us early next week #ycombinator #AI #Testing

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My Lovely Planet is a 1.5 Million community. All behind ONE mission. Our community is a great asset because it's built on trust. Doing it requires 4 important elements: The Web3 space is quite crazy. 95% projects are either: • Infrastructure projects ⚙️ The foundation of everything else, but people don’t care about it. They don’t care about how it works, only about what they can do with it. • Projects promising a product which doesn’t really exist yet 🔮 They sell you dreams and you quickly realise they don’t have much. Once people realise it, they quickly loose hope in the project. That’s bad for them. But that’s a big opportunity for you! It means that simply by having a product and being transparent about what you actually do, you’re doing better than 95% projects! 🔥 Just 4 key elements: • Have a product, standing for a greater mission 👉 Your mission is your WHY. • Be transparent about what you actually do 👉 Say what you do and do what you say. • Be real 👉 Show yourself, your team, your strengths, your weaknesses. Be Human. • Listen to your community 👉 Your community is your most loyal customer, listen to what they say, select relevant feedback and implement them. If you can align these 4 elements, you’ll have a true trustful relationship with your community, and they will root for you!

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Its tempting to say AI is the new oil. But oil is what is burnt. The engine burns the oil. Data and Information continue to be the Oil. We are in that same Information Age as theorised by Manuel Castells et. al. What's new is that we have just invented our Engine! And that's GenAI. Now we can put the Data to use... #genaiadoption #nlightn

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