Blue Delta Capital Partners’ Post

I am deeply honored to be recognized and I am incredibly humbled to share the spotlight with such amazing people. While I am very thankful, the recognition serves as a powerful motivator because I still feel like I have accomplished absolutely nothing... That said, I am very grateful to the National Venture Capital Association (and our fantastic comms team at Revolution 😊). However, I want to make one thing extremely clear: it is not about me and it never will be. Those of you who have been following my updates on LinkedIn may have noticed my recent long-form features about founders in the D.C. area. My intention behind these stories is to challenge the prevailing narrative in venture that often places the investors at the forefront, rather than the founders. But founders are the heroes and need to be at the center of the conversation. And my commitment is to consistently place them at the heart of every conversation. Our job is simple: stay out of their way, and, if we can, improve their odds of success whenever and however possible. I am immensely grateful to the founders who have trusted me and the teams that I have been a part of, allowing us to play a small, yet hopefully valuable, role in their entrepreneurial journeys. I also want to extend gratitude to all of my colleagues, peers, mentors, family, and friends who challenge me to be the best version of myself that I can be. Jobs not finished (nor will it ever be). LETS GO !!!! 

🥁 It’s time for a big drum roll… we are excited to announce First Close Partners as the recipient of NVCA’s 2024 #DEI Impact Award! This award, chosen in collaboration with Venture Forward, recognizes an individual, organization, or firm who has made a significant impact toward advancing a more #diverse, #equitable, and #inclusive (#DEI) #venture ecosystem.    First Close Partners has established itself as an important community and capital source to underrepresented managers. It has made LP commitments to over 100 VC funds, as part of its investment thesis that both seasoned and emerging underrepresented managers have the potential to deliver outsize returns.   First Close Partner’s industry leadership, as well as its support of Venture Forward programs, exemplifies the spirit of the DEI Impact Award, and we are proud to recognize its efforts in driving positive change within the industry. 🤲   Register now to help honor First Close Partners for its role in creating a more inclusive VC ecosystem. ⬇   https://lnkd.in/gRBbtR6d   #VCAwards #diversity #leadership

These are tumultuous times for #VC investors and the businesses they fund. According to Ben Dewar, a partner with NU Advisory Partners, that makes linking businesses in the industry with next-generation leaders fascinating, important, and genuinely transformational. With that in mind, Ben sat down with Hunt Scanlon Ventures managing director, Drew Seaman, to discuss the trends he’s been observing in recent work for VC firms and their portfolio companies. It’s now crucial for #leaders at VC-backed companies to have at least some experience in financial management and revenue generation. “In an environment where access to #capital is tighter, businesses will prosper by managing their money better and making money more sustainably,” he noted. Leaders, therefore, must bring deep business acumen to every role across the executive team, not just those with titular financial responsibility. Read more >> https://lnkd.in/eqsibC4j

🚀 Exciting News 🚀 We are thrilled to introduce our Leadership Team for the 24/25 academic year! This team is committed to enabling change and making a positive impact through our fund. 🌟 VPs of External Relations and Fundraising: Shubham Chawla, Aleksandra Dziadus and Anton Trauttmansdorff EVP Shubham will work with Aleksandra and Anton (our dynamic trio) to spearhead our efforts in building strong partnerships within the impact investing ecosystem and securing the resources needed to fuel our mission. 💼 VP of Investments: Jaime Luis Untalan Jaime Luis (a.k.a Luigi) will lead our investments team, overseeing the scouting of startups and conducting thorough due diligence on potential investments. Luigi always keeps his keen eye out for opportunities. 🏆 VP of Competition: Fajarsasi Sugiarta Fajarsasi (or Sasi as he is affectionately known) will organize our flagship event, which focuses on business school teams simulating investing scenarios. This includes evaluating impact-focused startups and pitching their investment processes to a panel of PE and VC professionals. We can't wait to see the incredible teams that will compete in the next edition. ✨ Co-Presidents and Venture Partners: Maguy (Maria Luisa) Aznar Alonso & Damian D'souza Maguy and Damian will focus on enabling the executive team while steering our fund towards new heights, fostering innovation and sustainability in every project we undertake. Join us in welcoming our new leaders and stay tuned for the amazing initiatives they have in store! Together, we want to create a brighter, more sustainable future. 🌍💡 #IESE #ImpactInvesting #Leadership #Sustainability #IESEImpactFund #ChangeMakers

