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What I Learned from Sequoia Capital's Jess Lee on Product-Market Fit (PMF): Yesterday, an article was published on TechCrunch about the 3 key archetypes startups typically fall into regarding product-market fit: 1. Addressing urgent problems. 2. Solving existing problems more effectively than current solutions. 3. Emphasising a future vision, particularly for ventures focused on deep tech, moonshots, and futuristic products. Each archetype comes with its unique set of challenges, opportunities, and market dynamics. While all archetypes offer potential, the fundraising landscape can vary, with deep tech startups facing distinct challenges in today's climate. After reading, I realised that this aligns perfectly with what we at Utopia Pitch have been advising our customers for years: It all boils down to founder-market fit. As a founder, you must align with your chosen category, demonstrating a deep understanding of both the problem and the solution. I’ll put the link in the comments section

Yesterday, we kicked off an exclusive Deep Tech Growth Series with KPMG High Growth Ventures, designed specifically for deep tech founders. 🚀 In our first webinar, we explored the challenges and opportunities in securing Pre-Series A, Series A, and Series B funding for Australian deep tech startups. Led by Amanda Price, Head of KPMG High Growth Ventures, the conversation featured: - Phil Morle, Partner at Main Sequence - Aubrey K., Vice President, Emerging Technologies at Temasek - Julia Reisser, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Uluu Some key insights from the conversation 🔓 : - Despite broader funding challenges, deep tech continues to show resilience, particularly in early-stage funding. - Leveraging bridging rounds can help startups stay afloat until larger investments become accessible. - Educating the market and simplifying complex tech stories is key to gaining investor and customer buy-in. - Transitioning from innovation to manufacturing requires different skill sets and mindsets—founders must plan for this evolution. - Partnerships in the supply chain can optimise operations, allowing startups to focus on core competencies. This series is exclusive to founders in the Cicada Innovations community. 💡 Want to stay in the loop and get access to future events like this? Sign up for our newsletter https://lnkd.in/gUM4KAmK

You probably have heard multiple times that #deeptech startups are riskier, slower, having scaling issues and need more capital than low tech. What if an McKinsey study with Dealroom data shows that all of those thoughts are wrong? Findings: ⚠ Risk: Deeptech has a similar failure rate than other tech startups 🏁 Pace: Deeptech has the same time to unicorn or to exit than other tech startups 🦄 Scale: Deeptech startups are more likely to become a unicorn 💶 Capital: Deeptech has greater capital efficiency With our deeptech portfolio companies like HyperHeat, Co-reactive or Primogene we have the same experience. It's mind-blowing how capital efficient those companies can be in the first 2-3 years and how early they can build significant customer traction. Thanks Michael Langguth for sharing this study! These results combined with an often bigger carbon reduction or removal potential of climate deeptech startups are the reasons why we love them at Climate Founders. If you are such a company and look now or in the near future for your first equity funding round, apply until Friday for our remote acceleration program: https://lnkd.in/diWDSpnw

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 We’re thrilled to announce that Bruce K Lee, will be speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt on October 28th! 🎤 Bruce will be diving into a highly relevant topic: "Family Offices and Startup Investing." Family offices are becoming increasingly active in the startup space, both directly and through their VC investors. But what are they really looking for? In this session, Bruce will explore: ✅ Emerging trends in family office investments ✅ What makes a startup attractive to family office investors ✅ How these investors think about risk and where they’re focusing their efforts in the startup ecosystem Whether you’re a founder seeking strategic capital or simply curious about this dynamic segment of the investment world, this session will provide valuable insights into how family offices are shaping the future of startups. #Stepforward

🚀 Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2024: A Deep Dive into Innovation Hubs 🚀 By Startup Genome via startupgenome.com Explore the latest insights into global startup ecosystems, revealing trends in innovation, investment, and high-growth markets driving the startup landscape forward. 🌍💼 Key Takeaways: Top Ecosystems: Key players around the world fueling growth. Investment Insights: Trends shaping future startup funding. Emerging Hubs: Regions leading in tech advancements. Global Impact: The startup ecosystem's role in economic resilience. 👉 Read the Full Article Here: https://lnkd.in/dSCU7g9V #IGIDigital #GlobalStartups #Innovation #TechEcosystems #StartupTrends #GSER2024 #InnovateWithIGI

