Abac Nest Ventures’ Post

Los Angeles-based Fika Ventures recently closed its new B2B-focused early-stage fund. 💸 $160-million Fund IV 💡 Leading investments into #preseed and #seedrounds in B2B software companies across #SaaS, #fintech, #commerce enablement, #marketplaces and #healthcare, particularly those harnessing #artificialintelligence to drive innovation. $1-5M for an initial investment and reserves for follow-on rounds. 🌍 The #UnitedStates and #Canada. The VCs largest markets are #LA, #NY, and the #BayArea, but they have investments and spend time in #Seattle, #Toronto, #Chicago, #SaltLakeCity, #Denver, #Atlanta, #Miami, and more. 📈 Founded in 2016 and with over $350M aum, the VC has backed start-ups including BuildOps, Specright, Siro, Edge Impulse (enterprise); Papaya, Pipe, Payabli (fintech); Upwards, Chowbus, Atticus (marketplaces); and Zentist, Noyo (healthtech) 💭 “At Fika, venture capital isn’t just about writing checks – it’s about building real, lasting partnerships with extraordinary founders. With Fund IV, we are deepening our commitment to providing hands-on collaboration and unwavering support to entrepreneurs through every stage of the company building journey.” - Tianxiang (TX) Zhuo, general partner at Fika Ventures. “ 🗞️LA Times https://lnkd.in/eeur9Rvr, 👏 For the #AudaciousInvestors unleashing innovation and empowering tomorrow🚀 Tianxiang I John I Arteen I Matt I Gabriella I James I Olivia I Ju-Djuin I Natalie I Aaron I Tracy I Team Fika Ventures … #venturecapital #vc #funds #startups #entrepreneurs #funding #tech #ai #entrepreneurship #technology #innovation #LosAngeles #ai #usa #cali

We're thrilled to announce that Dig Ventures led the $3.3 million pre-seed funding round for Desia, a system of intelligence that leverages advanced AI for automation, analytics, and productivity in financial services. About Desia: Founded by Raffaele Terrone, co-founder of Italy's first unicorn, Scalapay, alongside former Advent International executive Alessandro Amaro and Mehmet Öner Yalçin, Desia aims to revolutionize how investment professionals interact with data. Why It Matters: The manual sorting of vast amounts of often unstructured data is costly and time-consuming for investment professionals. Desia’s AI-driven approach not only streamlines these processes but also drives a transformative shift towards more informed and effective investment strategies. Their approach is focused and will change the way professionals discover, collate, analyse and present data. This is an important step for human-ai collaboration. Plus I'm super excited to be working with Raffaele and his team. A big shout-out to our co-investors 2100 Ventures, Vento by Exor Ventures, Octopus Ventures, Foreword Ventures, Plug & Play Ventures, and LaunchBay Capital, and to the visionary angel investors who joined this round. Sifted: https://lnkd.in/emgtDme7 PR: https://lnkd.in/eXq6dsaT #VentureCapital #ArtificialIntelligence #FinancialServices #Innovation #StartUpFunding

☕ Febe Ventures, an entrepreneur-driven VC firm founded by Olivier Raussin, is offering advice to startups struggling amid the economic downturn and fundraising difficulties. 💰 The firm recently launched its second fund with a goal of raising $75m and has already secured 90% of its target. It will primarily focus on B2B, healthcare and sustainability startups. 📉 Raussin advises distressed companies to cut unnecessary expenses, reduce organizational complexity and aim for sustainable profits, and warns against scaling too early before finding the right product-market fit. - Want full insights? Subscribe to Tech in Asia to read the entire article.

Venture capital is pivotal in nurturing the creator economy, with specific firms standing out in 2024. Here's who tops the list for fueling innovative platforms and services: ✅ CHARLES RIVER VENTURES, LLC - Led by founders Dave A. Salvant, Rick Burnes, and Songe Laron, focusing on enterprise infrastructure and cloud computing. ✅ Seedcamp - Founded by Reshma Sohoni and Carlos Eduardo Espinal MBE, supports global-facing startups from Europe, excelling in diverse sectors from AI to Education. ✅ Union Square Ventures - Managed by Brad Burnham and Fred Wilson, invests across multiple stages in tech-enabled companies transforming the internet landscape. ✅ QED Investors - Specializes in fintech, led by founders Caribou Honig, Frank Rotman, and Nigel Morris. ✅ Forerunner Ventures - Founded by Kirsten Green, this firm focuses on consumer needs at seed and growth stages. ✅ Creandum - Early-stage European VC backing tech founders, including in the creator economy, led by Staffan Helgesson. ✅ Kalaari Capital - India-based VC empowering early-stage companies, led by Vani Kola and Rajesh Raju. ✅ Notion Capital - London-based VC pouring resources into SaaS and cloud enterprises, founded by Stephen Chandler. ✅ Chicago Ventures - Focuses on overlooked founding teams in diverse industries, led by Stuart Larkins. ✅ Connect Ventures - A product-first investor supporting tech firms from seed to Series A, founded by Pietro Bezza and Sitar Teli. Full list here: https://lnkd.in/g3nHjYxU These VCs are shaping the future of the creator economy by empowering the next wave of entrepreneurs. Stay tuned for their next moves! #Venture #CreatorEconomy #Startups #Innovation #Investment #VCs

