Reach Capital

Candidates aren’t just choosing a job; they’re choosing you. What sets your company apart as a place where people want to grow, thrive, and make an impact? Building exceptional teams is one of the biggest challenges founders face. We’ve heard that loud and clear, which is why we hosted an AMA with Michael Horn and Bob Moesta, who shared actionable strategies from their newly published book, "Job Moves." The conversation was packed with insights on how founders can hire and retain top talent and how anyone can craft a more fulfilling, energizing career. Here’s what they shared: 1️⃣ Look Beyond the Paycheck As Bob puts it, compensation matters, but mainly as a channel to attain what you truly value. As a leader, are you addressing deeper motivators like recognition, purpose, career goals, and personal priorities? 2️⃣ Focus on Energy-Giving Work The most engaged employees spend at least 50% of their time on work that energizes them. As a founder, you have the ability to design roles that align with individual strengths and passions, and be open to evolving those roles as needs change. 3️⃣ Adapt to Evolving Needs People’s priorities change, they evolve: Regular check-ins, career development conversations and flexible role design ensure you and your team feel supported and engaged for the long haul. 4️⃣ Rethink Job Descriptions Traditional requirements like “5 years of experience” often miss the point. Instead, focus on: • The actual day-to-day work • Opportunities for growth and impact • Transparency about challenges • How the team works together 5️⃣ Prototype the Hiring Process Give candidates a “test drive” of the role. Consider approaches like: • Project-based interviews • Job shadowing opportunities • Realistic day-in-the-life scenarios 6️⃣ Build Trust Through Vulnerability Great leaders embrace their limitations and foster a culture that values complementary strengths within the team. The duo emphasized the importance of founders reflecting on what energizes them and delegating tasks that drain them to team members who excel in those areas. Promoting growth fueled by energy and inspiration. One founder shared this gem: “Looking for a caterpillar must’ve been a butterfly.” Translation: People change, so don’t be that leader stuck chasing caterpillars when they’ve already sprouted wings 🦋 A big thanks to Bob and Michael!

Excited to be backing Luke Bogus Nick Siscoe and Dropback as they build the financial infrastructure for college athletic departments nationwide! Today, there is an urgent need for sophisticated budget and roster management tools to ensure that programs of all sizes can compete effectively in the NIL era. As departments manage $20M-$30M annually from revenue sharing alongside existing NIL deals and scholarships, there is an immediate need for more robust data-driven tools needed to optimize critical roster investments. Dropback empowers college athletic departments with essential data tools (much like what pro teams use) to make informed decisions about athlete compensation and roster construction. In doing so, they will bring greater access, transparency and enable efficient resource allocation for every department across the country.

Excited to be backing Luke Bogus Nick Siscoe and Dropback as they build the financial infrastructure for college athletic departments nationwide! Today, there is an urgent need for sophisticated budget and roster management tools to ensure that programs of all sizes can compete effectively in the NIL era. As departments manage $20M-$30M annually from revenue sharing alongside existing NIL deals and scholarships, there is an immediate need for more robust data-driven tools needed to optimize critical roster investments. Dropback empowers college athletic departments with essential data tools (much like what pro teams use) to make informed decisions about athlete compensation and roster construction. In doing so, they will bring greater access, transparency and enable efficient resource allocation for every department across the country.

⏳ Just a Few Hours Left to Apply for Roadrunners Cohort IV! The deadline to apply for the Reach Roadrunners Program is tonight, January 12, at 11:59 PM PT. If you’ve been thinking about it, now’s the time to take that step and join a group of incredible people shaping the future of #healthcare and #work. Here’s what makes Roadrunners special: • Be part of a tight-knit community of founders and operators in NYC and the SF Bay Area. • Get access to programming designed to help you learn, grow, and even launch your own ideas, from angel investing to exploring industry trends. •Join the ranks of founders who’ve built companies like Brisk Teaching, Diffit, and Kindred Minds during their time in the program. We’d love to see you in this next cohort. Apply now: https://lnkd.in/eSky6fs3 #vc #healthtech #futureofwork

We know there’s a lot going on in the world right now, at the same time, we want to ensure that if you’re interested in the Reach Roadrunners Program, you have the opportunity to apply - even if life has thrown more pressing priorities your way. The deadline is this Sunday, January 12, at 11:59 PM PT, but we will gladly work with anyone dealing with the wildfires. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if this applies to you. Your well-being comes first, and we’re here to support you however we can. If you’re ready and able, you can still apply here: https://lnkd.in/eSky6fs3. Stay safe and take care.

