Starshot Ventures’ Post

This past weekend, playing with my son in the sandbox turned out to be the most important things to happen for one of our animal health and and one of our green tech portfolio companies this week (I know those two spaces sound very unrelated but both were having similar scaling issues). While it may sound surprising, this simple, joyful activity offered profound lessons in creativity, patience, and perspective—key elements for tackling hard-to-define business challenges. In the sandbox, I watched my son approach every mound of sand with curiosity and a sense of possibility, embracing the unstructured nature of play. This experience reminded me that some of the best strategies for addressing complex issues in diverse industries, like animal health and green tech, come from an open-minded and flexible approach. Much like unstructured play, facing business challenges requires a willingness to explore, experiment, and adapt without rigid expectations. His patience in building and rebuilding structures taught me the value of persistence and adaptability—crucial traits when navigating the leadership scaling challenges both companies are confronting. The ability to patiently iterate and refine ideas is essential for developing innovative solutions that can address the unique challenges we encounter. Moreover, this time away from the office on a Saturday this last weekend allowed me to step back and see the bigger picture, providing clarity and new insights that I could bring back to our team. It was a powerful reminder that sometimes, the best ideas and strategies emerge from moments of play and relaxation, where our minds are free to wander and connect seemingly unrelated concepts. Balancing work and personal life is essential for sustained creativity and innovation. This weekend reinforced the importance of finding inspiration in everyday moments and using those experiences to fuel our professional growth and success. For both these animal health and green tech companies, approaching problems with the same curiosity and adaptability as a child in a sandbox can lead to groundbreaking advancements and lasting impact. I might stop just short however of putting a sandbox in the office, no matter what the team says. #WorkLifeBalance #Leadership #Innovation #AnimalHealth #GreenTech #BusinessGrowth #FamilyTime #Creativity #StrategicThinking #Entrepreneurship #ParentingLessons

Choosing Grobrix isn't just about bringing innovation into homes and offices; it's a commitment to nurturing the health and resilience of our families and our beautiful planet. Every Grobrix wall signifies a vision for the future, where urban communities forge deep connections with healthy, locally grown food. It's more than just urban farming; it's a lifestyle that feeds the body, nurtures the mind, and uplifts the soul. Serving on the Board energizes me because Grobrix is not just a brand—it's a movement. Grobrix empowers urban communities to lead healthier and happier lives through sustainable practices. It's about sowing the seeds of change that will bloom into a resilient, thriving future. Our belief is rooted in the power of collective action. By encouraging more individuals to embrace urban farming, we strengthen the fabric of our cities, fostering connections between residents and the food they consume. It's a small yet impactful step towards building a community that values health, resilience, and shared responsibility to curb emissions and limit the impacts of climate change. In a world longing for transformation, Grobrix is a tangible commitment to seed change and contribute to a future where our actions collectively shape a healthier, more connected world. What are you going to grow today? https://lnkd.in/egUjeYRi #Grobrix. #Seed Change. #Cultivate Connection. #climateaction #resilientcities #health

Who says you can or can't start a startup at your age! These fine founders are showing you can, when you at an elevated age. Inspiring! Great to see Keith Hudson the founder of Sapro-Tech being profiled in this story. I love working with Keith and the team, and the mission we are on to contribute to changing the climate trend that has our world going in the wrong direction. Caffeine Daily https://lnkd.in/gekpQNPn

Heads up, LinkedIn Network! We at Shroomwell are thrilled to announce our new passenger on this incredible journey, Felipe Millan, as our new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)! 🚀 🎯 It's a joy to welcome you, Felipe, into the #ShroomwellFamily! Felipe's marketing skills fit our goal of linking mushroom farming with eco-friendliness.. Let's highlight some of Shroomwell's products before we dive deeper. They are ready to have an even greater impact under Felipe's leadership.: Shiitake, Lion's Mane, Reishi, and Chaga Extracts: Tap into the essence of focus, wellness, vitality, and much more. Chaga Elixir: Revel in the protective qualities of Chaga, your natural immunity shield. Wellness Sprays: Convenient and fast-acting oral sprays brimming with health boosters. Looking ahead, there are potential new additions on the horizon to augment our lineup: Coffee with Lion’s Mane Mushroom: A possible product to invigorate your days with natural energy and flavour. Wellness Capsules: Stay tuned for our innovative wellness capsules, thoughtfully curated for both men and women. Our endeavors with fungi extend far beyond their culinary applications. We are invested in rigorous research, cultivation, and innovation to reach milestones in various environmental spheres. Here's a sneak peek into some ground-breaking projects we have in the pipeline: Root Rot Control: Leveraging the power of fungi for enriching gardens. Myco-Housing: Pioneering eco-friendly housing solutions for the green living enthusiasts. Rubber Tire Eater: Deploying fungi, our silent green warriors, for efficient tyre waste management. As Felipe wraps his hands around the reins of our Forest Revolution, we raise a toast to him, the inspirational figure leading the charge. To accelerating progress. To Felipe. To the bright future of fungi! 🎉🍄🚀 #Shroomwell #Mycology #ForestRevolution #CMO #NewHire #Leadership #Shroomwell_products_EN

