Pretiosum Ventures’ Post

🌟 Venture Capital: My Journey Through the Venture Deals Spring 2024 Course🌟 As a student at the crossroads of curiosity and ambition within the realm of startups and venture capital, I've recently achieved a milestone that I'm eager to share: Completing the Venture Deals Spring 2024 course: This educational journey offered by Techstars and Kauffman Fellows was not just a course; it was an eye-opener that refined my understanding of the venture capital landscape, equipping me with the knowledge and skills to navigate the VCIC (Venture Capital Investment Competition) with confidence. A huge thank you to Elliott Robinson, Miriam Rivera, Nicole Glaros, Jaclyn Freeman Hester and Jeffrey Harbach for their invaluable insights that made this course so impactful. Why Venture Deals: - Comprehensive and Free: It's a rare gem that breaks down the complex venture capital ecosystem into digestible, accessible insights, all at no cost. - Expert Foundations: The course, rooted in Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson's influential work "Venture Deals," provides an in-depth exploration of key venture deal elements, seeking to narrow the knowledge gap between entrepreneurs and investors. - Diverse Perspectives: It covers everything from the dynamics of VC transactions to effective investor engagement, negotiation strategies, and the pivotal aspect of founder wellness. Don’t miss out on this transformative experience. Keep an eye out for the next session! 👉 Sign up for updates and never miss an opportunity to grow: (https://lnkd.in/eFYz55Vu) #VentureCapital #StartupFunding #Entrepreneurship

We are excited to announce the initial closing of our second fund! In 2019, we launched session.vc as a founder-led investment platform designed to take a more hands-on approach than traditional venture capital firms. Having spent more than 20 years building startups and serving as board members of high-growth ventures, session.vc was a natural evolution for us. Our approach is centered on an owner-operator mindset, where we are ourselves the largest investors in our funds. Our first fund supports fourteen founder teams, several of which have gone on to secure Seed / Series A follow-on rounds. We continue to work closely with SalesPlaybook, Cerrion, deskbird, Dufour Aerospace, GUURU Solutions, Iona Mind, Jua.ai, Lano, Saporo, SuperDuperDB actively supporting their continued growth. With our latest fund, we are making a deliberate break from the traditional power law game of VC investing, to partner with a growing number of entrepreneurs, who are questioning the conventional venture funding path, which relies on permanent fundraising. "The mantra of these founders is to raise less and build more." Many have achieved initial product market fit and significant traction with minimal cash burn. For them raising capital has become an option, not a requirement. The reason they speak with us is not an urgent financing need. They are looking for an experienced partner, with a track record of successfully scaling business operations and delivering exits - a value proposition which few can offer and where we believe we can make a real difference. Building a broad portfolio of passive investments has always been alien to our owner-operator DNA. Leaving the conventional venture capital factory line will allow us to be more concentrated and devote our full time and attention to a handful of companies, which are in control of their destiny.  If you're a founder seeking active, experienced support to scale your business, let's connect. We ❤️ to build!

IGNITING NEW BEGINNINGS˖ "At Fuze Fund, we believe in the transformative power of a well-timed spark. The word ‘fuze’ embodies the pivotal moment when potential energy is unleashed, igniting a wave of transformation and growth. As a venture capital fund, we specialize in Seed-stage investments in minority-led, veteran-led, and women-led ventures. We understand that the right support at the right time can create explosive growth. Our mission is to be that fuze, lighting the way for diverse founders and entrepreneurs to achieve lasting impact. We hold a steadfast belief that inclusive investment practices and diversity are the cornerstones of driving innovation, and we aim to be an incubator for disruptive ideation, a place where bold new ideas can take root and flourish." "Our platform is more than just a funding source; it’s a vibrant research hub and a dynamic sounding board. We share cutting-edge insights from across the sector and celebrate alongside our portfolio companies, learning and growing together on their unique journeys. Our commitment at Fuze goes beyond direct investment. We facilitate this through our portfolio of Venture Growth Funds and active participation in investment collaboratives. But our support doesn’t stop there. We foster an environment rich in educational resources, research insights, peer mentorship, and strategic partnerships. Thus, we are dedicated to providing not just financial backing, but a comprehensive support system that nurtures innovation and resilience." "As our flagship fund prepares to enter the subscription phase, we invite you to join us. Help us harness our collective energy to build a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem! We are passionate about supporting founders who operate at the social and economic margins of our society, and we are committed to uplifting the entrepreneurial ambitions of our men and women in uniform. At Fuze Fund, we are not just lighting a spark; we are igniting a revolution in the world of venture capital!" Dr. T.J., Managing Partner (website launching soon)

