Endeavor

Last week, I made my first-ever trip to #SouthKorea thanks to our friends at South Summit who invited me to deliver a keynote on "Cultivating a Global Startup Ecosystem" as part of #SouthSummitKorea24. Shane Shin (شين شن) 유근 from Shorooq Partners made some fantastic introductions to folks in Seoul that contributed to an awesome first-trip for Caela Tanjangco and me. (Thanks, Shane!) As all my close friends and Endeavor teammates know well, I believe deeply that awesome $10B and even $100B companies can be built from all over the world, and I loved learning about the #SouthKorea market via our new friends at 500 Korea, Antler Korea, Invest Seoul, KVIC (Korea Venture Investment Corporation) and others. With more than 20,000 startups and 30 🦄 Unicorns, the start-up ecosystem in #SouthKorea is already thriving. But it sounded in several conversations like founders at the "SCALE-UP" stage could use more mentorship, peer-learning, and connections to international networks. Perhaps it's time for the world's Leading Global Community Of, By, and For High-Impact Entrepreneurs to take a serious look at South Korea? What do you think: should we explore #EndeavorKorea (Endeavor 한국)?

Less than 2% of candidates become Endeavor Entrepreneurs. So, for those that do, what sets them apart? Meet Mati Staniszewski and Piotr Dabkowski, founders of ElevenLabs—the Polish AI company taking voice AI to new heights—selected at our 45th virtual International Selection Panel in April, where candidates must be unanimously voted in by all panelists. Here's why Matt and Piotr stood out: 📺 Inspired by the poor-quality dubbing they grew up with, they set out to revolutionize audio by creating more natural and human-like experiences. 🎙️ Their AI-driven technology is challenging tech giants like Google and OpenAI, offering voices that capture emotion, nuance, and personality in 32 languages. 🇵🇱 From Poland to the world, they’ve shown you can build and scale a tech company globally, breaking barriers along the way. 🦄 In just two years, they’ve grown to nearly 100 employees, developed groundbreaking AI models, and reached unicorn status. Today, employees at 62% of Fortune 500 companies use ElevenLabs. Read their full story and see why we are so excited for what’s next: https://lnkd.in/e-Zb8eN7 #MoreThanScaleMultiply #EndeavorMultiplierEffect #Entrepreneurship Endeavor Poland

The 100th in-person ISP was truly one to remember. And while we may be back home, the energy and inspiration from these past weeks still linger. We’d like to take a moment to thank the 25 extraordinary panelists who joined us for this milestone event. Not only did the caliber of our candidates reach new heights, but our panelists were truly exceptional—some have been with Endeavor since the very beginning, and some were once on the other side of the table as Endeavor Entrepreneurs themselves, now returning to help select the next generation. Our selection process, with an acceptance rate of less than 2%, has remained the same since the first panel in 1997 in Chile, thanks to the dedication of our global community. These business leaders and founders traveled from Brazil, the Philippines, South Africa, and beyond to Dublin, spending three full days diving deep into each candidate’s business. They engaged in passionate discussions, knowing that selecting these entrepreneurs carries the responsibility of shaping Endeavor’s future. A huge thank you to: Edgar Bronfman Jr., Guillaume Pousaz, Jason Green, Joanna Rees, Martin Escobari, Veronica Allende Serra, Elaine C., Herman Bosman, Jasen Ko, Jason Borschow (He/Him), Martin Migoya, Pietro Sella, Sergio Furio, Aldi Haryopratomo, Diego Piacentini, Monica Brand Engel, Arvind Rajan, Brett Rochkind, Drew McElroy, Eric Perez-Grovas, Javier Villamizar 魔术师, Oliver Rippel, Patrick McGinnis, Taddy Hall. Thank you for your unwavering dedication to shaping the future of high-impact entrepreneurship. Here’s to the next 100 ISPs and the continued impact of the #MultiplierEffect! #Entrepreneurship #EndeavorISP #MoreThanScaleMultiply

Venture capital is experiencing a major shift. And it's showing up on the Midas List. As Allen Taylor points out, this year’s list tells a story: 30% of the Midas Listers live and invest outside of the US, and 33 out of the top 100 companies are international. The boundaries of innovation are expanding. Allen’s prediction? The future of VC will only get more global as investors look beyond borders for the next wave of unicorns. In this recent conversation with Alexandre Lazarow of Fluent Ventures, Allen dives into how this shift is reshaping the entire venture landscape. Read Allen’s full piece here: https://lnkd.in/e47vUdfM #VentureCapital #Unicorns #MidasList #MoreThanScaleMultiply

The world is connecting beyond borders. And founders are leading the way as global citizens, creating change by growing their “bubbles” of impact with each company, mentorship, and investment—what we call the #MultiplierEffect. This December, join us in New York City for a week of insights, content, and networking, culminating in our annual Gala on Friday, December 6! Learn more here: endeavor.org/gala This year, we're celebrating entrepreneurs who not only innovate globally but also return to their roots and reinvest locally, growing their ecosystems through the Multiplier Effect and creating an impact that transcend borders. Don't miss this chance to engage with our worldwide community—whether it’s a mentor from Mexico, a panelist from Vietnam, or a founder from South Africa—as we celebrate our 27 years of impact and all the incredible work of our founders worldwide! #EndeavorGala #MoreThanScaleMultiply #Entrepreneurship

