SIERRA Ventures

Our partnership with Endor Labs empowers seamless management, prioritization, and remediation of supply chain risks. Here's a breakdown of how we integrate to streamline your software supply chain security... https://lnkd.in/gYrDKU9H #integrationpartners #softwaresupplychain #shipsecurecode

SIERRA Ventures is excited to announce our Series A investment in Eden, transforming radiology in Latin America. Eden's journey began with CEO Julián Ríos Cantú's Mother's battle against breast cancer, exposing the shortcomings in the health system. Eden's advanced AI technology processes vast amounts of medical data, allowing for quicker and more accurate diagnoses. Eden currently processes over 6 million studies annually, serving over 1,500 institutions across 17 countries. "Eden's innovative approach to medical diagnostics is set to transform the healthcare landscape in Latin America by delivering life-changing technology to millions of patients, starting with medical imaging. There is a lot of talk about AI in the medical industry, and Eden is one of the first companies implementing it at a massive scale." - Mark Fernandes Other investors include KASZEK, Alt Capital, Y Combinator, and Khosla Ventures. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gyTbBCQg Check out the announcement in Axios: https://lnkd.in/gDUSZRsN

SEO can pay dividends that your startup can benefit from for years. SIERRA Ventures partnered with our friends at SmartBug Media to create the SEO Playbook early-stage founders need. Here are the top tips you need to know: What is it? SEO maximizes your brand’s visibility, driving organic traffic from search engines like Google and Bing. It involves optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) by aligning with search engine algorithms. Keyword Research Identify relevant keywords with high search volume and low competition. Use primary, semantic, and long-tail keywords to cover a broader range of search queries. Avoid keyword stuffing; instead, aim for a natural keyword density. On-Page Optimization Incorporate your primary keyword in the following areas: - Copy: Aim for a keyword density of 1-2%. - Page Title: Make it relevant to the search query. - Introduction: Ideally in the first paragraph. - URL: Optimize your URL to include the keyword. - Meta Description: Include the keyword, preferably at the beginning. - Headings: Especially in the first header. - Image Alt Text: Use keywords in alt text and image file names. - Hyperlink Text: Use keywords as anchor text for internal links. Key Elements of a Strong SEO Strategy - Local SEO: Target customers in specific areas for better local search results. - Technical SEO: Improve site architecture, speed, mobile-friendliness, and crawlability. - User Experience (UX): Ensure quick load times and accessible design to reduce bounce rates. - Mobile Optimization: Ensure content displays properly on all devices. - Content Creation: Develop SEO-friendly, engaging content across multiple channels. - Link Building: Acquire high-quality backlinks to boost credibility and SEO. Assessing and Maximizing Performance - Analytics and Tracking: Use tools like Google Analytics to track performance and make data-driven optimizations. - Ongoing Optimization: Regularly update content and maintain website performance to retain high SERP rankings. SEO is an ongoing effort, but with these best practices, you can significantly enhance your startup’s online visibility. For a deeper dive, read the full blog post here: The Ultimate SEO Playbook: Best Practices for Optimal Website Results https://lnkd.in/eRUFQBqz #SEO #Startups #DigitalMarketing #Entrepreneurship #SmartBugMedia #SierraVentures Jen Spencer Tonia Flores Speir

Fun to have the SIERRA team together last week and catch a Giants game!

Join us in NYC this July! SIERRA is excited to support and participate in a casual networking happy hour for diverse innovators. Thank you to VamosVentures, Techstars, Two Ravens VC, and LaFamilia Foundation for partnering. Monday, July 15th, at 6 PM EST. Register here: https://lu.ma/9ez7k0sj.

