Latif Peracha’s Post

What opportunities can hype cycles bring? Union Square Ventures co-founder Brad Burnham shared what he’s learned from decades of venture investing in conversation with M13 Partner Latif Peracha at this year's Future Perfect. A few highlights: 1. Hype cycles bring innovation opportunities: "Without that financial bubble, without that enthusiasm, you don't get the experiments that you need in order to put the infrastructure in place to build real systems,” Brad says. "[At USV] we made the argument that we were through the initial crash of the information technology hype cycle, and that we were going to be building now into what Carlota Perez called the deployment period. That’s when a lot of the technologies that were first introduced in the crash actually became important." 2. Adaptability is key: "It's our job to figure out how to live with these new problems. It's not the job of the technology or the market to make it easy for us,” says Brad.  3. Focus on implications: Both investors encouraged looking at the implications of a technology, not just the technology itself. Thinking beyond the infrastructure or core technical pieces brings a huge number of meaningful opportunities. Read more on #AI, #crypto, and riding hype cycle waves from Brad and Latif: https://lnkd.in/eJEyHj6m

Got Pivot? Transitional periods like today raise a key question: why, when, where, how to shut down, iterate, pivot or double down? Short answer: there’s no one right answer. But the answers start with the support and #valueadd from your board of directors, investors, customers, employees and families. In times of change, diverse inputs into decision making improves decisions. We are seeing the best and worst in people during these situations that challenge and battle test relationships, especially from investment groups. At Decasonic, we operate with a long term perspective to support founders with the value add in their best decision for all stakeholders in the capacities we can. We help assess the range of possibilities for today versus tomorrow across the shifting probabilities of transitional change in disruptive technology, geopolitics and social polarization. We may not come to agreements on the best path forward but we strive for actionable, direct and constructive conversations. Always good to connect with Marc Vartabedian at The Wall Street Journal around the founder sentiment around #web3 and #AI. An excerpt from our conversation, in his words: “…Being strategically nimble and adaptable to new technology have long been crucial to startup success. “I can’t fault anyone for pivoting into a new transformative technology,” said Paul Hsu, the founder and chief executive of crypto-focused venture firm Decasonic. “AI is here to stay. If you’re young and you’re striking out in crypto, of course you should do that pivot.” Hsu said that of the 200 early-stage crypto founders that his firm reviews each week, nearly 20 will pivot from crypto to AI.” On the front lines of these tough conversations are also my colleagues Danny and Lauren. As you undertake iterations and pivots in your business and product roadmaps and as we can be accretive, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

🌐 Exciting News Alert! 🚀 Web3 investment surges by 55% in Q1 as crypto VC interest rebounds! 📈💼 "Artificial intelligence (AI) and gaming-related Web3 protocols took the lion’s share of the investment. According to the report:." Dive into the details and stay ahead of the game with this article from @Cointelegraph: https://lnkd.in/ePDnD-CT #VCInterest #StayInformed 🌟🔥

🌐 Exciting News Alert! 🚀 Web3 investment surges by 55% in Q1 as crypto VC interest rebounds! 📈💼 "Artificial intelligence (AI) and gaming-related Web3 protocols took the lion’s share of the investment. According to the report:." Dive into the details and stay ahead of the game with this article from @Cointelegraph: https://lnkd.in/eNN-rNAk #VCInterest #StayInformed 🌟🔥

