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Accelerate your startup journey with RHV's personalized 1:1 office hours, every Thursday from 12-2 via Zoom. Gain actionable feedback on your venture and uncover investor insights from our seasoned angel investors. https://lnkd.in/eQPMvzYw #Philadelphia #Entrepreneurship #Startups

🌟 Black Investors Changing the VC Landscape Series: Part 41 - Aaron Walker, Camelback Ventures 🚀 Meet Aaron Walker, the driving force behind Camelback Ventures , reshaping venture capital by investing in pre-seed companies focused on education, workforce development, health, and financial inclusion. Notable Investments: Gritly , Social Cipher , Thrive Investment Focus: Pre-seed companies addressing critical issues in education, workforce development, health, and financial inclusion. Why He's on the List: Aaron Walker's journey from ninth-grade English teacher to venture capitalist exemplifies his commitment to driving meaningful change. After teaching in West Philadelphia and working in law and education administration, Walker founded Camelback Ventures nine years ago. Since its inception, Camelback Ventures has been a beacon of support for underrepresented startup founders, investing $5 million in over 100 companies. Walker's unique background and dedication have positioned Camelback Ventures as a vital catalyst for innovation and equity in the startup ecosystem. As a trailblazer in the venture capital space, Aaron Walker is paving the way for a more inclusive and impactful future, one investment at a time. ✨ Connect with Aaron Walker and Camelback Ventures to learn more about their transformative approach to venture capital. Do you know of other Black VCs who champion underrepresented founders? Share your insights with us! #BlackInvestors #VentureCapital #DiversityInTech #startup #investor #Entrepreneurship #CamelbackVentures

When I first moved to LA I didn't know anyone. I had some distant acquaintances but knew nobody in the tech scene, and no founders or investors. It took me a while to find my group of people. After I made the career jump to Venture Capital, I realized the importance of building a network of people in your city. I started going to events (sometimes 3-5 per week) and putting myself out there. Meeting anybody and everybody I could to grow my network and meet people that inspired me. I then started hosting founder and investor events of my own including a beach picnic, sushi dinner, pickleball events, brunches, and over 20 others. Fast forward 3 years and today's pickleball event alone had over 20 people on the waitlist. I love being able to bring a group of people together because I truly believe that your network is your net worth and I hope I can share my network with others. Introducing good people sparks new endeavors rising all tides. Thank you so much to the sponsors: Sequoia, LA Fund, & AgencyReviews.io Love being able to continue to host these through Red Beard Ventures & The Girls Table! Next one is in March - let me know if you're interested! Aidan Gold, Amanda Grennan, Ben Bergman, Boyoung Kim, Brette Simon, Bruce Shetler, Robert Mowry, Chelsea Piedad, David Walsh, David Pack, Erik Maroney, Haley (Cassriel) Lyons, Jessie Somekh, Jeffrey Goldsmith, Jordan Wilson, Justin Lu, Jason Sandry, CFP®, Katie Vander Ark, Luke Barwikowski, Madeline Hilliard, Michael Fitzpatrick, Michael Treidl, CFA, Rachael Nomburg, PHR, Patrick Pan, Saveena Mandadi, Sophie Reynolds #founder #investor #LA #event #pickleball #vc #venturecapital

🌟 Black Investors Changing the VC Landscape Series: Part 35 - Ayana Parsons and Arian Simone, Fearless Fund 🚀 Introducing Ayana Parsons and Arian Simone, the dynamic duo behind Fearless Fund , reshaping the venture capital landscape by investing in women-of-color-led consumer and technology businesses. Notable Investments: Partake, Fresh Bellies , Bitsy's Investment Focus: Fearless Fund targets women-of-color-led businesses at the pre-seed to Series B stages, spanning both consumer and technology sectors. Why They're on the List: Ayana Parsons and Arian Simone's journey to founding Fearless Fund is a testament to resilience and determination. Simone's early career setbacks, including a period of homelessness, didn't deter her but fueled her entrepreneurial spirit. She went on to establish her own successful public relations and marketing firm, boasting clients like Sony Pictures Entertainment , Universal Pictures , and Disney pictures A2 Ajay . In 2019, Simone teamed up with Parsons, a seasoned executive with extensive experience in retail, consumer goods, and marketing, to launch Fearless Fund. Together, they are dedicated to providing capital and support to women of color entrepreneurs, empowering them to achieve their full potential. Fearless Fund's commitment to diversity and inclusion is not just a mission but a driving force behind their investments, making Ayana Parsons and Arian Simone true trailblazers in the world of venture capital. ✨Connect with Ayana Parsons and Arian Simone to learn more about Fearless Fund's mission and their vision for the future of entrepreneurship. Stay tuned for more inspiring profiles of Black investors leading the charge in our daily series! Share your thoughts and other impactful investors in the comments below. Oren Simanian Netsanet Meles Tam Sul #BlackInvestors #VentureCapital #DiversityInTech #startup #investor #Entrepreneurship #FearlessFund

These are some good tips for any founder contemplating their first M&A. Medtech M&A is its own unique beast (IP, regulatory clearance, and strategics, oh my!) no matter the size of the deal. More on this next week, but for now, this article is a good start!

