Alpaca VC

Excited to chat about upskilling tomorrow with Scott Taylor at 3P EST (9A HST)! See link below to register. Ryan Freedman David Goldberg Aubrie Pagano Daniel Fetner Andrew Peng Sophia Delgado Raymond Updyke, CFA, CPA Lorraine Sanders Julie C. Alpaca VC Startwise https://lu.ma/a4j2ztpa

I’ve continued to spend time digging in and unpacking the implications of the NAR settlements and the fallout to come. One of the biggest issues in my opinion is not about buying and selling homes. It’s about data and, frankly, fairness. When you really think through the current system, it hurts agents in more ways than one. Firstly, Independent Listing Sites (i.e. the aggregators) are deriving multiple billions of enterprise value… from the AGENTS’ listing efforts. Agents are further hampered by unnecessary costs and archaic geographic barriers that often require them to register and pay dues to multiple MLSs in different locations. As far as I’m understanding it (please respond in the comments section if I’m missing something), here is how it works: > Listing agents hustle to win sellers as clients. > Then, due to the rules and regulations dictated by the NAR and the associated realtor organizations that run local MLS’s, agents are required to put their listing on the MLS within 24 hours > The local MLs’ then sell the data to the aggregators, and then the aggregators sell the advertising space next to the list back to the agents! In other words, agents work really hard to get their listing and then the data is sold back to them if they want their picture and contact info placed prominently next to the listing they worked so hard to get. > Then there’s the geography problem.  > If an agent wants to conduct business for a single client buying or selling property in, say, Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles, the agent will likely need to be a dues-paying member of the NAR, as well as three different MLSs. > This means that agents who want to access the MLS often need to join the NAR or a local Realtor association. Agents have historically complied with NAR guidelines and standards - and how could they not? The NAR and MLSs are distinct, but interdependent entities. To be competitive as an agent, you’d be hard-pressed not to be a part of these systems, pay dues as needed and follow their rules. It’s a system that is extremely convoluted, monopolistic and seems very unfair to agents on both sides. As investors looking at the space, we believe there are few times that the bedrock systems of an industry get disrupted. In this case, we expect new solutions to enter the market with the aim of bringing a win-win scenario to agents on both sides, as well as the aggregators. In particular, we see opportunity in how listing data is used, owned and accessed by agents. If you’re a founder working on something ambitious in this space, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to chat.

Excited to finally release our Field Study on Staffing Technology! If you are a builder, investor, or enthusiast re: labor/talent/staffing - please reach out! And if you like the piece - do share 🙂 💡 It's a pretty long read, so I recorded a summary to go over some of the big ideas. Check out the comments below for the full article and be sure to join our upcoming virtual event on 8/28. Thanks to the Alpaca VC team and all the founders/investors we were able to connect with! Ryan Freedman David Goldberg Aubrie Pagano Daniel Fetner Andrew Peng Raymond Updyke, CFA, CPA Sophia Delgado Lorraine Sanders Julie C. Declan Sander Brandon Levine

10 Years. 100 Investments. 3 IPOs. 4 funds, $200M+ raised. 15,000 deals seen. Many, many cups of coffee. It has been, and continues to be, the journey of my life. I am continually challenged and inspired, and am hopefully able to do some good in the ecosystem that has allowed me to follow my dreams and enable others. Here are my Top 10 Lessons Learned in Venture after 10 Years! https://lnkd.in/djWqdcvx cc: Alpaca VC

🎊 It's time! A few months ago David Goldberg and I started investigating vertical labor marketplaces. After too many founder and investor calls to count, we're publishing the full study next week (8/21)! As we looked closely at labor marketplaces, we found that the relationship between technology and human capital is far deeper than we could've expected. In tandem with the published study, we'll be hosting a series of conversations starting 8/28 with experts in labor, talent development, and the future of work. First up is Scott Taylor (Founder of Startwise) to help us dive into modern upskilling, the future of work, and how global talent might be the key to solving historic labor shortages. This is a rare opportunity to hear from an expert and practitioner pushing the boundary in technology-forward talent development. Founders, investors, and talent professionals can expect a focused and insightful conversation that covers: ➡ What upskilling is, how it works, and why you should care ➡ The biggest emerging opportunities (and geographies) ➡ What successful upskilling *actually* looks like. ⚡ Link to register in the comments! 30m session for all you time-optimizers out there. Ryan Freedman Aubrie Pagano Daniel Fetner Andrew Peng Raymond Updyke, CFA, CPA Sophia Delgado Lorraine Sanders Julie C. Brandon Levine Declan Sander Alpaca VC

Big news: We’ve secured $14 million in Series A funding to retrofit a new era of growth for the rail industry! This funding positions us to continue deploying our TugVolt and Revolt technology to customers across the US and abroad. The round is led by Flybridge and Alpaca VC, and joined by other investors including Advantage Capital, Aera VC, Band Venture Partners, Cantos, Cathcart Rail, Collide Capital, Decisive Point, and Idealab Arizona. Read more in Axios: https://lnkd.in/gZwu5psD

Breaking into VC is HARD! But interning with Alpaca makes it easier 😌 No, really: our MBA Associates boast a 50% graduation rate into full-time careers in VC, and 78% into the broader startup/buyside ecosystem. I'm hiring our latest batch of MBA Associates to work with me for the 2024-2025 school year. First and second years are both welcome. VC experience, startup experience, and real estate experience would be great to have—but above all else I'm looking for someone with hustle and hunger. If that sounds like you, the link to apply is in the comments. If you know someone who'd be a great candidate, feel free to tag them!