The Money Dilemma: Bridging Ambition and Investor Expectations In today’s rapidly evolving technological world, we often find ourselves at the crossroads of innovation and traditional business models. At SymbionIQ, our journey encapsulates this sentiment, especially when it comes to raising funds to fuel our vision. Our Ambition: Health Beyond Constraints Gone are the days when health and fitness professionals work in isolation, their impact confined to local gyms or classrooms. With the rise of the digital creator economy, the ever-evolving tech landscape, and the undeniable need for a more connected health ecosystem, we are dedicated to bridging the gap. Our solution, a symbiosis of motion capture hardware, 3D mixed reality platforms, blockchain, and AI, aims to revolutionize the health sector. With NeoMoov & NeoTrackR, we empower content creators, ensuring lessons are dynamic, engaging, and available anywhere, anytime. While NeoXR, our digital health network protocol, answers the modern call for data security, easy access to professionals, and personalized insights, all housed under a decentralized and community-driven backend. The Core Issue: Credible Neutrality To achieve this vision, it became clear that data privacy and backend management needed to be at the forefront. By separating the entities into SymbionIQ Labs ltd and THE SYMBIONIQ FOUNDATION LTD, our goal was to eliminate any conflict of interest, ensuring data isn’t misused for profit. Instead, we look to empower a community-driven Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) to uphold the values of transparency, neutrality, and user-centricity. The Investor Quandary While our vision is clear, it challenges traditional business constructs. Venture capitalists and investors, accustomed to clear, direct ROI and control, are often wary of the decentralized, crypto-centric models. Their concerns stem from reduced data access, perceived instability of crypto markets, and a decentralized structure that reduces direct control. Our Path Forward We understand the hesitation. However, we firmly believe in a future where data privacy isn’t sacrificed for progress, where the community and stakeholders share control and benefits, and where technological advancements serve everyone, not just a select few. To our potential investors, we extend an invitation to join us on this journey. A journey not of traditional paths but of innovative leaps, where a $6.9 billion market awaits and the potential for growth is vast and promising. Our combined experience, spanning over five decades across tech giants and startups alike, is a testament to our commitment and capability. In conclusion, our dilemma isn’t just about money. It’s about choosing between sticking to traditional pathways or daring to imagine a future that serves everyone. At SymbionIQ, we’ve made our choice. We’re ready for the future, are you?

🚀 Exciting Insights on Crypto Investments 🌟 ㅤㅤㅤ 🔍 Spencer Farrar from Theory Ventures shares key strategies for successful fundraising and investment in the crypto space. Thorough research, alignment with investors, and technical discontinuity are highlighted. ㅤㅤㅤ 💡 Understanding market trends and conducting deep due diligence are crucial for future success in the Web3 and AI sectors. Theory is excited about data and novel economics companies making waves in the industry. ㅤㅤㅤ 🤖 HAL149 summarized this cutting-edge news with AI precision to keep you informed. For personalized news content, engagement, and lead generation, contact us today to create your custom news source. ㅤㅤㅤ #CryptoInvestments #AI #Web3 #Innovation ㅤㅤㅤ HAL149 helps create engaging and informative content to boost your business growth. Contact us now for AI-driven solutions tailored to your specific needs! 🚀🌟

Alpha Transform Holdings Growing and Building! Recent Highlights about Alpha Transform Holdings (ATH) 1. Acquired Blockchain Wire last year and its now the fastest and largest press release company in the world dedicated to Digital Assets and Crypto! 2. Investment by Michael Terpin in 2023 as part of the acquisition. 3. Launched Alpha Liquid, our second fund with over 90% APY 4. Alpha Sigma Capital Web 3 Fund realized 11 unicorns since 2020. 5. Launched partnership with Expert Dojo to drive additional value for equity investment and seed and series A 6. Wire Network recently closed an additional $2.7M in funding 7. Raiinmaker | Mint Your Moment closed $7M+ in funding 8. OriginTrail launched the first verifiable web for AI. ChatDKG 9. ATH Invested in MarketMind™ Investor Relations to create AI Investor Relations for public companies 10. Partnered with OTC Markets Group to launch Retail Investor Conference on Blockchain with participants including Grayscale Investments, Bitwise Asset Management, Exodus, Montis Group, Constellation Labs LLC, and others. 11. Invested and partnered with Cloudbench and Arhasi, AI with Integrity to build AI related blockchain solutions. 12. Wes Levitt, CFA became Co-CIO and Partner 13. Advised Shiba Inu and assisted them in partnering with Mastercard and obtained Cypher Capital Group as lead investor in $15M round. 14. Launched ASC AI Index which is up 700% since inception in March of 2023 15. We have three companies in the NVIDIA and Google Start Up programs. 16. We're Hiring research analysts and moving HQ to Puerto Rico

