Mike Dias

This part of my conversation with Joao Barbosa, co-founder at the world’s leading wellness platform Gympass (now Wellhub) valued at $2.4 is a testament to the fact that nothing big actually started big 👇 It took Gympass 5 pivots and 2 near death experiences to find the business model that works and is scalable across the globe What I found really interesting is the framework that the team had around pivots - the tripod approach towards creating value. This approach could benefit many founders especially in marketplace kinda businesses Head over to our channels on Spotify, Apple and YouTube to watch / listen to the full conversation link in comment 🔗 The J Curve #thejcurvepodcast #podcastrecommendation #gympass #pivot #entrepreneurship #founder #venturecapital

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At the recent Founders N' Funders event, I got to see our founder Eduardo Henriques give a quick 30-second pitch for Ponder.ly - a really exciting glimpse into what we're building. For those interested in seeing the full pitch and learning more about our AI-powered consumer intelligence platform, Eduardo Henriques will be presenting at the upcoming Pitch Deck Review Session on May 20th. This is a great opportunity to observe his pitch to a panel of startup experts who will provide valuable feedback. As a co-founder, I'm really passionate about the problem we're solving - enabling brands to ethically collect customer data and generate deep insights, while empowering consumers to control and benefit from sharing their information. Our approach using interactive branded data communities, gamification, and AI is truly innovative. I'd encourage anyone interested in disruptive marketing/research technologies to sign up and check out Eduardo's pitch. It will give you a window into how Ponder.ly is pioneering the future of transparent data exchange between brands and customers. Looking forward to getting more exposure and feedback as we continue growing Ponder.ly into a game-changing platform! Thanks to Jeff Erickson with Founders N' Funders because without his support and unconditional belief in startups like ours, we wouldn't have opportunities like this. Supportive ecosystems play a vital role in nurturing entrepreneurship and innovation. Registration link: https://lnkd.in/guFgMib4 Tanner S. Zyanya Bejarano David Reyes Jose Octavio Carrillo

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Business Owners, Entrepreneurs & Startup Founders are invited to a Monthly Business Meetup at the Picanha Brazilian Steakhouse Palisades Center Dr 1584 First floor, West Nyack, NY 10994...Hosted By Beunec; Beunec Consulting, LLC; Lingua Balance; Calorie Dense Nutrition LLC... No Registrations or RSVP! Monthly Business Meetup: Exploring Growth and Sharing Success This monthly business meetup is designed for entrepreneurs, business owners, and startup founders to come together and discuss real opportunities for growth and development. The focus is on exploring current global business trends, such as the impact of AI and digital transformation, and how these developments are shaping industries across the board. It’s about identifying where we can find value and leverage these trends to drive success in our ventures. This isn't just about listening—it's about participating. Every attendee will be able to share what they've accomplished in their business over the past month, exchanging insights and lessons learned. Through these conversations, we can uncover new strategies and practical approaches that can be applied to our businesses. The aim is to support each other’s growth while identifying new opportunities for collaboration. By fostering a space where we can both learn and contribute, this meetup allows us to strengthen our networks, grow together, and navigate the changing business landscape with confidence. See you there!

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I have a unique list of places to visit, ranging from natural landscapes to tech centers and research facilities. One place at the top of my list was the Sirius synchrotron light source in Campinas, Brazil, the second brightest in the world. I recommend you read this recent piece (https://lnkd.in/dcfucTcr) about Sirius, on how AI turbocharges the particle accelerator and green hydrogen in the capital of science. Reading the piece about Campinas, a city 100 km from São Paulo, reminded me of its remarkable tech-oriented and science-dense economy. Home to one of Brazil's top universities and numerous deep-tech companies with global ambitions, Campinas offers a unique blend of globally-minded tech entrepreneurship and world-class science. Big science projects like Sirius are essential for advancing knowledge and driving innovation. At the GFCC | The Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils, we highlighted this in the "Leveraging Extreme Innovation" report (https://bit.ly/3Wes9a5), analyzing 17 transformational tech projects worldwide, including Sirius. These projects push the boundaries of science, technology, and business, leading to market innovations. Sirius is part of the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), a major science infrastructure with global relevance. Notably, CNPEM operates as a private non-profit, showcasing the importance of institutional innovation. Innovation in institutions is crucial for emerging nations, especially in Latin America. Hugo Resende, a favorite author of mine on LinkedIn, shares valuable insights on innovation. We agree on three key points (right, Hugo?) innovation is poorly understood in Brazil, it's primarily about business and the economy, not just science and technology, and Brazil needs to improve its business environment and modernize its institutions to foster innovation. Even operating under the Brazilian business environment and institutional constraints, CNPEM’s innovative model provides a template for what is possible to do in the country regarding science and technology, and even innovation. But real change will only happen when Brazil trains and empowers a globally-minded generation of Brazilians at scale. Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp), a key player in training talent, has produced companies like the Nasdaq-listed CI&T showcasing successful examples of research-industry partnerships. Interestingly, CNPEM harbors ILUM (https://ilum.cnpem.br/), a highly innovative, project-based higher education program. Federal universities in Brazil need reinvention, and ILUM's innovative setup could serve as an inspiration. It reminds me of what my friend João Jornada achieved during his tenure at Inmetro, combining cutting-edge research with education, creating the opportunity for students to work with cutting-edge science tools, in globally relevant projects. Any thoughts BR colleagues? If you are not Brazilian: to these points resonate with your reality? Comments?

