Ghalia Aamer

This is so disheartening! However, in addition to addressing this challenge, we need to find innovative ways to mobilize domestic capital and diaspora investments. The biggest challenge is “trust”, alot of our people work in silos with an individualistic mindset. We should learn from other races how to collaborate for greater impact! Ecosystems develop based trust! For instance, the Angel Investors and Venture Capitalists in Sillicone valley are within a tight network. And its trust that enables founders to tap into these networks/relationships to raise preseed, seed capital, and later funding rounds. Even in Nigeria the Igbo entrepreneurship and trans-generational wealth creation model is based on trust.

18

1 Comment

After 4 months in what can only be described as an intensive bootcamp, I’m thrilled to announce that CarbonSync is one of the 10 graduates from Founder Institute's Spring 2024 - Washington DC chapter. 🏆 When I signed up for this accelerator, I had no idea that only 30% of startups make it to the end. Nor did I know I would meet such a vast array of talented founders and mentors here in DC! 🌟 I saw the words 'pre-seed accelerator' and blindly clicked on 'apply', not knowing what to expect. Speculation about startup accelerators doing more harm than good might be apt for some programs, but the Founder Institute has shattered that mold. Their curriculum is RIGOROUS (hello, weekly homework!), and their incredible mentors open up office hours to give us unfiltered advice. These sessions can literally change the trajectory of your product or startup because the mentors are invested in your success. 📚🤓 You are back in student-mode, thinking of the fastest way to finish your homework, while rooting for the other founders! My previous stint as a student was at The Fletcher School at Tufts University and the mafia helped carry everyone to the finish line <3 Our cohort was packed with amazing solutions across various fields: SaaS, AI-powered B2B and B2C solutions, hard-tech, batteries, health-tech, real estate – even pet health! While FI doesn’t market itself as a social impact accelerator, every founder I met was driven by an important cause, pushing themselves to the limit. 🌍💡 After 4 months, I’m exhausted, sporting a few more grey hairs, and carrying some extra pounds from stress eating 🍕😅. But I’m more confident than ever that CarbonSync will revolutionize industrial design for a sustainable tomorrow. We’re the closest we’ve ever been to PMF, and it’s all thanks to the incredible mentors and local leaders who cheered us on every week. 🚀🌿 We made more progress in the past 4 months, than we could have in 2 years without this program. If you’re a founder embarking on the impossible task of taking an idea from 0 to 1, do yourself a favor and apply to Founder Institute. Trust me, it’s worth every grey hair! 👩‍💻🎓 Tagging our amazing mentors: Thank you!! 🏁Guc Ozenci Brian Bassett Andres Jordan You Mon Tsang Ken Gordon Cameron Powell Ashtan Moore Tovit Neizer Debra Cancro Arcui Usoara 💡 Sean Makulowich 🔥 Sammy Popat Kuzeyhan Ozdemir Alan Ocana Ario K. Allan Wilson

71

18 Comments

A new era of deep tech has emerged. First time funds will raise “unheard of” amounts of capital to fuel next gen deep tech startups - producing outsized, superior returns for LP’s compared to the rest. Prudent investors will act on this data and shift investment strategy as LP’s or risk being left behind savvy wealth managers and CIO’s / FO’s who saw this trend begin 4 years ago.

100

8 Comments

Considering a career in startups or VC? Starting today, I'm available for 1:1 calls on @Intro to help startup founders and aspiring VCs think through the path ahead. As the founder + managing director of Red Sea Ventures, we invested early in companies like Allbirds (IPO), Sweetgreen (IPO), Nest (acq. Google), Casetext (acq. Thompson Reuters), and Prose to name a few. What topics can we cover? ✔️ Finding product-market fit ✔️ The different paths to funding ✔️ Determining how much you need to raise ✔️ Building a VC firm ✔️ Careers in VC ✔️ Celebrity partnerships Honored to be alongside world-class Experts like Chris DeWolfe (co-founder of MySpace (sold for $675M), Scott Saunders (founder of Happy Money, valued $1B+) & Geraldine Martin-Coppola (former President of Goop). I’ll be donating 100% of the proceeds to Seeds of Peace