Great to meet Brian Quintenz Global Head of Policy -a16z Crypto- at CRYPTO AND DIGITAL ASSETS SUMMIT organised by the Financial Times and sponsored by The Banker in Central London. Brian Quintenz is the Global Head of Policy for a16z crypto, where he helps to translate between the crypto and policy communities. Brian initially joined a16z crypto as a senior advisor. In December 2022, he moved to the full-time role leading its policy team. Prior to joining a16z, he was nominated by both Presidents Obama and Trump to serve as commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and, in August 2017, was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Prior to his appointment to the CFTC, Brian was the Founder and Managing Principal of Saeculum Capital Management, LLC where he developed and implemented Saeculum's long term, momentum-based investment process for both traditional discretionary accounts as well as a managed-futures, commodity pool hedge fund. Andreessen Horowitz (aka a16z) is a venture capital firm that backs bold entrepreneurs building the future through technology. They are stage agnostic. They invest in seed to venture to growth-stage technology companies,across AI, bio + healthcare, consumer, crypto, enterprise, fintech, games, infrastructure, and companies building toward American dynamism. a16z has $42B in assets under management across multiple funds. Respect for the entrepreneur and the company-building process defines a16z. They know what it’s like to be in the founder’s shoes. General partners lead the firm, many of whom are former founders/operators, CEOs, or CTOs of successful technology companies, and have domain expertise ranging from data to artificial intelligence, biology to crypto, distributed systems to security, and marketplaces to financial services. They aim to connect entrepreneurs, investors, executives, engineers, academics, industry experts, cultural geniuses, and others in the technology ecosystem. They have built a network of experts, including technical and executive talent; marketing and communications resources; Fortune 500/Global 2000 companies; cultural leaders and influencers; as well as other technology decision makers and key opinion leaders. Their network reflects a16z’s commitment to helping our portfolio companies grow their businesses, and our operating teams provide entrepreneurs with access to expertise and insights across the entire spectrum of company-building.

Congratulations to these 10 remarkable companies securing recent funding rounds 🚀 1. Neutral - $3.2M - A financial services startup revolutionizing environmental asset markets. 2. Eastside Distilling, Inc. - $6.5M - Crafting premium food and beverages, including wine and spirits. 3. Ursa Major - $184.4K - Innovating in aerospace, satellite communication, and space travel. 4. Xano - $9.9M - Offering cloud infrastructure, developer APIs, and mobile/web app tools. 5. Alpaca - $15M - Empowering developers with APIs in fintech, insurtech, and trading platforms. 6. Mojo Vision - $43.5M - Pioneering augmented reality and consumer electronics. 7. Fast Travel Games - $3.9M - Gamifying digital entertainment in virtual reality. 8. Modal Labs - $16M - Leading in cloud data services, IT, software, and web development. 9. OrdinalsBot - $1M - Enabling developers with blockchain and cryptocurrency tools. 10. Shiprocket - $10.8M - Transforming logistics and supply chain management with AI. 👉 Follow Growth List for more startup funding news and sign up to get full data access and contact details

In the ever-evolving fintech sphere, exciting developments are changing the game. From Finom's big funding boost to Ripple's strategic moves, here are the top 5 transformative trends capturing the essence of fintech's dynamic evolution with our FinTech in Five. UK-based FinTech, AkoniHub, in collaboration with embedded sustainability provider ekko, and BLME, has unveiled the 'Planet Saver' savings account. This innovative product marks a significant step towards promoting sustainability within the financial sector, offering customers an opportunity to align their savings with eco-friendly initiatives. Finom, the Amsterdam-based financial management platform for SMEs and freelancers, has raised €50 million in Series B funding led by General Catalyst and Northzone. The round also included participation from existing investors Cogito Capital, Entrée Capital, FJLabs, s16vc: Portfolio News & Jobs, and Target Global, bringing the total raised by the firm since inception to €100 million. Cryptocurrency firm FORDEFI is launching a wallet-as-a-service offering after raising $10 million in a seed-extension round. Electric Capital led the round with participation from Paxos and Alchemy, bringing the firm’s total seed raise to $28 million. Ripple has agreed to acquire Standard Custody & Trust Company, an enterprise-grade regulated platform for digital assets. The move underscores Ripple's commitment to regulatory compliance and enables the company to expand beyond its primary payments network into other blockchain-based financial products for institutional clients. Sibli, a startup using AI to help asset managers in the investment research process, has raised $4.5 million in seed funding.The round was led by Staircase Ventures, with participation by The Group Ventures , Burst Capital, MaRS IAF, and private investors.   What's been going on in your business this week? Reach out to social@skyparlour.com, we'd love to hear from you. Have a great weekend everyone!