Portage

Just wrapped up a fantastic panel on mega deals in venture with insights from Karl Alomar, managing partner of M13, Hélène FALCHIER, partner at Portage and jager mcconnell, CEO at Crunchbase. Here’s what stood out: 1. Major platform shifts—like AI—always attract massive infrastructure investment. But as AI matures, the real opportunities are moving to the application layer, where startups can create specific, practical uses for the technology. 2. Smaller VCs that keep pricing discipline can excel by backing vertical-specific AI plays on existing infrastructure. There’s untapped potential in this approach. 3. With AI tech widely accessible, execution is the differentiator. It’s not about building the best tech but about building the best team to deliver it. 4. Sustainability is still in style. As Jager pointed out, founders should raise only what they need, when they need it. The idea of raising big and letting cash sit in the bank doesn’t work—too much cash can mess with your mindset and create “zombie unicorns” that stall instead of scale. Ultimately, building a profitable business gives you freedom: you can choose to raise more if needed, or pursue M&A. That latter option is often closed to startups that race to a $1 billion valuation without a sustainable foundation. Web Summit

IF YOU’RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, DO IT RIGHT! In a conversation with Devon Kirk from Portage , we asked her about a quote or motto that she lives by and her answer really resonated. For Devon, this simple phrase means: 1. Quality Over Quantity – Focus on doing fewer things well, rather than taking on too much. Each task deserves your full attention. 2. Your Work is Your Brand – Every action, no matter how small, reflects who you are and what you stand for. 3. Integrity is Key – Doing things right means doing them honestly and with integrity, even when no one is watching. It’s a motto Devon keeps close to guide her decisions, and I’m sure many of us can relate. What’s the motto that guides you in your work and life? Tune in to episode 151 to hear more from Devon Kirk at Portage Capital Solutions: https://lnkd.in/g-wSWV33 #PrivateEquity #InvestmentBanking #Podcast Harvard Law School McGill University

We are excited to join the fintech community at Money20/20 in Las Vegas this week! Connect with our team: Daniel Ballen, Jake Bodanis, Stephanie Choo, Ross Darwin, Sahil Khatod, Ricky L., Leo Liu, Gabi Makari, AJ Okereke, Matthew Person, Alex Tung, and Jonathan Watkin. See you there! #fintech #Money2020

Thank you to the 85+ CMOs, CROs, and CTOs from 45 portfolio companies across 8 countries who joined us last week for Sagard’s fourth Growth Summit in New York. The Growth Summit is an opportunity for operators to share best practices, discuss emerging trends, and network with peers from across our global portfolio.  Focusing on "Engineering Efficiency for Profitable Growth", this year's theme reveals some great insights: ▪️ Unlock sizable revenue gains by bidding on less competitive ad space; ▪️ Save hours per month per sales rep by effectively integrating ChatGPT; ▪️ Build or adopt ledgers which scale by solving for transaction durability and functional robustness. We’re already looking forward to the Growth Summit 2025! #GrowthSummit #ProfitableGrowth #AI #Efficiency #CMO #CRO #CTO

We’re excited for our fourth Growth Summit this week in New York City. This year’s theme, Engineering Efficiency for Profitable Growth, will bring together 75+ marketing, sales, and technology leaders from over 45 fintech companies in our global portfolio. Chris Robinson, Ian Sherman, Jonathan Metrick, Parinaz Sobhani, Kris Hansen

We’re excited to share our latest thesis on The Future of “Traditional” Alternative Investments. As retail investors increasingly seek to diversify beyond traditional assets, the need for broader access to alternative investments—such as private equity, venture capital, and real estate—has never been greater. Our analysis highlights how technology and education can bridge this gap, making these opportunities more accessible to retail and mass affluent investors. Explore how we envision the future of alternative investing and its transformative potential for the retail market here: https://lnkd.in/eQR9gnsQ A special thank you to Sahil Khatod Jake Bodanis Leo Liu #AlternativeInvestments #RetailInvesting #Portage

Congratulations to the entire KOHO team on this impressive raise!  Wishing you continued success as you transform personal finance.

We're thrilled to announce that Portage is collaborating with WVC:E for their annual summit in Paris on October 7-8! This exclusive event, tailored for women in the venture capital industry, offers a unique platform for insightful discussions and networking with industry leaders. Catch Hélène FALCHIER, Partner at Portage Ventures, on two panels: ▪ October 7th: "Exits Update: What's in store?" ▪ October 8th: "The VC Reset: How has the game changed?" Also, don't miss Victoire de Lavigne, Principal at Portage Ventures, on October 8th, participating in the roundtable discussion: "FinTech Investing: Where are the bright spots?" Click here to register using the code WVCmEmber20 : https://lnkd.in/gXrRa7Tj #WomenInVC #VentureCapital

Thanks Tom Matsuda at Sifted for sharing my views on Fund Tokenisation and the future of wealth administration. A sector in which we have made a few exciting investments in Europe already with Palisade, Inc and ZILO™. If you are building in the space - would love to hear from you / get in touch! https://lnkd.in/eMtRyGXh cc Ivan Koparan Alex Tung Stephanie Choo Bristol Rae Jones Manthan Davé Tom Kiddle Philip Goffin Andrew Wilson Portage #fintech #wealthtech #funding #startup

Last week, we hosted our highly anticipated Confluence dinner, bringing together leaders from across our ecosystem for an evening of insightful discussions and networking. The evening featured remarks from our Co-Founder & CEO, Adam Felesky, followed by a fireside chat between Co-Founder Paul Desmarais and Hemant Taneja, CEO & Managing Director at General Catalyst. Their conversation touched on pivotal themes such as the evolving role of #AI in enterprise infrastructure, the future of labor productivity gains driven by AI, and how early-stage #fintech companies can build internal AI capabilities. They also explored responsible innovation, geopolitics, and the unique opportunities in emerging markets like India. A special thank you to Hemant Taneja for sharing his expertise and helping shape the evening’s discussions. To all our partners, guests, teammates and participants, thank you for making this year’s Confluence a standout event.