Runway Series (Venture Capital, Startups, Crypto, web3), in partnership with Olive Capital.

Slush 2023 Exclusive! Cracking the Code: Decoding Brand Building with Rahul Vohra, Co-Founder & CEO at Superhuman.

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"BUILD YOUR BRAND" EBOOK! This episode comes up with a 9-page step-by-step framework (ebook in PDF) to build your brand as an early stage startup founder, whether you're building in web2 or web3, based on Rahul's experience building Superhuman, the fastest email experience. This ebook in PDF will be available for our paid subscribers on our newsletter "Venture Notes".

End of year 2023 offer!! Get 50% off and pay €45 instead of €90 for 12 months. Redeem link: https://upcomingvc.substack.com/superhuman

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In this upcoming episode, Rahul Vohra (linkedin.com/in/rahulvohra), Co-Founder & CEO at Superhuman (superhuman.com), shares invaluable guidance on building a brand for startups, emphasizing its pivotal role in achieving growth and product-market fit. He challenges conventional views on virality, stressing the unseen force of brand in fostering word-of-mouth growth. Rahul outlines key steps in brand development, from defining ideals to selecting a resonant name, drawing on his experience with Superhuman. Notably, he addresses the symbiotic relationship between brand building and finding product-market fit, advocating for their simultaneous pursuit. Additionally, Rahul provides pragmatic advice for web3 founders, emphasizing the importance of creating compelling product experiences. Regarding AI, he envisions a future where technology seamlessly integrates with human identity, transforming how we access and utilize vast amounts of data... Let's get into the episode.

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The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠⁠⁠).

Building the Access Control & Granular Governance Layer for web3, with Greg Jessner from Narval, Building the Platform and the Future of Digital Assets. I am really excited about this episode with ⁠⁠⁠⁠Greg Jessner⁠ Co-founder & CEO @ ⁠Narval⁠.

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This is free, 15min excerpt of the full-length episode published in our premium newsletter called Venture Notes (⁠⁠⁠⁠https://venturenotes.co⁠⁠⁠⁠). If you want to become a premium member and enjoy the full experience, grab until Dec 31, 2023 a special offer : 50% off, €45/year instead of €90/year, link to redeem ⁠https://upcomingvc.substack.com/narval⁠⁠

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We’ve entered the third era of the internet, as Chris Dixon says, from a16z. An internet owned by the builders and the users. web3 that blockchain will create a true decentralized data layer, centered around three main characteristics, including organizations around digital assets. In the future, every organization will own and utilize digital assets, the same way that every organization owns and utilizes physical assets today. According to the crypto startup Narval, secure usage and access control is the game in the digital property era. Key storage is maturing, with significant advancements in MPC, smart wallets, and HSMs, resulting in multiple options for securing keys - via a custodian or self-custody or decentralized-custody - depending on an organization’s needs and use-cases. As key generation & storage decouples from the rest of the wallet stack, ⁠Narval⁠'s core innovation is a granular governance and orchestration layer over any key storage and custody model, designed from the ground up to enable precise usage & access control over digital property. In this episode, we welcome ⁠Greg Jessner Co-founder & CEO @ Narval⁠. With a recent announcement of a $4 million seed round led by BlockTower, Narval is accelerating on its journey to build the wallet management platform for organizations. In this episode we explore the ethical considerations of such control, the philosophical implications of ownership in the web3 era, and the delicate balance between decentralization and control. We'll also examine Narval's core innovations, the technical intricacies behind their security measures, and how their platform addresses the challenges faced by organizations in securely using their digital assets. Let's get into the episode right now.

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The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠⁠).

Building the Access Control & Granular Governance Layer for web3, with Greg Jessner from Narval, Building the Platform and the Future of Digital Assets. I am really excited about this episode with ⁠Greg Jessner Co-founder & CEO @ Narval.

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A free, 15min excerpt will be published on the main public streaming platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify..) in the next few days.

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Meanwhile, this is a trailer of the full-length episode to be published in our premium newsletter called Venture Notes (⁠⁠⁠https://venturenotes.co⁠⁠⁠). If you want to become a premium member and enjoy the full experience, grab until Dec 31, 2023 a special offer : 50% off, €45/year instead of €90/year, link to redeem https://upcomingvc.substack.com/narval⁠

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We’ve entered the third era of the internet, as Chris Dixon says, from a16z. An internet owned by the builders and the users. web3 that blockchain will create a true decentralized data layer, centered around three main characteristics, including organizations around digital assets. In the future, every organization will own and utilize digital assets, the same way that every organization owns and utilizes physical assets today. According to the crypto startup Narval, secure usage and access control is the game in the digital property era. Key storage is maturing, with significant advancements in MPC, smart wallets, and HSMs, resulting in multiple options for securing keys - via a custodian or self-custody or decentralized-custody - depending on an organization’s needs and use-cases. As key generation & storage decouples from the rest of the wallet stack, Narval's core innovation is a granular governance and orchestration layer over any key storage and custody model, designed from the ground up to enable precise usage & access control over digital property. In this episode, we welcome Greg Jessner Co-founder & CEO @ Narval. With a recent announcement of a $4 million seed round led by BlockTower, Narval is accelerating on its journey to build the wallet management platform for organizations. In this episode we explore the ethical considerations of such control, the philosophical implications of ownership in the web3 era, and the delicate balance between decentralization and control. We'll also examine Narval's core innovations, the technical intricacies behind their security measures, and how their platform addresses the challenges faced by organizations in securely using their digital assets. Let's get into the episode right now.

-

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠).

