Susannah Duke

Fin Capital’s Fintech CEO Pulse Report is out! We surveyed over 50 CEOs and C-suite leaders of private companies from our portfolio and the broader fintech industry during June and July 2024 to get a quick pulse on what’s top of mind for fintech’s leaders. Here are some key takeaways: Optimism in the Air: More than 60% of CEOs reported being bullish or highly bullish on the fintech industry for the second half of 2024. Regulatory Changes on the Horizon: CEOs identified Cryptocurrency, Open Banking, and Buy Now Pay Later as the top three sectors likely to see increased regulation by the end of 2024. CEOs Want Business Development Support: Beyond capital and fundraising, business development support emerged as the top area where CEOs seek investor assistance.For more insights, including comments from my colleagues Ren Riley, Logan Allin, Matthew D. Mann, CFA, and Stephanie Perez, check out the full report here: https://lnkd.in/euHK8-9B

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I believe two of the big winners over the next 10 years in the SMB category will be PE who are rolling up the businesses and GenAI powered software that makes running these businesses significantly more turnkey and/or profitable. Thanks for having me on Jay Kapoor. If you want spicy takes fast forward to 25 min mark. If you want to get deep in market analysis buckle in for the whole thing. https://lnkd.in/d8M7Jyrx

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Summary: Harlem Capital, a venture capital firm focused on backing diverse founders, is raising its largest fund to date of $150 million. This would be its third fund and is a testament to the industry's continued support for diverse communities. Key takeaways: Harlem Capital was founded in 2015 with the goal of supporting diverse founders. The firm has $174 million in assets under management and has made investments in over 80 companies. The successful raising of the $150 million fund would be a show of success for both Harlem Capital and the industry's continued focus on diversity and inclusion. #venturecapital #vc #venture #diversity #dei

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Great year for FirstMile Ventures' core geographies as exits start to heat up. We're starting to see the "snowball effect" take shape. We're in the process of backing a team who cut their teeth at one of Denver's best private companies and are ready to do their own thing. "The Denver metro is one of two non-coastal cities, along with Dallas, to land in the top 10 for expansion stage exits." "What we're watching: As the venture capital market matures it can have a snowball effect, Tune explains, and lead to more capital and mature entrepreneurs who are ready to invest in startups."

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This spring Antler US had 8,000 Founders apply to come and work with us. 300 Founders were selected to join our residency and we invested in 32 of those teams. Last week, I shared an inside look of this recent batch of investments with our inner circle of pre-seed & seed investors. If you’re interested in joining this group of investors - please comment below. Examples: 1) AI-driven drug discovery software: Created by Ph.D. holders in genetics, chemistry, and computer science, with the CEO previously raising $50M for AI models in genomics. 2) AI-powered oncology decision support: Founded by a serial entrepreneur with two exits, including a significant sale to United Healthcare. 3) Fleet electrification through data access: Led by an engineer-turned-product manager with experience at Amazon, Waymo, and SpaceX’s Starlink. 4) Unlocking wastewater data: Founded by a serial biotech entrepreneur and Ph.D. biochemist who launched the first commercial COVID-19 wastewater lab, raising over $50M in grant funding. 5) Building mobile games with AI companions: Developed by a 2X founder with a decade in gaming at companies like Ubisoft and a co-founder with 23 years of experience at Amazon, Unity, and Lucasfilm. 6) AI-driven peer review for scientific documents: Led by an AI research engineer with experience at Fermilab and the Smithsonian, alongside a software expert skilled in aerospace and robotics. 7) Turnkey AI agent platform: Built by a software engineer with 20 years of experience, who co-founded a pioneering no-code AI platform and led engineering at a healthcare startup. 8) IP scoring and licensing for AI content: Developed by a team with diverse backgrounds, including work in AdTech, fintech, and legal roles. 9) AI-powered talent optimization: Developed by a former growth equity investor managing $180M in HR and marketing software investments. 10) Automated application security: Founded by engineers who built and sold a company, with backgrounds in fintech, model risk, and AI automation solutions. #founders #venturecapital #vc #startups

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Cost-effective geothermal energy has the ability to fully transition and decarbonize our grids and industrial systems - in the near term! We believe the team and technology at XGS Energy will realize this vision and we couldn't be happier to be working with them on a geothermal-powered reality.

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I sat down with Rebecca Lynn, Co-Founder of Canvas Ventures, an early-stage VC fund with almost $900 Million AUM. She's a 25-year fintech veteran and 5x Forbes Midas list honoree. In this Fintech Leaders episode, we discuss: - Data-driven marketing and go-to-market strategies - How startups should think about preparing for M&A opportunities   - What great entrepreneurs have in common - The areas of fintech where AI is making an actual difference   - Challenges of building a VC fund from scratch … and a lot more!

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