226

22 Comments

As a founder, it's easy to think that VC firms hold all the cards when it comes to funding. 💸 However, this article from Vanity Fair reminds us that VCs are also competing for a spot on your cap table. Just because they presented you with a term sheet doesn't mean they have all the leverage. Keep this in mind during the fundraising process.! And on related note, stay tuned for my upcoming podcast...just kidding! . #venturecapital #startups #podcasts #cincinnati

7

Raising with SAFEs? Sure, you can download the free YC template, but now there's a better way, on SeedLegals. Mix 'n match cap and discount. Understand how the post-many cap REALLY works and how much you'll be diluted. Get your board permissions sorted. e-sign everything. Clone existing terms, and more. Head over to https://seedlegals.com/us for the best way to do your next SAFE.

52

3 Comments

HUGE opportunity

14

1 Comment

Couldn't agree more with this! In my experience, the mythical 50-50 split rarely makes sense in real life. The real conversation should be about what each person brings to the table: Time commitment? Cash investment? Industry expertise? Who's taking on which responsibilities? These might be awkward conversations to have with your co-founders, but they're absolutely important before you split that equity pie. Better to be honest about the natural imbalances in roles and contributions than force an equal split that looks good on paper but doesn't reflect reality. Every founding story is unique - your equity split should be too. 💡

4

How I Used ChatGPT to Write "Venture Capital’s Wild Ride" People have asked me how I worked interactively with ChatGPT to write my latest article, "Venture Capital’s Wild Ride." So, I thought I’d share the process. I started with rough notes on how the 2021 venture capital boom impacted the Channel Islands. I used ChatGPT interactively to refine the structure, clarify key points, and create engaging section titles like "The Market Reverses Course" and "The Promise of AI." It wasn’t just about editing - ChatGPT helped me reword complex ideas, improve the flow, and ensure every section fit seamlessly into the overall narrative. I even used ChatGPT to write this post! If you’re interested in the full conversation that led to the final article, check the comments for the link. #founders #startups #venturecapital #buildinginpublic #investinginpublic More at unbundled dot vc.

12

4 Comments

📣 Calling all aspiring #venturecapitalists, Included VC applications are now open! Everyone who knows me probably already heard me speaking about my #IncludedVCfamily and the impact it had on my journey to VC. If you come from a more unique or untraditional background and are really serious about a career in VC, I can't recommend Included VC more. Why do I recommend Included VC, you ask? 🤓 Opportunity to Learn - you'll get a front-row seat to venture, being mentored and taught by top talent in VC (think cap tables, deal sourcing, boards and more). 👩🏻‍💻 Hands-on experience - you'll get to source deals, write investment memos and even pitch at the famous IncludedVC investment committees with VC partners. 🌍 Community - most importantly you'll join a community of kind, smart and talented people who will be your new VC family. The road to venture is long and hard and the community of fellows and alumni supported me through the process and today, they are my colleagues at other funds. 🚀 Ah, and lastly you should also know that 80% of Included VC fellows who are actively applying to VC roles, ended up landing a job in VC. That's wild! ✨ 🔔 If this feels right for you, feel free to apply here: https://lnkd.in/ep2rZ4MR Massive shout out to Nikita Thakrar for leading the charge and to BITKRAFT Ventures, Creandum, daphni, European Investment Fund (EIF), HSBC, HV Capital, Mangrove Capital Partners, Mouro Capital, Notion Capital, Seedcamp & Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati who make this global Fellowship fully funded. 🤍

33

11 Comments

this is my favorite blog post in describing the process of pattern matching that VCs use to evaluate fund-returning opportunities: in search of narrative violations. a narrative violation is a contrarian take against conventional wisdom. it is an intentional disregard of the wisdom of the crowds in favor of ideas that are just crazy enough that they might work. the best venture deals have been ones where it wasn't an oversubscribed round; it didn't fall into the secular trends of the market cycle; it was an unpopular opinion that inadvertently led to category creation; and contributed a significant portion of DPI to LPs. all of these narrative violations seem to have 3 things in common: outlier founding teams, a positive inflection in market timing, and an ability to anticipate widespread product adoption in the mid-to-long-term time horizons since company inception. pls pls pls have a read - you won't regret it :)

