Megan Acree Zengerle’s Post

The number corporate and strategic venture capital firms has grown significantly in the last few years. This growth is particularly relevant for #deeptech startups that are often looking for design partnerships to prove out their initial products. Looking forward to the discussing trends in #corporateventurecapital at the New England Venture Summit with Marc Silberman, Stephen Brook, Philippe Daoust, Tom Olenzak, Brian Donnelly, & Hirak Parikh. If you're attending the Summit, then swing by the panel or reach out. #venturecapital #corporateventuring #startups #SRIventures James Mawson Amber Knapp Thomas Park Todd Stavish Peter Walker

I’ve been in the startup world for over a decade now. I’ve built my own companies, helped other entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life, and mentored countless founders getting off the ground. Everyone knows it takes courage and a thick skin to take the leap, but one thing people often overlook is that once you’ve mustered all the courage to give it a go, you then have to find investors who believe in you and your vision so much that they are willing to put their money (and their reputations) on the line to give you a shot at making your dream a reality. Pre-seed and seed investing is a totally different game. There’s no product let alone product-market fit to lean on, no revenue to ramp up, and no established go-to-market strategy to drive adoption and growth. How do you even go about placing bets on ideas this early? In my opinion, the best earliest stage investors have been in the trenches themselves. They’ve built and scaled products and businesses, attracted and hired all sorts of talented people, and developed the instinct to identify when opportunity and timing cross paths with talent and execution. On top of that, they have a well-earned ability to attract other top-notch investors. When we set out to build Polymer we had a big vision and not much else beyond an early prototype. We were lucky to connect with the team at Oceans straight out of Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator. They could see our vision and were as excited about it as we were. We got to know everyone on the team and grew to appreciate and value each partners’ trench-based superpowers. We have come a long way from those early conversations in 2019, but at every step, we’ve been able to lean on the Oceans team for guidance and support. I can say confidently they are the best team in the business and I’m excited for them to close their new fund so they can invest in many, many more companies. If you are building something big and looking for someone who will have your back from day one, make sure to reach out. Congratulations Steven Rosenblatt Joshua Rahn Brian Lew Sara Barek Glenn Handler!

"In this episode, The New Majority founder, Mackenzie Loy, catches up with Garry Johnson III, co-founder and CEO of Bison Venture Partners, working to create a more equitable economy for multicultural entrepreneurs. The Bison Venture Partners framework consists of 1) creating new businesses, high quality jobs, and ownership opportunities, 2) scaling access to capital, technology adoption and strategic partnerships, and 3) investing in community rounds, angel syndicates, and venture capital."

At this point - everyone knows my bias around people We started Oceans because we saw a big gap in the support Founders needed from their partners beyond the check. We felt like we had a unique opportunity to change the game given our own backgrounds as Operators in the hard day to day decisions and the desire and genuine love in the grind of building something great. Being a founder is hard. It gets easier when you surround yourself with world class talent that raises your bar. Founders should view their investors as value add - and ideally choose who they want at their table. My goal in my conversations with Founders is to be their best (and most fun) investor conversation of their day. The one where they can be open and honest. The one where we talk about THEM and THEIR TEAMS - not just their valuation and raise details. The one where we both talk about our own strengths and areas of development and what makes them a unique team to solve the problem they are aiming to solve. And hopefully they ask the same of me - what makes Oceans the right partner for them - because these conversations - at this stage especially - should be a two-way conversation. And now it looks like I will be having many more of those If you are a great Founder looking to build a stellar team, knowing your current deck will be outdated in a few months but the team is what will remain the same and why you will win - reach out. Lets go!!!!!!!!!!!!! Steven Rosenblatt, Joshua Rahn, Sara Barek, Brian Lew, Sasha Levyn

“Most accredited investors don’t realize that they can access the best private market venture opportunities – those led by Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, Coatue, etc. - through VC syndicates.” See more on a recent post from my LMI partner Zachary Ginsburg below: The supply/demand imbalance in the venture capital syndicate ecosystem is substantial. Most accredited investors don’t realize that they can access to the best private market venture opportunities – those led by Andreesen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, Coatue, etc. - through VC syndicates. And these VC Syndicate General Partners are often incredible – one of the first syndicates I ever backed was Joey Krug's in 2018, who is now a Partner at Founders Fund. Another was Bryan Rosenblatt's, who is now a Partner at Craft Ventures. And there are so many others. One of the first deals I did in my first year as an investor in other GP syndicates was a seed round for a fintech company, which today is valued at approx. $8B and while the VC asset class is risky, my story isn’t that unique. Despite this access, we syndicate GPs fairly often have more allocation than we can fill within our LP bases.