⛓ Navigating the Complex Landscape of Engaging Technical Buyers ⛓ Understanding the unique mindset of technical buyers is crucial for marketers. A recent panel discussion hosted by Anne Gherini offered valuable insights and strategies from industry experts Carolyn King and Ryan McCurdy. Carolyn King, Head of Pipeline Marketing at Chronosphere, emphasized the importance of crafting content that resonates with technical buyers' specific needs. Her key points: - Quality Over Quantity: Focus on high-quality content, especially in smaller teams. Strategize content structure, stay proactive and craft a roadmap akin to product planning, including SEO considerations. - Content Beyond Marketing: Foster a unified community across teams. Involve thought leaders for authenticity, enhancing campaign effectiveness. Encourage engineers to contribute meaningfully. - Partnership with Product: Treat marketing as a partner to gain valuable insights into customer needs, which will lead to better products and solutions. Ryan McCurdy, SVP of Marketing, Demand Generation at Astronomer, shared his perspective on building an efficient pipeline: - Compelling Content: Listen during meetings to identify recurring topics that engage your audience—craft content around these insights. Strategizing the Pipeline: Start from the ground up with compelling CTAs. - Newsletters are powerful tools—experiment with various content types to find what resonates. - Community Relationship: Build a supportive community for higher engagement. Cultivate relationships with thought leaders without the pressure of selling. 📝 Key Takeaways: - Technical Buyers' Preferences: They value independence and authenticity. Create content and events like webinars or hands-on labs that appeal to them. - Collaboration is Key: Effective marketing to technical buyers requires strong teamwork between marketers and product managers. - For Early-Stage Founders: Define your ideal customer profile (ICP) and align your CTAs with content production. Host events to build your database and streamline the path to conversion. - Embrace Experimentation: Continuous testing and iteration uncover valuable insights into problems and solutions. Content marketing is a learning curve. Its key elements are prioritizing quality content, involving engineers and marketers as partners, and fostering community support. Embracing an experimental mindset for continuous improvement while fostering genuine relationships is key. This approach paves the way for sustained business growth in today's dynamic digital marketplace. https://lnkd.in/gutYqK6y #Marketing #TechnicalBuyers #ContentStrategy #CommunityEngagement #DigitalMarketing #GrowthStrategies #B2BMarketing #Authenticity

It was a fun day out in the sun (and fog) for our quarterly volunteer event. This week, The SIERRA team cleaned up a local beach, park, and playground in San Mateo. It's a great way to spend the day outside with our team and give back to the community. Our parks and beaches rely on volunteers to keep them clean, and we ended the morning with 18 buckets of trash and recycling - from balloons and pinatas pieces to glass, cans, and cigarette butts.

One of the early hurdles for most founders is figuring out how to sell. Join us for this live session with Vijay R. to demystify founder-led sales. https://lnkd.in/gDMe5esX Vijay Rajendran has helped hundreds of founders build out their early-stage sales functions. For the past 4 years, he has been the Head of Portfolio Value at 500 Global, the head of the venture lab at BBVA, and even a founder himself. In this session, Vijay will discuss his framework for founders to build out their GTM strategy, answering questions like: - What markets to target first? - How to build an outbound engine? - Do logos or revenue matter more? - Who are your stakeholders? - How do you de-risk your solution for the customer? - How do you get the social proof to scale?  - When to hire your first AE? - When to bring in Sales leadership? #sales #founder #earlystage #founderledsales #demandgen #seedstage #preseed #venturecapital #AE

SIERRA Ventures' Shashank Saxena is in Total Retail, discussing the future of commerce. Bridging High-Tech Efficiency With High-Touch Personalization: AI's Role in Scaling Customer Service Excellence Article highlights: Embrace the future of retail: AI-driven technologies are revolutionizing customer service by combining high-tech efficiency with high-touch personalization, reminiscent of traditional neighborhood stores. Personalized shopping experiences: AI-powered chatbots greet online visitors by name, suggest products based on past purchases, and offer real-time assistance, creating a seamless and personalized journey. Data-driven personalization: Advanced AI and robust data infrastructures enable retailers to offer individualized promotions and recommendations, driving top-line growth and enhancing customer loyalty. Balancing AI with human touch: Implementing a hybrid model in which AI handles standard interactions and humans manage complex cases ensures efficient yet personalized customer service. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gpmUvyGF #commerce #personalization #AI #retail #customersuccess #CS #VC #venturecapital #founder #startup

Balto is hiring a Product Manager. Balto is seeking a Product Manager to drive the development of our AI tools for sales and customer service teams. Uniting agents with AI for conversations that deliver results. Empower your team using real-time guidance with Balto. Balto unites agents and supervisors with AI to power better agent performance. Agents and managers trust Balto's real-time guidance to prevent missed sales opportunities, costly compliance mistakes, and negative customer experiences. Empowering agents results in happier customers, increased revenue, and better retention. Today, Balto has guided over 200 million calls, driven millions in increased revenue, and has a 4.8-star rating on G2. The job is a fully remote position across the U.S. 🔍 Are you a strategic thinker passionate about turning ideas into reality? 🎯 Key Responsibilities: Define product vision and strategy Collaborate cross-functionally Conduct market research Prioritize features based on feedback Monitor product performance Lead product development lifecycle 💼 Example Projects: Develop AI-powered features Conduct competitive analysis Manage product updates Analyze feature success with data 🔑 Skills & Qualifications: 2-5 years of product management experience Understanding of AI tech Strong interpersonal and communication skills Ability to break down complex tasks 📝 Assessment Process: Virtual and take-home assessments to evaluate problem-solving, communication, and product management proficiency. 🌟 Why Balto: Anchor on Success Love Every Customer Talk Things Out Always Be Growing Own the Work Start with Gratitude Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g3Rjgww2 Marc Bernstein Tim Guleri #productmanager #AI #remotework #startups #product