Sandeep Swaminathan

Private Markets (PE, VC, Growth Equity) are asset classes largely inaccessible to public investors, yet there's a lot of demand. This locks individual investors out of the market for innovative companies, and also reduces liquidity opportunities for employees, founders and angels (opaque secondary markets with high tx fees and approval hurdles don't count). Is there a way to solve this using technology, potentially GAI, in a regulated way to give retail investors access to private markets in the UK? It would for sure encourage more entrepreneurship and innovation as well. This was one of the topics we discussed yesterday at the panel at Fund Finance Association , where I was invited to give the Founder's & Entrepreneur's view. Thanks for having me Joel Buckett and very insightful to hear the different perspectives of Muhammad Billal Malik, CAIA, Ibrahim Khan and Mohamed Azzam Khan, CFA

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🏦 Embedded finance is changing the banking value chain from ‘user goes to product’ to ‘product comes to user’. 🔹 The transaction value of embedded finance in the U.S. is set to surge from $2.6 trillion (10% of GDP) in 2021 to $7 trillion in 2026 (Bain & Co), showcasing the massive opportunities in the space. Driven by digitization and evolving consumer demands, embedded finance is empowering businesses to extend their operations within the value chain. 🔹 Such integrated solutions empower financial and customer services scale, as they are distributed digitally and at marginal cost. It will also redefine how consumers and businesses build and manage relationships, in a win-win scenario for both parties. #embeddedfinance #banking #fintech Source: Mobey Forum

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I love seeing honest interpretations of the current capital markets by those who have more experience than I do on the capital side. I’m blessed to have an experienced team with many avenues for both funding as well as exit to come but love how the suggestion here is on the key metrics. Good business has always been had timelsss metrics that remain the same and have ROI about them. When I observe many of the current titans they had long plays but the metrics were and are the same business wise. What are metrics you focus on in early stage that translate well into later stage?

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👏 It’s an exciting day for fintech! After more than a decade in the making, the CFPB published its final 1033 rule, which protects consumer financial data access. I spent years negotiating Plaid's first data access agreements with banks; limited regulatory guidance made this exceptionally challenging. Here is a quick recap on what happened, and - most importantly - what it means for fintech founders. ❓ What is 1033? 1033 is a section of Dodd Frank that states that a bank must make a consumer’s financial information (including txn detail) available to them in a portable format. Its critical to the functioning of fintechs and the millions of consumers they service. 🗞️ What happened today? The CFPB issued a FINAL Rulemaking for Dodd Frank Section 1033, which provides eagerly awaited details on exactly HOW banks, aggregators, and fintechs are expected to work together to make data available to consumers (data fields, format, fee structure, governance etc.). The timeline for compliance ranges from April 1, 2026, to April 1, 2030 depending on institution size​​. 👉 What does this mean for fintech founders?  👍 No additional bank fees - Several large banks have threatened to charge for data access - which would almost inevitably be passed on to the fintech customers of aggregators. The proposed rule prohibits this, which is a win for fintechs. (The downside of this is that aggregators still need to align incentives with banks in the absence of fees…) 👍 No technical standards - The rule is not prescriptive with regards to how the APIs are constructed, but does encourage standardization. This is good for fintechs because it allows the market to drive the solution and encourages more innovation on the aggregator side. We expect this to result in better data access for fintechs. Additionally, the emphasis on standardization will make it easier to retrieve and use consumer data across different financial institutions. 🚩 New Responsibilities - The proposed rule does impose some responsibilities on fintechs - notably, to disclose how the data is used, only use data for the consented use case, honor customer deletion requests, and to refrain from selling consumer data. Fintechs - even young ones - should start thinking now about how to comply and to consider these requirements in future product rollouts. Many of these terms are already included in aggregators' terms of use.  Additionally, all data access must be through APIs; screenscraping is prohibited. 👎 No protections for brokerage & payroll data access - While the rule explicitly covers bank accounts (deposit, credit, debit, prepaid), it’s silent on brokerage account & payroll data access, which is non-ideal for any fintechs accessing these categories of data today. Shameless VC plug: If you're an early stage fintech founder building something cool + world positive, let's chat at M2020! cc: Obvious Ventures

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The Information has breaking news of Amazon Web Services (AWS) mirroring Microsoft‘s #AI #Licensing deal with Adept. Could this be the second of many more to come as acquiring companies try to avoid the complexity and regulatory risk of Department of Justice review whilie still providing investors and employees upside and an off ramp as the cost of scaling these #AI #Unicorns really hits home? What do you think? #management #venturecapital #capitalmarkets #aifunding #privateequity https://lnkd.in/gyrQndYr

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How To Assess Product-Market Compatibility, as discussed by a16z & Sequoia Capital. Discover more at https://buff.ly/4bJnqSi Gain insights into determining the fit between your product and the market with expertise from leading venture capital firms. #ProductMarketFit #StartupInsights

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Great insights about exits the next few years

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This is spot on for how #AI will very quickly change the #retail industry and how quickly it will happen over the next 3-5 years.

