The venture capitalist ecosystem is a pyramid — only a handful of companies (or perhaps even just one) in a portfolio will generate the significant returns VCs seek. In this situation, there are a few big winners and many more who get left out in the cold — the latter are known as VC orphans.
In the quarter following the announcement of my first investment in Lightspeed POS (TSX: LSPD) as an investor at Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec (CDPQ), the company generated a respectable $15 million in revenues. Roll the tape forward six years and that same quarterly metric has jumped to a whooping $240 million. What went right and what lessons can we take home for European founders to replicate this type of success?
The top six most in-demand skills in the technology industry for 2024 have been revealed.
UK-based FinTech, Akoni Hub, embedded sustainability provider ekko, and Bank of London and The Middle East (BLME) have announced the launch of their Planet Saver savings product. Savers will be able to apply for the product using Akoni Hub (part of the Stubben Edge Group).
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is a multi-Academy Award-winning director, journalist, and political activist, and is due to be the first female director of a Star Wars film. At ISE 2024, Obaid-Chinoy presented the opening keynote, “Seeing through the Eyes of Others: Redefining the Art of Storytelling.”
Since my time as a VC some twenty years ago, our understanding of how to build businesses has grown dramatically—particularly when it comes to topics such as raising capital, achieving product-market fit, and developing go-to-market strategies.
Pathways, an AI-driven sustainability platform which enables manufacturers to measure and reduce building material emissions, has raised $2.5 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Pi Labs and Zacua Ventures. Other investors included Blue Lion Global, Positive Ventures, Jetstream, Refashiond, Great Wave Ventures and Anglet. The round was oversubscribed by $1.5 million.
Ercan Demiralay, Partner at Wellers, a UK-based small business accountants, discusses why just having a good business idea isn’t enough to ensure a business-savvy leader.
Over half (53%) of UK professionals would consider seeking new employment if their employer mandated increased office presence.
Amazec Photonics, a medtech company specialising in photonics, has raised €1.5 million in a seed funding round to advance its devices for minimally invasive diagnosis.
Since 2012, over 15,000 “Start Up Loans”, amounting to more than £100 million, have been awarded to young entrepreneurs aged 18-24. These loans are part of a government-supported finance initiative facilitated by the British Business Bank, which has disbursed over £1 billion to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the country since the scheme’s inception.
We are thrilled to announce that the European Pensions & Investments Summit 2024 is back! Leading pension investors along with innovative asset managers from around the world, will convene from 27th to 29th May 2024 at the prestigious Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, in Switzerland.
Kuberno, a global provider of legal entity management SaaS solutions for enterprises, has announced the establishment of its American subsidiary, Kuberno US.
The highly-anticipated Elite Summit 2024, scheduled for 27th – 29th May 2024 at the prestigious Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, in Switzerland, is an exclusive, invitation-only summit that will bring together leading family office investors and distinguished investment solution providers for profound discussions on cutting-edge strategies and industry best practices.
Cambridge Mechatronics Limited (CML), a player in the design and control of Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators, announced the completion of a funding round, amassing over $40 million to facilitate the swift expansion of its actuator and controller IC product ranges.
Ivana Brutenič and Kristína Cichý Kováčiková are the co-authors of the book The Magic of Employee Influence.
Base Molecular Resonance Technologies (BMRT) has developed a novel molecular detection technology, which it claims to revolutionise the fields of cancer diagnostics, public safety, law enforcement, security, and military services through a simple scanning process.
In today’s business spectrum, the excitement and trepidation surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI) are both palpable. Here’s the good news; incorporating AI into your business doesn’t have to be a headache, it can be a smooth and user-friendly collaboration in your business.
After a challenging 2023, business leaders from leading innovation hubs across the globe are showing optimism towards the global (70%) and national (63%) economic outlook, a stark contrast to their counterparts in the US (15%).
Adopting new technologies, reimagining business processes, and embracing a digital-first mindset enables you to stay competitive in the ever-evolving business landscape.