It’s been a while. And a lot has happened! To start - we had our last day at Fresh Ventures Studio in July last year. Looking back it was a wonderful insightful and enlightening experience with incredible creative and enterpreneuring people and organizations. My peers (who went into the studio) are rocking it! Check out their work in the comments. At beNature., the venture born at Fresh, we aim to restore the symbiotic relationship between people, organisations and nature for planetary and human health through mindset. We co-created and executed workshops during the Symbiosis Symposium at BlueCity (010) and for Regeneratie Coöperatie at Tolhuistuin. It was a joy to put life at the center and exchange about the role of (inner) nature with a bigger crowd. Thanks to Andreina and Fresh’ ecosystem day I met two other conscious creators with whom I am exploring co-founding a venture. We went on a journey early 2024 and since then we are looking how to address the loss of connection as the root cause of the challenges we people and planet are facing today. I am excited about what we are creating. More about this later. Since early March I joined the Symbiotic Shift – Changemakers for Nature team to co-create the second edition of the event. If you feel urgency and want to contribute (more) to planetary and human health, but don’t know how in daily and/or working life? Mark your calendars and join us on June 9! Last but not least, with a few people from the Regen Life Community, I am exploring how to go into dialogue with people and organizations about sustainability and beyond and move from adding no additional harm to making a positive impact. Basically, leave a place better than we found it. More to follow. Can’t wait to tell you more. And thank you Spring 🌱💜 for your early arrival - I am very energized and those few weeks in March have already brought so much! #livingsystems #symbiosis #nature #wearenature #regenerativeleadership #everythingisconnected #seasons #spring #mypathtoregeneration #lifelonglearning

How do you prepare for the finals? ⚡ Just one day to go and we're revving up for a thrilling ride. 🚴♀🚴🚴♂💨 We are ready, are you? #cycologycc #StayTuned #cycologysponsors #jerseylaunch #SponsorsJersey #ridetherevolution #ridewithus #CycologyCountdown #1daytogo

Dognosis is now backed by Boost VC and 1517 Fund, along with Dror Robinson ד"ר דרור רובינסון, gradCapital, Stuart Gardner and Spencer Schneier. Boost invests in deep-tech startups that bridge sci-fi and reality and 1517 backs drop-outs, renegade students and sci-fi founders. Given how we’re building in a heavily entrenched domain, with Itamar Bitan and I often at the receiving end of ‘this sounds like crazy sci-fi’, we couldn’t have asked for more fitting early-believers. With this rocket fuel under our harness, we will launch the world’s largest breath-based multi-cancer screening study, right here in Namma Bengaluru, and clinically validate a highly accurate, accessible, and actionable test that will ensure everyone, especially those in the Global South, can afford cost-effective and life-saving treatment. We believe we already have the cure for cancer - it’s early detection - and we think the key to finding cancer early has been lying right under our noses. The guiding dogma behind Dognosis is that dogs can be a lot more than pets - they are capable of being our partners in shared health and understanding. Under the canine furry hood is the most sophisticated olfactory sense-making system on the planet, with the ability to detect multiple diseases (28+ and counting) at accuracies that can surpass our best modern diagnostics. We expect a dog-driven revolution in the way we practice medicine - where diseases are caught early and treated successfully - to bring-forth a paradigm shift in the way we relate with humanity’s best friends, one that centers their welfare and well-being, ultimately uplifting both humans and dogs towards a trajectory of greater flourishing. More to come. Dogspeed, Akash