Aspiring to be a #VC or stepping into the shoes of an #emerging_manager? Dive into this post! My recent deep research on LPs has unearthed some gems, and I'm thrilled to share these insights with you. Dive in and discover! 🚀📚🔍 1. The Power of Intimacy and Transparency in VC - Investing in People: Explore the intricacies of GPs' decision-making processes and values to foster intimate partnerships. Explore More: https://lnkd.in/gkDWqtv7 - Fostering Relationships - Discover How: https://lnkd.in/gPiqtfMD - Transparency is Trust: Openness fosters trust and showcases a commitment to ethical practices. Learn More: https://lnkd.in/gqX4iBke 2. Series on Trust: The LP and the VC by #JoTango Trust is the currency of venture capital success. LPs emphasize transparent reporting - https://lnkd.in/eHcc-wrQ 3. Returns That LPs Expect: Top-tier venture #LPs aim for north of a 3x net return on invested capital over a 10-year lifespan. 4. Unlocking Success in VC Fundraising by Muieen Cader #vcstack Building lasting LP relationships is akin to dating. Embrace insights to elevate your fundraising game. Dive into the full article here - https://lnkd.in/gS52sa7P 5. Leading LPs in the VC Landscape: From Foundry's "give first" philosophy to Blackstone's $975B in AUM, explore the diverse world of LPs. Here is a quick list: #Foundry, #WellcomeTrust, #Point72, #Blackstone, #StepStoneGroup, #GIC, #RecastCapital, #MacArthurFoundation, #PlexoCapital, #PartnersGroup, #MSDCapital, #EmersonCollective, #SorosFamilyOffice, #VintageInvestmentPartners, #KoreaVentureInvestmentCorp, #ArgonauticVentures, #MoussePartners, #TopTierCapitalPartners, #NextPlayCapital, #Greenspring, #SapphireVentures, #WilloughbyCapital, #PritzkerVlockFamilyOffice, #SevenValleys. #Giveaway: If you are looking for a comprehensive list of LPs that includes endowments, pension funds, and family offices, feel free to comment or DM me, happy to share those individually. Thanks. 6. What's Included in #LPA? #Management_Fee: Usually 2% #Carried_Interest: 20% of the profit #Hurdle_Rate: Minimum return rate. #GPClawback: Excess profit reimbursement. #Investment_Period: New investment timeframe. #Term: Fund's lifespan. #Key_Man_Clause: Crucial employee provision. #GP_Commitment: GP's capital stake (1%) #Fee_Offset: Portfolio fee deduction. #Investment_Limitations: Investment strategy restrictions. #Borrowing: Fund's debt terms. 7. Understanding LPs through a VC Lens: Just as VCs select startups, LPs select VCs. The dynamics of trust and relationships are paramount in both worlds. 8. Moonfare: Great platform for aspiring LPs - https://lnkd.in/ebuyydC8 #VentureCapital is a world of intricate dynamics, trust, and long-term relationships. Whether you're an LP, a VC, or an entrepreneur, understanding these dynamics can pave the way for success. Dive deep, build trust, and foster lasting partnerships. 🚀🤝📈 #VentureCapital #LPs #VC #Investment #Startups #Relationships #emergingmanager #vclab #vcfellowship

More. of this. 🙌🏾🤝🏾 "In 10 years what will this photo looks like?" Great question! We know that in less than two weeks, one of these men - Marlon Nichols of MaC Venture Capital - will be with us in Miami for our 5th Annual Unicorn Ambition Conference discussing his journey and how he's making an impact now. YOU should be there. Let's keep pushing forward - not just with conversation but with education, access, and funding. Register here: www.blackmentalktech.com. Use code BMTTLI to save. #UnicornAmbition #venturecapital #funding #startups

Some folks think top-notch founders should go solo and not rely on their investors or contacts. But that's not really how it goes. The real deal is, the superstars among founders are the ones who need the help from their investors the most and investors should be able to generously offer. These founders are all about hustle, they've got a killer drive, and a solid vision. But they're also real enough to know they might need some extra skills or know-how in stuff like building their product, getting it out there, or scoring funds. When those venture capitalist big shots step up and operationally support these exceptional founders, it's like a smart move that pays off big time for both the fund and the money folks behind it. It's like a two-way street where fund managers have gotta step up, because it's what their backers expect. This hands-on support is like the ABCs for making sure both sides come out winners on the wild ride of starting something great. #FounderJourney #VCPartnerships #StartupFunding #EntrepreneurialSuccess #InvestorSupport #FundraisingWins #VentureCapitalBoost #BuildingTogether #FounderVCCollab #FundingInnovation

