YY Ventures’ Post

Join us for another Fund Friday episode featuring Taylor Oliver, Principal at Cervin. Taylor shares his journey to Cervin, emphasizing internships and connections. Cervin is an early-stage venture capital firm that focuses on building lasting enterprise-technology companies. The firm's partners actively collaborate with founders and product visionaries to create and launch disruptive technologies that aim to change the world. Taylor discusses his approach to finding and evaluating companies, emphasizing content creation, data-driven methods, networking, and creative strategies. He highlights Cervin's emphasis on trust and value in a competitive field. He also shares insights on AI and automation's impact on venture capital and business, noting rapid adoption and the need for companies to embrace innovation to stay competitive. Interested in learning more? Click the link in the comments to watch our full conversation. #fundfriday #realestateinvesting #lonestarcapital

My Internship Journey Fun fact about Venture Tribe founder. I recently came across Ogunleye Sarah post about how she met the founder and I realized it was almost the same as mine. When I first met Mr Michael of Venture Tribe , it was through a simple DM. I was getting to know my team members and reached out, asking for his name and role. He humbly replied, introducing himself as “just an observer.” It wasn’t until our first team meeting with the admin, where Ms Grace warmly welcomed him, that I realized who he really was—the visionary founder of Venture Tribe Mr. Michael’s humility is just one of the many qualities that make him an incredible leader. Here are 5 fun and inspiring things about him: 1️⃣ Goal-Oriented: A relentless achiever who turns dreams into reality, one milestone at a time. 2️⃣ Believer of God: Guided by faith and values, he infuses every venture with purpose and integrity. 3️⃣ Visionary:Always thinking 10 steps ahead, he sees opportunities where others see obstacles and inspires others to do the same. 4️⃣ Calm in the Midst of Storms: No challenge is too big or chaotic—he thrives on finding solutions when the pressure is on. 5️⃣ People-Centric Innovator: Passionate about building communities, empowering talent, and creating opportunities that make a lasting impact. Mr. Michael’s leadership and vision continue to shape Venture Tribe as a platform where people turn knowledge into action, ideas into innovation, and dreams into reality. #VentureTribe #VT01GRADUATION #VentureTribe

It was great joining Emily, Ian, and Bayan on this live stream! We discussed some great topics. Check it out on their Youtube below!

Two awesome things happened this summer: 1. Senoh Koroma joined us as an intern, and brought her humor, patience and curiousity to the team! 2. Laura Gomez Cadena stepped up as her leader and advisor, and showcased her empathy, structure, and generosity! The best feeling as a leader is watching your team learn, grow and soar, and it was an honor to be part of the journey of these two amazing women this summer! Read all about Senoh's learnings in the blog post below. https://lnkd.in/e_yFwDG8)

📸 Spotted at Startup House Riga while filming the behind-the-scenes of a startup presentation! It’s been just a month since I started my internship with Inta Buša, and I can already say — I’ve unlocked Pro Max Mode. 🚀 Still wondering if you should keep me on your radar? Definitely yes—though I’d suggest adding me to your contacts instead :) 1️⃣ Investor mode activated: I never thought of myself as an investor, but the startup world got me seriously thinking about making my first investment. It’s amazing how being surrounded by professionals shifts your perspective. 2️⃣ Aesthetics + marketing = 🔥: I absolutely love creating visual beauty. When my ideas are combined with my marketing expertise, it turns into a full-blown MEGA BOOM! Creativity and strategy are my secret weapons. 3️⃣ Teamwork? No problem! I’m used to making decisions on my own, but working in a team where every decision had to be agreed upon by three people? No big deal! I adapted quickly, stepped into the role, and nailed it — all thanks to my amazing colleagues Sanija Eglīte & Milana Bolgova! And you know what’s the best part? This is just the beginning. Whether it’s startups, marketing, or storytelling, I’m here to create, inspire, and bring ideas to life. Let’s connect! Who knows, we might just launch something truly amazing together✨ #StartupJourney #MarketingMagic #CreativePower #TeamworkMakesTheDreamWork #VisualStorytelling #FutureInvestor #LevelUp