I speak to the best to learn from the best. I am grateful to the vegconomist - the vegan business magazine for this opportunity to learn from Robert Boer of Blue Horizon. (Link To The Episode Below) Here are insights I am taking back to the field. 💵 VC will answer to Cold Outreach, but do your homework first. It has to be relevant to the Thesis. Don't Ask To Fund A Fish Farm if the VC Thesis is reducing Animal cruelty. 💵Qualify the VC: Nine out of ten times, the founder asks no questions of the VC. What kind of board role do they want? How will they offer value? Do you lead or follow? What is the check size? How far are you in the fund size? Ask questions to qualify if the VC is a fit. 💵Make sure you leave 3-5 minutes at the end of the meeting to agree on the next steps and clarify anything unclear. What are their next steps? How long does the process take? Are you interested in moving forward? 💵When should a founder shut it down? Having advisors who give you real feedback is crucial. It is another sign that it does not work with angels or family. If you are impact-driven, you can take another model not funded by VC. Redefine how you can get to your ultimate goal. 💵2024—The Year Of M&A: Look to merge with another company that is congruent with your mission and fills in each other's gaps. Position your fundraising with the opportunity to buy another company's assets or IP. Key Facts Blue Horizon Mission: Our mission is to accelerate the transition to a Sustainable Food System that delivers outstanding returns for investors and the planet. Preseed-A Growth Fund Preseed: $50K-$500K This podcast is sponsored The Swarm- The Swarm gives companies and investors the keys to their networks and the business relationship data they need to grow. Use theswarm.com/alex for a 25% discount. 

Isn't it fabulous when the stars align and opportunities present themselves in the most unexpected ways? That's precisely how the seeds for NextGen Purpose were sown.  The backdrop?  A quaint hair salon in the heart of Mexico. It all began with a simple compliment: "I like your photography."  The words came from a stranger who turned out to work for the CMR group, the parent company of well-known outlets like Olive Garden and Capitol Grill. Intrigued, we got chatting, and I learned they were running an initiative in a nearby village — well, a three-and-a-half-hour ride away, to be precise.  Their plan was to teach the community, mostly comprising low-income families, how to grow organic vegetables.  The idea was that they could meet their needs and have surplus produce to sell. Without a second thought, I agreed to accompany them as their photographer.  Now, what's an entrepreneur to do when such an opportunity knocks at the door, right? Upon reaching the village, the warmth and kindness of the people bowled me over.  They welcomed us with open arms and even cooked a beautiful meal. Amidst this enriching experience, an idea sparked! Why not host a recipe contest?  The villagers could showcase their culinary skills by creating the best local dish.  A top chef I knew could judge the contest, and the winning dish would feature in their restaurant.  Moreover, a portion of the proceeds would go back to the winner's family. To add charm, we could print the recipe on merchandise like bags. The idea was a hit, and the event turned out to be a smashing success! Back in the city, my journey took another exciting turn.  The Founder Institute invited me to join as a co-founder. Their words still ring clear in my memory, "You're coordinating because you love it, right?" With a few start-ups already under my belt, joining them felt like the natural next step.  I realized my knack for helping other start-ups take off, so why not channel that into a cause near and dear to my heart? Thus, the idea for NextGen Chef was born, which evolved into what we now know as NextGen Purpose.  I felt a deep pull to contribute to the community by supporting start-ups in the regenerative agriculture and food space, helping them launch and scale their businesses. And today, here I am, living my dream and sometimes, I have to pinch myself to believe it's real. So, that's the story of NextGen Purpose in a nutshell — an idea sparked in a Mexican hair salon. Crazy, isn't it? I'd love to hear your founder's story! Feel free to share in the comments below or connect with me privately. -------------- Hi, I’m Justine Reichman, your friendly neighborhood, Founder & CEO of NextGen Purpose and Host of the Essential Ingredients Podcast  Our mission is to boost driven, forward-thinking folks & and initiatives in the regenerative food scene. Follow along for more. #FoodInnovation #RegenerativeFood #SustainableEats

Prepare to decomplexify IT. 🛠️ At THWACKcamp, our agenda is designed to simplify complexities, foster innovation and drive growth. Let's navigate the future of IT together. 🚀🌟 Register now ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gzwCa6Z9 #SolarWinds #THWACKcamp