Social Good, Crypto, Bridging the Digital Divide: Deep Dive into the UNICEF CryptoFund, at the intersection of Ethics, Finance, Technology. I am really excited about this episode with Sanna Bedi and Arun Maharajan from the UNICEF Venture Capital Fund and UNICEF CryptoFund that goes deep into how they tackle complex issues at the intersection of finance, ethics, and technology.

• This episode is an excerpt of the full-length episode you can discover in our premium newsletter called Venture Notes (⁠⁠https://venturenotes.co⁠⁠). If you want to become a premium member and enjoy the full experience, grab until Sep 30, 2023 a special offer : 50% off, €45/year instead of €90/year, link to redeem ⁠https://upcomingvc.substack.com/300923

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The UNICEF Venture Fund was launched in 2016 specifically designed to finance early stage, open source technology that can benefit children. In October 2019, UNICEF launched the CryptoFund, a new financial vehicle allowing UNICEF to receive, hold, and disburse cryptocurrency - a first for the UN. The CryptoFund is a pooled fund of bitcoin and ether and the investments made through the CryptoFund are denominated in crypto. In the context of the UN Venture Fund, cryptocurrency is an additional way for UNICEF to make investments into early-stage startups in emerging and developing economies. The CryptoFund is a prototype fund for UNICEF to explore the use of digital currencies, and what it means to operate in a digitally financed future.

Sanna and Arun discuss reconciling financial returns with the ethical imperative of prioritizing children's well-being and address equitable distribution of technological benefits. The conversation explores promoting open-source solutions, inclusivity for women in tech, and striking a balance between short-term gains and long-term sustainability. Sanna and Arun provide an overview of the UN CryptoFund's alignment with UN goals and its project selection criteria and cover what they understand by successful projects and their impact, geographic focus, cryptocurrency funding, transparency, and the concept of digital public goods. The episode concludes with a glimpse into the future plans of these funds, offering a comprehensive overview of how unique this UN initiative is.

In summary:

1. Balancing financial returns with the ethical imperative for children's well-being.
2. Equitable distribution of technological benefits and addressing the digital divide.
3. Promotion of open-source solutions and implications for intellectual property.
4. Fostering inclusivity and empowerment for women in the tech industry.
5. Balancing short-term financial gains with long-term sustainability.
6. Geographic focus, cryptocurrency funding, transparency, and future plans of the UN CryptoFund and Venture Capital Fund.

Let's get into the episode right now.

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The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com⁠).

This episode is an excerpt of the full talk (13th out of 13 talks in total) that was held during our second ⁠⁠«Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success»⁠⁠. Head to ⁠⁠summit.runwayseries.co⁠⁠ to get the full episode and detailed shownotes. Enjoy the show!

- - -

Over 3 days on June 1-3, 2021, during break lunches (11.30 - 1.45) and at the end of the day (5.30 - 7) and in 4 time zones, we received 39 guests (28 VC & 11 CEOs) including 31 who had already come on the Runway Series podcast. With ⁠⁠«Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success»⁠⁠, the idea is to take a step back from the usual discussions on execution, in order to understand what are the fundamentals of success, with 13 panels covering the DNA of entrepreneurship, the dynamics of co-founding teams, branding, focus, change, remote, data, creativity, diversity and inclusion. And unique fact, these 13 talks are hosted by the 39 guests who themselves are the moderators of these talks, which mechanically increases the quality of the talks. Top speakers from French startups / scaleups (Double, Labellevie, Supermood, Medadom, Convelio..) and French VCs (Frst, Elaia, Ventech, Cap Horn, Ring, Kima, Eutopia, Axeleo and many others) participates but also European VC partners, such as Evgenia from Dawn, Sia from Seedcamp, Jon from e.ventures, Louis from Point Nine, Mathias from Speedinvest.., as well as investors such as Marguerite from Cherry, David from Brighteye or Vincent Head of MarComm's at Northzone which also shows the attractiveness of the French scene for discussing structuring and fundamental subjects.

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠www.upcoming.vc⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco, and in partnership with Olive Capital (⁠olivecapital.vc⁠).

I am really excited about this episode, which is a deep dive into DeFi (decentralized finance) and decentralized lending, web3 leadership and communities, and the transformative potential for communities of Kairos Loan.

• This episode is an excerpt of the full-length episode you can discover in our premium newsletter called Venture Notes (⁠https://venturenotes.co⁠). If you want to become a premium member and enjoy the full experience, grab until Aug 15, 2023 a special offer : 50% off, €45/year instead of €90/year, link to redeem https://upcomingvc.substack.com/150823

In this conversation, I have the chance to welcome Joseph Bosselut⁠, Co-Founder & CEO at Kairos Loan.

Kairos Loan is a new type of lending protocol allowing you to borrow instantly using an NFT as collateral and with the best rates on the market, according to Joseph. As the use of NFTs increases in various industries, NFT lending platforms are becoming increasingly important. This is due to the fact that NFTs are illiquid by nature, making it challenging for holders to access the value of their holdings.

However, NFT loans offer a solution to this problem by allowing holders to use their assets as collateral to borrow funds. These platforms allow NFT holders to use their tokens as collateral for loans. This creates a new financial market for NFTs, as lenders can earn interest on their funds while borrowers can unlock the value of their NFTs without having to sell them.

As the NFT market continues to grow, NFT loans have the potential to bring a new level of liquidity to the space and unlock even more use cases for these unique digital assets.

