UK Business Angels Association’s Post

I was part of Antler’s Spring 2024 Cohort and had so much fun. They’re currently recruiting for their Fall US Cohort in NYC, and Austin. Here is a bit about my experiences: • I wasn’t looking for an accelerator, but I had been co-founder dating since January. At Antler I was put in a room of ~ 100 other people who had quit their jobs and were looking to start something new. Spoiler: I ended up finding a cofounder there. • Having a network of founders at a similar stage as you is invaluable. Entrepreneurship is really stressful and you don’t want to do it alone. Being able to compare notes on VCs and your experiences with peers is a game changer. • I was interested in founding a VC scale business. There are so many paths to success and this one is very personal. For me at this point in my life the worst thing that could happen would be me making a modestly successful company that I felt tied to. I really wanted to build something huge or fail while trying. • They had a majority of underrepresented founders in my cohort, and have more women on staff (and in leadership roles) than any other VC I’ve encountered so far. • Alignment: I genuinely agree with a lot of their thesis on what it takes to be a founder of a VC scale business. When they spoke about entrepreneurship I generally agreed with 95%+ of it, which I actually think is rare. • Personally, I’ve never felt more supported than in my relationship with Antler. Here is the link to apply, but reach out if we're mutuals and you have questions: https://lnkd.in/d5iiYpXA

I’ve officially broken into VC! And not ANY VC. I joined Antler - the world’s most active early-stage investor. 5 things you should know about Antler: 1. We have 30 offices across six continents and over 1K portfolio companies globally 2. We invest from day ZERO and keep backing our companies for their whole journey  3. We are the best place on the planet to find exceptional co-founders  4. Our companies scale faster, backed by our truly global community of founders, advisors and investors 5. In Australia alone, Antler has backed ~300 founders across >100 compelling ventures 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫? We're after founders of all shapes and sizes - serial entrepreneurs, technical builders, GTM strategists and researchers looking to commercialise their life's work. If you're: 👩💻 A technical builder who's sick of sprint planning and internal politics ❤️ Someone in love with an idea, but need to validate and find a co-founder to bring it to life 🇦🇺 In Australia and able to commit full-time to our Residency for ~10 weeks We want to chat! I'd love to chat to as many people as possible in the next few weeks. If you’re interested, Fill this form [it takes 1 minute] https://lnkd.in/gX83nesi [Incredibly happy to be collaborating and learning from you Sarah Kimmorley, 🌞Liam Potter, Rani Heraputeri, Joshua Farrugia, James McClure, Akhil Sharma, Rachel Guest (she/her), Mike Abbott, Maeve Couch, Min Tan, Seamus Dines Muntaner, Michael Kron and the whole team :) ]

People often ask me what the "it" factor is that makes a great founder and a successful company. At first, I thought it was all about having an amazing product, a huge untapped market, or maybe even securing venture capital. But over time, I’ve come to realize that for me, the real "it" factor is having a natural appetite for taking calculated risks. Take my own experience: I went against the grain by leaving the comfort of a comfy salary + benefits, even cashing out my 401(k) in 2022 to bootstrap DUKAPAQ. When people used to ask me if DUKAPAQ was similar to Square, I’d say, "yes, but better." (LOL) Not because I was being arrogant or naive, but because I spent a decade working to provide technology solutions to thousands of small businesses worldwide, which helped me build my company with a blend of risk, industry research, experience and confidence. You have to have confidence in order to take risks. So, if you’re a founder feeling uncertain or worn down, remember that this journey is filled with unavoidable risks. When you’re willing to take risks and have the agency to make decisions, you can adapt and navigate through tough times. It takes guts to keep pushing ahead, especially since most people are conditioned to play it safe. Whatever you do, stay focused and keep it moving!

🔥 Tomorrow marks the beginning of TechChill, and it's all starting with a bang at Investor Day powered by Practica Capital! Prepare yourself for an exclusive event tailored just for investors, packed with insightful content and prime networking opportunities. Here's what's in store: ➡️ Arvydas Bloze will be sharing some insights on 'Baltic Startup Ecosystem in a Broader Context'. Following this, brace yourselves for an engaging panel discussion: ➡️ Investor Talks: A Reality Check on VC Investment Trends Introducing Our Esteemed Panelists: 🌟 Wouter Vorstman, representing Piton Capital 🌟 Luisa Frank, representing Burda Principal Investments 🌟 Peter Sandberg, representing Nordic Secondary Fund This A-Team will delve into the latest trends shaping VC investments, providing a reality check you won't want to miss! And hey, founders - make sure to secure your spot for a chat with our team. We want to hear your story. See you in vibrant Riga! 🇱🇻

Last week was a busy one at Antler, as we had a full house in Berlin with founders from Munich and Amsterdam coming to visit! One of the major highlights of the week was a VC panel, hosted by our one and only Frederik Brandis, featuring leaders from the German VC community like Alexander Kölpin from seed + speed Ventures and Louis Heinz from HTGF | High-Tech Gründerfonds. 🎙️ We covered some great topics—from how VCs evaluate opportunities and upcoming technologies to what’s the next big thing in VC land. The standout discussion for me centered on the risks of solely optimising for valuation and how founders can find a balance between runway and expectations. 💰 It’s easy to become obsessed with valuation and raising lots of money. And yes, while big raises can signal strong momentum and fuel rapid growth 🚀, they also come with monumental expectations. So the question becomes, how can founders avoid overpromising to investors, while still raising enough to build the next big thing? To our Amsterdam and Munich founders, we already miss you! Looking forward to our next events!

Now, Link is shifting its focus towards achieving excellence in customer service.

Hindsight Ventures is thrilled to partner with Black Ops Catalyst for an exclusive webinar featuring our Co-founder & CEO, Ajay Ramasubramaniam! 📅 Date: Thursday, March 14th, 2024 🕑 Time: 2:00 PM WAT 🔍 Topic: Achieving Excellence as a Tech Operator (growth, strategy, and best practices) Join Ajay for a deep dive into the strategies and best practices that drive excellence in the tech industry. 📌 Key Highlights: ● Insider Perspectives: Gain insights from a seasoned tech leader and Co Founder & CEO of Hindsight Ventures. ● Growth Strategies: Explore effective approaches to navigate the ever evolving tech landscape. ● Networking Opportunities: Connect with industry professionals passionate about tech innovation. 🔗 Secure your virtual spot by indicating your interest here: https://lnkd.in/eXGsMXCa Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn, network, and elevate your operating game! 🚀 Claire Sonia Jagruti Bista Emmanuel Akandwanaho Fiona Kiruja Gerald Black Black Ops #HindsightVentures #BlackOpsCatalyst #TechLeadership #Webinar #TechStrategy #GrowthMindset #InnovationInTech #ProfessionalDevelopment

Building something BIG is hard - you need the right people by your side to make it happen. I’ve known Barak and Kevin for over a decade as my closest friends, and after two years of building Coddy together, I can confidently say I wouldn’t have made it this far without them. In the picture below, we’re celebrating another milestone for Coddy, in LA, joined by our early investors, Fusion VC. To the next milestones! #founders

Don't allow the full 50% of your time to be taken up with people, hire an operations consultant that can be your right hand to handle the processes so that you can focus on scaling. This will allow the people focus to be truly inspiring your team. Every visionary needs an operations guru as their right hand to grow efficiently!

Growth with the right partners 💪💪💪💯