As startup founders, you often face the dilemma of whether to commit to your vision or validate your ideas with others. The answer depends on your level of expertise in the problem space you’re addressing.
Remember, it’s okay to not have all the answers upfront. Most successful founders start with limited expertise and learn along the way. The important thing is to pick a problem space you’re excited to dive into and stay humble as you gain knowledge. With the right mindset and approach, you can turn your unique insights into a thriving startup.
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In this edition of Venture Stories, we delve into the insights and experiences of Steve Schwarzman, the billionaire co-founder and CEO of Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager with over $1 trillion in assets.
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1. Productivity: With a co-founder, you can move 2–3x faster and get more done
2. Brainstorming: Bounce ideas off each other for higher quality solutions
3. Accountability: Keep each other motivated and on track
4. Moral support: Have someone to empathize with the startup rollercoaster
Even companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook had multiple co-founders at the start.
1. Tap your network: Friends, classmates, colleagues
2. Try YC’s Co-Founder Matching Platform for global connections
3. Do trial projects to test work compatibility before committing
1. Shared values, goals, and communication styles
2. Ability to have open, honest conversations
3. Aligned on finances, commitment levels, and salaries
The right co-founder is invaluable. Don’t settle for skills alone; find someone you truly click with to join you on this crazy startup journey!
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Highlights from Q1 2024:
As the funding landscape becomes increasingly challenging, EdTech startups face significant headwinds in securing capital and sustaining growth.
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In essence, founders should trust their expertise and vision, charting their path to success fueled by innovation and commitment to customer value.
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In essence, effective user communication is not just a checkbox on the startup checklist—it’s the lifeblood that fuels innovation, fosters trust, and drives sustainable growth.
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Google’s cloud computing arm is also rapidly gaining traction, showcasing the importance of continually expanding into adjacent revenue streams. And initiatives like Waymo and Wing demonstrate Google’s appetite for ambitious, long-term venture bets.
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Jack Schuler’s journey is a cautionary tale for philanthropists and investors alike. The former Abbott Laboratories president founded the Schuler Education Foundation in 2001 with a noble mission: helping underprivileged students gain admission and funding to attend elite colleges.
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HomeCooks, the rapidly growing “Etsy of food” marketplace, recently raised an impressive $3.2-million seed round via crowdfunding on Seedrs. Let’s dive into the 25-slide pitch deck that helped them land this funding.
Key takeaways:
One of the toughest challenges for marketplaces is overcoming the chicken-and-egg problem of attracting both supply and demand. HomeCooks deftly addresses this, showing how their supply of chef-prepared meals scales audience growth.
I loved how HomeCooks wove in an appealing sustainability narrative around reducing food waste. In an era of rising eco-consciousness, painting your startup as eco-friendly can be a powerful differentiator.
HomeCooks saved the best for last, unveiling an all-star team page packed with industry heavyweights, advisors, and influential investors. This breeds confidence in their ability to execute.
While stellar overall, there were a few areas that could potentially be improved:
By trying to tell two storylines—for eaters and creators—the deck’s flow gets bogged down at times. Ideally, start by gripping investors with one focused narrative thread.
The use of funds slide feels undercooked, with vague goals like “social feed” and “app release.” Investors want specific, data-backed milestones to justify the runway.
While the numbers look great, the main revenue growth slide has some misleading data visualization issues that could raise red flags. Startups must obsess over making metrics crystal clear.
Overall, HomeCooks put together a fundraising deck that adeptly tackles the unique complexities of pitching a scalable marketplace model. By highlighting their sustainable vision, elite team, and data-driven traction, they crafted a compelling narrative that clearly resonated with investors.
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Let’s remain vigilant and prioritize ethical practices to foster a trustworthy ecosystem.
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Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners went public on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange on Friday, valuing the company at a whopping $15 billion. The successful IPO has minted two new billionaires—Donald Mackenzie and Rolly van Rappard, the firm’s co-founders.
Founded in 1981, CVC has grown into a global powerhouse with $198 billion in assets under management. Its notable investments include Petco, Breitling watches, sports entities like Formula 1 racing and La Liga soccer. The firm paid its shareholders, including the co-founders, a $327-million dividend before the IPO.
The keys appear to be CVC’s ability to attract top talent, raise substantial funds, make savvy investments across industries, and evolve its business model. Startup founders can learn from how the firm’s co-founders patiently built an enduring, global franchise that could eventually go public at a massive valuation.
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— Charge for your product to learn customer willingness to pay and uncover the true value.
— Price based on the value you deliver, not your costs.
— Most startups undercharge, so incremental price increases can boost revenue.
— Pricing isn’t permanent; adjust as you build more value.
— Keep pricing simple to reduce friction and boost conversions.
For example, the journey of Segment, acquired for $3
billion, is a testament to the power of pricing. They went from giving away their product for free to charging enterprise customers $120,000 per year, all by recognizing their true value.
Embrace proven business models and strategic pricing to unlock your startup’s potential. Stay tuned for more invaluable insights!
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The role of a technical founder goes beyond just coding—it’s an intense commitment to the startup’s success, doing whatever it takes. Here are the key stages:
— Build a prototype ASAP to demonstrate the idea, even if not fully functional.
— Use tools like Figma, noscripts, 3D renderings to create a clickable prototype.
— Timebox it to just a few days of work.
— Don't overbuild; the goal is just to show something to users.
— The goal is to quickly build and launch an MVP in weeks, not months.
— Embrace “doing things that don’t scale” like manually onboarding users.
— Create a lean “90/10 solution” by limiting scope to core functionality.
— Choose tech stack and prioritize speed over perfection.
— Use third-party APIs/tools instead of building from scratch.
Example: Stripe manually processed payments initially.
— Set up analytics to track key metrics and understand user behavior.
— Quickly update based on analytics data and user interviews.
— Continuously launch new versions every few weeks, adding high-impact features.
— Balance building new capabilities vs. fixing bugs/tech debt.
— Don’t overfocus on refactoring—tech debt is okay if it enables faster iterations.
— With traction, now scale by hiring trustworthy engineers.
— Identify bottlenecks and rework/refactor pieces for scalability.
— Evolve from hands-on coding to an architect/manager role.
— Define engineering processes and culture as the team grows.
The key is moving quickly without getting bogged down early on. Successful startups embrace scrappiness and finding clever hacks to launch fast!
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While competing with established Chinese giants like Alibaba and PDD may seem daunting, the growing appetite for international online shopping could open up new markets. Founders must closely analyze consumer trends, localize their offerings, and find innovative ways to differentiate themselves in this highly competitive landscape. With the right strategies, there is potential for startups to carve out their niche in the booming global e-commerce market.
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I’ve learned some crucial lessons about launching startups that will transform how you approach it. The key?
— Launch early and often, even before your product is perfect.
— Online communities (HackerNews, your networks)
— Waitlists (see how Robinhood got 50,000 sign-ups!)
— Pre-order campaigns (for physical products)
— Friends/family (but don’t linger here too long)
Each channel provides valuable user feedback to guide product refinement.
⚠️ Going to the press is overrated for early startups. It rarely drives sustainable growth or product-market fit. Instead, build your own engaged community.
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For startup founders in the fintech and payments space, Ansa’s success in raising a female-led round and its innovative “wallet-as-a-service” solution could inspire new approaches to addressing pain points and driving customer loyalty in the ever-evolving world of digital payments.
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