Johnny McNamara’s Post

Very well deserved award. Role model for sg entrepreneurs. Real solid firm by solid founders. Charles & Keith is a great example of local family building a regional giant in their space. The company is worth 1-2b generating close to 90m in net profit annually. Best part? Still all owned by the 3 dynamic brothers & family. Startups besides modeling after tech role models should also see what non tech success stories are doing. Esp in the area of profitable regional expansion and keeping share dilution to a bare minimum. Raising too much VC money could end up making your business bloated and not growing correctly. Charles & Keith had PE fund L Cap invest only when they were already sizable and wanted to enter China. Then after that was done, the brothers later bought it back from the fund. How much balls, foresight, drive and belief does that take? Business leaders bag top honours at 39th Singapore Business Awards https://lnkd.in/gMapujqn

As September starts, founders and investors are coming back to Luxembourg and are gearing up for what is traditionally one of the most pivotal months of the year. After the quiet of August, where the investment community often slows down to a mere 20% of its usual activity, September stands as a month of opportunities. 🚀 Why is September so crucial for startups? Investor Re-engagement: Many investors return from their summer breaks ready to dive back into the market. This means a significant increase in potential meetings, pitches, and, importantly, funding opportunities. Event Calendar Kick-off: September marks the beginning of a bustling period for industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities. These events are critical for founders to expand their networks, gain visibility, and attract interest from potential investors and partners. (I personally have 2 events per week on average in September and October). Market Momentum: As businesses and consumers alike return to full activity, the market dynamics can shift. For startups, this is an opportunity to capitalize on new trends, customer behaviors, and gaps in the market that may have emerged. Strategic Planning: August was the time when startups can reflect on the year's progress and adjust their strategies accordingly, taking a look at what is it to come and making sure they went back to their decks and pitches. It is time to implement. 💡 Tip for Founders: Make sure you are contacting the investors you already contacted on Q1 or Q2 to schedule meetings since they are going to be eager to hear you out. Have your documents and pitch ready though. #StartupGrowth #InvestmentOpportunities #Entrepreneurship #September #BusinessStrategy #NetworkingEvents #luxembourg #startups #EYnovation #fundraising #Backtoschool

European Tech Investor Plural, Led by its Founder, has Raised a New €400 million Fund The company provides start-ups with a Silicon Valley model of support as an alternative to the conventional VC paradigm. In an attempt to support the next wave of entrepreneurs in the region during a period when funding is in decline, Plural, a tech investment business managed by some of Europe’s most well-known start-up founders, has raised €400 million. The UK AI safety tsar Ian Hogarth and Wise’s Taavet Hinrikus, among others, launched the London and Tallinn-based firm, which specializes in early-stage companies—a market that has seen a less dramatic decline in investment than later-stage agreements. https://cutt.ly/vwLbgSYH #EuropeanTechInvestor #entrepreneurs #techinvestmentbusiness #ciooutlook #AIsafety 

Be an angel with a plan. I'm excited to announce that I'll be speaking at the European Angel Investment Summit in Brussels next week, where leading investors and entrepreneurs will gather to shape the future of Angel Investing. During the event, I’ll be sharing how I've leveraged my experience as an angel investor and my PhD to build a network of angel funds through COREangels model. In just three years, we’ve connected over 300 angel investors and have been recognized as one of the most active angel networks in Europe, investing in one startup per week in the last recent years. I'm fully committed to increasing angel liquidity by professionalizing angel investing, developing an active approach to early exits, and promoting a secondary angel market in Europe. This will help drive early exits for angels, clean up cap tables, and refocus angel investors on their core early-stage mission. Let’s enjoy the moment and celebrate EBAN - European Business Angel Network 25th anniversary on October 15-16! This summit #EAIS24 provides an excellent platform to connect and network with international colleagues. Let’s explore how we can collaborate and work together. Finnally, EBAN has kindly given me an exclusive discount code for 25% off: simply enter EBAN25OFF or use this link: https://lnkd.in/dbUtT7Mi You can join the event here: https://lnkd.in/dhxJcpGZ Be an angel with a plan. I hope to see you there! #angelinvestor #investor #investing #angelinvestment #businessangel #startup #scaleup #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #pitching #invest #angelinvesting 

Only one week to go: Don't miss out Wenger Vieli 's side event at this year's START Summit in St.Gallen! The collaborative event between Wenger Vieli and YPOGwill give you deep insights into the #opportunities and #challenges of expanding into and investing in Switzerland and Germany. Together they're exploring the perspectives of both #investors and #founders. They will have Myriam Lingg from macu4, Max Brückner from Cherry Ventures and Dr. Christoph Klink from Antler as speakers on board. They will share their insights and experiences on a range of topics such as: ✔️ Insights on cross-border investment in Swiss and German companies ✔️ Advantages and challenges for Swiss startups expanding into Germany ✔️ Effective strategies for German businesses entering Switzerland ✔️ The rise of cross-border transactions in the startup ecosystem Don't miss the chance of meeting other investors and founders, apply now: https://hubs.li/Q02pv02S0 Find out more about START Summit: https://hubs.li/Q02ptThY0 #Entrepreneurship #InvestmentOpportunities #START24 START Global