As part of the recent €1M fundraise, Jo announced that “Kairos aims to democratize and revolutionize the finance surrounding NFTs. Their flagship tool, Kairos Loan, is a collateralized lending protocol that enables instant value mobilization without the need to sell your NFTs, offering the most favorable terms in the market.”

According to Kairos, the startup wants to “prioritize improving the user experience for borrowers while maximizing capital efficiency for lenders. With just a few clicks, users can leverage any type of NFT to get a crypto loan, completely eliminating liquidation risk and ensuring the best terms available”.

Kairos protocol initially supports the most popular NFT collections on the Ethereum network such as Bored Ape Yacht Club, Doodle or Azuki.

In this podcast, we talk about:

• The principles of decentralization and empowering users to take control of their financial futures through Kairos Loan.
• Balancing innovation and progress with the potential risks and downsides of new financial technologies.
• The role of NFTs in the future of gaming and how Kairos Loan is shaping that future.
• The evolution of Kairos Loan in the next 5-10 years and its impact on the world of finance.
• The broader landscape of DeFi and blockchain-based finance, including opportunities and challenges for the industry.
• Defining and communicating a compelling shared mission for community-first companies, building thriving communities, and measuring success beyond traditional financial metrics.

Let's get into the episode right now.

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠olivecapital.vc⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠raphael-grieco.com)

• This episode is an excerpt of the full-length episode you can discover in our premium newsletter called Venture Notes (⁠https://venturenotes.co⁠). If you want to become a premium member and enjoy the full experience, grab until July 15, 2023 a special offer : 50% off, €45/year instead of €90/year, link to redeem https://upcomingvc.substack.com/150723

In this conversation, I have the chance to welcome Clarisse Hagège, Co-Founder & CEO at DNFS.

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DFNS is a cybersecurity company providing wallet infrastructure for web3. From banks to gaming studios, developer teams rely on their decentralized custody network to build seamless applications and deliver smooth experiences for crypto.

DFNS develops a custodial wallet-as-a-service (WaaS) protocol for developers to build on top of “highly secure” cloud environments, by leveraging MPC, ZK- based cryptography, and modern networking technology.

DFNS is today able to decentralise custody in a unique fashion.

This episode is a deep dive into DFNS’s own definition of security and freedom when protecting crypto assets and how the companies executes to strike the right balance between the two.

In this podcast, we're:

• exploring DFNS's revolutionary custodial solutions and the technology behind their wallet-as-a-service protocol.
• understanding the benefits of ZK-based cryptography in decentralized custody solutions like DFNS's protocol.
• unraveling how DFNS ensures privacy and security using ZK-based cryptography for user transactions and data.
• discussing the challenges and advancements in ZK-based cryptography and their impact on decentralized custody and the broader crypto ecosystem.
• delving into the design decisions and trade-offs made by DFNS to balance security, usability, and scalability in their wallet infrastructure.
• examining the role of interoperability in web3 projects and the evolving landscape of DeFi in the web3 context, including opportunities and challenges that arise as DeFi continues to mature.

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠⁠www.upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠⁠https://olivecapital.vc⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠https://mint.rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠https://www.raphael-grieco.com⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠https://rapha.elgrie.co⁠⁠)

This episode is an excerpt of the full talk (12th out of 13 talks in total) that was held during our second ⁠«Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success»⁠. Head to ⁠summit.runwayseries.co⁠ to get the full episode and detailed shownotes. Enjoy the show!

- - -

Over 3 days on June 1-3, 2021, during break lunches (11.30 - 1.45) and at the end of the day (5.30 - 7) and in 4 time zones, we received 39 guests (28 VC & 11 CEOs) including 31 who had already come on the Runway Series podcast. With ⁠«Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success»⁠, the idea is to take a step back from the usual discussions on execution, in order to understand what are the fundamentals of success, with 13 panels covering the DNA of entrepreneurship, the dynamics of co-founding teams, branding, focus, change, remote, data, creativity, diversity and inclusion. And unique fact, these 13 talks are hosted by the 39 guests who themselves are the moderators of these talks, which mechanically increases the quality of the talks. Top speakers from French startups / scaleups (Double, Labellevie, Supermood, Medadom, Convelio..) and French VCs (Frst, Elaia, Ventech, Cap Horn, Ring, Kima, Eutopia, Axeleo and many others) participates but also European VC partners, such as Evgenia from Dawn, Sia from Seedcamp, Jon from e.ventures, Louis from Point Nine, Mathias from Speedinvest.., as well as investors such as Marguerite from Cherry, David from Brighteye or Vincent Head of MarComm's at Northzone which also shows the attractiveness of the French scene for discussing structuring and fundamental subjects.

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠www.upcoming.vc⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco, and in partnership with Olive Capital (olivecapital.vc).

• This episode is an excerpt of the full-length episode you can discover in our premium newsletter called Venture Notes (https://venturenotes.co). If you want to become a premium member and enjoy the full experience, grab until April 25, 2023 a special offer : 50% off, €45/year instead of €90/year, link to redeem https://upcomingvc.substack.com/100423

In this conversation, I have the chance to welcome, Kurt Hemecker, who is the Chief Operating Officer at the MINA Foundation. Kurt Hemecker brings over two decades of global business experience, including roles at the Facebook-backed Diem stablecoin project, and PayPal, to his new role as Chief Operating Officer at Mina Foundation.

With their holistic zero knowledge product suite including zkApps, zkBridges, and zkOracles, Mina is positioned to become the powerhouse for privacy and security in Web3. Mina has continuously shown signs of massive potential with one of the most efficient ZK proving technologies out there, world-class teams, and unparalleled success at building a global community.