Don't build a portfolio, build an ecosystem. Investing is just the beginning…  you must also incubate your ventures, draw insights from your ecosystem, collaborate in a structured way, build an innovation narrative for stakeholders, and harness the results of innovation with new opportunities and revenue streams. With TechNexus, we help you invest beyond the check. Want to learn more? Find us at the Global Corporate Venturing Summit. Kaitlyn (Howard) Doyle and Andrew Loulousis from our team are in Monterey. #GCV #GlobalCorporateVenturing #cvc #corporateinnovation

“PE Firms have started to see the need to better ‘institutionalize’ themselves and create management systems, develop leadership that can last longer than the next fund, and build distinctive value as a firm. Talent is at the core of these transformations.”   ICYMI, a new report from Council Advisors co-authored by our Courtney H. Hamilton (along with David Niles and Raghav Sharma), explores how effective talent strategies can drive value in today’s rapidly changing PE landscape.   Discover how prioritizing talent and operational excellence can give firms a competitive edge: https://lnkd.in/exmVBcUY   #PrivateEquity #Leadership

Recruitment and staff policy and actions works very differently in different countries, for example in the US, a market where many Swedish firms focus. Peter Wolpert 🇺🇦 and Katarina G Bonde gave illustrative sunshine and rainy examples, and how they have learn from mistakes and about the part of it that is pure luck. Deqa Abukar put also words in the powerbalance between the entrepreneurs and the investors in a company, especially in hard times like right now and how you need to be human at the same time the entrepreneurs are diluted at lower valuations. Successful teams a Leadership Commitmemt at GoWest - Nordic Venture Capital Forum

Historically, PE was marked by an entrepreneurial spirit led by visionary founders and adept dealmakers. As the asset class has matured, so too have the demands and expectations on leadership teams.   LPs are starting to recognize the crucial role of disciplined management at the firm level to mitigate risk, optimize performance, and maintain access to capital.   In a new report for @Council Advisors, “Powering Performance: Talent Strategies for Private Equity Funds,” @David Niles, @Raghav Sharma, and I outline strategies PE firms can use to address their evolving talent needs.   Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eYskc5Dj #PrivateEquity #Leadership

I’ve reviewed countless business plans and pitches over the years, and one key aspect always stands out – the lack of focus on RISK. While it's tempting to envision becoming the next unicorn, successful leaders acknowledge and address the obstacles and challenges inherent in their ventures. Venture capitalists may seem to agree with rosy projections but often set tight covenants, maneuvering to enhance their control. It's crucial to balance optimism with a grounding in reality. #RiskManagement #BusinessStrategy #RealityCheck

Let's talk about trust. Specifically: Trust in the board room. Upon securing series A funding, most start-ups and scale-ups find themselves obligated to establish a non-executive board, as outlined in the terms stipulated in the investors’ sheet. Soon after, they find themselves dealing with unforeseen and challenging situations such as performance deviation, a competitor launching a superior product, or a conflict with a team member. All topics to be discussed within the board room. For every CEO, a nagging questions persists: Can I entrust my board in navigating this? When is the right time to share, how will they respond and what actions will they take upon learning about the situation? As the Dutch proverb wisely states: Trust arrives slowly on foot, yet departs swiftly riding on horseback. This illustrates the journey of cultivating trust, a process that takes time and nurturing, yet can be shattered in the blink of an eye from a single interaction. Read the full article (part 1) on our blog: https://lnkd.in/eKJUDCiQ Are you looking for a trusted board member? Or, are you a board member that ventures can trust? You can now sign up to our scale-up board matching platform to get matched, via: https://lnkd.in/eXUrMKXm Menno Van Dijk, Gerben van der Werf, Jolanda Holwerda, PMP Supervisor | Commissarisvinden.nl