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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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As a CFO, CEO, Board Member/Advisor and financial consultant, it has been my experience that most organizations are challenged to align key strategies & objectives with operational clarity designed to achieve financial commitments. Typically, this is a result of systemic misalignment.   In the world of SaaS solutions, generating meaningful insights is incredibly challenging and distracting from capturing valuable, time-sensitive opportunities. I've searched for a true enterprise solution aligning executive strategy with tactical plans designed to truly increase client's value proposition. After years of searching, the marketplace of ideas left me wanting so we created our own solution.   Today, Dan Cowan (President & COO) and I are excited to announce the launch of PathFinder Insights, Inc. Our mission unlocks enterprise value while empowering organization’s decision makers. We enable the overcoming of limitations generated by complex business processes and misaligned information systems.   PathFinder Insights deploys an AI-enabled tech-solution analyzing enterprise strategies & tactical resources for potential misalignment. Results yield impeccable analytical insights enabling proactive analysis, monitoring, budgeting, and more. Our AI tech-enabled solution aligns resources & strategy to unlock value throughout an organization. We offer strategic assessments, tactical plans, and repeatable turn-key, detail rich analytics at every level of your team.   We seamlessly integrate disparate business systems compiling financial, operational, and market data for real-time reporting that drives informed business decisions. Pathfinder Insights is your essential partner for insight-driven transformation, leading to enterprise value innovation and growth.   Please celebrate with us the launch of PathFinder Insights, Inc. and read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/gtcqNWms

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While technology continues to captivate us, placing too much importance on technical superiority can be a pitfall for international companies entering the U.S. market. This is because emphasizing tech alone often sidelines the unique needs of each target segment. What works in New Delhi might not hit the mark in New York. Likewise, expectations in the EU differ from those in New England. Plugging in your technology without considering these differences can lead to failure. The key is balancing technology with a human touch. Engage with your customers, users, employees, funders, and competitors. For more practical advice on entering the U.S. market successfully, check out our full article: https://lnkd.in/d8Pp5aC7 #BusinessStrategy #USMarket #MarketEntry #Technology

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While technology continues to captivate us, placing too much importance on technical superiority can be a pitfall for international companies entering the U.S. market. This is because emphasizing tech alone often sidelines the unique needs of each target segment. What works in New Delhi might not hit the mark in New York. Likewise, expectations in the EU differ from those in New England. Plugging in your technology without considering these differences can lead to failure. The key is balancing technology with a human touch. Engage with your customers, users, employees, funders, and competitors. For more practical advice on entering the U.S. market successfully, check out our full article: https://lnkd.in/d8Pp5aC7 #BusinessStrategy #USMarket #MarketEntry #Technology

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We are thrilled to announce that DVC led Dice’s Rs. 42 Cr Series A round.  Dice is a Spend management solution that disrupts the way enterprises manage corporate spending and numerous payment modes, including UPI, petty cash, API-integrated gateway payment and CBDC transactions. Dice holistically brings in all workflows, payments, compliance & purchase rails onto a single platform, bringing a new unified approach to the Procure to pay process.   The round also saw participation from GVFL Limited (formerly Gujarat Venture Finance Limited).  Dice offers a distinctive value proposition which uniquely leverages GenAI to enable enterprise spend process automation, easy workflow configuration, and consequent cycle time reduction freeing up significant working capital for an impressive array of partners and clientele      We at DVC are excited to be a part of Dice’s journey and partner with the team led by Prashant Kushwah and Sonam Khubchandani to help the company achieve its full potential.  Dayakar Puskoor Kiran Chandra Kalluri Shyam Penumaka      Read more: https://lnkd.in/gJ3T8DAj    #DVC #DVCAdvantage #B2B #SaaS #VC #Startups

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We see this very often in deals, the request of a staple, but I personally think there are ways to navigate this, with everything being above board , both for the selling LP, buyer and the GP. We have had situations where the GP preferred buyer who could also do a staple, actually price the fund better... because they want to strengthen that relationship, and ultimately of course have had situations where the GP preferred buyer is the bad actor in the equation, leveraging their preferred position to down play price for the seller... it's all part of the negotiation process. #secondaries #setterstrong

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If you enjoyed our first blog on the metrics that matter for Verticalized SaaS then don't miss on the Part II of the series where my colleagues Devraj Hom Roy and Matt Schaar discuss the strategic and operational choices to improve these operational indicators. https://lnkd.in/g5QkCrcH

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Conventional wisdom says bigger deals equal bigger returns. But does the math back it up? Our analysis shows Micro SaaS firms can outpace larger players re ARR/FTE and EBITDA/FTE, which translates directly to valuation. The key is high-leverage operating models and ruthless efficiency. What’s your take on return on effort in sub-scale SaaS firms?

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VC Market Update: Riding Out the Post-Boom Bumps. 2021's high-flying valuations and growth have given way to a more complex reality. With longer private timelines, tough exit markets, and capital tightness, startups face unique challenges—but also fresh opportunities. For those navigating today’s VC landscape, strategic planning is key. Whether it's balancing growth with capital efficiency or exploring secondaries smartly, there’s a path forward. And with boosts from AI and future rate cuts, brighter days could be ahead!

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