Go Make Some Defensible Magic and Tell Us About It "Dear Founder" Letter from Omri Dory, NFX Omri Dory, PhD and GP at NFX VC fund, shares a wonderful, candid narrative in an article today reflecting on the challenges he faced while creating 148 versions of his startup's pitch deck. His experience underscores a crucial lesson for startup founders and early fund managers: understanding the investor's perspective is key to securing venture capital. The essence of Dory's advice lies in recognizing the unspoken expectations of investors. Often, the critical feedback not shared directly is that your team may not be perceived to have the top 1% in your field potential, akin to the next Sam Altman at OpenAI. But since team pedigree is often hard to position that way, the more valuable insight might be in positioning your startup favorably along the "VC Excitement" curve that is vital to transition from the "No Zone" to the "Yes Zone." Dory emphasizes the importance of showcasing your startup's potential to create something truly magical — a unique, defensible concept with the capacity to disrupt markets and captivate investor interest. Yet, achieving this alone isn't enough. Founders must articulate a clear vision that aligns with significant market opportunities and demonstrates an understanding of the venture capital model. For startup founders and fund managers aiming for success, the journey involves not just innovation but strategic communication. Highlight your venture's scalability, market potential, and the unparalleled expertise of your team. Remember, venture capital is not just about funding; it's about partnerships built on shared visions and mutual respect for transformative ideas. But most importantly find some "Defensible Magic" to get to that "Yes Zone". Link to the NFX article in comments along with link to their great Signal FX platform.

Kyle: "Are there particular verticals that Serac Ventures likes to invest in or avoid?" Kevin: "This is a good question, and I feel like my role as a venture capitalist is to add value beyond just writing a check. The companies that we invest in will be invested in them for probably more than 7 or 8 years. So we have to be able to do more than write checks. Not only that, we want to stay relevant for more than that time frame. Meaning we're only investing at this period if they're going to be successful. There's going to be bigger investors that come in the door to try to take our position. So, it has to be more than just capital." "Regarding how we have value or what sectors we focus on, we focus on sectors where we actually have experience. The first eight years of my career were in financial services, so naturally I look at a lot of financial services companies and Fintech companies. I have a guy on the team who works with a lot of SaaS companies in his background, and then a third guy on the team who does a lot of work with B2C companies. So we can cover the gamut. But categorically, it's Fintech, B2B, SaaS and some B2C or commerce enablement companies. These are broad categories, but within them, the medium of what each company does is a little bit different." "But functionally it's like the same thing. For example, I just got off a call before coming in here, the fintech founder who was talking about compliance and KYC and all these different AML things that banks and financial services providers need in order to operate. Because I worked at the Federal Reserve Bank, I can speak to the dynamics of what that actually means, what they need and how to develop it. So, I'm adding value." Strategic Growth Podcast Ep194: Early Stage Venture Capital Investing with Kevin Moore, Founder and Managing Partner of Serac Ventures in Oklahoma City. Moore has over 16 years of experience in finance and private markets investing. Prior to Serac Ventures, he was a Partner at Spur Capital Partners where he led investments into top-tier, early-stage venture capital fund managers and select co-investment/direct investments. Prior to Spur, Moore was the Director of Angel Investments and Venture Advisor at i2E, Inc. Listen/Watch/Stream/Subscribe https://lnkd.in/gRRW7GF7 Apple Podcast bit.ly/TheGoldingGroup Videos on YouTube bit.ly/GoldingGroupYouTube Spotify bit.ly/SGPSpotify iHeartRadio bit.ly/SGPiHeart Spreaker https://lnkd.in/g5VQu67K Goodpods https://bit.ly/SGPGoodPods Amazon https://bit.ly/SGPonAmazon Audible https://adbl.co/41HkMZ1 Podchaser bit.ly/SGPodchaser Pod Link http://pod.link/1275659816 Deezer bit.ly/SGPDeezer Podcast Addict bit.ly/SGPodAddict Podbean https://lnkd.in/giVxCBqT The Strategic Growth Podcast offers expert business insights, interviews with thought leaders and business plan triage for business owners, start-ups or anyone with a specific business problem. thegoldinggroup.com

