Gunderson Dettmer’s Post

Hi friends👋 Eugene here. Happy upcoming holiday season! Today I'm with a short summary of the year end wrap-up portfolio-wise. Turned out that not everyone is aware of our progress at AAL VC:) We’ve closed 9 deals🔥 this year so far with #10 coming in soon. That's 1.5x more than what we initially planned for the first year. We found ourselves in the same boat with such investors as Khosla Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Nat Friedman, Elad Gil, Gradient Ventures, Nvidia, Thomson Reuters, Foundation Capital, Dig Ventures, angels from Huggingface, Matilion, Datadog, Stripe, Microsoft, Intercom and many more. All our latest deals were highly competitive and the allocation was scarce. So we’ve been learning a new skill of squeezing into crowded rounds=) What's the secret? AAL VC community that provides us with a flow of unique opportunities and helps us secure allocations in hot deals. Our ability to develop and leverage these connections is a key component in our investment strategy. https://aal.vc/portfolio best wishes, E

Wondering which tech companies might go public in 2024? Check out this list of potential IPOs featuring Arctic Wolf, Stripe, and Shein. Explore the tech landscape and get a sneak peek into who could make a splash in the public markets. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dkEiFaJY

In enterprise tech, sales cycles can span 3-12 months. It’s a high-risk game. If you blow a deal, months of hard work goes to waste. It’s a complex buying process that 90% of startups fail at. But when done correctly... We see 8-figure checks, billion dollar valuations, and life-changing status elevation.

We all know the thrill of a great idea—and the terror of watching it stumble at the finish line 😫💔 That's why the next Propel Ventures + iterate meet-up is taking aim at the treacherous chasm between product dreams and operational realities. We're asking: When the rubber hits the road, how do we ensure our product doesn't blow up? 🛞🔥 Huddle around, friends, as we zoom in on the oft-overlooked human element of product delivery with an all-star lineup: 👉 Craig Rees: Global engineering leader and launch expert 👉 Shannon Tresider: Ops strategist bridging products and customer experience 👉 Simon Raik-Allen: Tech innovator and former CTO moderating the discussion And they're all set to tackle the engineering-ops ecosystem head-on. They'll be unveiling strategies for seamless launches, happy customers, and products that don't just survive—they thrive in the wild. So lock in your spot at the link in comments 👇🔗, because it's all happening at Propel Base Station next month. The countdown begins now! 📆 Thu 22 August, 4.30-7pm 📍 Propel Base Station: 7 Hill St, Cremorne #continuousimprovement #engineeringmeetup #productstrategy Michael Boyd Ryan Lynch Kyla Boyd Tatiana Ashby Hannah Campbell Stephanie Futerman Sam Bowring

Webull, the acclaimed stock trading app, is making significant strides in the vibrant Mexican market with its recent acquisition of the financial platform Flink, a major player in the local investment scene. This substantial move positions Webull for a powerful entry into Mexico, driven by key strategic factors. 🚀🌐 Headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, Webull strategically sets its sights on Mexico, recognizing the country's burgeoning potential. With roots in China, Webull has solidified its standing as a robust competitor to Robinhood in the U.S. The expansion into Mexico seamlessly aligns with the company's global strategy. 💸 Flink, based in Mexico City, emerges as a pivotal player in the local investment landscape, securing a substantial $70 million in funding to date, including a noteworthy $57 million Series B round announced in August 2021. With financial backing from investors like Accel and Lightspeed Venture Partners, Flink becomes a solid asset in Webull's conquest of the Mexican market. Rubén Guerrero, Webull’s director for Latin America, sheds light on the move, emphasizing Mexico's untapped demand for accessible and tech-driven wealth-building solutions. This strategic alignment with Flink, known for offering Mexican consumers commission-free access to fractional shares of U.S. companies, positions Webull as a pioneer meeting the evolving financial needs of the Mexican audience.🌮💡 As the ink dries on this acquisition, Webull is set to integrate its cutting-edge technology into Flink's platform, promising an enhanced user experience. Plans to launch local investment and cash management products specifically tailored to the Mexican market signal that Webull's move into Mexico is not merely a business expansion but a strategic investment in the financial evolution of the region. 🤙 Want to empower yourself and stay updated in the world of business and finance in just 5 minutes? Subscribe to our daily newsletter 📰! Link in bio. 🚨 #webull #fyp #investing

If you are a founder/operator in the consumer tech space, then join us next Monday (8th July) as we host three stellar founders who will be discussing their journey of starting and scaling their ventures. Link in the comments below.