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Wing Venture Capital's Founder Docs project is a unique collection of startup wisdom, by founders, for founders. The authors of the docs are talented founders themselves, sharing their experience on the topics they are most passionate about. I'd like to highlight the contributions of Edo Liberty, founder / CEO of Pinecone. Edo writes about the special opportunities for the scientist / founder (and he is one of the best of this breed!), as well as some of the risks and challenges they face. I got a lot out of reading Edo's stuff and I suspect you will too! https://lnkd.in/g_wyRMiE

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🚀 This one’s for the founders: a masterclass in execution and innovation. This week, I sat down with Adhemar M., founder and CEO of Kovi, a Brazilian company redefining mobility through car subscriptions and connected tech in a market plagued by high costs and limited credit access. Backed by ~$145M in funding from the likes of Valor Capital Group, monashees, MAYA CAPITAL, Globo Ventures, Norte Ventures and Peter Thiel's family office, Kovi is addressing high car costs, tough credit barriers, and insurance gaps in one of the world’s most exciting markets. What we covered 👇🏻 ​🔑 Driving innovation: How Brazil’s mobility challenges are powering market transformation ​🤝 Connect the dots: Building stronger founder/VC partnerships through transparency and market education ⚙️ Complexity doesn’t scale: Lessons in building efficient, scalable operations 🌐 Break down silos: Creating synergy between tech and operations in a startup ​⚡ Clean win: How Brazil’s renewable edge and gig economy lead the EV growth Link in comments—don’t miss this one! 🎧 PS: Thank you Vander Corteze, MD for the intro to Adhemar and for some excellent question suggestions 👏🏻

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No single strategy guarantees business growth. It’s a mix of diverse tactics. Stack the different strategies to create growth engines to compound the effect on your business. An example of how strategy stacking scales is negozee🚀 , a social media business platform for Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs in the US and Latin America.

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After reading Carta’s Q1 2024 VC report, it's clear that the landscape is shifting. Capital deployment has slowed, and fewer startups are advancing. These are challenging times, but they also call for a more thoughtful approach. Now is the time to focus on what works, make informed decisions, and support the ventures that have real potential. It’s about steady, deliberate progress in a changing environment. #venturecapital #VC #investing #startups #entrepreneurship

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Why Buying Your First Business is the hardest & Financing The Fear is Being seen as too risky by lenders and investors. The Solution: Prepare a solid business plan with detailed financial projections. Work with a financial advisor to enhance your credibility. Consider alternative financing options like SBA loans or seller financing.

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💡 Founders, This One’s for You! 💡 Do you have a game-changing idea and the drive to make it a reality? I’m thrilled to offer an opportunity to connect with my investment group, renowned for backing bold and innovative startups. We’re not just investors; we’re your partners in growth. Our mission is to empower visionary founders with the resources, expertise, and network needed to turn ambitious ideas into successful ventures. 🔹 What We Bring to the Table: Customized Funding Solutions: Tailored to your startup’s unique needs. Invaluable Mentorship: Insights and advice from industry veterans. Strategic Connections: Access to a vast network of partners and clients. Scalable Growth Strategies: Proven methods to drive your startup’s success. Are you ready to join forces and elevate your startup to new heights? Let’s make it happen! Reach out via message or comment below, and I’ll be delighted to facilitate an introduction to our investment group. Together, let’s build the future. 🚀 #Entrepreneurs #StartupFunding #VentureCapital #InnovativeStartups #BusinessGrowth #Mentorship #Networking

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🤔 What’s holding your start-up back from unlocking growth? Many growth-stage start-ups struggle with strategy execution, leading to misalignment, slower scaling, and missed opportunities. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Join me for an exclusive webinar on Friday, December 6th, 2024, where we’ll explore the top five pitfalls growth-stage start-ups face when trying to execute their strategy, and how to overcome them. Whether you're a founder, a COO, or a team lead, this session will: 🎯 Arm you with practical tools and insights to keep your team aligned 🎯 Accelerate progress and scale with confidence This session is designed to help your team kick off 2025 with a clear, actionable plan for success. Don’t miss this chance to prepare your strategy for the year ahead! Reserve your spot: https://lnkd.in/g_xmWRQ2 Let’s ensure 2025 is your breakout year! ☎️ https://lnkd.in/g-JFrjGF

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What Boards talk about is important, what they don't talk about maybe more so as it has undue influence on outcomes. Reviewing the Sales Model versus just the outcomes creates failure points in scaling. Or, letting the technical debt accumulate to the point of crisis courts disaster. Establishing a cadence of meeting subjects keeps things from being overlooked and unaddressed.

