Julian T.

In honor of reaching over 5k members, Girls Into VC is thrilled to announce the launch of "The ABCs of Venture Capital: The Girls Into VC Guidebook," now available for download on our website! This 150-page guidebook takes you on an in-depth journey through the complexities of venture capital, presenting it in an easy-to-understand way. Whether you're curious about venture capital, have a burning ambition to break into the field, or just have a general interest, this guidebook is designed for you. We demystify venture capital with clear and concrete steps, making it accessible and inclusive for everyone. 🔑 What’s Inside? - Comprehensive Overview: Understand what venture capital truly is and how it works.  -Understanding the Ecosystem: Get to know the players, major hubs, and the inner workings of VC firms.  -Investment Process: Learn how to find, evaluate, and manage investments, including looking at pitch decks, venture selection, terms of investing, and managing portfolio companies.  -Breaking Into VC: Step-by-step guidance on how to position yourself, what firms are looking for, and tips on applying and interviewing.  -Glossary of Terms: A comprehensive glossary to help you master the terminology of venture capital. This guidebook is packed with real-world tips, industry insights, and practical knowledge from experts. It’s tailored to make the field approachable for all, especially for women and underrepresented groups. Download and join us in our mission to make venture capital more inclusive and accessible! https://lnkd.in/e53WZ43Q

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Summary: The article discusses the newly formed Diversity Data Alliance, which aims to standardize data collection and sharing methods for venture firms and organizations focused on diversity within the tech industry. The Alliance hopes to create a centralized data pool to better track funding trends and increase capital allocation to underrepresented founders. Key takeaways: The Diversity Data Alliance is a collaboration between seven venture firms and organizations, including All Raise and Diversity VC, with the goal of creating a framework for data collection and a centralized database for tracking funding trends. The standard data collection process will help firms gather information on founders and funders in a consistent manner, including demographics like race, gender and disability status. This initiative is part of a larger effort within the venture industry to promote data transparency and understanding of the funding landscape. Counter arguments: Some venture firms may not see the value in sharing this data, as it could reveal disparities in their funding practices. The standardized data collection process may not capture the full picture of diversity as it only includes optional questions and relies on self-identification. #venturecapital #data #tech #startups

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Summary: This article discusses the challenges and opportunities facing emerging venture capital fund managers in the current market. Despite a decrease in the percentage of capital allocated to emerging managers, many are adapting and finding success through creative fundraising strategies and the support of communities like Raise Global. However, past success is not always a reliable indicator of future performance for these managers. Key takeaways: A decrease in available capital for emerging managers has resulted in a competitive landscape for fundraising. Some emerging managers have had to revise their fund targets and work with larger firms to secure deals. Communities like Raise Global have emerged to support and connect emerging managers with potential investors. Counter arguments: While some emerging managers have been successful, past performance is not always indicative of future success. The decrease in available capital could potentially hinder the growth and success of emerging managers. #venturecapital #vc #fundraising

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What Angel Investors Are Saying About Our Startup Ecosystem Yesterday, I led a breakfast meeting with leading angel investors hosted by ACG New Jersey and Robert Johnson. Here are some takeaways from our discussion. New Jersey has: 1. Tremendous Untapped Potential and Enthusiasm The growth I’ve seen just in the past few years has been breathtaking to witness. We've never seen so many New Jersey entrepreneurs making an impact on science and technology, and that pace of progress shows no sign of slowing down. 2. Density and Diversity As our nation’s most densely populated state, New Jersey is also one of the most diverse states, with a strong inflow of migrant #innovation from India and East Asia. 3. Many Industry Value Chains Represented New Jersey is a national leader in pharmaceutical, chemicals and healthcare innovation, which creates opportunities for local startups to integrate themselves with and learn from established leaders in their industries. 4. Strong Programs that Support Entrepreneurship The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and CSIT do a phenomenal job making working capital available to innovative new businesses. 5. Universities that bring smart people together Rutgers, Princeton, Stevens, NJIT, Rowan, FDU and others serve as a lightning rods that brings brilliant entrepreneurs together from all over the world. Do you think I’ve missed something that should be on this list? What do you think about New Jersey’s Startup Ecosystem? Let me know in the comments.

