Diego Sanchez

It is no secret that fundraising has been incredibly challenging for founders at all stages. According to Carta’s Q1 2024 State of Private Markets report, Seed stage deal count fell 33% from Q4 2023 and Series A deal count fell 36%. Additionally, total cash raised in the same period was 30% less at each stage suggesting rounds sizes are also getting smaller. In this next edition of Collaborative Fund's Founder Support Series, I get into the details of how to prepare to fundraise in a challenging environment. Have a read and let me know what you think: https://lnkd.in/gJjqhsCd

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Whether I am on a sales call, at a party, or just speaking with friends, explaining the breadth of Viam’s capabilities in words has been difficult. I have, however, found that once I show the platform at work, eyes light up and ideas about the different devices that could benefit from Viam begin flowing. Here are some of my favorite projects to “show off” when I am giving a demo of Viam. What devices in your life would you hack to do the same? https://lnkd.in/eFn6eD52 #software #robotics #opensource

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🎨 📺 Sharon Roth is a Product & Design leader who’s built her career in the lab, across different modalities, to bring more creative product experiences to life 📺 🎨 It's W3 / Q3 / 2024 and this week in our MGMT Boston up & coming operator series we’ve got Sharon who serves as the Senior Director of Product Management at Quantified.ai, the AI-driven flight simulator for sellers. The app feels as real as your next video call, scales across teams, programs, and companies, and ramps reps 42% faster. Sharon is leading Quantified AI’s Product & Design team after previous roles in Product leadership at Tamr & Honor Education. She’s excited to be back working in an Enterprise focused company, leading Design alongside Product, focused on strategic & execution based discipline. ❓Questions Are Your Roadmap ❓ It’s popular to encourage new hires to ask a lot of questions. But it’s always a good time to ask questions! When a member of your team comes to you and says “we really need to build X feature”, they’re coming to you for good reason. Dig into the why to understand how often the issue comes up, when it happens in a customer conversation, and why they’re asking for it in the first place. Is there an even better way to build a solution? Also, people are always excited about getting to a solution. By delaying the solution discussion to first get everyone to agree on the problem, you can coordinate a better response. Sharon has been in rooms where stakeholders can’t agree on the problem they’re trying to solve, which can sometimes be even more painful! By asking better questions and articulating the underlying issues thoroughly, they can work together as an organization to chart a better path forward. 3 Career Insights / Learnings 🙋‍♀️ Seek New Challenges - “Trying new things is how you learn and grow. At a startup, there are so many opportunities to try new things. As startups evolve, you need to embrace all that’s going to happen and make it a positive thing. Otherwise don’t go to a startup!” 🤝 Act with Integrity - “Do your best, show your work. But also treat others with respect and kindness while doing it. How you treat people and how you show up every day will impact your work environment. You’re responsible for the energy you bring to the room, so be authentic and try to inject some positivity. It will help you build the type of network you want to have too” 🗣 Invest in Communication Skills - “It helps you ask questions well, advocate for yourself, have your ideas be heard. It also helps others understand your impact. It takes continuous practice to do well.” If you’d like to learn more about Sharon’s career, the full post is linked in the comments. Go ahead and sign up for the newsletter to see the operator learnings we bring you in the weeks ahead too, will ya? #bostontech #operators

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Join us for an important conversation next week about platform design and elections with Glenn E., Ravi Iyer, Kaili L., and Nicole Schneidman - how is tech getting in the way and/or facilitating election integrity? 🤔 https://lu.ma/59uxawc5

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In the next episode of the Duran Inci Podcast, we delve into the true nature of innovation with guest Alex Berg, exploring how it extends far beyond the pursuit of profit. Our conversation will uncover how a deep-seated desire to challenge the status quo can yield extraordinary and widespread impacts. We will examine the crucial decisions that ambitious individuals face, revealing how embracing daunting challenges can profoundly influence one's trajectory. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned executive, or simply intrigued by the dynamics of transformative change, this episode will equip you with valuable insights into the art of pushing boundaries and redefining possibilities. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of what drives innovation and how it shapes the future. #DrivingInnovation #MoreThanProfit #EntrepreneurialDrive #EmbraceChallenges #ShapeTheFuture #TechInnovation #LeadershipInsights #StartupJourney #AgentsOfChange #ExpandBoundaries

