Simmone Seymour

🚀 How do you get a pre-seed or seed round done *quickly* in NYC? ✅ Assemble a list of over 80 of the earliest-stage fund and angel investors in town ✅ Curate a dozen or so of them based on relevancy ✅ Break bread together. That's what nextNYC is doing with Checkwriters--and applications are OPEN. We're looking for pre-seed and seed NYC founders to pitch at our dinner next Wednesday night. The only criteria is that you have to have at least one *professional* investor committed to a currently open round--be it a fund, angel, scout, etc. 🗓 Applications are due *this Thursday*: https://lnkd.in/epJjny4P 🤝 Shoutout to the folks at Orrick Tech and Rho for helping to make this happen: Orrick is a tech-focused law firm passionate about helping entrepreneurs, innovators and investors push boundaries. Through our extensive client portfolio, deal volume, and relationships in the ecosystem, we provide commercial insight to each client’s strategy. From financing to protecting IP to retaining talent to advocating for innovation-friendly public policy, we offer a holistic solution across the tech & venture lifecycle. 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 (https://lnkd.in/ef7uzDQv) – and earn rewards for switching your operating account to Rho.

55

7 Comments

🗽🌳 Exciting News for NYC Tech Community! 🚀 Join us for an invigorating Venture Walk & Talk, proudly part of NY Tech Week! Scheduled for June 4th from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the scenic Maine Monument in Central Park, this unique event is hosted by Founders Committee Ventures. 🌟 Why Join Us? Imagine a relaxed stroll through the beautiful pathways of Central Park, where you can disconnect from the digital world and engage with NYC’s finest founders, angel investors, and venture capitalists. This is more than just a walk; it’s an opportunity to forge meaningful connections, share innovative ideas, and enjoy the great outdoors—all within the heart of Manhattan. ✨ Event Highlights: - Network with industry leaders and peers - Brainstorm new ideas in a refreshing setting - Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Central Park Whether you’re looking to collaborate on new projects, explore potential investments, or simply enjoy a break from the office routine, the Venture Walk & Talk is the perfect occasion. 👉 Registration is open but spots are limited and approval is required. Don’t miss out on this chance to be part of something special during #TechWeek. Lace up your walking shoes, grab a coffee, and let’s make strides together in the tech ecosystem! 🔗 https://lu.ma/wj9o67iy See you there for a breath of fresh innovation! #NYTechWeek #TechNetworking #StartupLife #VentureCapital

10

4 Comments

NY Climate Tech Founders! 1) YES PLEASE save the date to join us at #techweek (6/3!), and 2) YES PLEASE share your top NY resources to complete our NY INSIDER GUIDE, in collab with NYCEDC!

11

Wonderful article about Emily Knight and the whole The Engine Accelerator team on the amazing work their doing changing the world with #ToughTech!

27

Fun to see some insights appear in Rachel Feintzeig’s fantastic The Wall Street Journal piece over the weekend! 👏🏼👏🏼 “To get to your next big idea, you have to be OK with bombing a bit, says Jeremy Utley, a general partner at a venture-capital firm who teaches at Stanford’s design school, known as the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford ( d.school ). “Most of life is not punctuated by win after win after win. Most of the time, it’s kind of painful,” he says. Brainstorm 10 possible answers to a question or dilemma at a time, he advises. Focusing on quantity over quality takes off the pressure. Use a bad idea as a jumping–off point. What else does it make you think of? Or try taking what Utley calls a “wonder wander.” Head off with your problem in mind, and relate everything you see to the problem. Spot an Amazon truck? Consider how Jeff Bezos might solve your quandary. Walk past a playground? Imagine the connection between your issue and play. ChatGPT could help too, if you use it right. It isn’t going to pop out the perfect answer on the first try, Utley says. Kick off the conversation by describing the boss you want to impress. Then ask: What are three projects that could blow that boss’s mind? Keep chatting with it until you spark something great…” Link in comments …

16

1 Comment

Venture capital backing Celebrity-Led DTC Brands In the world of VC, celebrity-led DTC brands stand out as one of the most resilient and promising verticals. Despite economic downturns, this sector continues to demonstrate impressive M&A activity and compelling success stories. Take, for instance, Jessica Alba's The Honest Company, which soared in value to $1 billion before going public, or Rihanna's Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, which quickly reached a valuation of approximately $3 billion due to its unique market positioning and inclusive product line. Similarly, Kylie Jenner's Kylie Cosmetics, LLC was valued at nearly $1.2 billion at the time of partial acquisition by Coty Inc. These examples underscore the potential that celebrity-led brands have to disrupt traditional markets and create significant value for investors. The key lies in leveraging the unique influence and reach of celebrities, combined with savvy marketing and a strong product-market fit. Right now ICLUB Global offers a unique opportunity to invest in a celebrity-led Consumer Product with outstanding business performance and great team of enterpreneurs backing it! Write "DTC" in the comments and I will share this exclusive opportunity with you in DM.