As a continuation of my last post about the pitching event organized by LBAN - Luxembourg Business Angel Network, I'd like to share the most common mistakes I see founders make during their pitches: 🔇 Lack of Clarity: Founders often resort to excessive technical jargon and struggle to articulate the problem they're solving and what makes them unique. 🙉 Ignoring Customers: While many founders have identified their "Avatar" or "buyer persona," they fail to effectively communicate to the audience—often investors—what steps they've taken to engage with potential customers. Have you conducted interviews? Is there a waiting list? Have customers made pre-orders? It's not enough to just mention these points; investors are keen to know the feedback you've received from your clients and how receptive you are to it. 📈 Purpose: Here, I'm referring to the purpose of the pitch, not the startup itself. Who is your audience at this event/pitch? Investors? Clients? Partners? Your pitch must be meticulously tailored to each group. Investors, for example, will want to hear about traction, ROI, CAC, and other critical KPIs—avoid vanity metrics like the number of views on your Instagram page. If you're addressing customers, you'll need to clearly convey the benefits of your product or service, how it works, and, importantly, how it can specifically benefit them (yes, I've mentioned 'benefit' twice for emphasis). A Bonus Tip ⭐: Founders who speak with passion and exhibit excitement about their company tend to perform much better. Ultimately, whether they're investors or customers, people are drawn to enthusiastic individuals who are passionate about what they do. Show your passion in a unique style. #startups #luxembourgstartups #EYnovation #LBAN #Businessangels #BAs #pitching #startuppitching #founders #innovation #investors #fundraising #Lux

Here are some good tips for a good pitch. Enjoy!

💡 Strategic equity management for growth and fundraising. Angel Hadjiev and Bogdan Stoian from SeedBlink dove into crucial topics that will empower entrepreneurs to make informed decisions about their company's equity. Let’s take a look at the key points discussed 👀 - Strategies to prevent excessive dilution of your ownership in early funding rounds. - Insights on how different funding instruments and amounts impact your stake. - Effective methods to manage a growing list of shareholders and cap table management without losing operational efficiency. - Approaches to allocate shares strategically to avoid high prices in future rounds. Excited to continue these strategy sessions featuring industry leaders 🎉 CC: Jak Telyaz, Eva Ruiz Cendon, Melihcan Yücel, Sevdalina Vassileva, Marialena Vernezou, Nikos Petrakis, Michael Ioannides, David Farrugia, Andreas Hadjistylli Visa | Endeavor Greece | Eleven Ventures #endeavorgr #visa #visainnovationprogram #fintech #startup #scaleup #innovation #collaboration #payments #technology #digital #europe

🚀 𝑺𝑬𝑪𝑼𝑹𝑬 𝒀𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝑺𝑷𝑶𝑻 𝑵𝑶𝑾 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔! 🚀 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘴, 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦-𝘶𝘱𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘶𝘱! Join us at ILA - The Luxembourg Institute of Governance for an unmissable event designed to help #Startup #Founders, #Investors, #Leaders, and #BoardDirectors navigate the critical intersection of growth and Governance. My fellow expert speakers and I will deep-dive into 3 exciting panels: 🔹 Why you need governance and why it matters 🔹 How you’re using governance and how it’s working 🔹 How to become fundable 🌱 𝑾𝒉𝒚 𝑮𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 As Startups scale, formal #Governance can unlock sustainable #Success. How do you leverage governance effectively? Learn from those who have found the perfect balance between #Innovation and #Structure! 💡 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒆 • When and why Startups should introduce Governance • How the #BoardOfDirectors shapes decision-making • Challenges when scaling with Governance • How effective Governance builds #Trust with #Stakeholders, attracts #Funding, and drives sustainable #Growth • Real-world advice from founders and experts who’ve been there! • And much more… 🗓️ 𝑫𝒂𝒕𝒆 & 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆: 13th November from 13:30 to 20:30 📍 𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒆: La Coque Centre National Sportif et Culturel 🔗 𝑹𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆: https://lnkd.in/eT6fjBS9 Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from experienced voices and gain actionable insights to scale your Startup smartly and sustainably! #Luxembourg #MakeItHappen #BoardRoom #CorporateGovernance #StartupGovernance #ScaleUp #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #SustainableGrowth #Strategy

🚀Startup Snapshot Report: Embrace Transparency, Israeli Resilience Prevails   The latest report, our collaborative effort with Startup Snapshot, Deloitte, The Zell Entrepreneurship Program at Reichman University, and Consiglieri provides invaluable insights from over 100 global investors in Israeli tech.   Despite recent #challenges, only 14% report a drop in investment volume, showcasing the unwavering #commitment of investors to Israel's innovative ecosystem. Moody's downgrade has left 80% of investors' plans unaffected, revealing uncertainty about broader implications.   Talent acquisition #strategies remain focused locally, with only 17% considering overseas talent for risk mitigation. Corporate flipping and fund transfers receive minimal support, with 13% and 2% of investors advising startups to flip to US-based #corporations or transfer funds outside Israel.   Investors urge acknowledgment of the current challenges, showcasing #resilience and #adaptability. Despite obstacles, 86% of investors plan to maintain or increase investments, reflecting confidence in Israel's entrepreneurial spirit.   Let's embrace #transparency and #resilience for continued #growth!   Moran Massad Hadar, Ori Schnitzer, Liat Aaronson, Nimrod Vromen, Sidney Gottesman, Sharon Zarfati, Yael Benjamin, Sidney Gottesman   Read more on Jerusalem Post, covering this report: https://lnkd.in/dY9y9VQw   Access the full report in the comments 🔍   #mastercard #Startup #Transparency #Resilience #IsraeliInnovation #Investment #Collaboration