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We took the pulse of emerging fund managers about what it's been like for them during these post-ZERP, venture-capital-winter years. #venturecapital #veteranventures

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BLOWN AWAY to have been interviewed alongside such trailblazers for this Fortune piece by Allie Garfinkle that details the state of Venture Capital as it relates to DEI. The piece highlights Primary Venture Partners recent launch of Factor Fellowship, a new nonprofit connecting untapped, exceptional talent in New York City to careers in venture-backed startups, spearheaded by Lisa Lewin, Tom Ogletree and Benjamin Sun. In the piece, I chat about the impact we hope to make for underrepresented founders with Peerless - our $1M pitch competition. TOP QUOTES from the piece... When asked about the growing conservative backlash against DEI, as some states ban DEI initiatives - “We’re not going to let you shut us up,” said Almodovar. “We’re not going to let you say this isn’t important, and we’re going to double down on saying this is really important.” When asked, "Why $1M for Peerless?" - “We wanted to really empower these founders to say, ‘take this risk,’” said Desiree Almodovar, AlleyCorp operator-in-residence and who is leading Peerless, which will hold its first competition on June 20. And most importantly, Allie writes, "We don’t talk about DEI as much as we used to. But if something was important on principle before, isn’t it always important? Yes, but it’s only possible to do something about it if people keep talking about it, and acting." JUST ONE MORE WEEK LEFT TO APPLY FOR PEERLESS!

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If I was to do a monthly podcast epiosde segment called This Month in VC 1) Who should I invite as a guest for this segment? 2) Any VC's who would be down to come on and share their stories + insights on this? Basically recapping what happened in that month in VC - It would be an under 30 minute discussion - Recorded remotely using Zoom, Riverside DM me or reply to this if interested Inspired by Harry Stebbings This Week in SaaS to try out a different format

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What would you do right now to *guarantee* a Sequoia Capital investment? 💸 Anything, right? Then why haven't you applied to Arc? Sequoia Arc is a five-week program led by our partners that will take more than 50 years of company-building experience and apply them all to every pain point in your startup: Need a world-class engineer? Done—we know the best. 👩‍💻 Need a stronger direction in which to pivot? Done—we have advice. 📈 Need to define your go-to-market strategy? Done—the experts are already in your corner. 🧠 If you are accepted to the exclusive program, Sequoia will lead your next investment round, whenever it happens: Pre-Seed, Seed, or A. 💰 Applications close this July 31st. You won't want to miss it. ⏳🔗 https://lnkd.in/gKK7dv4V P.S. If you want a second opinion on an application, drop a message in the comments—I'd love to take an early look at Sequoia's next legendary startup. ✨

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This month, The Artemis Fund is putting a spotlight on women who have created impactful solutions in digital retail and e-commerce. I’m excited to share our most recent blog on this topic! Sustainable consumption means achieving more with fewer resources, prioritizing efficiency and sustainability. Today's consumers are increasingly prioritizing sustainability, using their purchasing power to support it. Within our pipeline, we’ve seen founders building the next generation of sustainable production and consumption, from Sharpei (circular economy) to ergo and offe market (moving inventory) to Hemster, Inc (extending product life). Within our portfolio, we’re proud to support innovative retail and commerce companies driving sustainability and improving customer bottom lines: DRESSX, Max Retail, Paloma, and Gemist . Check out the full blog linked in the comments. If you're a founder innovating in fintech, commerce, or care, we want to meet you! Pitch us at the link in the comments. #sustainableconsumption #digitalretail #ecommerce

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5 Key Learnings from Being in the VC Ecosystem for the Past 3 Years 🚀💡 My journey in the venture capital ecosystem has been filled with invaluable lessons. Here are some key takeaways from my experiences that have shaped my perspective and approach: 1. Relationships Over ROI 🤝 I've learned that it's all about playing the long game. Building and maintaining relationships with founders, investors, and industry partners goes beyond mere transactions. Regularly connect with your network, even when there are no immediate deals on the table. 2. Bet on Big Ideas 🎯 Venture investing is about taking bold bets with asymmetric potential. I've found that evaluating opportunities based on their transformative potential, rather than the risks alone, can lead to groundbreaking successes. The biggest rewards often come from the boldest ideas. Don’t shy away from high-risk, high-reward opportunities; assess their long-term potential and impact. 3. Add Real Value 🌟 Providing capital is just the beginning. In my experience, offering operational support, strategic guidance, and valuable network connections is essential. Helping startups navigate challenges and grow stronger not only builds resilient companies but also solidifies lasting partnerships. Actively seek ways to contribute beyond funding—become a mentor, connector, and advisor. 4. Diversity is Non-Negotiable 🌍 Embracing diversity within teams and portfolios enhances creativity and decision-making. Diverse perspectives lead to innovative solutions and better outcomes. Prioritize diversity in hiring and investment decisions to foster a more innovative and dynamic ecosystem. 5. Learn from Failures 💪 Learning from setbacks and iterating based on those experiences leads to stronger results. Create an environment where failures are discussed openly and constructively, turning them into valuable learning experiences. What lessons have you learned in the VC ecosystem? Share your insights in the comments! Let's continue to learn and grow together.