Mina is the world’s lightest blockchain, powered by participants. Rather than apply brute computing force, Mina uses advanced cryptography and recursive zk-SNARKs to design an entire blockchain that is about 22kb, the size of a couple of tweets.

It is the first layer-1 to enable efficient implementation and easy programmability of zero knowledge smart contracts (zkApps). With its unique privacy features and ability to connect to any website, Mina is building a private gateway between the real world and crypto—and the secure, democratic future.

In this episode we talk about: - what brought Kurt to crypto - the privacy in the digital age and the ethics of technology - decentralization, trust and power distribution - how MINA is different from other ZK players - we also go into the technical details of how to build on the MINA Protocol - use cases spanning DeFi, Gaming, AI, logistics and supply chain but also healthcare - the strategies to build and incentivize the MINA community

Plus so much more. Let’s get into the episode right now.

- - -

MINA Foundation, MINA Protocol: https://minaprotocol.com/about

zkIgnite: https://minaprotocol.com/zkignite-cohort1-signup

0(1) Labs: https://o1labs.org

MINA Protocol on twitter: https://twitter.com/MinaProtocol

MINA Foundation on twitter: https://twitter.com/MinaFoundation

Kurt Hemecker on twitter: https://twitter.com/khem

Diem Project: https://www.diem.com/en-us/

Novi, digital wallet, shutting down: https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/2/23192501/meta-shutting-down-digital-wallet-novi-diem-cryptocurrency

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠⁠www.upcoming.vc⁠⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (⁠https://olivecapital.vc⁠ / ⁠https://mint.rapha.elgrie.co⁠ / ⁠https://www.raphael-grieco.com⁠ / ⁠https://rapha.elgrie.co⁠)

What is really unique is that Arab Bank Switzerland in 2019 was NOT expected at all to raise its profile up to the crypto game. But as expected by such an accountable wealth manager, its services are being developed really carefully with best-of-breed partners such as Taurus (for custody) or The NFT Factory (for crypto-art collecting)(disclaimer: I am one of the 128 Co-Founders of the NFT Factory) and other prime partners.

In this episode I have the chance to host Rani Jabban, Member of the Executive Committee, in charge of Capital Markets, Digital Asset Services, Financial Institutions and Marketing at Arab Bank, whom I’ve known since 2019 when they launched their crypto-asset services.

In this conversation, we dive intro Arab Bank’s mission when it comes to crypto assets, how to bank addresses risks and regulations in the space, and finally how the bank and its clients support digital and crypto artists. We talk about DeFi, education, digital and crypto art collecting plus so much more.

Become a premium member to get the full episode (50% off for 12 months, €45/y vs €90/y normally).

- - -

Rani Jabban: https://ch.linkedin.com/in/rani-jabban-2594b25

NFT Factory Paris: https://nftfactoryparis.com

Arab Bank Switzerland: https://www.arabbank.ch

Art by Arab Bank: https://artbyarabbank.ch

Prix d'art NFT par Arab Bank: https://artbyarabbank.ch/prix-dart-nft/candidature-artiste

Non Fungible Conference: https://www.nonfungibleconference.com

Taurus: https://www.taurushq.com

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠⁠www.upcoming.vc⁠⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco (https://olivecapital.vc / https://mint.rapha.elgrie.co / https://www.raphael-grieco.com / https://rapha.elgrie.co)

• Catherine Treyz, Head of Comms & Platform, Cherry Ventures (Germany)
• Ashley Cravens, Head of Operations & Platform, Uncork Capital (SF, US)
• Simon Lohmann, Head of VC Platform & IR, Cavalry (Germany)
• Lior Goldenberg, Head of Platform, Collider (Israel)

Read this fatastic discussion in our premium newsletter called Venture Notes. Good news, head to bit.ly/venturenotes to get 50% OFF forever on your annual plan (€45 per year instead of €90).

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (⁠www.upcoming.vc⁠), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco.

This episode is an excerpt of the full talk (11 in 13 talks in total) that was held during our second «Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success». Head to summit.runwayseries.co to get the full episode and detailed shownotes. Enjoy the show!

- - -

Over 3 days on June 1-3, 2021, during break lunches (11.30 - 1.45) and at the end of the day (5.30 - 7) and in 4 time zones, we received 39 guests (28 VC & 11 CEOs) including 31 who had already come on the Runway Series podcast. With «Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success», the idea is to take a step back from the usual discussions on execution, in order to understand what are the fundamentals of success, with 13 panels covering the DNA of entrepreneurship, the dynamics of co-founding teams, branding, focus, change, remote, data, creativity, diversity and inclusion. And unique fact, these 13 talks are hosted by the 39 guests who themselves are the moderators of these talks, which mechanically increases the quality of the talks. Top speakers from French startups / scaleups (Double, Labellevie, Supermood, Medadom, Convelio..) and French VCs (Frst, Elaia, Ventech, Cap Horn, Ring, Kima, Eutopia, Axeleo and many others) participates but also European VC partners, such as Evgenia from Dawn, Sia from Seedcamp, Jon from e.ventures, Louis from Point Nine, Mathias from Speedinvest.., as well as investors such as Marguerite from Cherry, David from Brighteye or Vincent Head of MarComm's at Northzone which also shows the attractiveness of the French scene for discussing structuring and fundamental subjects.

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (www.upcoming.vc), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco.

This episode is an excerpt of the full talk (10 in 13 talks in total) that was held during our second «Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success». Head to summit.runwayseries.co to get the full episode and detailed shownotes. Enjoy the show!

