Fenwick & West’s Post

The #BCTechMap2024 showcases how our members collaborate to transform more Startups into thriving Scaleups, and Scaleups into industry Anchors. Thank you to our partners Amazon, BIV News, Bennett Jones, and Colliers. Explore the full BC TechMap here! https://bit.ly/3Xx3VIR

Reason #1532 I love working with early stage startups. Wrapped up a quick-fire session where we hashed out the priorities for our upcoming product launch. Fine-tuning our messaging, aligning on the go-to-market strategy, and making sure everything on the checklist is locked in for our #DevRel activities. And then, seeing the CEO jump into code for a client demo? Absolutely magical. No layers of bureaucracy, no unnecessary meetings—just a team of people who are focused, aligned, and constantly shipping. This is the kind of energy I thrive on. It’s why startups are the perfect place to get stuff done.

This is a signal. Innovation Ecosystems are...overrated? or underspecialized? One of the biggest problems in tech from my perspective (writer/independent analyst/entrepreneur) is that failures and disappearances are lessons waiting to be learned from. But if they're not aired, shared, discussed, and instead swept under the rug and "moved on from" in the name of PR optics, we all lose. That's what makes this article so important. To riff and ramble for a second from my current perch in #neurotech...For emerging areas like mine, the overcorporatization of innovation (e.g. overvaluations, IPO races, acquisitions of promising technologies that disappear forever, both into foundering companies like Snap, and too-big-to-fail companies like Meta, etc) is...not good. I've seen this happen so much in healthcare over the last 16 years, and it ultimately hurts patients and founders far more than the suits. What gives me hope: Compared to general-purpose, overgrown "tech innovation hubs" like techstars or even YC, I see a big upside for founders in niche ecosystems with specialized theses and expertise (e.g. deep tech, psychedelics, neurotech) who are able to take the long-view in supporting their companies' journeys. I expect more neurotech-specific venture studios and accelerators to spring up over the coming years - thinking through the role of big corporate partners, CVC, and other is an opportunity to balance and anticipate. Tagging some groups whose approaches have energized me in different ways - I welcome your thoughts in the comments or DMs. Empath Ventures Kaleida Capital Compound Nexus NeuroTech Ventures BrainMind One Mind Khosla Ventures Thanks Jennifer van der Meer

If you have an early-stage startup and really want to advance your idea and business, you can’t miss the chance to participate in this program. The Precinct Workshops with qualified and experienced professionals, mentors from various sectors and backgrounds, and a management team that is proactive, organized, and well-prepared. The results of my experience in practice, in summary: Intense stimulation to reflect on your business from all angles, I reevaluated my business model and created new formats and verticals, had open and honest conversations with mentors—that’s their role, and it’s exactly what I needed as well. Increased networking, lead generation, and sales. So take advantage and sign up.

If you have an early-stage startup and really want to advance your idea and business, you can’t miss the chance to participate in this program. The Precinct Workshops with qualified and experienced professionals, mentors from various sectors and backgrounds, and a management team that is proactive, organized, and well-prepared. The results of my experience in practice, in summary: Intense stimulation to reflect on your business from all angles, I reevaluated my business model and created new formats and verticals, had open and honest conversations with mentors—that’s their role, and it’s exactly what I needed as well. Increased networking, lead generation, and sales. So take advantage and sign up.

Did you know? BC's tech industry grew GDP 3x faster than the rest of BC's economy in 2023. The #BCTechmap2024 showcases how our members collaborate to transform more Startups into thriving Scaleups and Scaleups into Anchors. Thank you to our partners Amazon, BIV News, Bennett Jones, and Colliers for their support. Explore the full BC TechMap here! https://bit.ly/3Xx3VIR

💸 What business models do hardware startups usually have from Pre-Seed to Series B? 📡 When we at First Momentum Ventures interview deep tech founders, licensing is often how they envision selling their technology. However, as the data from our Deep Tech Hardware Napkin shows, only under 30% of all successful startups from Pre-Seed to Series B mention IP licensing as one of their revenue channels. Interestingly, while unit sales do not enjoy a good reputation, they are the most common business model (more than 60%) among hardware startups, followed by hardware-as-a-service (32%). What VCs think about paid vs unpaid pilots, you can find out in the report: https://2ly.link/1ypjn #deeptechnapkin #firstmomentum #deeptech

8 Corporate Traps That Startups Always Fall Into - https://lnkd.in/gWKrECvr - First, delete all your status meetings

🚀 Navigating the Path to a Budget-Friendly MVP 🚀 Startups, are you ready to challenge the status quo by launching a product that meets core market needs without draining your resources? The journey from idea to a market-ready MVP is fraught with financial and strategic decisions. Our deep dive unravels the essentials of building an MVP that balances cost, functionality, and market appeal. From choosing the right tech stack to understanding the impact of geographic location on development costs, we've got you covered. Plus, learn why a polished MVP is your golden ticket to attracting investors. Embark on the path to success: https://lnkd.in/de3G5-k2 #LeanStartup #TechInnovation

Love to see startups doing hard things and doing well https://lnkd.in/eDQRuiVn Nearly 400% growth to £29mn revenues in 2023 is a strong indicator for PMF and going into Breakout Stage. But with the Breakout Stage come a new set of challenges, especially hard when doing Hard Tech. Indeed, Zoe has said it overhired and is correcting. A common mistake at the breakout stage is to scale up prematurely, before fixing weak links in the chain. Often driven by a desire to achieve "T2D3". I root for Zoe and sincerely hope the company course corrected on time, and manages this difficult phase. A good case study of this common pitfall is VanMoof, which achieved strong PMF, people loved their product, but it hadn't sufficiently addressed major weak links (maintenance issues) prior to scaling further.