5

1 Comment

Hey LinkedIn! Some new faces around here so I wanted to re-introduce myself. I’m Omar. I was a professional student before I became an entrepreneur. I started by studying math and economics at UC Berkeley, and then became really interested in ethics and philosophy. So I went to Oxford to read PPE. While there I became interested in jurisprudence, so I went to Columbia for law school and eventually got my JD/MBA. After graduating, days before joining a big law firm, I decided to pursue my first startup. I raised a round of funding, and despite making every mistake under the sun, I was able to sell the company after three years (which felt like 30). I was determined to give starting a company another shot and apply the lessons I learned. So I co-founded a B2B AI startup called TextIQ which was acquired by Relativity, one of the largest legal tech companies in the industry, in 2021. After my 9-figure exit, I felt empty. I had achieved all my dreams, but there was something missing. So I went back to my roots studying Philosophy at Oxford University. Aristotle taught me that to live a good life and achieve lasting satisfaction means fulfilling your potential and being a good person along the way. With that in mind, I started building something special to address some ongoing problems I encountered over the past decade in the legal industry (which in many respects is a broken system in need of exponential, not incremental, improvements). We’re tackling complex, systemic problems and building world-class solutions. To give you a sneak peek, we’re already beginning to deliver tens of millions of dollars in value to our first set of customers in our first 6 months. I’m a big believer in ethical AI practices and that’s a key focus for all that I do. Join me and my team on this journey to build an AI platform that will change the legal industry forever!

77

9 Comments

I often get asked for my thoughts on Y Combinator. How was the advice? Was it worth the equity? For me the answer is simple: YC is life changing. Going into the program, I wasn't exactly clueless. I had been a startup lawyer, and worked in a few roles at and with startups. But I didn't know how to BUILD a startup. The thing is, you can't just read a book to learn this stuff. You have to learn it while trying to do it, and seeing others around you trying as well. The 0 to 1 phase is uniquely challenging, and the YC advisors are better than just about anyone else in the world at guiding you through it. On top of that, you get access to the world's most powerful startup network - 10,000+ of the world's best founders. And you get 100s of investors delivered right to your doorstep. We still have a long way to go, but I can't think of a better way to kick things off!

106

5 Comments

2-weeks with an awesome community This summer, I had the privilege of joining the Startmate Fellowship, and honestly, it’s been a game-changer. Going in, I thought it would just be about learning how to build a great startup. What I didn’t expect was how much it would challenge me to grow—personally and professionally. Here’s what really stuck with me: 1️⃣ It’s not about the idea; it’s about the execution. Everyone has ideas, but the Fellowship taught me to focus on testing, iterating, and doing the work. My fellows' execution is admirable. 2️⃣ Fail fast, learn faster. Startmate is a great place for trial, and I learned to embrace it as part of the process. 3️⃣ Your network is your secret weapon. The people in this community? Incredible. You can connect to a gigantic cohort of entrepreneur all across Australia. To anyone thinking about applying: do it. Whether you’re just starting out or trying to figure out your next move, this program will push you in ways you didn’t think possible. And to my Startmate crew, special shout out to Kaya Moore for hosting the program, thank you for making this journey so inspiring and fun. If you’re curious about Startmate or just want to chat about the experience, drop me a message, happy to introduce you to this amazing program!