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It's OFFICIAL. ✨ I made it through the Venture Institute program for aspiring venture capitalists. The program has been a very instrumental part of my VC journey. Over the last two and a half months, I have mastered topics like… 🟢 The impact of venture capital and venture builders in the NYC ecosystem 🟢 Term sheets, including what they encompass, how to read one, what each of the terms mean, and some “red flags” to watch out for 🟢 Venture entities and how they relate to one another 🟢 How to create a VC fund thesis 🟢 The startup investment process and how to leverage my existing skills to enable that process for a fund 🟢 The power law and what a power law portfolio really looks like (I also created a hypothetical portfolio based on the power law) 🟢 The 2 and 20 VC model, its importance, and how some funds may adjust the model while fundraising 🟢 Management fees, their uses, and they’re impact on a fund 🟢 American vs. European waterfalls 🟢 Calculating fund metrics like TVPI and IRR and why they're important 🟢 Portfolio construction models 🟢 Sourcing LPs and managing relationships with them (one of my favorite exercises from this program! I sourced 30 LPs for one of my sprints) 🟢 LP archetypes and how to use these archetypes to enable your fundraising process 🟢 Using Decile Hub to write and manage deal memos (my first time working with a CRM in VC) 🟢 Using the top-down and bottom-up approaches for conducting research (used both for a research project and learned how to use these approaches to size a market) 🟢 Compliance and valuation processes, including how to markup or markdown an investment 🟢 Reading a cap table and constructing one that depicts multiple fundraising rounds across SAFEs and priced rounds It wasn’t easy to go through the learning process while working a full-time job, training as a VC scout, attending and hosting events, and doing various other things. But in the words of a trusted colleague, I am stubbornly committed becoming a VC. I have truly been working 7 days a week to break into VC and while a LinkedIn post doesn't fully capture all the work I've put into this career transition, I do want to make sure I celebrate the turning of the page. I'm on the lookout for full-time Associate roles at early-stage consumer and FinTech-focused VC funds. I'm also very passionate about supporting and investing in female founders. If you know a GP who's hiring in these spaces and could use someone with my skills, I would appreciate an intro. 🫶🏽  

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Mentor Monday: "I am interested in VC, where do I start?" I met with 40 students interested in breaking into VC and this was one of the most common questions they asked. "Where should I start". Thank goodness for them, I was in the same spot once. Learn what VC is: - Read Secrets of Sandhill Road - Understand what an analyst or associate does at a VC Build VC skills - Build up VC vocab - Learn where to source deals - Learn how to evaluate startups - Learn how to evaluate people Start looking for roles - The Early - Gen Z VCs - Nicole DeTommaso

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i've published an investment memo template that i think is particularly helpful for aspiring VCs, established VCs, or founders who want to understand how early-stage investors think. this is also insight into my thought process as i take calls with founders. would love for this to be an open discussion in the comments; pls lmk if there any questions you think i missed to critically evaluate new ventures. thanks all!

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Paige Hendrix Buckner and the All Raise team push the ecosystem in the best ways to bring community and capital together. For some numbers that tell a story about the VC industry since 2018, read the comprehensive 2023 Annual Report: https://lnkd.in/gbbZabdr ! Spoiler Alert: Some things changed like proportion of women decision-makers in VC firms has nearly doubled to 17.4%! (For firms with $50M AUM or greater). This is great, and it's still not enough! On the other hand, some things stay the same as we know the VC % going to female founders is the same or worse. And, yet we just keep going! #Investment #VentureCapital #Womeninventure #GPs #LPs #EmergingManagers

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Summary: Industry Ventures has raised a $900 million early-stage hybrid fund for investing in emerging managers and directly backing growth-stage companies. This is their seventh hybrid fund and is larger than their previous one. The fund will be split between backing VC funds, direct investments, and acquiring stakes from emerging managers. Key takeaways: Smaller, newer funds are finding it more difficult to raise capital, but this fund from Industry Ventures offers hope for emerging managers. The fund will be split between various investments, including backing VC funds and buying secondary interests. Industry Ventures may have an advantage due to their ability to invest in both emerging and more established managers. Counter arguments: Some may argue that it is still difficult for emerging managers to raise funds. The success of Industry Ventures may not be indicative of the overall climate for emerging managers. #venturecapital #venture #startups #fundraising