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Listen to Ricardo Regalado, tell us his story of startup success. He decided to follow his passion for technology even though he initially started in a different industry. It all started when he took a leap of faith in himself and won a pitch competition. "I did it, and we are here today". His motto is "Just do it, man. What do you have to lose?". 👉The full episode https://bit.ly/4aKLRPl

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At Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference, an engaging discussion shed light on the evolving venture capital (VC) landscape. One of the key takeaways was the underscore of vibrant growth of the VC sector, with the number of firms soaring from 6,000 in 2013 to about 60,000 today. This surge in competition is driving VCs to innovate and refine their fundraising strategies, creating a dynamic environment for investment opportunities. Additionally, the session touched on how family offices provide flexible capital for smaller investments while emphasizing the thorough scrutiny required for larger funds. An emphasis on candid conversations among VCs and limited partners highlighted a commitment to fostering a more collaborative and forward-thinking investment community. Read More Here: https://lnkd.in/gHjJbtr3 Fortune Allie Garfinkle Branded Hospitality Ventures Hospitality Headline Newsletter #VentureCapital #Investment #hospitality #community Clara Shih Paulo Rosado #BrainstormTech Christine Moseley Rick Rose

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Advisory boards have been pivotal throughout my career, and this new report from the Boardstream team is a must-read. It’s packed with actionable insights on how to build and leverage an advisory board that truly drives impact and growth. Well done, Evan Kraut and Marina Ilishaev! 👉 https://lnkd.in/dPTAS4-Y #AdvisoryBoards #CAB #Leadership #Boardstream #WhitePaper

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12 Big Ideas From Business Books Published in 2024! After considering more than 1000 books for our annual Non-Obvious Book Awards, a few big themes emerged. Read our trend recap and how these trends can help your business in 2025. https://lnkd.in/d_XmmAbt

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It was an absolute pleasure to sit down with Joao Barbosa, co-founder at the world's leading corporate wellness platform Gympass(now rebranded to Wellhub) for the most recent episode of The J Curve. Five big ideas from our convo 👇💡 1️⃣ Startup pivot is not an event, it’s a process Base your decision on data, customer feedback and other validated learnings. Establish clear KPIs that will guide decision-making and define what should success look like. Be prepared to test and iterate and test again. Flexibility, adaptability and sensitivity to feedback is key 2️⃣ Building a MOAT, or competitive advantage is essential for a startup to compete and sustain growth In Wellhub case the moat is network effect. It’s difficult and expensive to build (CAC was huge) but at scale it represents a huge barrier to exit for corporate clients 3️⃣ Put a lot of thought into pricing model, especially if you operate in a B2B segment Early-stage founders frequently under-price their offering. Once you land 1-2-year enterprise contracts, changing the price will be problematic 4️⃣ International expansion has to be carefully planned and executed post-product market fit Ideally once you have already significantly penetrated your domestic market and gained a clear understanding of how / why every dollar you spend internationally will deliver you more money than if you were to spend it domestically 5️⃣ Standardized processes are at the core of building teams at scale When you hire 100 people a month it’s not about keeping the bar high but about creating a clear set of rules to evaluate the performance and hire and fire fast You can listen to my full conversation with Joao by searching The J Curve Podcast on Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcast For deeper insights into this conversation + some of my favorite listens and reads of this week check out our newsletter link in comment 🔗

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I'm thrilled to share that I'll be attending VC Unlocked: Silicon Valley 2024, developed by 500 Global and Stanford Center for Professional Development. After an intense series of programs and initiatives this year, as an operator of our accelerating program as well as a VC, I'm entering this program with a dire need to recharge, realign my perspective, and refocus. Through this experience, I'm eager to achieve two things: First, to connect with new minds, as becoming a successful VC is almost entirely about broadening one's horizons with different spectrums of perspectives and paradigms; and Second, to deepen my understanding of myself and my purpose in this world, in this career, defined by God. I believe that unless I truly understand who I am deep inside and what I am designed for, I won't fully grasp the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. I’m thrilled to join 45+ VCs and emerging fund managers from 20 countries in the 11th cohort at Stanford University this September. Together, we will shape the future of the VC ecosystem with a renewed sense of purpose and vision. #VCUnlocked #500Global

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Tucano completes the sale of all of its shares in Sundwiger Messingwerk to KME Acquired in November 2020 as a corporate carve-out, Sundwiger Messingwerk’s EBITDA increased more than sevenfold under Tucano’s ownership. Founded in Hemer, Sundwiger Messingwerk, with over 350 employees, generates annual revenues exceeding EUR 200 million. Its products, widely used across industries including automotive, electrical, and telecommunications, have established the company as a leader in copper alloy manufacturing. Acquired by Tucano and fellow investors in November 2020 via a carve-out from the Diehl Group, Sundwiger Messingwerk was transformed into a highly profitable enterprise under Tucano’s ownership. Effective January 6th 2025, Tucano announces the successful sale of all of its shares in Sundwiger Messingwerk, a leading German manufacturer of high-quality copper alloys, to KME Group, one of the world’s largest producers of copper and copper alloy products. Special thanks go to the management that has relentlessly and passionately driven the transformation of Sundwiger Messingwerk over the past years!

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