WOW! June has been a frenzy of achievements and activities for us! 🎉 We’re still unpacking all the incredible learnings, but here are some highlights we’re excited to share: 🌟 9 pitches in just 2 weeks! How many startups can say they've had this amazing opportunity to present to over 50 angels and VCs within less than 6 months of being founded?! We have benefited immensely from the very diverse responses to our stories. This has armed us with a whole lot of information as we continue to accelerate toward investor readiness! 🏡 "Building our house and filling in the details" - We wrapped up two fantastic incubator programs that helped solidify our business core. Now, we’re stoked to uplevel with API's 4-month Life Sciences Venture Coaching Program, where we’ll begin to leverage sector-specific lessons and offerings. 💡 Sector-specific insights and learnings from MaRS Impact Health have been a game-changer for us, providing us with crucial industry knowledge. 🌐 Collision 2024, Toronto - Participating in the 'The Olympics of Tech' and being selected as an Impact StartUp was awesome! With a dedicated demo day and a pitch on the StartUp Showcase stage! Here's to more exciting times ahead! 🥂 MaRS Discovery District Collision Conf Femtech Canada Cap Inclusive API York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI) Flow, a Deloitte business, Innovation Factory

As a Venture Capitalist, I do 3 things: Forecast, Lead, Invest. 1: Forecast the future: Formerly trained on industry analysis, former co-founder of an industry analyst firm, I’ve been publishing on future tech trends for 15+ years. 2: Lead markets: Organize large-scale events for AI startups (Llama Lounge) and speak at business conferences about how tech is shaping our future. 3: Invest in startups: As a VC at Blitzscaling Ventures, we write checks of $500k–$1M checks into AI startups with the potential for lightning-fast growth. Every VC has their own flavor, approach, and style, but this is the one that is natural to me given my formal background for industry forecasting and passion for community stewardship.

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, industry leaders underscored a critical message for startups: prioritizing focus over hype is essential for sustainable success. Pegah Ebrahimi, co-founder of FPV Ventures, noted that amid the pervasive excitement around technologies like AI, it’s crucial for companies to concentrate on solving genuine problems rather than getting sidetracked by media buzz. Natalie Sportelli from Bullish echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of fostering robust customer relationships to navigate trends effectively. As the tech landscape continues to evolve, how can your organization maintain a focus on core mission and customer needs while staying aware of industry trends? What measures do you take to evaluate whether your products genuinely address market demands?

💰 Need funding advice tailored to the climate tech sector? We have just the panel at #TechDay #ClimateTech Founders Day that will give you what you need: “How to Fund Your Startup in 2025: What Makes a Startup Investable?” will provide founders building in climate tech essential information and insight about: - The current state of funding in the climate tech sector and what is shaping it for 2025 - Where to source non-dilutive funding - The qualities investors look for when deciding to invest capital in climate tech startups Any startup in climate tech will not want to miss this panel, led by leading climate tech investors…  Sabira Alloo, Global Head of Private Equity Partnerships at Google Tony Curnes, Founding Partner at Purpose Venture Group Mary King, Vice President at Aligned Climate Capital Get the insights you need to fund your climate startup in 2025. Only at TechDay Climate Tech Founders Day. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/e9F4Qumd #StartupEvent #NYC

This news caught my attention immediately—not just because it’s another funding announcement, but because it signals a smart GTM strategy and positive momentum for ecosystem building. Anthropic’s President announced funding for 18 AI agent companies, backed by Menlo Ventures and Anthropic. Here’s what I think AI agent builders (and anyone interested in this space) should take away from this: 1️⃣ Vertical Expertise Wins: These companies aren’t trying to do everything—they’re focused on solving niche problems, proving that depth beats breadth in a crowded space. 2️⃣ GTM Strategy Is Crucial: It’s not just about building great tech. It’s about execution—getting your product out there, iterating quickly, and capturing attention in the market. For founders, partnerships like this go beyond the capital. They’re about gaining the credibility and connections needed to scale effectively. #aiagent #anthropic