19

6 Comments

At Costanoa Ventures, we pride ourselves on identifying and supporting exceptional founders poised to create impactful, lasting change. Hona is a shining example, driven by a trio of extremely talented founders: Manny Griffiths, Joshua Christensen, and Matt McClellan. They each bring unique, differentiated expertise to the table, and Amy Cheetham and I are extremely excited to partner with them. There are approximately 450,000 law firms in the United States, with half of those firms being B2C - think personal injury, mass tort, or immigration law as opposed to BigLaw. One of the reasons we love how Hona is tackling this market is their focus on B2C law firms and product excellence - B2B firms are historically difficult to sell brand new software products into, but B2C firms are completely different buyers. Oftentimes there's just a handful of lawyers and paralegals in a partnership, and any piece of technology they can use to give them an edge would be valuable. 44% of negative Google reviews on law firms directly reference poor communication as the reason for a negative experience, and the number 1 reason for Attorney Bar complaints in the U.S. is "lack of communication". On the lawyer's side, attorneys, paralegals and legal assistants spend an average of 7.4 hours per week on unnecessary updates, redundant communication, and activities that aren't directly contributing towards getting a client's case solved. Manny and the team at Hona are working to change all of that. Hona delivers a tightly-integrated communications platform to help facilitate better communication between law firms and their clients. During legal proceedings, client communications tend to be a large resource-stressor for law firms. Clients will frequently call firms for case updates, legal explanations, or general administrative questions that tend to eat away at firm resources without providing any additional progress toward case resolution. Hona exists to ease that burden - it’s a platform that allows law firms to efficiently communicate with their clients over text, easily build customizable web pages and embed videos, and share information on case status and basic legal process education. This crucial communication processes allow attorneys to focus on their job – moving cases forward, while keeping their clients informed and educated. If you're a lawyer dealing with these problems - don't hesitate to reach out to us or the Hona team! It's a privilege to work with Hona on this journey. The company has been growing at a rapid pace, and they're delivering meaningful technology to help people get through legal proceedings in a much more fluid, transparent, and easy process. Manny, Joshua, and Matt are exceptional founders whose combined skills and dedication to continuous learning position them perfectly to lead Hona to success. They're just getting started, and we can't wait to see what they'll achieve.

28

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!

72

5 Comments

Thanks for the shout out Kevin Siskar! This is a great article with important #fundraising market insights for #founders https://lnkd.in/gebrKu66

33

1 Comment

Flourish Ventures team is excited to back the indomitable Chris Brummer as he builds Bluprynt to transform the infrastructure for disclosures. We feel privileged to be part of an amazing group of industry leaders and backers working with Chris. Arguably, we are living through a pivotal moment for disclosures and trust and transparency in finance. The concept of financial disclosure became prominent with the Securities Acts of 1933 and 1934, following the 1929 market crash. Digitization began in the 1990s with EDGAR and XBRL in the early 2000s. Today, we face a new phase in disclosures with the integration of digital assets into the financial system. This evolution reflects market changes and regulatory responses, presenting an opportunity to transform the technological underpinnings of disclosure systems fundamentally. #fintech #digitalassets #crypto #disclosures https://lnkd.in/eme7fgDE

94

9 Comments

I recently chatted with Rachel Mackey and the Strut Consulting team about ways venture teams can leverage events when engaging founders and LPs. A few highlights: 1. Understand what you're trying to accomplish 🎯 Not everything needs to be accomplished with an event. What are your goals? Who are your stakeholders? Is there another format we could use to accomplish this? 🎯 Tailoring the format (e.g., intimate dinners, virtual events, panels, summits, demo nights) to your objectives (e.g., deal flow, access to LPs, network expansion) will help maximize success. 2. Constraints breed creativity 💰 If you have a small budget, get creative! Try and spend the money on facets that your team finds most valuable (ex. food + music) and avoid extra costs around speaker fees, entertainment, and floral. 3. ROI can vary event to event 🏆 What deems a demo night successful might not be the same for a dinner. Think about sharing both quantitative and qualitative data with your team to provide a full picture of what was achieved. 🏆 Some components could be sponsorship dollars, brand recognition, attendance, PR and media coverage as well as participant experience (NPS). Thanks for having me, Kristen Ostro! https://lnkd.in/eHiw2gib

36

5 Comments

Transparency is core to who we are at Montage Partners. This begins early in relationships and is a foundation for trust throughout a deal process and post-closing.