🚨 We are thrilled to announce our $3.6 million oversubscribed Seed round, which upsized four times due to overwhelming investor interest!🚨 This capital is being used to build out new features and add to our growing portfolio of institutional-quality real estate offerings. We'll also be building out a world-class team alongside Alex Blackwood, Joey Gumataotao, and Tammy Perrin. Our founders sat down with TechCrunch's Mary Ann Azevedo and mogul 2x investor, Tim Draper, to discuss the Round, progress-to-date, and the future of mogul. You can check out the full TechCrunch article here: https://lnkd.in/gbFWA-bZ , but here are some highlights: 📈 "Less than 1% of properties offered to the company both on and off market make it onto its platform" as an example, mogul's recently sold out property has appreciated 34% in the past two years alone. 🤝 Because of property manager wholesale discounts, the total fees on rental income are lower than any other platform or fund. 🏆 Having also invested in equity management startup Carta, Draper said he can see parallels between the two companies. "Carta for stocks is very much like mogul for real estate." 🥇"AY Ventures led the round, which also included participation from Tim Draper of Draper Associates, Draper B1, InterVest Co., LTD, Draper Dragon and Ava Labs/Blizzard Fund, in addition to several angel investors, including Rosie Rios, the 43rd Treasurer of the United States and executives from Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and Carlyle, among others." 🏡 We have $2.6million of new AUM on platform now ready to take on investors. Become a member today: https://lnkd.in/egxKEXC2 -- AY Tech: Anitha Vadavatha, Yash Chopra Draper Associates: Tim Draper, James Walker, Matt Harris Draper Dragon: Andrew Tang, Kavan Canekeratne Draper B1: Enrique Penichet García, Ana Alvaro Moreta InterVest Co., LTD: Hogun Lee, Myong Claire Y. Blizzard Fund / Ava Labs: Morgan Krupetsky, Joshua Hecht, Vera Im, Luke Chmiel, Xochitl De Groot Ivory Angels: Rosie Rios - 43rd Treasurer of the United States, Stephen Ferreri, Cyrus Loghmanee MD, and many more.

Norwest Venture Partners Announces $3 Billion Fund to Drive Innovation Across Key Sectors Exciting news from Norwest Venture Partners! The firm has recently closed a $3 billion fund, NVP XVII, LP (NVP 17), marking another significant milestone in their journey of fostering #innovation and #growth. With this new fund, Norwest continues to support visionary #entrepreneurs and teams dedicated to building the next generation of enduring companies in the #enterprise, #consumer, and #healthcare sectors. With a rich history that dates back to 1961, Norwest has consistently adapted to market conditions, supporting #founders and #CEOs throughout their #entrepreneurialjourney. This new fund follows NVP 16, maintaining its robust #capitalmanagement which now totals $15.5 billion. Global Impact and Strategic Investments: Norwest's global presence and diversified investment strategy have facilitated dynamic growth across varied geographies, including significant markets like #NorthAmerica, #India, and #Israel. The firm has a strong track record in #healthcare, recently expanding its focus to include #biotech, which complements its investments in #healthcareservices, #medicaldevices, and #diagnostics. Recent Successes and Forward Momentum: Since their last fund, Norwest has made 69 new investments and witnessed 36 liquidity events, demonstrating their adeptness at navigating and succeeding in the #venturecapital landscape. Noteworthy exits include the #IPO of #FiveStarFinance and the acquisition of Spiff (Acquired by Salesforce) by Salesforce, showcasing Norwest's ability to identify and cultivate high-potential ventures. Leadership and Vision for the Future: The firm is led by Jeff Crowe and Jon Kossow, with Promod Haque transitioning to a general partner role to continue his impactful work in a new capacity. The addition of fresh talents across their investment and portfolio services teams positions Norwest to further their legacy of innovation and success. For anyone interested in the intersection of venture capital and innovation, Norwest Venture Partners' latest activities are a testament to their commitment to shaping the future of #technology, #consumermarkets, and #healthcare. #VentureCapital #Innovation #StartupFunding #HealthcareInnovation #NorwestVP