Frontline Ventures raised a $200 million fund targeting B2B startups. #Frontline Ventures, renowned for its investments across Europe and North America, has made a significant move, raising a whopping $200 million across two innovative funds, Frontline Growth and Frontline Seed. This strategic move is designed to bolster B2B startups navigating the complexities of transatlantic business, spotlighting the untapped potential within the European market. Brennan O'Donnell, co-lead of Frontline Growth, highlighted Europe's significant contribution to global revenues of top-performing B2B software companies at IPO, making a compelling case for U.S. scale-ups to consider European expansion seriously. Frontline's approach goes beyond funding. It offers a nuanced expansion roadmap focusing on timing, go-to-market strategy, talent, and organizational design, underscoring the importance of strategic planning and location based on customer and talent base. With success stories like Lattice and Vanta, Frontline has demonstrated the efficacy of its expansion framework. The firm anticipates an #IPO within the next 18 months for one of its mature, growth-stage startups, showcasing its commitment to long-term success. Frontline Ventures' latest move is a beacon of hope and opportunity for B2B startups in Europe and the U.S., indicating a robust interest in fostering growth and innovation across the Atlantic. This could lead to a significant shift in how startups approach expansion and scale, potentially altering the landscape of global B2B commerce. The article on TechCrunch in the first comment. Want to stay up to date with the market? Here my newsletter: - Linkedin: https://t.ly/s541W   - Substack: https://lnkd.in/dzfGJzmW

Venture capital is pivotal in nurturing the creator economy, with specific firms standing out in 2024. Here's who tops the list for fueling innovative platforms and services: ✅ CHARLES RIVER VENTURES, LLC - Led by founders Dave A. Salvant, Rick Burnes, and Songe Laron, focusing on enterprise infrastructure and cloud computing. ✅ Seedcamp - Founded by Reshma Sohoni and Carlos Eduardo Espinal MBE, supports global-facing startups from Europe, excelling in diverse sectors from AI to Education. ✅ Union Square Ventures - Managed by Brad Burnham and Fred Wilson, invests across multiple stages in tech-enabled companies transforming the internet landscape. ✅ QED Investors - Specializes in fintech, led by founders Caribou Honig, Frank Rotman, and Nigel Morris. ✅ Forerunner Ventures - Founded by Kirsten Green, this firm focuses on consumer needs at seed and growth stages. ✅ Creandum - Early-stage European VC backing tech founders, including in the creator economy, led by Staffan Helgesson. ✅ Kalaari Capital - India-based VC empowering early-stage companies, led by Vani Kola and Rajesh Raju. ✅ Notion Capital - London-based VC pouring resources into SaaS and cloud enterprises, founded by Stephen Chandler. ✅ Chicago Ventures - Focuses on overlooked founding teams in diverse industries, led by Stuart Larkins. ✅ Connect Ventures - A product-first investor supporting tech firms from seed to Series A, founded by Pietro Bezza and Sitar Teli. Full list here: https://lnkd.in/g3nHjYxU These VCs are shaping the future of the creator economy by empowering the next wave of entrepreneurs. Stay tuned for their next moves! #VentureCapital #CreatorEconomy #Startups #Innovation #Investment #TechIndustry

Venture capital is pivotal in nurturing the creator economy, with specific firms standing out in 2024. Here's who tops the list for fueling innovative platforms and services: ✅ CHARLES RIVER VENTURES, LLC - Led by founders Dave A. Salvant, Rick Burnes, and Songe Laron, focusing on enterprise infrastructure and cloud computing. ✅ Seedcamp - Founded by Reshma Sohoni and Carlos Eduardo Espinal MBE, supports global-facing startups from Europe, excelling in diverse sectors from AI to Education. ✅ Union Square Ventures - Managed by Brad Burnham and Fred Wilson, invests across multiple stages in tech-enabled companies transforming the internet landscape. ✅ QED Investors - Specializes in fintech, led by founders Caribou Honig, Frank Rotman, and Nigel Morris. ✅ Forerunner Ventures - Founded by Kirsten Green, this firm focuses on consumer needs at seed and growth stages. ✅ Creandum - Early-stage European VC backing tech founders, including in the creator economy, led by Staffan Helgesson. ✅ Kalaari Capital - India-based VC empowering early-stage companies, led by Vani Kola and Rajesh Raju. ✅ Notion Capital - London-based VC pouring resources into SaaS and cloud enterprises, founded by Stephen Chandler. ✅ Chicago Ventures - Focuses on overlooked founding teams in diverse industries, led by Stuart Larkins. ✅ Connect Ventures - A product-first investor supporting tech firms from seed to Series A, founded by Pietro Bezza and Sitar Teli. Full list here: https://lnkd.in/g3nHjYxU These VCs are shaping the future of the creator economy by empowering the next wave of entrepreneurs. Stay tuned for their next moves! #VCs #CreatorEconomy #Startups #Innovation #Investments

