January, 2021

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5 Things VC Associates Wish Founders Knew Before Their Call

Dream It

The venture capital screening call is an important step to get right in due diligence. To get to partners, often you’ll have to go through the associate first. In this Dreamit Dose, associates Alana Hill and I, Elliot Levy , offer five things we wish founders knew after screening over 1,000 startups in the last year.

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Today’s entrepreneurs weigh in: Is entrepreneurship a lonely journey?

Entrepreneurs' Organization

At the core of Entrepreneurs’ Organization ‘s mission is helping entrepreneurs achieve their full potential. And one of the most powerful ways to accomplish this is by encouraging valuable experience sharing. Insights and lessons from peers around the world are the key benefits of EO membership. . When asked if entrepreneurship is lonely, EO members shared these thoughts. . “There are things you can do to make sure you’re not alone” Andrea Grisdale, founder and CEO at IC

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Advancing Equity: Validating Multiple Pathways and Developing a Holistic Organizational Approach

Venture Well

Validating multiple pathways to success and developing a holistic organizational approach are twin strategies that can help bridge participation gaps in innovation and entrepreneurship programs. The post advancing equity: validating multiple pathways and developing a holistic organizational approach appeared first on VentureWell.

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The Work-Life Balance Revolution

A VC: Musings of a VC in NYC

Yesterday, I had a gap in the middle of the day. So the Gotham Gal and I took an hour-long walk with our dog Ollie. It cleared my head and when I got back to work, I was full of energy and clarity. I’ve been working exclusively from home since the end of November 2019 when we left NYC to go to LA. It has been a stretch of incredible productivity for me.

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From Curiosity to Competitive Edge: How Mid-Market CEOs Are Using AI to Scale Smarter

Speaker: Lee Andrews, Founder at LJA New Media & Tony Karrer, Founder and CTO at Aggregage

This session will walk you through how one CEO used generative AI, workflow automation, and sales personalization to transform an entire security company—then built the Zero to Strategy framework that other mid-market leaders are now using to unlock 3.5x ROI. As a business executive, you’ll learn how to assess AI opportunities in your business, drive adoption across teams, and overcome internal resource constraints—without hiring a single data scientist.

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Cities are Like Startups

Revolution

2021: The Great Acceleration of the Rise of the Rest & the End of “Silicon X Syndrome.” (Part I) Cities are Like Startups Cities are like startups. And like many other industries, “business as usual” has been completely disrupted by the coronavirus. Many industries temporarily froze in March-April 2020, paralyzed by the uncertainty that an invisible enemy unleashed.

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More Trending

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The big question on every startup’s mind for 2021

TechCrunch

My big question for 2021, and the one that is on every startup’s mind, is how will a cataclysmic event such as a global pandemic show up in post-pandemic innovation? I think we’re in the early innings of seeing what “aha moments” have materialized into companies. And we won’t know the pandemic’s true impact on our psyches until the dust settles and we have an opportunity to reflect.

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What does it take to go carbon neutral as a business?

Entrepreneurs' Organization

As a global network of successful entrepreneurs , EO is proud of its members’ commitment to doing business for good. A vast number of our members are capitalizing on their business success in order to tackle the world’s greatest obstacles. Who better to move our world forward toward greater sustainability than today’s greatest innovators?

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big ideas 2021: a bold path forward for innovation and entrepreneurship education

Venture Well

For 25 years, VentureWell has closely supported early-stage STEM entrepreneurs who are designing groundbreaking innovations for the world’s most urgent problems. This year, we’ll be exploring four big ideas that are critical to addressing the challenges ahead. The post big ideas 2021: a bold path forward for innovation and entrepreneurship education appeared first on VentureWell.

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Why Accountants Are Critical for Small Business Success

Smart Hustle Magazine

Nowadays, technology plays a huge role in being able to run a business. And with so many people managing their businesses from home, these new technology solutions are needed more than ever. Stone DeSouza is the leader of the small business segment for Sage in the US. He was leading the accounting channel for two years and then helped drive this segment to service small businesses.