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⛳ Emerging fund managers pulse check. PitchBook tracks over 10,000 funds that are raising money, with 45% being emerging fund managers (defined as firms with less than 3 funds). Despite a dip in available capital—down to 16% from the pre-pandemic 23%—these managers are finding creative ways to stay competitive, like partnering with larger firms. 💼 Joanna Drake (founder turned investor) shared how "wildly different" it is raising a fund versus for a startup. One key datapoint she shared on the fund side was how little feedback you get along the way (and the years you can wait for it). The “long-winded and challenging process to raise capital” inspired Drake and Ben Black to create RAISE Global, a community for emerging fund managers and the “forward-thinking LPs” who back them. (A decade later, several hundred emerging managers with AUM under $200m are on the platform) They've found the newest emerging managers are more diverse and geographically dispersed than Silicon valley, and more were able to crack the ceiling and raise larger $100m funds (although this is still a small % of the market, requiring partnership with larger funds at the late stage). ▶ And not a hugely surprising datapoint: A lot of action is in the sub $49 million range, where roughly 50% of emerging managers are raising. Theresa Sorrentino Hajer, Head of U.S. venture capital research at Cambridge Associates warns that past success isn't actually a strong indicator on it's own to assess emerging managers. We've had a valuation reset. And newer managers with investments during the 2019-2021 "party days", need to build relevant track record and play to their strengths. A lot of emerging managers are specializing (70% who applied for Raise had a thematic focus), and betting on getting in as early as possible in the startup's lifecycle (Raise: 31% at accelerator/ pre-seed stages, and 47% at seed stage). “Emerging managers have to compete on a different dimension,” Nick Moran from New Stack Ventures. You're no longer just dealing with capital. Emerging VC's need to be as innovative and nimble as the startups they invest in, having a unique thesis and insights. They also play a role at the top of the deal-flow funnel: helping larger firms find promising companies, so finding a thesis, sector or philosophy aligned partner at a larger firm is helpful. Onwards! #EmergingManager #Startups #VC

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I’m #hiring. I've done many jobs/internships and found that there needs to be more "doing," especially in the venture space. Now launching the Nytrogen venture scout program – You’ll be involved entirely with the entire process: deal sourcing, on calls with investors/founders, you name it. Here are three problems we want to solve: 1. The investment space problem 90% of startups fail, 70% of funded startups fail. It’s clear just money isn’t the solution. This isn’t just a perspective of mine. Working with LPs, VCs, and FOs- It's clear that there needs to be a better model out there (hint – there is!). 2. The clinicians/scientists problem Being surrounded by PhD students and doctors, I’ve realized a lot of them create really cool stuff that has the potential to impact millions of people. Working closely with academic institutions, I’ve seen these cool inventions left “sitting on shelves.” These need to be out there! 3. The medical students/science students problem Understanding the current state of the NHS, many medical students I’ve talked to are looking towards other careers. Science students are also looking outwards to use their expertise in different areas. They’re still passionate about what they’ve studied and want to make an impact within those industries. Here’s where we come in. These are the three problems Nytrogen is solving. Of course, I’m not doing this alone. I believe a mountain is easier to move with people who share the same values and goals. I’m fortunate to be surrounded by a bunch of ventures, incredible insane people, and those who’ve done it countless times. 🚀 Applications are open! Remotely and located anywhere (Thanks LinkedIn for not making “anywhere” an option). Any other interesting people in different industries – blockchain, AI, climate-tech, etc. – feel free to reach out and I can redirect you to someone else! 🌍 #Startups #Innovation #HealthcareTech #Biotech

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A new era of deep tech has emerged. First time funds will raise “unheard of” amounts of capital to fuel next gen deep tech startups - producing outsized, superior returns for LP’s compared to the rest. Prudent investors will act on this data and shift investment strategy as LP’s or risk being left behind savvy wealth managers and CIO’s / FO’s who saw this trend begin 4 years ago.

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I recently joined Harold Hughes, Brandon J (BJ) Middleton-Pratt, Waverly Middleton, and Jesús Salas for a panel as part of Village Capital’s ADAPT: Social Innovation for a More Resilient Future in the U.S. The panel focused on guiding founders and teams through the intricacies of fundraising negotiation, not only on negotiating terms, but also on fostering self-awareness and developing an investor's perspective. Some key takeaways- ♦ Preparing for Success: We discussed strategies to mitigate risks such as equity loss, entity structure choices, keeping your cap table clean, the importance of vesting agreements (we talked a lot about common stock for founders!), fundraising from strategics, how market conditions impact negotiations (less capital on the market = more investor leverage), and choosing the right legal counsel (make sure you choose someone with expertise in startup funding and dynamics). ♦ Negotiation Process: We delved into approaching valuation (higher doesn’t always mean better), balancing it with retaining control, avoiding common initial term sheet negotiation pitfalls (first and foremost, READ your term sheets), understanding where maximum leverage lies and which terms investors might be flexible on. Be collaborative, honest, and transparent with your investors. ♦ After Investment: We explored post-investment strategies, including addressing problematic terms, aligning business conduct with terms, and understanding how current terms influence future rounds. For a deeper dive, I highly recommend Venture Deals by Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson. Make sure to check out the book and the resources! #fundraising #entrepreneurship

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