❗ BREAKING NEWS ❗ More jobs, re-shaping the real estate market, what it takes to build a billion-user company, the startup saving the world, and the future of food 🇨🇦 🍔 Read all about it in today's edition of the TechTO Newsletter. 🗞 💌 Subscribe to get news, updates and all the biggest articles as they drop - www.techto.org/newsletter 📥 #ReadTechTO #Newsletter #Subscribe #TechNews #CanadianTech

UNICORN WATCH THIS WEEK: In the aftermath of allegations regarding a privacy breach, Carta is shutting down operations of its secondary trading business. Meanwhile, ABL Space Systems and Relativity Space are leading a surge in investor interest within the aerospace industry. Carta, a startup responsible for managing the cap table for around 40,000 privately funded startups, is discontinuing its role as a broker for stock sales in those companies in the wake of an explosive conflict of interest scandal. ABL Space Systems, an aerospace and launch service provider, has secured at least $40M in a targeted $100M fundraising effort. This marks the first venture funding for ABL since October 2021, when it closed a $200M round at a $2.4B valuation. Relativity Space, which launched the first 3D-printed rocket into space last year, is in discussions for a funding round valuing the company at around $4.2B, maintaining the valuation from its last round in 2021. Existing investors Bond and Social Capital are leading the round. Ripple is initiating a buyback of $285M worth of its shares, valuing the company at $11.3B. The company plans to allocate $500M to this repurchase to cover the cost of converting restricted stock units into shares and taxes. Circle, the stablecoin issuer, has filed confidential IPO papers after raising over $1B from notable firms, including General Catalyst, Goldman Sachs, IDG Capital, BlackRock, Fidelity, Marshall Wace, Bitmain, DCG, and Fin Capital. Quora, the Q&A website, is raising funding for the first time in nearly 7 years, securing $75M from a16z. The funds will be used to fuel the growth of Poe, Quora's AI chat platform. 1X, the Norwegian AI robotics startup, secured $100M in funding for its second-generation android robot, NEO. EQT Ventures led the investment. Flexe, a warehouse and logistics startup that achieved a $1B valuation, is undergoing a workforce reduction, laying off 38% of its employees Discord is laying off 17% of its staff (about 170 people). Discord CEO Jason Citron attributes the layoffs to over-hiring, echoing a trend seen in other recent tech layoffs. #technews #preipo #privatemarkets #unicorns #techlayoffs Article links in the comments.

As we see ambitious companies like Databricks and Stripe gearing up, it's clear that 2024 could be a pivotal year for tech IPOs. For founders and CEOs, now is the time to refine your brand narrative and align your communication strategy to stand out. The question is, are you ready? Our studio specializes in pivotal business moments, including: ➕ Raising funds 🚀 ➕ Gearing up for an IPO 📈 ➕ Building partnerships 💼 ➕ Engaging customers 👥 Our approach is startlingly simple: clarity. We create straightforward, impactful communications that resonate. From crafting compelling pitch decks to aligning your vision with market needs, our process uncovers and enhances your unique narrative. Need to get ready for that next big moment? We're here to help. Drop us a line or send a DM to explore how we can assist in preparing your brand for success. #FoundersSuccess #branding #packaging #narrative #vc #founders #tech #ipo https://lnkd.in/d9H-cbHU

#SXSW24 starts in 2.5 weeks! I couldn't be more excited that Clearwater Benefits is hosting a Panel Discussion with CFOs, #Founders, and #VC Investors, "Financing Growth in a Tough Environment" for founders, business owners and executives of growing companies. Join us for a lively and insightful panel discussion on financing growth in today's challenging business landscape. This in-person event will take place at Capital Factory in Austin, TX, USA. Our esteemed panel includes Don Collis, the legendary CFO who led Dell Technologies to its IPO. Teja Yenamandra, founder and CEO of Gun.io will also share the stage. Hear from founders of thriving tech startups, and venture capital investors who will share their expertise and strategies for navigating growth through challenging financial terrain. Learn from the best in the industry as they discuss funding options, managing cash flow, and overcoming financial hurdles. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and network with like-minded professionals. This event will fill up and $0 cost seats are limited, so reserve your spot today! https://lnkd.in/gvQdiMU7