- - -

Over 3 days on June 1-3, 2021, during break lunches (11.30 - 1.45) and at the end of the day (5.30 - 7) and in 4 time zones, we received 39 guests (28 VC & 11 CEOs) including 31 who had already come on the Runway Series podcast. With «Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success», the idea is to take a step back from the usual discussions on execution, in order to understand what are the fundamentals of success, with 13 panels covering the DNA of entrepreneurship, the dynamics of co-founding teams, branding, focus, change, remote, data, creativity, diversity and inclusion. And unique fact, these 13 talks are hosted by the 39 guests who themselves are the moderators of these talks, which mechanically increases the quality of the talks. Top speakers from French startups / scaleups (Double, Labellevie, Supermood, Medadom, Convelio..) and French VCs (Frst, Elaia, Ventech, Cap Horn, Ring, Kima, Eutopia, Axeleo and many others) participates but also European VC partners, such as Evgenia from Dawn, Sia from Seedcamp, Jon from e.ventures, Louis from Point Nine, Mathias from Speedinvest.., as well as investors such as Marguerite from Cherry, David from Brighteye or Vincent Head of MarComm's at Northzone which also shows the attractiveness of the French scene for discussing structuring and fundamental subjects.

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (www.upcoming.vc), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco.

Ep58, a community & web3 episode with Richard Draper, Co-Founder @ Mava.app

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OFFER! 50% OFF FOR A 12-MONTH PLAN (YOU PAY ONLY €45 INSTEAD OF €90 FOR 12 MONTHS), DISCOUNT TO GRAB UNTIL 15-01-2023 on https://upcomingvc.substack.com/150123
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Building a community is vital for the success of any web3 project. Decentralization, innovation, and web3 development are only possible through people, and in order to make that happen, there must be a united community that fights for the initiative. On the other hand, the credibility of web3 projects is still negatively affected as a result of countless fraudulent schemes that persist in continuing and tainting an otherwise promising concept. Building a community not only benefits the project but also earns it more authority. It does come with its own set of challenges, though. Creating, managing, and growing a community is time-consuming and requires effort. In this episode we are discovering how customer support magnifies building a web3 community, with Richard Draper, co-founder at Mava. Across four parts, you will learn

• the similarities & differences between web2 and web3
• how in web3 building a community should be the starting point, but also if successful web3 projects can start without a community
• Who needs to build the community in the earliest days and how to identify engaged users beyond what’s “visible”

Before starting Mava, Richard and his co-founders built another venture and decided to pivot 6 months ago right at the begining of this bear market. Through his experience, you will learn the art of pivoting in a context of a bear market, namely

• keeping on building in the same direction or understanding fake PMF & toxic signals
• finding support from existing investors
• researching and validating various ideas, then choosing where to pivot to

Finally you will learn about Mava, its market opportunity and how Richard is building it and the long term plan for growing Mava. This was a great and insightful episode with Richard where we’ve had the opportunity to understand how we can address and tackle the peculair challenges of building communities in web3.
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Produced by UPCOMINGVC® upcoming.vc, created and hosted by Raphael Grieco.

This episode is an excerpt of the full talk (9 in 13 talks in total) that was held during our second «Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success». Head to summit.runwayseries.co to get the full episode and detailed shownotes. Enjoy the show!

- - -

Over 3 days on June 1-3, 2021, during break lunches (11.30 - 1.45) and at the end of the day (5.30 - 7) and in 4 time zones, we received 39 guests (28 VC & 11 CEOs) including 31 who had already come on the Runway Series podcast. With «Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success», the idea is to take a step back from the usual discussions on execution, in order to understand what are the fundamentals of success, with 13 panels covering the DNA of entrepreneurship, the dynamics of co-founding teams, branding, focus, change, remote, data, creativity, diversity and inclusion. And unique fact, these 13 talks are hosted by the 39 guests who themselves are the moderators of these talks, which mechanically increases the quality of the talks. Top speakers from French startups / scaleups (Double, Labellevie, Supermood, Medadom, Convelio..) and French VCs (Frst, Elaia, Ventech, Cap Horn, Ring, Kima, Eutopia, Axeleo and many others) participates but also European VC partners, such as Evgenia from Dawn, Sia from Seedcamp, Jon from e.ventures, Louis from Point Nine, Mathias from Speedinvest.., as well as investors such as Marguerite from Cherry, David from Brighteye or Vincent Head of MarComm's at Northzone which also shows the attractiveness of the French scene for discussing structuring and fundamental subjects.

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (www.upcoming.vc), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco.

This episode is an excerpt of the full talk (8 in 13 talks in total) that was held during our second «Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success». Head to summit.runwayseries.co to get the full episode and detailed shownotes. Enjoy the show!

- - -

Over 3 days on June 1-3, 2021, during break lunches (11.30 - 1.45) and at the end of the day (5.30 - 7) and in 4 time zones, we received 39 guests (28 VC & 11 CEOs) including 31 who had already come on the Runway Series podcast. With «Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success», the idea is to take a step back from the usual discussions on execution, in order to understand what are the fundamentals of success, with 13 panels covering the DNA of entrepreneurship, the dynamics of co-founding teams, branding, focus, change, remote, data, creativity, diversity and inclusion. And unique fact, these 13 talks are hosted by the 39 guests who themselves are the moderators of these talks, which mechanically increases the quality of the talks. Top speakers from French startups / scaleups (Double, Labellevie, Supermood, Medadom, Convelio..) and French VCs (Frst, Elaia, Ventech, Cap Horn, Ring, Kima, Eutopia, Axeleo and many others) participates but also European VC partners, such as Evgenia from Dawn, Sia from Seedcamp, Jon from e.ventures, Louis from Point Nine, Mathias from Speedinvest.., as well as investors such as Marguerite from Cherry, David from Brighteye or Vincent Head of MarComm's at Northzone which also shows the attractiveness of the French scene for discussing structuring and fundamental subjects.

