Javier Mancilla Montero, PhD’s Post

🌟 Building the Foundation for IrisAI 🌟 Starting IrisAI has been an exciting but challenging journey, and we’re incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Brian Moran. During our recent call, he helped us lay the groundwork for success by refining our target customers, creating a clear development plan, and structuring a pitch that highlights both the need and the solution IrisAI provides. Brian helped us realize that we’re not just developing a product—we’re building a platform designed to adapt as market demands change. This shift in perspective has been transformative, allowing us to focus on creating a dynamic solution that evolves with the needs of our customers. By embracing adaptability, IrisAI is now future-proof in an era where AI and tech advancements are rapidly reshaping entire industries. His guidance has ensured that we’re positioning ourselves to stay ahead of the curve and seize new opportunities as they arise. One of the most impactful takeaways was learning how to tell a compelling story—leading with the benefits and crafting a narrative that connects with both clients and investors. He also encouraged us to focus on strategic partnerships and early adopters who are eager to invest in innovative solutions, saving us months of development time and effort. We can’t recommend Brian Moran and SmallBusinessEdge enough. His ability to distill complex challenges into actionable strategies is unmatched. If you want to fast-track your success, reach out to him—you won’t regret it. Thank you, Brian, for your guidance and support! You truly are a master of the craft. 🙌

Check out this week’s Deep-Tech Digest! Dive into the latest groundbreaking innovations and disruptive trends shaping the deep tech landscape. From cutting-edge advancements to emerging technologies, we’re spotlighting the most impactful stories you need to know. In Focus: Writer I Vsquared Ventures I Maki.vc #DeepTechUpdate #TechDigest #InnovationInsights #WeeklyNews #BIS

Thank you so much to Project 64 West for joining us for a meeting last Wednesday. It was so great for us to be able to be a part of a business meeting and gain more exposure as to how they go. We discussed many topics such as using AI and technology to brainstorm ideas and people in positions of power around us that we should talk to for assistance such as the legislature as they want to hear from us. The members of Incubator shared our business ideas that we are currently working on to which so many helpful suggestions and advice were provided and we are so grateful! Some of the main takeaways that we noted were that you should get used to the idea of your business constantly changing, you should be passionate about your business, and you should always ask questions as there is no bad question to ask. Another thing that we noted was to keep talking to different people about your idea because initially people will be afraid to take the risk, but after you keep talking and show your passion for what you are working on, they will want to join and assist you. We're truly inspired by your knowledge and excited to put these strategies into action! The valuable insights and advice will stay with us in our journey and help us shape the future of our businesses. We’re so excited about the possibilities ahead with your support!

Driving GenAI innovation for large enterprises, Writer CEO & Co-Founder May Habib joins Trinity Chavez on #TakingStock to discuss the impact of Writer’s recent Series C fundraise and more.

Did you know we have a monthly newsletter for Independent Schools? Check out our latest issue, where we look back at some of our most popular topics since the beginning of the year, such as strategic evaluations, partnerships, AI/technology, change management, and more! Plus, we give readers a sneak peek into future topics, including strategic planning, funding and resource constraints, tech tools, and more. As you conduct your end-of-school-year reviews, remember that Convergent is here to help you navigate your strategic planning and fundraising needs. Check out our latest issue: https://rebrand.ly/b9l5e0x

✨ A huge thank you to Zach Johnston and Mirit Lugassi for joining our Investor Deal Room and sharing their POV on what makes portfolio companies exciting. Here are some key takeaways: 💡 Founder-Market Fit & Market: It’s not enough to know your industry—you need to live it. Investors want founders who deeply understand the market dynamics and can pinpoint unique opportunities. Show that you’ve experienced the problem firsthand or gained “unfair advantage” insights others have missed. 🔧 Technical Team Strength: For platform, infrastructure, and API startups, having a founding team with top-notch technical skills is crucial. In your pitch, highlight your team's ability to build and execute technically challenging solutions. 📊 Proprietary data in the age of AI can set you apart. Investors are especially interested in how unique data sets can be used to solve problems in sectors like healthcare, bio, and logistics. If you’ve got it, make sure it’s front and center in your pitch. 📈 Traction, Even if It’s Early: If you don’t yet have strong financial traction, show that senior leaders or key stakeholders are giving you their time and attention to work on the problem. This can be a powerful signal to investors and can help supplement traction while you're building momentum. Especially if these stakeholders are willing to speak to investors about the problem and your work together. 

The SURPRISING WINNERS of 2025's VC landscape aren't who you think. While tech founders scramble for AI funding, here's what Pitchbook's latest report reveals about the REAL opportunities: 2025 VC OUTLOOK: • Exit activity increasing • Large tech IPOs returning • Limited partner reinvestment growing • Flat and down rounds continuing But here's what everyone's missing... Non-technical founders are actually BETTER POSITIONED for success. Why? 1. MARKET VOLATILITY - Increased macroeconomic uncertainty - Proposed tariffs affecting markets - Focus shifting to sustainable business models 2. FUNDING DYNAMICS - Investors prioritizing revenue over tech - Greater emphasis on unit economics - Valuation multiples normalizing 3. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE - Less crowded market segments - Focus on business fundamentals - Strategic positioning over technical depth The key isn't building the most advanced technology... It's building the most RESILIENT business. What are you focusing on for 2025?

Meet the ValidMind founders. Mehdi, Jonas, and Andrés talk about how we're shaping the future of #modelriskmanagement. More on the blog: https://lnkd.in/gZf3yHzJ

FinThink's First Marketing Video Let's Talk FinTech! FinThink Research is Live and FinThink AI is halfway Rolled Out. FinThink AI's Market Sentiment Analyzer and Risk Management Engine are both Live. 30 Publicly Traded Companies 20 Cryptocurrencies 20 NFT Projects Purposely priced to be accessible to anyone interested in trading better. Let's take a look at FinThink Research's 1st Marketing Video below: This is FinThink Inc. finthink.com #finthink #fintech #finance #economics #tech #ai #innovation #investing https://lnkd.in/eY_bDa3S

Here's what bothers me... Tech is BREAKING the world now. There are dozens of software and AI companies popping up everyday. And YET... We have non-tech CEOs and founders of previously successful businesses sitting on decades of domain knowledge and market understanding REFUSING to invest in tech. Technology is trillion dollar bills lying on the sidewalk waiting to be picked up. And most executives are just too busy driving past them. But... IF you're one of those few CEOs and founders who wants to build their own software? And you don't know where to start? I'm writing a book just about that. I've worked with 20+ companies building their own software so far. And have had dozens of conversations with non-technical CEOs and founders last year alone. This book will contain ALL the lessons, insights and answers to questions from those conversations. I don't have an exact launch date yet. I'm getting newer ideas for the chapters every single day. If it takes longer than expected, I might launch a mini version of the book first. Either way, something is coming soon. So stay tuned.