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🚨 The former CFO of Dropbox, Sujay Jaswa oversees the investment and operating activities as a founding partner at WndrCo, alongside media vet Jeffrey Katzenberg. He joins us for VC Wednesdays.🚨 🖋️  You recently closed a $460 million VC fund. Where are you looking to deploy that? Everything we do is around the idea of the future of work and helping people optimize how they get work done. That’s why we're investors in companies like Airtable, Figma, Databricks, Deel, 1Password and others. That won’t change, but now, you'll see us really focus on the applications of AI that will meaningfully disrupt how work gets done, like in finance, HR and customer support. 🖋️  Why should founders work with WndrCo? One thing that we do that's different is starting one to two companies a year in areas that we think have the potential to yield big returns. So, when we talk to entrepreneurs, our operating experience stays current, and that angle on venture is fairly unique. The second is that each partner at WndrCo has built something, so we have the empathy that comes from that experience. Third, we do only five to seven deals a year, versus bigger firms that do hundreds. Because we have a smaller portfolio, entrepreneurs can get a hold of literally every partner within a couple of hours, 365 days a year. 🖋️ Which startup pitch sticks out the most in your memory over others and why? My favorite is one that’s not a household name yet, even though the business is absolutely on fire. It’s Aura, an all-in-one product to protect you and your family online. The idea is that unlike the physical world, you have no idea what your kids are doing on their phones and devices. Aura gives parents the tools to navigate raising a kid in our mobile-first and digital-first world. When the founder, Hari Ravichandran, walked me through how he would take it to market, it was love at first sight. He's an extraordinary entrepreneur and the best go-to-market person I've ever met when it comes to consumer products. 🖋️ What’s one investment you regret passing on and why? At the end of the day, this whole business is built on being part of monster companies as early as possible. One of the best enterprise companies of the last decade is Databricks. The founder and CEO, Ali Ghodsi, is a very good friend of mine, and for whatever reason, it never occurred to me in the early years to twist his arm to try and let him take our money. We invested in Databricks later than I’d have liked to. 🖋️  What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned working with Jeffrey Katzenberg? The biggest thing I've learned is that you can't be him, and it’s impossible to keep up with him. He's relentless, and I have never met someone who works harder than him. If he says he's going to do something, no matter how hard, if it's within his capabilities, he'll do it. He's a doer, and he just gets stuff done. I admire that so tremendously. #VCWednesdays #vc #venturecapital #startups #TechonLinkedIn

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Here's some thoughts that Charlie O'Donnell shared in our weekly newsletter yesterday on startup fundraising in the summer: ✍ I want to dispel a myth. Rounds do get raised over the summer--but there are a few caveats: 1. As a leftover from years ago when teams were literally on vacation and completely unreachable for IRL meetings, founders stopped pitching over the summer. The less founders were pitching, the less deals were going to get done, obviously. It's a non-vicious and, actually, quite pleasant circle. 2. Most deals aren't "must do" deals--so if you feel like you're getting slow-walked, then maybe the pace of your round isn't a function of the summer. Maybe they're just not that into you. Yet, this is all you hear from founders--that the summer is the reason their round isn't getting raised. When's the last time you heard a founder say, "They could have asked other partners to take a meeting with me, but my product's value proposition and my conversion metrics weren't really that interesting enough." Never, right? But that's literally most deals in the funnel. 3. Pushing a deal through over the summer not only requires a great opportunity, but a founder who doggedly moves the process and timeline forward, running all the investors in lockstep--otherwise, people will "wait for when their partner is back." Every firm can make any deal a priority if they want to, but they'll let timelines slide if it seems like the founder is being pretty passive about it--mostly because the round isn't getting much traction anywhere else either. And if you're planning a raise in September, summer is an excellent time to give previews, get to know people, and hone your pitch. On that topic, we're continuing to host our VC/Founder Coffee Meetups in July! We've got locations across Manhattan and Brooklyn, and we even have a Hamptons location if you happen to be out there on Thursday July 18th. Sign up here! https://lnkd.in/eMXsmd9w Thanks to Rho for making these coffees possible. Rho is the business banking platform with everything founders need to manage their company cash and grow their business. See how they are supporting founders in NYC – and earn rewards for switching your operating account to Rho. https://www.rho.co/nyc #nyctech #startups #fundraising