43

4 Comments

Last week, I had the privilege of speaking at the MIT Jameel World Education Lab’s (J-WEL) ongoing series on AI and education. The event, titled "How EdTech Startups Are Leveraging AI for Education," explored the transformative ways AI is reshaping the educational landscape. I was joined by Jean Hammond (Partner and Co-founder of LearnLaunch), Joy Dasgupta (CEO of Gyan AI), William B. Bonvillian, and Megan Mitchell (Moderator).   Here are my 5 key takeaways from the event:   Building Trust is Crucial For AI to gain widespread acceptance among students, parents, and educators, trust is paramount. EdTech companies must build that trust by delivering proven, measurable results. Establishing credibility through rigorous benchmarks, controlled trials, and demonstrated efficacy will be essential in ensuring confidence in AI-driven tools. With the proliferation of AI, the demand for precise, comprehensive impact measurement becomes even more critical.    AI Goes Beyond LLMs While Large Language Models (LLMs) have dominated the conversation around AI, they represent just one piece of the puzzle. For instance, at EnglishHelper, our AI model operates without data-driven training, is fully explainable, and free from bias. Additionally, it operates efficiently without demanding significant computational power, reducing the need for excessive electricity consumption from data centers.    AI Will Make Education More Accessible  AI has the potential to break down barriers to education by making learning more accessible to people worldwide. From AI-powered tutoring that provides one-on-one support to translation tools that bridge language gaps, AI can democratize education, reaching underserved communities and students with diverse learning needs. This will create opportunities for lifelong learning and skill development, regardless of geographical or economic constraints.   AI Can Personalize Learning at Scale One of AI's most powerful applications in education is its ability to tailor learning experiences to individual needs. By analyzing student performance and preferences, AI can adapt content, pace, and difficulty, offering personalized learning pathways that would be impossible to achieve with traditional methods.   The Future Lies in Human-AI Collaboration There’s a lot of talk about robots replacing humans, but in education, the future is a partnership. AI can handle the time-consuming administrative tasks, while teachers focus on the human side—mentorship, support, and fostering creativity. Together, humans and AI can deliver better learning outcomes than either could alone.   I would be excited to hear your thoughts on how you feel AI can transform the education space. Please share your comments below. Venkat Srinivasan Vijay Kumar Cathy Casserly EnglishHelper 

86

12 Comments

💸 Attention Pre-Seed Founders: Let’s Build Together! I’m investing $25K checks into Fintech, Health Tech, Vertical SaaS, and AI Infrastructure startups! If your vision aligns with driving innovation in these spaces, I want to hear from you. What I’m Looking For: 🚀 Fintech: Building smarter, more inclusive financial solutions. 🩺 Health Tech: Innovations reshaping healthcare delivery and access. 📊 Vertical SaaS: Specialized software transforming niche industries. 🤖 AI Infrastructure: Powering the future with scalable, game-changing AI tech. I love working with bold founders who are building transformative businesses and are ready to tackle the world’s toughest challenges with clarity and ambition. 🔗 Apply for funding now: https://bit.ly/3ZSxR3l Excited to meet and support the next wave of innovators. Let’s make it happen! 💥

430

66 Comments

More great news! The Hughes Holden Foundation is delighted to announce a significant donation to Columbia University to support multidisciplinary research on leveraging multimodal Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the early detection, triage, and treatment of high-risk mental health patients. We are experiencing a 'perfect storm' in mental healthcare, with an exponential increase in mental illness (particularly among teen, homeless, geriatric, and other vulnerable communities), coupled with a chronic shortage of trained clinical psychologists. The goal of this applied research is to empower non-specialists such as nurses, care workers and paraprofessionals who are embedded in these communities with AI-based decision-support tools using trained and verified data, images, voice, and video historian to accurately and effectively prioritize mental health cases 'in the field' and allocate professional services and resources accordingly to those that need it the most. https://lnkd.in/e_GdGNRN

39

4 Comments

Summary: The article reflects on the changes in the venture capital industry over the past 20 years, as seen through the lens of Uncork Capital's 20th anniversary celebration. Key takeaways: The industry has become significantly larger over the years, with billions of dollars being invested in startups compared to only millions. The rules and norms around VC practices have also shifted, with more flexibility for VCs to invest their own money and back competing companies. Board seats, once seen as valuable investments, are now viewed as potentially hindering a company's growth, with some VCs choosing not to take them. Counter arguments: Some argue that VCs have a fiduciary duty to be actively involved in board meetings and help companies, making the trend of not taking board seats questionable. There is also the concern that founders have limited control over their company's choices, and may have to accept funding from VCs with competing investments. #venturecapital #vc #startups

1