⭐ I'm excited to be part of the 2024 PledgeLA Venture Capital Fellowship Cohort. This opportunity has been transformative, and huge thank you to the instructors and organizers who made it possible: Shane Kelly, Lisha Bell, Calvin, Trivia, Marcia, Lilia, Lesly, PledgeLA, Cinematica Labs.     Not long ago, I chose to attend USC Marshall School of Business for my MBA, pivoting from a medical scientist path to use business skills to effect positive and sustainable change for both people and the planet, focusing on health equity through entrepreneurship and venture capital.    Systemic discrimination and environmental destruction continue to harm our communities. Here are some stark statistics that drive my motivation:    ❌ Black infants in the U.S. have more than 2x the mortality rate of white infants. Black women are 3x to 4x more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes (CDC).    ❌ LGBTQ+ youth are almost five times as likely to attempt suicide compared to their peers. 40% of transgender adults have attempted suicide (Trevor Project, UCLA).    ❌ White families have a median household wealth of $188,200, while Black and Latinx families have $24,100 and $36,000 respectively (Federal Reserve).    ❌ Since 2018, Black and Latinx women have received only 0.64% of VC funding. Women of color represent just 1% of C-Suite executives in the U.S. (Fast Company)   ❌ ~26% of People with Disabilities in the U.S. live in poverty, compared to ~11.5% without disabilities. (Statista)   ❌ Since 1970, biodiversity has declined by nearly 60% due to human activities, with 18.7 million acres of forests lost annually (WWF, WHO).    PledgeLA has equipped me with the skills to discover disruptive entrepreneurial ideas and empower voices that can change these statistics. I am committed to fostering a better future through innovative solutions.    A few gems from PledgeLA Fellowship Trainings:    💡 Democratizing access to venture capital is improving, but more work is needed.   ✋ Developing a clear, evidence-based point of view is crucial.   🦄 Unique business models can generate favorable returns beyond the unicorn model.   👽 "Have Delusional Vision and Pragmatic Execution."   💰 A VC's strategy is heavily influenced by its fund size.   🌟 Your investment thesis guides investment criteria and decisions.   🤔 Ask questions and challenge assumptions with genuine curiosity.   🚀 The movement for a more equitable world is gaining momentum.   🔎 Knowing customer needs and motivations is key.   🏆 The strength and dynamics of the founding and managing team are vital.  🧘♀️ Great founders acknowledge what they don't know and learn and evolve from their experiences.    With these lessons and more, I am excited join New Media Ventures (NMV) this summer. NMV invests in activists and entrepreneurs tackling the biggest challenges facing our democracy, supporting diverse leaders leveraging digital media to drive social change.    #PledgeLA #VentureCapital

We had the pleasure of having Skylar Gen Johnson intern with us from July to September of this year, where she helped us revamped one of our database repositories. Incidentally, it was also my first time managing someone completely remotely! 🌍 🐢 Skylar's penned down some observations she gathered from her #internship with us on the SEA Turtle phenomenon. Specifically, how many budding entrepreneurs are SEA Turtles, returning home to hatch tech startups after spending many years overseas honing their skills solving complex world problems. This is not to say homegrown founders are not as knowledgable - but is a testament of how innovators, young and seasoned, believe in the potential of the SEA tech ecosystem, and how much further we can all contribute to transform it. 🔖 You can read Skylar's reflections here: https://lnkd.in/g6PUEDyx It was great working with Skylar, and we wish her all the best at Stanford! ✨ If you are interested in connecting with a community of young global leaders, you can keep up to date by following our SEAConnect page! Cheryl Liew Max Ong

Zepto CEO Aadit Palicha, while speaking at an NDTV World Summit 2024, said people who report to him are almost double his age, and he is younger than his interns. "People that report to me are almost double my age. It has taken time, but we have proven our ability to add value to the time. The team now has conviction that Aadit has some idea of what he's talking about," Palicha said. #zepto #ceo #interns #employees #startup #Indianstartupnews

The future of venture capital is calling. Are you ready to lead? At HBCUvc, we are committed to mobilizing the next generation of investors and leaders in the tech and startup ecosystem, with a special focus on advancing the well-being of Black communities. ✊🏾✨ Our 2025 VC Training & Paid Internship Program offers graduate students an invaluable opportunity to gain hands-on experience in venture capital, build meaningful relationships with industry leaders, and receive culturally-affirming training. This program is designed to equip you with the skills, network, and resources needed to launch a successful career in the VC space. 💼 Are you ready to shape the future? This program is your gateway to making a real impact in the world of venture capital, while becoming part of a growing community committed to transformative investments and inclusive growth. 📅 Mark your calendar or share with a friend! Applications open December 10th, 2024. Stay tuned for more updates and exciting announcements as we count down to the launch. 🔔 Don’t miss out! Sign up for our newsletter at www.hbcu.vc and be the first to know when applications go live. The journey to your VC career starts here. Will you answer the call? #VentureCapital #VCInternship2025 #FutureOfVC #BlackVentureCapital #HBCUvc #CareerInVC #InclusiveInnovation #EquityInVC #InvestInBlackCommunities #StartupEcosystem

We’re thrilled to announce that InternLink has secured its first investor in our pre-seed round! What began as a simple idea scribbled on a tissue paper between Abhimit Suman, Aryaveer Singh, and me has grown into a platform with 540+ companies and loved by 39,000+ pre-registered users. Every founder knows the journey is tough. There are challenges that make you question everything, but the key is to stay consistent and just start. That’s what kept us moving forward—and now, here we are. It has been an incredible journey, and I want to thank my peers and family for their unwavering support throughout this process. Their belief in me has made all the difference. The first 3 interns of InternLink are now the 3 founders. 🚀 And trust me, this is just the beginning—there’s so much more to come! #InternLink #StartupJourney #FirstInvestor #FromInternsToFounders #PreSeedRound #StayConsistent #MoreToCome #HiringRevolution #PersonalGrowth