Zanda’s Post

Are you an investor overloaded by portfolio-company board commitments and looking to add more value?   Or, are you a founder who is seeking more from their investor board but unsure how to go about it? 🗓 Mark Wednesday, November 6th on your calendar, get your tickets for Canada’s Best Private Boards Summit and Awards 2024, and be prepared for some answers during our special investor board session: https://lnkd.in/d6kcVZuh   We are excited to announce Session 4!   🌟SESSION FOUR: Founders and Investors Unite — The Unique Needs and Changing Face of Investor Boards🌟   An investment can be a lifeline, allowing an organization to set in motion its growth plans and strategic goals. With investors come board seats, as well as a unique and critical relationship between founders and owners, and the private equity or venture capital firms backing them. In this session, we look at the evolving nature of this relationship and discuss best practices for building strong boards, for driving growth and for supporting founders through change. Meet Our Panelists: We’re honoured to have Janet Bannister (Founder & Managing Partner, Staircase Ventures), David Au-Yeung (Co-Founder, Flipp; Managing Partner of CollectiveXP), George Rossolatos (Former Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Business Growth Fund), and Abdullah Snobar (Executive Director, DMZ and Chief Executive Officer, DMZ Ventures) take the stage.   Special thanks to our sponsors: Richter CIBC Private Wealth / Gestion privée CIBC Fraser Sutherland ACG Toronto Chapter Capital Angel Network Private Directors Association®   Don’t miss your chance to connect with and learn from the best! #Governance #BoardOfDirectors #PrivateCompanies #CEOs #Founders #CanadasBestPrivateBoards #Awards #Summit #PanelSession

Yesterday, I had the pleasure to join the Montague executive dinner in Frankfurt. Experts from the Healthcare Industry met Private Equity and Venture Capital. Here are my two surprising take aways:   1)     I thought that “Buy-and-Build” or “Exit-Multiple Expansion” are the most important value drivers for private equity backed healthcare companies. Guess what: Wrong, it is organic growth as is it for venture capital backed growth companies. 2)     Private Equity executives thought that minority investors like VC have a rather lower involvement in their invested companies. Guess what: Wrong, comparing day-to-day operations and legal structures put into place, we agreed that we apply a similar toolkit as an active shareholder.     Thanks to Frank Loehner and the Montagu team for making this exchange possible. Looking forward to further discussions on the common ground between VC and PE investors in healthcare.

"When closing your first deal, you're not just securing that round; you're setting the terms for all future rounds.” - Adam Rosenwach, Chief Business Officer, Deerfield Catalyst When raising your first round of funding it’s important to remember that you're not just securing capital. You're also setting the stage for all future investments. Choose investors who offer more than money—look for partners who bring strategic value, guidance, and alignment with your vision. Conduct thorough due diligence on potential investors to ensure they are the right fit for your company. This alignment is crucial, as the terms you establish now will influence your future funding rounds. Hear from experienced panelists as they explore these topics and more, offering insights into the deeper layers of fundraising and the unexpected challenges that can emerge after the initial commitment: Panelists: • Adam Rosenwach — Deerfield Catalyst (Moderator) • Todd Usen — Minerva Surgical, Inc. • Claire Masterson — Caresyntax • Kyle Faget — Foley & Lardner LLP This panel titled, “Beneath the Tip of the Fundraising Iceberg: What Challenges Come After Getting the Verbal Yes?” is available on our website and YouTube channel.

Our CEO Andrew Wolfson and CIO Jamie Kennell recently featured in Wealth Club's 'Meet the Manager' series. In the interview, Andrew and Jamie offer valuable insights into Pembroke VCT's investment strategy for 2024, the current status of our portfolio, and the VCT's overall performance. Additionally, they provide updates on a few of our portfolios such as LYMA, Seatfrog, N Family Club, and Secret Food Tours. Some key takeaways include: 1. We seek out entrepreneurs who have a thorough understanding of the industry they intend to disrupt and are leveraging technology to create innovative solutions. 2. We place great emphasis on the qualities of the individuals who lead the businesses we invest in, as well as their ability to adapt and grow. 3. We offer our portfolio of founders access to each other, allowing them to share insights and collaborate on building successful businesses. Thank you Wealth Club and Jonathan Moyes for conducting the interview and sharing this insightful discussion. Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/evQBsrE6