From rare to everywhere. Unicorns are being built in ecosystems around the world. In 2013, when Aileen Lee coined the term "unicorn" for $1B VC-backed companies, there were only 39—and all of them were in the US. Around that same time, Endeavor Catalyst began investing in Latin America and Türkiye, aiming to help a few emerging market companies achieve $1B valuations. Fast forward to today: There are over 1,300 unicorns worldwide, with only 51% based in the US. Remarkably, 26% of these unicorns now hail from regions outside the US, China, and India—spanning Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and the rest of Asia. Today, we’ve far exceeded our initial goal, having invested in nearly 50 unicorns from emerging markets. Our portfolio, which includes over 300 investments across 30 countries, features successes like Bukalapak, Peak, and Payhawk. Innovation knows no borders. Here’s to the next decade of global unicorns. 🚀🦄

A new global hub, a new era of impact. Endeavor is officially in London! 🚀 This Thursday, we celebrated the launch of our newest global hub with 200 entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders, marking an exciting chapter for high-impact entrepreneurs. Endeavor Entrepreneurs are global citizens, scaling their businesses in their home countries and internationally. London has emerged as a prominent hub for these leaders, with over 100 Endeavor Entrepreneur companies already operating in the city including influential leaders like Guillaume Pousaz (Checkout.com), Karim Beguir (InstaDeep), and Melih Odemis (Yemeksepeti). What does a global hub in London mean for founders? 🏙️ As more entrepreneurs make London their base, we are committed to strengthening our interconnected community, and providing unparalleled support, no matter where they come from. 🤝 With Constanza Castro Feijóo leading our London team, we’re here to unlock the full potential of London’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, connecting entrepreneurs to the city’s capital, talent, and networks. 💸 Leveraging London’s position as a global financial hub, Pete Benedetto and the Endeavor Catalyst team are ready to bridge the gap between high-impact entrepreneurs and capital and propel entrepreneurs toward their next milestone. Thank you to everyone who celebrated with us and to our incredible speakers, including Linda Rottenberg, Allen Taylor, Brent Hoberman, Edgar Bronfman Jr., Guillaume Pousaz, Karim Beguir, Sherry Coutu CBE, and Tosin Eniolorunda who embody the spirit of multiplying impact. A huge thank you to our sponsor, UBS for helping us bring our vision into reality. 💫 Here’s to a new era of growth, innovation, and global connections that will support Endeavor’s mission of turning high-impact entrepreneurs into #Multipliers! 🇬🇧 #MoreThanScaleMultiply #LondonTech #Entrepreneurship 📷 TOBY NIMA.

Meet the 31 new Endeavor Entrepreneurs selected at our 100th in-person International Selection Panel in Dublin! These founders are leading 15 companies that are shaping the future on a global scale: AltScore (Ecuador), BALY (UAE), Bartesian (USA), iGenius (Italy), Instaleap (Colombia), LemFi (Nigeria), OTO (Saudi Arabia), Pipo Saúde (Brazil), PLD Space (Spain), Raylo (Ireland), Spyke Games (Türkiye), Staffinc Group(Indonesia), Thndr (Egypt), Toothpick (Lebanon), VelyVelo (Morocco). From advancing B2B lending infrastructure in Ecuador to optimizing last-mile logistics for Iraqi consumers to simplifying financing for dental clinics in the GCC, our newest Endeavor Entrepreneurs are pushing the boundaries of innovation across industries and regions. We look forward to helping them scale up, achieve their goals, and pay it forward to the next generation of entrepreneurs. 100 ISPs down, and many more to come! Learn more about the entrepreneurs and the businesses they are building here 👉 https://lnkd.in/e-sa2GyC #EndeavorISP #Entrepreneurship #MultiplierEffect #EndeavorEntrepreneurs #MoreThanScaleMultiply

97, 98, 99… A major milestone is just around the corner! On Monday, entrepreneurs from across the globe and top business leaders from Endeavor’s network will gather in Dublin, Ireland for our 100th in-person International Selection Panel (ISP). For 27 years, we’ve continually refined our selection process, meeting in cities from São Paulo to Dubai, Athens to Dublin, to find exceptional entrepreneurs leading impactful businesses. Each year, the caliber of both candidates and panelists has reached new heights, but our focus remains the same: identifying entrepreneurs who are not just scaling their ventures, but multiplying their impact to transform their ecosystems. And next week, we’ll do it all again, in person, for the 100th time. Stay tuned for updates and the exciting addition of new entrepreneurs to the Endeavor community. 🇮🇪 #EndeavorISP #MoreThanScaleMultiply #Entrepreneurship Endeavor Ireland

Asia saw a surge in investment dollars in 2021-22, reaching peak valuations. Now, as the market recalibrates, investors are eyeing new opportunities across the region. Caela Tanjangco, Asia regional lead for Catalyst, shares the latest insights from our global mid-year VC snapshot: 🧩 Mismatched pricing expectations between founders and investors have led to difficulty in closing rounds. 🇻🇳 In our own portfolio, we have observed Vietnamese companies getting to profitability quickly as founders from this market adapt to more capital-efficient strategies. 🔍 Companies out of Malaysia and the Philippines are gaining interest from investors as they seek to diversify from the usual markets and secure positions at lower valuations. 🌲 In addition to investments in AI, many funds are looking into cleantech and greentech opportunities in the region. Curious about VC trends in your region? Dive into our global mid-year snapshots through the link in our bio. #VentureCapital #EndeavorCatalyst #Entrepreneurship Endeavor Indonesia Endeavor Vietnam Endeavor Philippines