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (www.upcoming.vc), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco.

This episode is an excerpt of the full talk (7 in 13 talks in total) that was held during our second «Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success». Head to summit.runwayseries.co to get the full episode and detailed shownotes. Enjoy the show!

- - -

Over 3 days on June 1-3, 2021, during break lunches (11.30 - 1.45) and at the end of the day (5.30 - 7) and in 4 time zones, we received 39 guests (28 VC & 11 CEOs) including 31 who had already come on the Runway Series podcast. With «Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success», the idea is to take a step back from the usual discussions on execution, in order to understand what are the fundamentals of success, with 13 panels covering the DNA of entrepreneurship, the dynamics of co-founding teams, branding, focus, change, remote, data, creativity, diversity and inclusion. And unique fact, these 13 talks are hosted by the 39 guests who themselves are the moderators of these talks, which mechanically increases the quality of the talks. Top speakers from French startups / scaleups (Double, Labellevie, Supermood, Medadom, Convelio..) and French VCs (Frst, Elaia, Ventech, Cap Horn, Ring, Kima, Eutopia, Axeleo and many others) participates but also European VC partners, such as Evgenia from Dawn, Sia from Seedcamp, Jon from e.ventures, Louis from Point Nine, Mathias from Speedinvest.., as well as investors such as Marguerite from Cherry, David from Brighteye or Vincent Head of MarComm's at Northzone which also shows the attractiveness of the French scene for discussing structuring and fundamental subjects.

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit, Venture Talks & Solo-GP Series are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (www.upcoming.vc), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco.

Ep57, a metaverse, music & web3 episode with Edo Fouilloux, Co-Founder & CEO/CTO @ PatchXR.

[PROMO CODE to listen to the full episode https://upcomingvc.substack.com/ep57]

The technological possibilities for bringing music into the virtual world seem endless; all that's missing is an artist-driven breakout moment, as Pitchfork would say. The fate of any new media format depends both on the underlying tech and on the content it delivers, and music has always seemed bound for interactive multimedia spaces. A few attempts by Björk, in 2011, and Radiohead, in 2014 were early such pioneering experiences but the practical utility for fans often wasn’t clear. Even when the experiences were thrilling, it was difficult to see who would buy the gear for them, or how often they would want to go back for more.

Two years in after the pandemic started, it seems like remote interactions over a smartphone or computer screen are suddenly the norm and a virtual-music future that was always supposed to be just around the corner appears, once again, to be almost in sight. Bloomberg Intelligence has predicted that the metaverse, loosely defined as an always-on internet made up of 3D virtual worlds where users take the form of digital avatars, could be an $800 billion market by 2024. It seems likely that music will play some part in this virtual future.

Applications for music in the metaverse are varied. This is where PatchXR, a swiss-danish startup, comes into play. PatchXR is a technology company founded by artists, hackers, and XR experts blending the emotional power of music with the possibilities of world-building games in the Metaverse. PatchXR is building PatchWORLD, a user-generated content platform for INTERACTIVE MUSICAL WORLDS,with a fully integrated creation system. It connects creators and audiences in an economy designed for Web3 & XR.

Creators from various skill levels can use PatchWORLD to build and share, interactive digital assets, songs, stories, or complete musical worlds, where you can dig into a complete collection of interchangeable blocks that blend music and visuals with gesture and interaction in real-time. Imagine the Minecraft of Music. Audiences looking to engage with immersive and interactive musical content can have casual fun together by entering PatchXR growing library of interactive content made by our users and PatchXR, filled with instruments, narrative games, and fully immersive shows. In these shows, the audience can step inside the recorded media and interact. Imagine Spotify meets Twitch, but you can walk around and play.

In this Runway Series Originals 57, we meet Edo Fouilloux, Co-Founder of PatchXR. In this five-part episode, you will discover an exceptional team of artists, hackers and XR experts, a unique vision to develop an immersive environment for creators in music, the technical complexity to create such an infra, monetization with web3..

-- Produced by UPCOMINGVC® upcoming.vc, created and hosted by Raphael Grieco.

"Solo-GP Series" ep. 2, with David Yakobovitch, Solo-GP @ DataPower Ventures (datapower.vc) and On Deck Angels Fellow.

- - -

If you’d love to learn more about how to become a Solo-GP, look for this upcoming series on Venture Notes (venturenotes.co) our private newsletter where we will share the full episodes while we just publish a 15min excerpt on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

- - -

Even more startup founders are onboarding in their captable non traditional VC firms, in the form of Solo-GPs, via nano-funds or syndicates.

Most of the time, these Solo-GPs are operators-investors, meaning that they have a dual profile

• on one hand their run their startups or are part of a fast-growing startup as a key hire, and
• on the other hand they are growing a deal flow and a community of founders & LPs which allows them to raise a nano-fund or develop a syndicate

Over the past 3 years, we have been witnessing this increasing population of such Solo-GPs.

Still some operators with this potential profile have not launched yet, for various reasons

• they are unsure about their value-add
• they are unsure about how to structure it
• they are unsure about quality & repeatability of their deal-flow…

... and many other questions.