Thank you Alex Grodd of the The Disagreement for leading a 90 minute interactive and tactical workshop with educators here in the Bay Area on how to approach and support students (and administration) on navigating challenging disagreements and bring more thoughtful and productive discourse into the classroom setting! Schools should be a place where students and educators can engage productively (and safely) together, in person, synchronously as a community (and move away from the destructive discourse we are all experiencing online) If your school or organization is looking for an incredible facilitator, educator and expert in the field, reach out to Alex Grodd! Reach Capital is excited to continue to support your work!

The #edtech landscape is shifting, and it’s not just a tremor… it’s a seismic event. In December, industry heavyweights, Adam J Newman (Founding Partner, Tyton Partners) and Joanne Weiss (Weiss Associates & former Chief of Staff, U.S. Dept. of Ed), shared their predictions for edtech founders navigating this new terrain. Here’s what’s shaking things up: 📌 Policy Reset - A new administration is introducing fresh priorities and regulatory directions that will affect how education systems operate. 📌 Budgetary Gymnastics - Economic pressures are driving reallocations, including a notable increase in the use of Education Savings Account (ESA) funds. 📌 The "School Choice" Surge - A growing movement is encouraging parents to explore alternatives to traditional public and private schools, transforming enrollment patterns and funding flows. Let’s linger on that last one. The "school choice" movement is gaining serious traction. Parents are increasingly opting for flexible alternatives to traditional schools, channeling district dollars into fresh learning models and for-profit institutions. It’s not just a change in how students learn—it’s a redirection of the funding flow. 💡 So, what’s the bottom line for edtech #founders? Adapt or risk irrelevance. Public school-centric models might not cut it anymore. Tomorrow’s winners will nail the art of understanding revenue streams, solving for diverse customer needs, and delivering retention-focused solutions that scale. As #education evolves, how is your solution adapting to meet the needs of students and teachers?

After a couple of rocky years, the U.S. #edtech funding environment appears to have stabilized, with $2.9B invested across over 240 startups in 2024. And a new wave of startup creation and investments fueled by #AI offers hope that a rebound is on the way. Just as cloud technology unleashed new creation and distribution powers, and with it new categories of learning tools, so too will AI. It comes as edtech has grown increasingly global and diverse, encompassing different industries and learners of all ages. Between a new incoming administration, advancing technologies, challenges to traditional institutions, and new market opportunities, much change is afoot. 👉 Check out Tony Wan’s annual US #edtech funding recap, published in Edtech Insiders. https://lnkd.in/gmBcB2Uk

⏳ Big Update: Roadrunners Program Deadline Extended to January 12, 2025! Timing is everything, so we’ve made sure you have a little more of it. The application deadline for Reach Roadrunners Cohort IV is now extended to Sunday, January 12, 2025, at 11:59 PM PT. Here’s why this matters: The Reach Roadrunners Program is about positioning yourself as a leader in the future of health care and work. This is where changemakers from companies like Chegg, Calm, and BetterUp gather to share insights and collaborate on transformative solutions. This is also where many roadrunners have founded and built startups like Brisk Teaching, Diffit, Kindred Minds, Plurawl and countless others still operating in stealth. There’s a place for your ideas and vision here. Join the Roadrunners program today. https://lnkd.in/eSky6fs3

The #edtech industry has faced a tough reality check since its dizzying highs. Yet with $2.9 billion invested in 2024, the U.S. funding environment appears to have stabilized. More promising: A new wave of startup creation and investments fueled by AI offers hope that a rebound is on the way, as today’s tools have made it much easier to build and scale quality software at a fraction of the cost and time. Even before AI, “edtech” has been expanding beyond its traditional confines of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. When I first started reporting for EdSurge, mental wellness, food, transportation, and teacher housing hardly registered on the map. Today, many of these functions are getting much-needed upgrades, buoyed by powerful new technologies. In the Chinese Zodiac, 2025 marks the Year of the Snake 🐍 , symbolized by the shedding of the skin as part of transformation and growth. The education market is changing in big ways: 🌍 Edtech is increasingly global: U.S.-based companies are seeing a greater percentage of their usage from abroad — and vice versa. 🍴 The changing K-12 market will necessitate new tools — and new business models — as the “forking” of public education dollars continue with ESAs. ⛑️ The lines between edtech and adjacent sectors in workforce and health have also increasingly blurred, as training and learning are age- and sector-agnostic endeavors. Thank you to the crew at Edtech Insiders (Ben Kornell Alex Sarlin Sarah M.) for reviewing and sharing my annual analysis and recap: https://lnkd.in/gsV__xDN