11

1 Comment

Founders: want to join a curated beach retreat in mid-July? A friend in the NYC ecosystem (who is a good person with a sense for curation, and not the first person that comes to mind when you think of this) is hosting a beach retreat for 50+ seed and series A founders in mid-July in the New York area. -Everything fully paid for - travel, lodging, food, beverage, etc. -Think pickle ball, tennis, cold plunges, kayaking, fully catered, and quality DJ’s. -Special guest speakers who are serial entrepreneurs. If you are a Seed or A stage founder, and want to attend, send me an email at mike@mikemaccombie.com with: -Exact title: “Seed/Series A Beach Retreat” -Your full name if not obvious -Name of your company/blurb -Where you are based (NYC not required if you are willing to fly out) -Your LinkedIn -What someone might say about you if they were referring you for an event to compel the host to invite you. (Could be something memorable, some bulletpoints of interest, what a great testimonial would be like for you.) If you ignore any of the directions, I will not refer you. Thanks :)

42

9 Comments

I echo and a firm believer of Laurel Mintz take on Diversity - "Diversity in thought, diversity in boards, diversity in public companies, diversity in all of this is what creates a better culture. It's what creates better outcomes, both financially and emotionally. Ultimately, it's just a better approach to creating a more well-rounded society.” #ImpactInvesting #VentureCapital #PurposeDrivenInvestors

14

6 Comments

ICYMI - Here's the blog post on our recent roundtable on women investors in Upstate NY with Launch NY!

7

Workforce burnout is an increasing issue that impacts worker productivity, business development and by extension success in M&A. The attached Forbes article provides a concise overview, with a particular highlight on Pamela Cohen, PhD, Chief Research and Product Officer at Aniline. Dr. Cohen notes the different coping mechanisms between men and women and suggests that comprehensive data analysis could offer a roadmap to mitigate these challenges. She emphasizes that responding to burnout with empathy and precision is not only beneficial but necessary. To learn more about how AI platforms like Aniline are crucial in formulating effective strategies, please refer to the link here: https://lnkd.in/g6C46xE4 #PrivateEquity #mergersandacquisitions #PE #AI

15

Just touched down in Miami for the VC Platform Summit Here’s what I’m most interesting in discussing with peers (and press!)… - hybrid VC service models & the Dragonfly SLA - platform’s role in the future of fractional work - a16z sizing themselves out of the early stage game (and the opportunity that creates) - the marginalization of crypto founders in the startup vendor ecosystem - the difference between platform in APAC and the US Reply or DM to link up!

54

7 Comments

Personal share - I got to go to Sonoma for the first time this week! Just got back from the inaugural Recast Capital Summit led by co-founders Sara Zulkosky and Courtney Russell McCrea. (Thank you Aurelia Flores VIPC | Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation for making this possible.) Met thoughtful #LPs looking for fresh strategies, and enjoyed time with the emerging generation of alpha-generators, like my Kauffman Fellows Class 23 friends Noramay Cadena, Jenny Fielding, Gale Wilkinson, and Jason Torres--and Recast cohort friends Shalanda Armstrong and Lister Delgado. While catching up with VC friends is inspiring, and having off-the-record conversations is helpful in the futurescape of #VC reality, the one thing I want to celebrate here is 🌹Sara. 🌹 Sara Zulkosky and I met in the Kauffman Fellows program. We were in the same class. I was learning to raise my first institutional fund--and she was with Greenspring just before they were snapped up by StepStone Group. She listened so deeply and advised so gently . . . I will never forget her passion for the alpha only available in emerging managers--and her empathy for the path of breaking into venture. When I cried, basically she cried too. Her wise words were ones I held on to tightly as I went through that first raise. It seems like yesterday. But just a few years later--today--I'm making investments out of my ✨ ⭐ 2nd⭐ ✨institutional fund at Valor VC. And Sara founded a platform with Courtney for top emerging managers and the LPs who seek them to change the game, not just the score. It's working. As a fundpreneur, each day can be a bit of a climb, but some days, you look back on the mountain range you've scaled and the view is breathtaking. That's the vibe I'm going into the weekend with. There's a whole continental divide of experience informing Recast Capital's approach to apha. Worth a follow if you invest in fund managers!

60

7 Comments

Halle Kaplan-Allen and I will be chatting with Ali Hamed tomorrow about sourcing LPs. You can RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/edYZhKrA Ali wrote this excellent tactical piece on networking that is well worth a read for anyone networking their way to capital: https://lnkd.in/eZ_2f_4x This event is presented by Sydecar, a frictionless deal execution platform for venture capitalists. By pioneering a standardized approach to private investing, they enable capital allocators to identify and back entrepreneurs who are changing the world. Their platform reliably handles back-office operations, automating banking, compliance, contracts, tax, and reporting so that customers can focus on making deals and building relationships.

5

1 Comment