That is why I am launching with the help of On Deck a short series Called “Solo-GP Series” to help you kickstart your thinking about becoming an operator-investor / Solo-GP. In this short “Solo-GP Series” podcast series, you’ll understand

• how to identifyyou actually have a deal flow and how to develop and nurture it the tipping point to launch as a Solo-GP
• how to craft a compelling thesis
• how to build an LP community …

… plus so much more.

I'm in the process of launching my solo-gp pre-seed fund, Olive Capital, focusing on web3 European founders driving change in the way we Create, Collaborate and Communicate.. If you are raising fund, send us your deck! If you want to learn more, head to olivecapital.vc.

In this second episode of the “Solo-GP Series” podcast, we get to know David Yakobovitch, who lives a true passion for data. David is also an On Deck Angel Fellow and a Solo-GP: during the pandemic, David launched DataFrame Ventures which invested in 20 data-driven companies. Now, David has transformed DataFrame Ventures to DataPower Ventures, in a move that puts a differentiated emphasis on Data that he explains in this show. In this 4-part episode, David shares with us a greate amount of insights and actionable pieces of advice while driving us through

• how & why he started a career in data and to develop a unique understanding on the power of it
• how he started investing, his initial source of dealflow
• how he started to add value to the startups he has been backing and a lot of examples of investments David has made in the data space
• how his thesis was becoming clearer along the way
• why David decide to move away from an undifferentiated data-driven focus to a specific data-powered focus and his 5 unique thematics David is focusing on
• why shaping a thesis changes how you are perceived by the founders community and the implication on the dealflow
• the importance of building an LP community... + so much more.

I am sure you will love this episode, lets get right in.

-- These podcasts are produced by UPCOMINGVC® upcoming.vc, created and hosted by Raphael Grieco.

This episode is an excerpt of the full talk (6 in 13 talks in total) that was held during our second «Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success». Head to summit.runwayseries.co to get the full episode and detailed shownotes. Enjoy the show!

- - -

Over 3 days on June 1-3, 2021, during break lunches (11.30 - 1.45) and at the end of the day (5.30 - 7) and in 4 time zones, we received 39 guests (28 VC & 11 CEOs) including 31 who had already come on the Runway Series podcast. With «Runway Series Summit: The Fundamentals of Success», the idea is to take a step back from the usual discussions on execution, in order to understand what are the fundamentals of success, with 13 panels covering the DNA of entrepreneurship, the dynamics of co-founding teams, branding, focus, change, remote, data, creativity, diversity and inclusion. And unique fact, these 13 talks are hosted by the 39 guests who themselves are the moderators of these talks, which mechanically increases the quality of the talks. Top speakers from French startups / scaleups (Double, Labellevie, Supermood, Medadom, Convelio..) and French VCs (Frst, Elaia, Ventech, Cap Horn, Ring, Kima, Eutopia, Axeleo and many others) participates but also European VC partners, such as Evgenia from Dawn, Sia from Seedcamp, Jon from e.ventures, Louis from Point Nine, Mathias from Speedinvest.., as well as investors such as Marguerite from Cherry, David from Brighteye or Vincent Head of MarComm's at Northzone which also shows the attractiveness of the French scene for discussing structuring and fundamental subjects.

- - -

The podcasts Runway Series Originals, AMA VC, Human Factor, No-Code VC / Fit & Venture Talks are produced by UPCOMINGVC® (www.upcoming.vc), created and hosted by Raphael Grieco.

If you’d love to learn more about how to become a Solo-GP, look for this upcoming series on Venture Notes (venturenotes.co) our private newsletter where we will share the full episodes while we just publish a 15min excerpt on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

- - -

Even more startup founders are onboarding in their captable non traditional VC firms, in the form of Solo-GPs, via nano-funds or syndicates.

Most of the time, these Solo-GPs are operators-investors, meaning that they have a dual profile

• on one hand their run their startups or are part of a fast-growing startup as a key hire, and
• on the other hand they are growing a deal flow and a community of founders & LPs which allows them to raise a nano-fund or develop a syndicate

Over the past 3 years, we have been witnessing this increasing population of such Solo-GPs.

Still some operators with this potential profile have not launched yet, for various reasons

• they are unsure about their value-add
• they are unsure about how to structure it
• they are unsure about quality & repeatability of their deal-flow…

... and many other questions.

That is why I am launching with the help of On Deck a short series Called “Solo-GP Series” to help you kickstart your thinking about becoming an operator-investor / Solo-GP. In this short “Solo-GP Series” podcast series, you’ll understand

• how to identifyyou actually have a deal flow and how to develop and nurture it
  the tipping point to launch as a Solo-GP
• how to craft a compelling thesis
• how to build an LP community …

… plus so much more.

I am myself in the process of launching my solo-gp pre-seed/seed fund, Olive Capital, focusing on web 2.0 and web3 European founders driving change in the way we Create, Collaborate and Communicate.. If you are raising fund, send us your deck! We’re also building a platform with scouts, ecosystem partners, talents for our portfolio companies, and we are organizing LP Dinners in cities part of our ecosystem. If you want to learn more, head to olivecapital.vc.

In this first episode of the “Solo-GP Series” podcast, we get to know Victor Li, repeat founder with Inoki Bathhouse an ecommerce company, and Onova a corporate innovation company. Victor is also an On Deck Angel Fellow and a Solo-GP: about a year ago, Victor launched The Winning Together Fund, a micro fund with a true community-DNA investing in early-stage startups.

