Nova Phoenix’s Post

Super fun way to start the morning at the Everywhere Ventures #NYTechWeek pre-seed founder breakfast bringing together some of the best early stage builders in the ecosystem. Always a joy to team up with Tai Hutchinson, Richard Kerby and Scott Hartley - who are long time supporters of NYC tech. A few themes we heard from the founders: ✔ Fundraising benchmarks are a moving target and that makes runway and planning tough. ✔ Stacking Safes and cap table mess keeps on getting messier with VCs less inclined to actually price rounds. ✔ Hiring is getting slightly easier as early employees have reset expectations on comp and equity. ✔ NYC is still super expensive and the city / institutions can be doing more! #LongNYCTech

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another #throwbacktuesday. In light of the recent announcement of CEO Maelle Gavet's sudden departure from Techstars and David Cohen joining back, we recall our conversation with Andrew Hippert regarding… 👉 The closure of accelerators in Boulder and Seattle 👉 Current and future implications on stakeholders 👉 Techstars’ expansion to NYC In uncertain times, hope shines brightest and we wish this change brings new innovation and growth. Link to episode in comments! #techstars #expansion #investing #venturecapital #privateequity #downsizing #preseed

Hi everyone! Welcome back to another #throwbacktuesday. In light of the recent announcement of CEO Maelle Gavet's sudden departure from Techstars and David Cohen joining back, we recall our conversation with Andrew Hippert regarding… 👉 The closure of accelerators in Boulder and Seattle 👉 Current and future implications on stakeholders 👉 Techstars’ expansion to NYC In uncertain times, hope shines brightest and we wish this change brings new innovation and growth. Link to episode in comments! #techstars #expansion #investing #venturecapital #privateequity #downsizing #preseed

This is a really bad take from someone I assume is an otherwise smart, dedicated founder. In reality, it’s sacrifice, grit, determination, and a legitimate business that make a true founder, regardless of tech involvement. Not your zip code. In my 2024 fireside chats with exited founders, I’ve met with successful founders who’ve built big tech and non-tech companies in NYC, LA, Austin, and Boulder. Yes, SF is the best at tech. We know this. But New York, LA, and plenty of other cities will close the gap between SF and the rest. Give it a decade: More risk-friendly investors will pop up in first-rate cities as homegrown companies get their exits. Besides, there is no one right way to build a company. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. Good luck to all of you building things, even if the cool kids aren’t there.

🚀 Our TechRise Season 4 Finalists are making waves! Ahead of the TechRise Season 4 Finale, three of our finalists— Camryn Ross (Fillow Inc.), Ayesha Kazi (ASL Aspire), and Gabriel Huertas del Pino (Arch Pet Food)—were featured on NBC Chicago with Art Norman. 🎙️ In this segment, they shared their innovative ventures, their journeys, and what drives their work as they prepared to pitch at the Finale. 📺 Check out the video to learn more about these founders and their incredible businesses. We’re proud to see these founders representing the best of Chicago's diverse tech ecosystem as they continue to push boundaries and inspire us all. #TechRiseFinale #ChicagoTech #TechRiseSeason4Finale

Last night at a VC dinner, I noticed an interesting shift—almost every LA-based investor mentioned flying to SF at least every other week. SF has had its ups and downs. During the pandemic, it became a bit of a punchline on Twitter, with people questioning whether it could ever reclaim its tech dominance. But in 2024, I am noticing that the city is the innovation hub of the West Coast. It continues to have an amazing network of start-ups and founders who are ready to put in the work. While LA is a great place to live and has an amazing quality of life, SF is still at the center of tech. And for many of us in venture, staying connected to that means regular trips to the Bay Area. One of my goals this year is to build a stronger presence in SF, aiming to be there at least once a month—maybe even every other week. Are others noticing SF’s resurgence? How often do you find yourself heading north? #VentureCapital #SanFrancisco #TechEcosystem #Innovation #LA

🔊 Are you an early-stage founder? or desire to become one some day? This Thursday's Dig In: Essential Financial Decisions for Founders (in partnership with Business Builders) The team from Book+Street—a finance and human resources services team supporting early-stage startups—will come to share about everything you need to know on Day 1 of starting your business. This includes: 💵 Sharing equity 🤝 Bringing on investors 👯 Expanding your founding team 📊 Cap tables 📉 Dilutive impacts 🫰 Equity-based incentives ⚖️ Key legal considerations and so much more After their presentation, they'll set up at a table so you can ask 1:1 questions. Students, founders, & tech community: Join us! No RSVP required. 📅 Thursday October 24 🕟 5-7PM 📍 Keenan Center, 1636 N High St We'll see you there! cc: Michelle Murcia Trevor G.

Great to attend the #ReversePitch event in Leeds last night as part of UK Tech Week, where three investors from YFM Equity Partners, Par Equity and Lifted Ventures pitched to a room of fundraising tech founders. A few discussion points that stood out: 1) Human Dynamics: The importance of aligning angel investors/VCs with founders, balancing personal interactions with both the trend towards 'platformification', and the need to respect the time of founders. 2) Female Founders: The need to boost investment in female-led startups, who often exit faster and undervalue their expertise, affecting funding opportunities. 3) Regional Disparities: The challenges faced by Northern England founders in securing equity funding from angels and VCs compared to their London counterparts. Thanks to KPMG for hosting and to all of the speakers. 

Finding your first customer is very special, but it's never easy. There are many challenges to consider, such as which channels to use, figuring out a business plan, and so on. I had a chance to talk to Rahul about Onelab Ventures' journey and how they got his first clients. For the full video, go to the link in the comments.

Hiring a Fractional CxO simply makes sense for a small to medium-sized business. You get a C-level expert in their field for a fraction of what it would cost to hire them, and they will deliver what you need in a fraction of the time!