🚀 Growing a company from seed stage to series A has a lot to do with hands-on support from your investors, shared Erica Duignan Minnihan during a conversation with investors who had started their own fund. Watch the entire clip to hear how Erica partners with founders and co-build businesses together. ⚡ If you're relatively new to investing (i.e. an accredited investor or non-partner VCs) don't miss our next New to VC event on August 6! In this next event, we'll talk to investors on what they learned about VC when they pivoted into the founder role. 🔔 Topic: Everything I Thought I Knew About VC Changed When I Became a Founder 📆 When: August 6 at 8:30am 📍 Where: Cooley LLP at Hudson Yards Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eAfrbPih This segment is from the panel on New to VC: Starting Your Own Fund on Feb 14. This event was moderated by Charlie O'Donnell, with Bloomberg Beta Founding Partner Karin Klein, Lakehouse Ventures Founder & General Partner John Neamonitis, and Reign Ventures Founder & General Partner Erica Duignan Minnihan. Big thanks to Cooley, Haymaker Group, and KPMG for making this event possible! #nyctech #nycstartups #VentureCapital #StartupGrowth #InvestorInsights #NewToVC

Career credit: Will Young Will was our first investor when Jimmy Jacobson and I started Wedgies. He represented Tony Hsieh and the Vegas Tech Fund (VTF). As Tony revitalized downtown Vegas, he started the $50M VTF fund to bring tech companies to the city alongside Zappos. Will was one of the partners running VTF. He fought for us and decided that VTF would invest. The defining thing about Will is that he is a great connector. Most of our introductions to investors like SV Angel, 500 Startups and Greycroft come through Will. He is a ride-or-die investor, the kind who comes to town and checks in on you and puts his reputation on the line for you and your company. He’s there for you whether your startup is struggling or thriving, and goes out of his way to help with sales or other operational efforts. Now, when I see people raising money, too often they focus on how much they can raise and how quickly they can close their round. But that's the wrong priority. What you really want is an investor who will step up and actually lead your round. Everyone focuses on your lead investor being the one with the most capital in the round. But what you really want is a lead who’s going to go for bat for you. There aren't many seed investors out there willing to take on that role, but Will did for us. And having him as our lead completely changed the trajectory for Jimmy and I. It made our entire Wedgies journey possible- Will was bought in from day 1 until when we sold the company. Without his help I don’t think we would have realized that outcome.

I can talk for days about the importance of cofounder dynamics and how they can make or break a great startup. What’s often overlooked is how the *right* investors are also crucial ingredients. Founders can be so singularly focused on raising a round that they overlook whether they’re bringing investors into their family who will serve it well—or burden it. Our lead investors for Clay at Remagine Ventures were always there—not as a distraction or mental drain, but as a true support. In fact, we’ve been really fortunate to have had great investors at our previous companies Ivy.co (acquired by Houzz) and Dynamic Yield by Mastercard too. Find good investors who are also good people. The rollercoaster journey of highs and lows is so much easier to endure when you have a good people by your side. Like these investors as people, not just dollars. Find yourselves a Kevin Baxpehler and Eze Vidra!

I've recently met many Black founders who are starting the fundraising process. Many of them have two valuations in their heads: one that they think is the true value of the business and the other a "realistic" valuation that they think they can raise because of their own limiting beliefs about what's possible for them. I understand that every other news post is about Black founders getting next to no venture capital. Still, if I'm being honest, I don't understand this idea of discounting myself before I ever get to the table. It gives "I'ma just take what they think I deserve and not what it's worth", and I don't like it. When it comes time to raise, I'll be raising on what this business is worth or not at all. It wouldn't be the first time I had to get something out of the mud, and I'll do it again before I discount myself. I'm getting annoyed just thinking about it, LOL. What's y'all take? I cringe every time I hear founders say this. #vc #venturecapital #startup

🚀 Black Investors Changing the VC Landscape Series: Part 13 - Erica Duignan Minnihan and Monique Idlett-Mosley, Reign Ventures 🌟 Meet Erica Duignan Minnihan and Monique Idlett-Mosley, the dynamic duo behind Reign Ventures , making waves in the startup scene by championing underrepresented founders. Notable Investments: - Babyation - Dormify - Monica + Andy - NICKLpass - Get access to news & info - Sharebite Investment Focus: Seed-stage companies with follow-on investments through Series B, with initial check sizes ranging from $500,000 to $1 million and additional reserves of up to $3 million in follow-on capital. Why They're on This List: Minnihan brings a wealth of experience as a veteran investor, starting her journey in finance as an investment banker before transitioning to early-stage VC. Her tenure as the executive director of Golden Seeds , a firm dedicated to investing in women entrepreneurs, laid the foundation for her commitment to supporting underrepresented founders. Idlett-Mosley, a powerhouse in her own right, served as the CEO of Mosley Brands and Mosley Music Group, with a portfolio including her then-husband, the legendary music producer Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley. Together, Minnihan and Idlett-Mosley recognized the funding gap for underrepresented founders and joined forces to establish Reign Ventures. After years of investing their own capital and cultivating investor relationships, they launched Reign's first institutionally backed fund in 2021, aiming to be part of the solution in addressing the funding disparities faced by diverse entrepreneurs. ✨Connect with them🚀 - Erica Duignan Minnihan - Monique Idlett-Mosley Stay tuned for more inspiring profiles of Black investors leading the charge in our daily series! Share your thoughts and other impactful investors in the comments below. 1:30 Oren Simanian Tam Sul Selome Mekonnen #BlackInvestors #VentureCapital #DiversityInTech #startup #investor #Entrepreneurship #ReignVentures