Three years later after their latest fund, Lakestar closed a crazy $600 million fund to invest on deep tech in Europe. #Lakestar, the powerhouse behind investments in companies like Spotify and Revolut, has just raised an impressive $600 million for its latest #VC endeavor. The company last raised in 2020 when it secured $735m to invest across an early stage and growth stage fund, and the strategy — of backing European founders from seed to post-Series B — is the same this time. The funds are earmarked for European startups in cutting-edge fields such as deeptech, AI, healthcare, digitalization, and fintech. With $280 million dedicated to early-stage ventures (think seed and Series A), and an additional $320 million allocated for Series B rounds and beyond, Lakestar is poised to supercharge the growth of innovative companies across the continent. Despite facing hurdles along the way, including shifts in market dynamics and team transitions, Lakestar's commitment to supporting European founders remains unwavering. This latest fundraising effort marks a significant milestone, reflecting both the resilience of the team and the strength of the European startup ecosystem. Among the key players driving this initiative are Ninja Struye de Swielande de Swielande, partner and chief communications officer, who shed light on the challenges and triumphs of fundraising in today's competitive landscape. Notable investors backing Lakestar's vision include three prominent insurance companies from the UK, Italy, and Germany, alongside pension funds and high-net-worth individuals. Their support underscores the growing recognition of Europe as a hotbed for tech innovation. With $2bn in AUM and 137 investments to date, according to Dealroom.co data, the company has 24 unicorns in its portfolio like GetYourGuide and Alan, coupled with its strategic focus on both early and growth-stage investments, we can expect to see a wave of groundbreaking startups emerge in the coming years. From energy solutions to healthcare technology, the possibilities are limitless. The article on Sifted in the first comment. Want to stay up to date with the market? Here my newsletter: - Linkedin: https://t.ly/s541W   - Substack: https://lnkd.in/dzfGJzmW

Venture capital is pivotal in nurturing the creator economy, with specific firms standing out in 2024. Here's who tops the list for fueling innovative platforms and services: ✅ CHARLES RIVER VENTURES, LLC - Led by founders Dave A. Salvant, Rick Burnes, and Songe Laron, focusing on enterprise infrastructure and cloud computing. ✅ Seedcamp - Founded by Reshma Sohoni and Carlos Eduardo Espinal MBE, supports global-facing startups from Europe, excelling in diverse sectors from AI to Education. ✅ Union Square Ventures - Managed by Brad Burnham and Fred Wilson, invests across multiple stages in tech-enabled companies transforming the internet landscape. ✅ QED Investors - Specializes in fintech, led by founders Caribou Honig, Frank Rotman, and Nigel Morris. ✅ Forerunner Ventures - Founded by Kirsten Green, this firm focuses on consumer needs at seed and growth stages. ✅ Creandum - Early-stage European VC backing tech founders, including in the creator economy, led by Staffan Helgesson. ✅ Kalaari Capital - India-based VC empowering early-stage companies, led by Vani Kola and Rajesh Raju. ✅ Notion Capital - London-based VC pouring resources into SaaS and cloud enterprises, founded by Stephen Chandler. ✅ Chicago Ventures - Focuses on overlooked founding teams in diverse industries, led by Stuart Larkins. ✅ Connect Ventures - A product-first investor supporting tech firms from seed to Series A, founded by Pietro Bezza and Sitar Teli. Full list here: https://lnkd.in/g3nHjYxU These VCs are shaping the future of the creator economy by empowering the next wave of entrepreneurs. Stay tuned for their next moves! #Venture #CreatorEconomy #Startups #Innovation #VCs

In 2023, the startup funding scene took a dip with a 62% drop in total funding, but the SaaS and fintech sectors still shine bright! 💰 Private Circle's research reveals some insights into the secondary deals landscape, and it's all about SaaS and fintech stealing the show. 📈 👀117 startups valued at $500 million or more over the past three years. Now, that's some serious firepower! 🔥 Private Circle has been keeping tabs on them and guess what? They've tracked around 252 secondary deals since 2021. 💡 Fintech and SaaS aren't just leading the pack, they're setting the pace for secondary deals for two consecutive years! 🏆 Murali Loganathan, the Director of Research at Private Circle, puts it best: "Fintech is killing it year after year, proving its mettle in the investment world. And SaaS? Oh, it's been holding its ground too, showing investors the money!" 📉 Now, let's address the elephant in the room, the drop in total startup funding! Yes, it's a steep 62% decline, but venture capital funds aren't hitting the panic button just yet. 💼 Loganathan reminds us that VCs are still sitting on piles of dry powder, ready to fuel the next big thing. 💥 With their typical ten-year investment cycle, we're bound to see the VC activity rev up sooner rather than later. 💸 So, while the numbers might be down, the spirit of innovation is alive and kicking! 🌱 #SaaS #SoftwareasaService #CloudComputing #TechNews #DigitalTransformation #StartupNews #EnterpriseSoftware #BusinessTechnology #TechInnovation #ITNews #CloudServices #TechTrends #SoftwareDevelopment #ProductDevelopment #TechStartups