Looking forward to #Transform2024 next week in Las Vegas. Be sure to check out my panel on "Funding the Future: Investor Predictions for Workforce Evolution"  #WorkTech #HumanResources #conference #innovation #FutureofWork

Interested in learning what Irish #VCs are looking for right now? Our #Founders portfolio got the scoop at this week’s VC reverse pitching session. Delta Partners Ltd.’s Amy Neale, Barry Brennan 💡 of Elkstone, and Michael Lynch of Irelandia Investments joined us in Dogpatch, digging deep into their firms’ investment theses, processes and objectives. What did we come away with? 🧐 Key Factors at Pre-Seed Stage: VCs focus on Founders, market, traction, and product (in that order!) when evaluating investment opportunities. ✅ Investment Green Flags from a VC's perspective: Standout storytelling, highly responsive founders, and an impeccably organised data room. ✍️ Top Tip for Meeting Investors: First impressions matter! Investors typically form their initial judgment within the first 3-5 minutes of your interaction. Make sure you nail your intro to capture their attention from the outset. Save this for your next pitching round! NDRC | Heather Morris | Jane Dillon | Shiu Lun Tsang | Emily O' Gorman | Deirbhile Gorman

It was brilliant to be in the room today, to listen and learn from our peers but more importantly strategise about how we grow female-led angel groups across the UK and how we introduce more women into the world of angel investing. #AngelInvesting #FemaleLeadership #EconomicGrowth #WomenbackingWomen

Inspired by the power of legacy, collaboration, and angel investing to scale impact. From this piece, "Gregory Smith was a relentless believer in entrepreneurs and knew that just making the investment often would not cut it." This is such a warm reminder for me of the daily impact that Greg had on the ecosystem in Vancouver and BC. That's why this award is such an important one to acknowledge and amplify. Congratulations Aki and Claudia. I've had the good fortune to what the Save da Sea story from the very early days, and the two of you personify the type of relationship that should exist between investors and founders. I believe this is especially true when we have an opportunity to change how capital is accessed by under-represented founders. What you have accomplished through these past few years is nothing short of amazing, and we all know this is just the beginning. This relationship, and this award, also highlights the power of angel investing to impact the innovation ecosystem. The collaborative approach with founders, fellow angel investors, and early stage VCs is often the difference to unlock early growth, capital and impact. I also want to give a big shout out to Irene Dorsman, Pieter Dorsman, and Angel Forum ™ Vancouver for this annual award to celebrate founders and investors alike, and also for continuing to hold up Greg's legacy. #impactinvesting #angelinvesting #whatinspiresme #bethechange #techforgood #businessforgood #vancouver #victoria #britishcolumbia https://lnkd.in/gq9b5tyu

Venture capital is often seen as just a financial tool—a means to scale businesses by injecting capital into high-risk ventures. But if you’re aiming to build a massively successful company, you know it takes more than just money. It takes a support system, a team that’s in your corner, ready to call BS when needed, help you build the right team, and keep you inspired when times get tough. But with over 48,000 #VCs worldwide, it’s tough to know which ones will truly have your back. That’s why we launched the Founder-First Investor Award—to spotlight those investors who are more than just capital on your cap table. These are the ones who are truly invested in your success, who understand that you can’t do it alone, and who are there to see you and your business thrive long after the check clears. In #NYC, founders named and celebrated Nick Adams as the most supportive investor, with Richard Odior, Lisa Burton O'Toole, PhD, and Lauren Reeves as finalists. Now, we’re taking this award to #Chicago, where we’re on the hunt for the most founder-first investors in the Windy City. #Founders, if you know an investor who has gone above and beyond, this is your chance to help them get the recognition they deserve! #ChicagoTech #VC #Entrepreneurship

If Videesha is leading a panel on #LP investing you must be there. Direct, open and honest with true insights. We need more of these discussions in #European #Venture.