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Pleased to release our new research report on “Housing Sentiment Index”.  In response to user feedback, we’re attempting to synthesize the vast amount of data/analytics that we have access to enable buyers to make data-driven purchase decisions when buying/selling a house. Towards this, we already have our quarterly PopIndex publication that is a commentary on market performance. We’ve also published micro-market level research reports that cover over a dozen active micro-markets across the country. These reports are a commentary on what has already happened. In order to help users with predictive insights, we’re now attempting to put together new research material in this direction. Price/Market performance in the future is a function of several variables - demand/supply and their mismatches; sentiment/mood of the buyer; rental yields; price-income or affordability index, etc. Our research team will be putting out material that helps quantify/understand these variables and thereby enable various stakeholders with superior decision making. Housing Sentiment Index is a step in this direction; and there’s more on the way. Briefly: the index was derived from >4000 respondents which makes for a very robust and representative sample. A score of 200 indicates that every buyer is bullish and a score of zero indicates that every buyer is bearish. Currently, the index is at 149 - indicating that for every bear in the market, there are about 2 bulls. This bodes well for the market for the next 12 months. Read the report for more nuances and data cuts across various cohorts. Hope you enjoy reading this new report and it helps you understand the market a bit better. Feedback is most welcome as we will seek to improve this as we go along. #HousingSentimentIndex #PredictiveAnalytics #DecodingMarkets #DecisionSupportAnalytics Abhishek Bhadra Magicbricks  

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Startup founders, you don't have to do it alone! Apply now to join the Techstars Boston Accelerator and gain access to our extensive network! We are looking to select 12 high-growth startups to participate in our 13-week Techstars Boston accelerator program kicking off in September -- apply now or tag a founder below who you think might be a good fit!  https://lnkd.in/gbi3hAGi #startups #founders #entrepreneurs #boston 

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Here's a good one.. "How impolite chatbot behavior can impact a company's customer service reputation." We're not talking Don Rickles rude, but take a listen to this week's "What the Dev?" podcast from SD Times to find out what it means. WillowTree

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Want to learn more about the role of the business user in low-code. Watch this fun episode of Low down on Low-code!

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NY friends! Please come see me at Tech Day on my panel discussing the future of the NY tech ecosystem and what I hope to bring to it!

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Today, Two Chairs announces $72M of new funding to continue building a world where everyone has access to exceptional mental health care. Since late 2017, when Maveron led the Two Chairs Series A, the need for mental health services has grown considerably as our society has become lonelier and more isolated than ever. At the same time, our culture’s willingness to openly acknowledge these challenges is greater than ever. Sadly, the rapid growth of Two Chairs affirms the fact that our society is in desperate need of better mental health support. Two Chairs has built a business that believes clinical quality is the defining characteristic of success. Alex Katz has always emphasized the paramountcy of measurement-based clinical outcomes, which the team works tirelessly to achieve. In the process, Two Chairs has illustrated that embracing the ‘move fast and break things’ mentality doesn’t always work. Instead, Two Chairs opted for a different approach: they went slow to go fast. They built a proprietary algorithm that matches patients with the perfect therapist at the onset and hired a team of W2 clinicians oriented toward providing the highest quality care available. Even as the Two Chairs team has grown, their culture has remained small. This has enabled more intimate relationships within the team and between clients and clinicians. Reflecting on this milestone brings me back to the founding of Maveron and the values we hold dear. In 1998, my friend Howard Schultz and I founded Maveron to help entrepreneurs build companies that improve the lives of everyday people—their employees and their customers. There is perhaps no better example of this than Two Chairs. *** Thank you to TechCrunch's Marina Temkin, CFA for the great write-up. https://tcrn.ch/4aMt7yG

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Zypsy, a design firm with a track record of helping early-stage startups, has launched a new and somewhat unique venture investment program.  It will be offering 10 startups up to $100,000 of brand and product design services, spanning 8 to 10 weeks of engagement, for no cash payment. Instead startups will pay by issuing Zypsy 1% equity of their companies via a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity). There is one potential gotcha: if a startup needs more work than outruns that cap, it will need to pay for it. https://lnkd.in/eAuiJbbz

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Last year I put together as comprehensive of a list as I could of every single active venture backed startup in Boston over the last 5+ years. Very useful exercise! ...very difficult to maintain. Friends of LinkedIn - do you know of a tool that can automatically & publicly update this table for me weekly to keep the people of Boston informed of their venture backed population? I will highlight the tool on the page to the hundreds (soon thousands) of people that view it every month! Link to the manual version here: https://lnkd.in/ek9wSfUD The AI should also be able to answer this question: Which weighs more? A pound of bricks or a pound of feathers? Happy Friday to you!