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State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

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RVI’s New Model 1 year in: 3x the members, 2x the investments, more diversification

Paul G. Silva

One year ago the angel group I have the honor to lead pivoted to a substantially different model. Like all pivots, it wasn’t easy. In fact, it was scary as hell. But thanks to the incredible involvement of our members and our assistant manager Ethan Ferris, 2020 was our best year ever. Membership tripled , pulling in people from a much larger geography than conceivable before.

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5 Actionable Goals for Your Startup to Set and Achieve in 2021

StartupNation

While the pandemic has created numerous obstacles for entrepreneurs, some of the best and most inventive ideas have been born out of adverse circumstances. January is the perfect time to re-evaluate what worked and what didn’t work over the course of the past 12 months in order to set new intentions for your business. Whether you’d like to focus more on marketing, sales, training or profitability, there’s always room for improvement in your business.

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Unpacking Chamath Palihapitiya’s SPAC deals for Latch and Sunlight Financial

TechCrunch

This morning, investor and SPAC raconteur Chamath Palihapitiya announced two new blank-check deals involving Latch and Sunlight Financial. Latch, an enterprise SaaS company that makes keyless-entry systems, has raised $152 million in private capital, according to Crunchbase. Sunlight Financial, which offers point-of-sale financing for residential solar systems, has raised north of $700 million in venture capital, private equity and debt.

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The Four Tenets of Conscious Capitalism

Entrepreneurs' Organization

Contributed to EO by Kent Gregoire. Kent Gregoire is an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) member and founder of Symphony Advantage, which helps CEOs achieve ongoing success through strategic thinking, advice and planning. Kent recently became the seventh certified Conscious Capitalism consultant globally.

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15 Modern Use Cases for Enterprise Business Intelligence

Large enterprises face unique challenges in optimizing their Business Intelligence (BI) output due to the sheer scale and complexity of their operations. Unlike smaller organizations, where basic BI features and simple dashboards might suffice, enterprises must manage vast amounts of data from diverse sources. What are the top modern BI use cases for enterprise businesses to help you get a leg up on the competition?

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advancing neurosurgical technology: q&a with Casey Grage of Hubly

Venture Well

For Casey Grage of neurosurgical technology innovators, Hubly, entrepreneurship has taught her to master the art of difficult conversations and strategically identify skills gaps on the team. The post advancing neurosurgical technology: q&a with Casey Grage of Hubly appeared first on VentureWell.

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Why You Should Embrace the Power of Creativity as You Build Your Empire

Smart Hustle Magazine

Creative is not a word I typically use to describe myself. I’m logical, practical, driven and deliberate. In my mind, “creativity” was always reserved for artists and designers, both of which I am not. It wasn’t until I launched my small business, Kono’s Kitchen, in July 2020 that I realized creativity is everything an entrepreneur embodies. Creative Beginnings.

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USV 2021 and USV Climate

A VC: Musings of a VC in NYC

Last fall, USV raised two new venture capital funds from our loyal and supportive investors. We announced the new climate fund on January 8th and I blogged about it here. While the climate fund is something new and important, we also raised another early stage fund to invest in the same kinds of companies we’ve been investing in at USV for over 15 years.

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Starting an E-Commerce Business in 2021? Keep These 6 Key Trends in Mind

StartupNation

If you’re thinking about starting an e-commerce business, you’re in good company. E-commerce is booming, with sales from last year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday hitting $10.8 billion in a single weekend. And growth is only accelerating: by 2022, the global e-commerce market is expected to reach $6.5 trillion. Not only is the demand for online shopping skyrocketing, but it’s also never been easier to start an online business.

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How Top Tech CFOs Solve Annual Planning’s Biggest Challenges

Gearing up for 2025 annual planning? Our latest eBook from the Operators Guild is your ultimate guide. Discover real-world solutions and best practices shared by top CFOs, drawn directly from discussions within OG’s vibrant online community. Learn from senior executives at high-growth tech startups as they outline financial planning strategies, align CEO and board goals, and coordinate budgets across departments.