🌴Exceptional Capital: Marell Evans' Journey to VC 🏈 Marell E. Evans, founder of Exceptional Capital, has defied the odds to raise $50 million for his first fund in Miami. His journey from NFL to VC exemplifies the "humble hustler" mentality driving his success. 📈Fund Growth: Exceptional Capital's initial $30M fund has expanded to $50M, despite challenges faced by other emerging VCs in raising capital. "It's tough to be an emerging manager right now, it's tough to build something that's worth." 📝Investment Strategy: The firm focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage startups, leveraging proprietary AI software to identify promising founders and talent. 🏃♂️Personal Journey: Evans transitioned from NFL to a career in technology sales, ultimately finding his passion in venture capital. With a bit of good luck, Evans got a meeting with Ben Horowitz, now the legendary investor at famed venture firm Andreessen Horowitz. 🏦Professional Milestones: Evans gained valuable experience at IBM, Okta, and SoftBank and a firm foundation at the family office of former Facebook and Amazon exec Owen Van Natta, before launching Exceptional Capital. ⏰Market Timing: Evans capitalized on an explosion of new fund managers entering the VC landscape between 2020 and 2022. In 2021, more than 1,800 emerging VCs raised over $180 billion, according to a recent PitchBook, those totals fell dramatically in 2023 — just 637 emerging managers raised new capital of $98 billion. 🤝Strategic Partnerships: Exceptional secured backing from prominent LPs, enabling fund expansion and team growth. Funding included backing from LPs like New Enterprise Associates (NEA), 776 Capital, Lightspeed, and SV Angel, among others. 💰Investment Philosophy: Evans prioritizes foresight over following trends, maintaining discipline in investment decisions, and uses proprietary AI-enabled software to track potential new startup founders at companies like OpenAI and Notion. 📢Founder Recognition: Startup founders appreciate Evans' passion and determination, seeing parallels between his journey and their own. "That same kind of vision and passion that you need to have as a founder to will a company into existence," Cody Coleman of Coactive AI said. 🔮Long-Term Vision: Evans is committed to building upon Exceptional Capital's success, aiming for continued growth and impact in the VC ecosystem with his team Andrew Van Nest as its managing partner, who focuses on talent investing and scouting, chief of staff Melissa Morano Aurigemma, and senior associate Graham Stoddard. ✅ Looking to raise capital for your #VCfund and increase the international pool of your LP #investors?   🤝 Need warm #LP introductions?   📝 Selling #secondaries to increase liquidity?   🧐 Looking for co-investments (Series A/Series B)?   ▶ G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks: https://lnkd.in/gjC_EuTE #VentureCapital #MiamiTech #StartupInvesting #ExceptionalCapital #MarellEvans #Founders #InvestmentStrategy

🚀 Deep Dive into the Venture Fund Business Model: A Must-Read for Entrepreneurs and Investors Alike! In the realm of venture capital, understanding the intricacies of how VC firms operate and make decisions is crucial for any entrepreneur aiming to secure funding. Sergey Toporov's latest article for Startups Magazine sheds light on this complex world, focusing on why valuations play a pivotal role in the investment committee's decisions and how the mathematics of venture capital works. Read the full article for a deeper understanding and let's discuss how these insights impact our strategies and decisions in the venture capital space. Your thoughts and experiences are welcome! https://lnkd.in/gf3b7n_H #VentureCapital #InvestmentStrategy #StartupValuation #Entrepreneurship #Fundraising

In addition to building our own VC practice at AAF Management Ltd., we’ve invested in 37 VCs since 2017. Here is what, I believe, it takes to build a multi-vintage, early-stage, venture franchise: 𝟭- 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀: hyper-focused GPs build longevity and consistency in their businesses. If you pitch LPs saying you will invest in early stage consumer but end up doing late stage consumer that’s a massive red flag. Stay germane to your mandate and strategy. 𝟮- 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: the market is crowded with venture firms, articulate your differentiated value proposition to LPs and founders. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Focus on 1-2 value propositions to your stakeholders and execute them with excellence and defensibility. 𝟯- 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆-𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: we tell stories everyday. Raising capital for a fund and building your venture firm requires that same story-telling skillset. Tell consistent narratives to the market to help build your own brand as well as your firm’s brand. 𝟰- 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁-𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲: if you possess subject-matter expertise in a certain vertical, domain or industry, you already own a defensible moat. Accentuate that to your advantage when building your firm, raising capital from LPs and winning deals from founders. 𝟱- 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: early stage venture is a highly collaborate asset class. Keep your ego at the door, you will never be able to do everything it takes to build a firm alone. Leverage LPs, partners and founders for deal flow sourcing, diligence and overall industry best practices. 𝟲- 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁-𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁-𝗙𝗶𝘁: in quintessential startup vernacular, ideally find your product-market-fit by the time you launch your second fund. You need product-market-fit before you scale your AUM, grow your team and carry more fiduciary responsibility. 𝟳- 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: early stage VC investing is a marathon. Patience will reward you personally, professionally and financially. Build mental, physical and psychological stamina to endure the inherent ebbs and flows of your entrepreneurial journey. 𝟴- 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺: early stage VC investing is the archetypal long-term financial asset. Think in 10 year increments for your firm’s grand vision, think in 4 years for a given fund’s investment period and think in quarters when reporting material updates on your portfolio to your LPs. 𝟵- 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗻: if instant gratification, short feedback loops and a constant need for reaffirmation is what you are looking for in a career then early stage VC investing will not fulfill you. Have fun building, and as Naval Ravikant once said: "𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙥𝙩𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙣." Finally, and most importantly, be authentic and true to yourself. #firmbuilding #entrepreneurs #VC

Legendary Ventures Establishes Bonus Distributions ⁉ Have you ever seen a venture fund share it's asset management fees? This changes the game in venture capital! When does an LP ever get a return before an exit at a fund? NEVER! 🤔 I'm proud that Legendary Ventures is pushing to change the landscape! Talk about trimming the hedge, not just hedging bets. https://lnkd.in/gYC6Stk9 #legendary #startups #entrepreneurs #venturecapital #investors