In this 4-part episode, Victor shares with us a considerable amount of insights and actionable pieces of advice while driving us through

• how & why he became an entrepreneur
• how he started investing, his initial source of dealflow, his first checks and first investment decisions
• how he started to add value to the startups he has been backing
• his long term vs short term objectives of being a Solo-GP
• how his thesis was becoming clearer along the way
• why Victor is building an incentivized LP community
• how to balance between being an operator and an investor..

.. plus so much more.

I am sure you will love this episode, lets get right in.

--
These podcasts are produced by UPCOMINGVC® upcoming.vc, created and hosted by Raphael Grieco.

Ep56, a web3 episode with Thibaut Sahaghian, Co-Founder & CEO @ Multis (YC S19).

[PROMO CODE to listen to the full episode https://upcomingvc.substack.com/ep56]

The myth about pivots is that they are an exception: something undesirable that happens because a startup went seriously awry, and which you should strive to avoid.

In reality, pivots are an integral part of the entrepreneurial process. Whether you’re pivoting in the early days because you haven’t yet found product-market fit, or you’re pivoting by reinventing yourself later on, all companies, if they’re going to become and stay successful, are going to have to pivot. You have a brilliant idea, hopefully you’re in the right place at the right time, you execute like crazy, and it either works or it doesn’t. So how do you know when it’s time to pivot?

This is the case with Multis, a startup building the financial backbone of crypto-native organizations which has pivoted and experienced being kind of too early in its markets. Mid-March 2022, French startup Multis announced it had raised a $7 million round led by Sequoia Capital, about the firm’s third investment in France after Pennylane and Upway. Originally designed as a neobank for companies working with cryptocurrencies, the company has completely altered its product vision as it offers now the software layer helping web3 organizations manage their crypto finances.

Co-founded in 2018 by Thibaut Sahaghian, Y-Combinator and efounders alumni Multis’ is an all-in-one crypto finances management tool that works in concert with Gnosis, a highly trusted platform for managing digital assets on Ethereum. Sequoia’s Stephanie Zhan explains that “Multis is uniquely positioned to provide a new generation of entrepreneurs with an all-in-one solution for cashflow and spend management”. “DeFi companies, NFT studios, or DAOs are cutting-edge in terms of tech. But their business tools are prehistoric: most crypto founders still struggle to perform basic financial operations that are essential to running a business, like getting visibility on cashflow.” declared recently Thibaut to Tech.eu. “They end up creating their own solution, often a shared spreadsheet, in fear that their operational set-up will fall apart and they'll end up losing money because they don't have a clear understanding of their finances, or that team members will misuse funds.”

In this 56th episode,

1. Thibaut reflects on the early days & assumptions of Multis and shares with us his learning from building too early in the dark a crypto-company in 2019,
2. the toxic validations they got early on,
3. why they stopped building the product in order to pivot while experiencing a critical change in the co-founding team.
4. Thibaut also shares his findings during the conversations held the VC in their captable as the company was facing tough challenges to find PMF,
5. why vulnerability is key when building a transition plan, switching a challenge to an opportunity & building a narrative.
6. we also talk about how DAOs are reshaping the future of capitalism and the principal-agent discrepancy, about how transparency is a means, a lever for higher trust and the challenges to connect code-based decisions with IRL existance / objects.
7. we discover the road ahead for Multis, Thibaut’s take about hiring in web3, and learn about the next milestones for the Multis product

I am sure you will enjoy the episode.
--
These podcasts are produced by UPCOMINGVC® upcoming.vc, created and hosted by Raphael Grieco.

I'm happy to share with you that I'm building my own NFT Collection called the Beardy Punks. If you want to join me on the learning path, you can subscribe for free on beardypunks.com because I don't want to mix it with Runway Series, it is a different objective.

Staying just a bit on the NFT topic before moving to the other topic I want to share with you today, I definitely think that NFT are not just profile pictures to display on twitter, but are also very powerful as access passes or keys for members, readers, listeners.

Therefore, each and every premium subscriber to Venture Notes, where we publish our full podcast episodes and private newsletters, are entitled to receive their member pass in the form of an NFT.

This NFT will open the door to private access to events, contents and so much more yet to be designed. It is a long journey !

Subscribe to Venture Notes (https://venturenotes.co), if you want to become a premium member & receive your member NFT, it’s 9€ / month or 90€ / year.

Ok so now that we’re done with web3, crypto and NFT, let’s talk about the upcoming podcast series (available in full for premium members).

More and more startup founders and onboarding in their captable non traditional VC firms, in the form of solo-gp, via nano funds or syndicates.

Most of the time, these Solo-GP are operators-investors, meaning that they have a dual profile

• on one hand their run their startups or are part of a fast-growing startups as a key hire
• and on the other hand they are growing a deal flow and a community of founders & LPs which allows them to raise a nano-fund or develop a syndicate

We’re an increasing population of such Solo-GP.

Yet some of us have not launched yet, for various reasons

• Unsure about your value-add
• Unsure about how to structure it
• Unsure about quality & repeatability of deal-flow..
• .. and many other questions

That is why I am launching with the help of On Deck a short series to help you kickstart your thinking about becoming an operator-investor / solo-gp.

In this short series, you’ll understand

• how to identify you have a deal flow and how to nurture it
• the tipping point to launch as a solo-gp
• how to craft a compelling thesis
• how to build an LP community
• + so much more

If you’d love to learn more about how to become a solo-gp, you can subscribe to Venture Notes our private media platform where the series will be published shortly.

To conclude, I am myself building my own early stage investment syndicate called Olive Capital (olive-capital.co).

Starting next month, I will participate to VC LAB, a highly selective international accelerator for emerging fund managers with the objective to launch my first venture capital fund by 2022.