Reflect Ventures

Reflect Ventures is a leading emerging markets VC with 25+ early stage investments across five continents. We invest in B2B and B2B2C in Supply Chain, Distribution, Logistics, Transport, and related Fintech. In emerging markets, consumers spend up to 80% of their disposable income on basic necessities.  We invest in the companies that get those necessities to consumers more quickly, more efficiently, and at lower cost. These markets are going mobile first.  A Mozambican trucker will not buy a smart phone to play Angry Birds but he will buy one so he can book a return load and avoid an unpaid trip hauling an empty trailer.  We have seen how these technologies revolutionized business in China and are disrupting huge industries in India.  Other emerging markets are following the same path with local variations and we invest in the companies that are riding that wave. We invest thematically - we find a good model and then invest in multiple markets. For example, in  FTL Trucking, we invested in Truck It In (Pakistan), CARGON (the Caucasus), appload (South African Development Community), and Kamion (YC S22).  In bus ticketing and seat inventory management we invested in Jatri (Bangladesh) and T40 Technologies (Nigeria). All these companies have grown significantly since our initial investment. If you are interested in investment opportunities in emerging markets, reach out. To learn more about emerging markets, investing and the funny side of VC, check out our newsletter, Reflecting on Venturing:  https://lnkd.in/ReflectingOnVenturing #venturecapital #startups  #angelinvesting  #emergingmarkets #emergingmarketsventurecapital #angelinvestors #ventureinvesting #emergingmarketsangelinvesting #startupinvesting #reflectventures

Reflect Ventures is thrilled to announce our Series A investment in goFlux, the pioneering freight platform revolutionizing logistics in Brazil. GoFlux connects shippers and carriers, offering a digital marketplace for efficient, transparent freight management. Their innovative platform optimizes logistics operations through real-time data, advanced analytics, and seamless communication, ensuring cost-effective and eco-friendly transport solutions. This partnership marks a significant milestone in transforming the supply chain landscape.  - Reflect Ventures invests in B2B and B2B2C in #emergingmarkets. We focus on #supplychain, #distribution, #logistics, #transport, #circulareconomy and #fintechrails. To learn more about Reflect Ventures or to join its community of investors backing some of the most promising startups in emerging markets, reach out to invest@reflectventures.com. #VentureCapital #SeriesA #Logtech #Brazil

The Sixteenth edition of our newsletter is out now! #investment #2023Recap #EmergingMarkets #VCs

I will be attending Invest Morocco, a forum bridging U.S. and African investors with Moroccan founders, curated by His Excellency Mr. Puneet Talwar, United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, and British A. Robinson, Prosper Africa Coordinator. Excited to delve into Morocco's vibrant startup scene and explore opportunities in supply chain, distribution, logistics, transport, circular economy, and fintech rails!  #MoroccoStartup #InvestmentOpportunities #GlobalCollaboration

Everything old is new again - Zimbabwe is returning to the gold standard! Zimbabwe is launching a new currency for the sixth time since 2008. The new currency, the ZiG, is supposed to be 100% backed by gold reserves. The problem, of course, is that after so many episodes of hyperinflation and bills that are more valuable as toilet paper than currency, who is going to believe Zimbabwe’s government on this? Zimbabwe will almost certainly print more ZiGs than it has in gold reserves, and this currency will fail too. The ZiG will ZaG. If you want a musical take on this, see https://lnkd.in/dH8CzP_A. Then I'll get on my knees and pray We don't get fooled again Don't get fooled again Meet the new boss Same as the old boss Hat tip to Kitsepile Nyathi of The EastAfrican https://lnkd.in/dWRp9xVb. And Farai Sevenzo of BBC News, https://lnkd.in/d6Z5xH8f #Zimbabwe #SouthernAfrica #Africa #currency #ZiG #goldbacked #hyperinflation #economicpolicy #monetarypolicy #inflation #goldreserves #financialcrisis #economicreform #economicinstability #governmentpolicy #cryptoscam #DontGetFooledAgain!

The Messenger has sent its last message. They burned through 50 million dollars trying to build a new online news site following the same business model as BuzzFeed News. The problem is that BuzzFeed News got started 15 years earlier, and by the time The Messenger got started BuzzFeed News was already on its last legs.  And yes,  BuzzFeed News died even before The Messenger did. What we have to wonder, as an investor, is what were the people who invested 50 million dollars into The Messenger thinking? How did it make sense to anyone to invest 50 million dollars into a company that was a new entrant into a crowded field, and where many of the existing companies in that industry were already struggling and having to rethink their business models, selling at much lower prices than their previous valuations, and generally in deep trouble? Who invests in an industry like that for a new entrant? And then the really interesting question, how are they going to explain this to their LPs? Hat Tip to Amanda Silberling at TechCrunch https://lnkd.in/d9RJv_HS #EmergingMarketsInvesting #TheMessenger #ExplainThatToYourLPs

Back from Riyadh Well, I'm back from #Riyadh after a day at Paklaunch (PL) and four days at LEAP. Riyadh was an amazing experience. It's just amazing how much money is being invested into infrastructure, human capital, and yes, the startup ecosystem. Paklaunch was great. Lots of great companies there, almost all of them looking for opportunities in Saudi Arabia. It is definitely possible to come to Saudi Arabia and build and operate a company without speaking a word of Arabic. There are plenty of people doing it. Lots of Pakistanis doing it. It's a great opportunity. LEAP was amazing. A huge, huge event. They had to put it way outside the city because there was no room in Riyadh to hold the event. I was there, of course, looking for logistics, supply chain, distribution, transport, those industries. Lots of great opportunities. There are many great companies being built in Saudi Arabia. There is a lot of funding going into the startup ecosystem, so it's very easy to get a company started and to get initial funding. That means great companies are being built. Valuations are a bit high, but the opportunities are tremendous. The huge growth that Saudi government policy is going to drive is going to create enormous opportunities in logistics, in supply chain, in distribution. That whole system has to expand to match the growth in the Kingdom. We're looking forward to being more involved in this. I'm going to have to be back in Riyadh, it's obvious. And we're going to be taking advantage of these incredible opportunities. #emergingmarketsinvesting #SaudiArabia #KSA #AngelInvesting

"𝘝𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸-𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥." Apparently, ugly male venture capitalists make larger investments into companies run by attractive male founders. At Reflect Ventures, we're not worried about this bias. That's because all of our investors are inherently attractive. If you're ready to join forces with a group of attractive investors and invest in emerging market startups disrupting supply chain, distribution, logistics, transportation, and the circular economy, then don't hesitate to reach out to me now. Let's make attractive investments together! https://lnkd.in/d5m7iRUS Acknowledgement to PsyPost  and Eric Dolan. #VentureCapital #StartupInvesting #EmergingMarkets

It's 6:30am Sunday - bright and early! I'm here at Sharjah Airport heading to #Riyadh. I have Paklaunch (PL) today and then LEAP Monday to Thursday. Looking forward to a productive week!

I will be at Paklaunch (PL) Unconference 2024, the premier event for innovation in Pakistan's startup ecosystem, taking place on March 3rd in Riyadh. If you are attending and want to meet, please reach out to me at mfriedman@reflectventures.com.  Let’s meet. #PakLaunchUnconference #startupscene #venturecapital #investmentopportunities #innovation #techinnovation #PakistanStartups