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We are thrilled to announce that our upcoming TECH WEEK by a16z event is going to be bigger than ever before! We’ve partnered with amazing women-led brands like The Fourth Effect with Breen Sullivan and Katrin de Haën , zant, and 2FIT BRANDS to bring you an unforgettable experience. Furthermore, we're adding two sessions on advancements in #AI and women's health to foster insightful discussions and exchange ideas. Join us for an evening of networking and deep dives into #GenAI during #NYTechWeek, personalized women’s health empowerment, and investment opportunities. We're excited to offer you the opportunity to join two exclusive sessions led by Marina Vieva, an active participant in the Bay Area community and leader in women's health. These sessions are packed with insider information, innovative solutions, and engaging discussions with industry leaders. Don’t miss out—spaces are limited to ensure interactive conversations! Session 1: GenAI Trends, Silicon Valley Vision, Concerns, and Opportunities Get insider access to the latest GenAI trends, visions from Silicon Valley, and the concerns and opportunities shaping the future. Marina Vieva will share her unique insights, and you'll have the chance to engage in a lively discussion with industry players. Session 2: Women's Health Perspective on GenAI and Future Advancements Discover how GenAI can revolutionize women's health. Marina Vieva will present innovative solutions and a forward-looking vision for the future of women's health. Participate in stimulating discussions and connect with market leaders. Sign Up Now! https://lu.ma/6esiktxd Future of AI: New horizons in Digital Health. Discussion, brainstorming, networking. NY #TechWeek · Luma #GenerativeAI #LeadershipInAI #WomenInTech #AIInnovation #FutureOfAI #TechSummit #NYTechWeek #AILeadership #AIConference #AI2024 #WomenInLeadership #AIRevolution #AICommunity #InspireAI #TechTalks #MarinaVieva #FemiSpace #AIEvent #AIInsights #TheForthEffect #Zant #2FITBRANDS

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Anticipation is in the air as TechCrunch Early Stage 2024 prepares to take over Boston (Go Celts & Bruins!) tomorrow! This well-attended event will be a hotbed of innovation, where over a thousand attendees from early-stage startups will converge. But remember: success in our rapidly evolving tech landscape requires more than just innovative ideas - it's about achieving synergy between human ingenuity and technological advancements. As we dive into this immersive experience, let’s make sure to keep our human-centric approach at the forefront. After all, technology isn’t what drives change—it’s how people adopt it that truly matters. Excited to share insights & foster discussions around this philosophy at #TechCrunch2024! Explore more about what’s coming: https://lnkd.in/eptdAKXy #TechnologyAdoption #HumanCentricTech #Startups

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Digital assets are meant to be used. Not hoarded. Not endlessly flipped in pursuit of speculative riches. They’re to be used—for the unique purposes for which they were designed. That’s why Ayre Group is the world’s largest venture capital investor in Metanet apps. What is Metanet? Metanet represents the vision of a better, more inclusive and dynamic internet, an economically integrated online system that enables cost-effective, instant micropayments. Metanet will restore the original promise of a peer-to-peer internet model. Silicon Valley giants hijacked the original internet model by forcing all traffic through their centralized (and proprietary) hubs. Metanet will undo this sabotage. Metanet will bring a global democratization of access to data and services. Creators will be able to engage in an economically feasible direct-to-consumer model—no middlemen—allowing them to succeed on their merits, unconstrained by bureaucracy. Metanet will upend cross-border transactions by eliminating intermediaries. Remittances will be cheaper and more secure, as Metanet’s decentralized nature will enhance trust in digital transactions and offer greater control over personal data. Metanet is the marriage of IPv6, AI and the BSV Blockchain. IPv6 is bringing an exponential rise in the number of IP addresses, with a similar rise in the number of unique devices connected to the internet, including an army of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. All of these devices are talking to each other, many of them autonomously. AI’s assistance will be required as a traffic cop, helping to ensure that all these digital messages arrive where and when they should. The final piece of Metanet’s puzzle is BSV. BSV can process a huge volume of transactions swiftly and securely, at a cost measured in fractions of a cent, allowing the monetization of every piece of online data. BSV is the base value transfer token of the future internet. Developers can build with confidence on BSV. BSV is legally-and regulatory-compliant, with a locked protocol that traces its unbroken lineage to Bitcoin’s Genesis block, so what’s built today won’t be undone by unnecessary protocol tinkering. Metanet’s potential is too great to ignore. Learn more about how AI, IPv6 and BSV—the only public proof-of-work enterprise blockchain that can scale to make Metanet a reality—are building the internet of the future. https://lnkd.in/gxFM_jrW

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