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Startups at CES showed how tech can help elderly people and their caregivers

TechCrunch

The COVID-19 pandemic shined a harsh spotlight on the challenges many elderly people face. Older adults are among the highest-risk groups for developing cases that need hospitalization and nursing homes were especially vulnerable to outbreaks. While dealing with COVID-19, the elderly have also faced many other problems, including the difficulty of accessing medical care for chronic conditions during lockdowns and isolation.

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Don't Hate the Raise. Hate the Game.

This is going to be BIG.

The other day, I was talking to a highly experienced female professional out raising money. It was super clear to me that she was incredibly qualified to tackle the problems that she was raising money to go after—but few people in the ecosystem knew who she was compared to other, more high profile professionals. There were other people who spend more time on social, doing the podcasts, videos and interviews—things that, while brand building, opened them up to more criticism.

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interdisciplinary approaches in entrepreneurship education: q&a with Laquita Blockson of Agnes Scott College

Venture Well

VentureWell faculty grants recipient,Laquita Blockson of Agnes Scott College, teaches students the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in entrepreneurial ventures, with a focus on under-resourced communities. The post interdisciplinary approaches in entrepreneurship education: q&a with Laquita Blockson of Agnes Scott College appeared first on VentureWell.

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The Fastest Growing Sectors of Startup Fundraising in 2020

Tomasz Tunguz

From time to time, I chart the fastest growing categories of startup investment in the US for seed through Series C. Here are 2015 , 2017 , This year, I was certain the categories would have been influenced by COVID19. I analyzed Crunchbase data and looked for the startup categories that grew fastest in terms of funding rounds year-over-year, provided there were at least 10 rounds in that category.

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Your Fractional Finance and Accounting Team

Mighty Financial specializes in supporting the financial aspirations of small businesses and entrepreneurs. With our comprehensive bookkeeping and precise accounting expertise with decades of experience across diverse financial roles, our team offers tailor-made services ranging from essential bookkeeping to strategic fractional CFO support, catered specifically to the unique challenges of technology companies, startups, and SMEs.

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Six Months Later

A VC: Musings of a VC in NYC

In early June, I wrote this post explaining that I and we need to do more to reduce the inequality issues for Black people in tech, venture capital, and startups. I think MLK day is a good time to talk about what has happened since that post. We have identified a number of areas where we must do better: Increase the number of Black founders we back Increase the number of Black team members at USV Increase the number of Black VCs we work with and support Increase the number of Black board members

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This Young Entrepreneur Shares Her 4 Tips for Startup Success

StartupNation

What do you think of when you hear the word “entrepreneur”? When most people think of an entrepreneur, they imagine a twenty-something young adult, straight out of college, working tirelessly in a basement on an exciting new business idea that will change the world and make them rich and famous. Or at least that’s what I thought, based on what I saw portrayed in movies and mainstream media.

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Equal access to capital and entrepreneurship is the final civil rights movement

TechCrunch

Joseph Heller. Contributor. Joseph Heller is a small businesses expert and the CEO of Supplied , a wholesale platform for small businesses and brands that makes it easier for boutique owners to access high-quality, affordable items. Context is always important. In the grand scheme of things, I have privilege: I was born a male, in the most powerful country in the world, during the most prosperous time in history, to parents who both went to college, all in a middle-class neighborhood.

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How the World’s 8th Richest Man Lost 99.6% of His Fortune

Entrepreneur's Handbook

And went to live few meters away from murders and kidnappers. Continue reading on Entrepreneur's Handbook ».

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Digitalization: 5 Tech Updates That Will Help You Survive The Recession & Thrive

Lack of digitalization decreases business competitiveness. To thrive, embracing modern solutions becomes essential. The approach to digitalization often aligns with a company's business model. This shift not only boosts productivity but also automates processes and improves security. The tech market offers a wealth of technologies tailored for management, planning, and forecasting, replacing outdated pen-and-paper methods.