Nothing Ventured Aarish Shah - EmergeONE

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish Shah interviews Mads Jensen
and Dan Bowyer, general partners at Superseed. They discuss the growing
interest in AI and its impact on business. They also delve into the
evolution of European venture capital, highlighting the increase in
funding over the years. The conversation touches on the need for a
European Nasdaq and the importance of speed in sales and scaling. The
episode explores the unique backgrounds of the hosts and how they came
together to form a VC fund. Tune in to gain insights into the world of
venture capital and the transformative power of AI in business.

🕒 Time stamps -
00:18 European venture capital growth.06:15 Fundraising challenges and environment.07:12 Longer investment timeframes.11:31 AI transforming businesses.14:37 State of venture in Europe.18:37 The Future Fund and Risk Aversion.21:34 Optimism in European Venture Capital25:36 Lack of awareness in founders.30:30 Building big European companies.31:35 Shifting focus to deep tech.36:00 Impactful investing in venture capital.38:16 European capital market challenges.43:55 Tech industry challenges in Europe.

Today on Nothing Ventured, Ash Arora, the youngest partner at LocalGlobe, shares her journey into venture capital, her deep dive into Bitcoin for Citibank, and her insights into the early days of the crypto community. She discusses her extensive interview process with LocalGlobe and explains the challenges in blockchain technology, highlighting the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Tune in to learn why Ethereum is considered the "hugging face" of blockchain.



⏱️ Time stamps:

01:31 The Heisenberg uncertainty principle in blockchain.

03:59 Bitcoin research project.

09:18 Trading crypto and impact.

12:31 Trusting celebrity endorsements in crypto.

14:03 Simplicity of tokenomics modeling.

16:55 New business models emerging.

19:34 Indian origin founders and investments.

23:55 Choosing the right VC fund.

28:13 Web3 and blockchain trends.

31:26 Blockchain in cross-border transactions.

33:39 Blockchain Trilemma discussed.

38:16 Blockchain in land registry.

41:25 The impact of blockchain.

43:36 Human judgment in AI and tech.

48:13 Community building in blockchain.

49:36 Developer ecosystems in tech.

On this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish Shah interviews Christian
Tooley, founder of iCubed Investing, discussing the transition from
consulting to venture capital. They explore iCubed's focus on investing
in post-product pre-revenue companies in the UK, their efforts to unlock
queer capital, and their partnership with Crunchbase to highlight
diverse founders. Tune in for an insightful conversation on bridging the
gap between corporate and venture worlds.

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to iCubed Investing05:30 - Investing with ADA Ventures10:00 - Transition to discussing the gay job15:00 - Angel investing criteria and decision-making process20:00 - Discussion on the diversity of deals in scouting communities25:00 - iCubed Investing's community and events30:00 - Intersectional Incredibles Forum and EMEA survey35:00 - Discussion on LGBTQ+ VC funds38:00 - Contrarian conviction on LGBTQ+ history and culture42:00 - Conclusion and where to find Christian online

On this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah sits down with
George Askew and Sam Ettelaie, co-founders of Thema, a platform
supporting emerging managers in launching venture capital strategies.
They discuss fund structuring, regulation, and the impact of patient
capital on the ecosystem. With Thema already attracting over 450 funds
within weeks of launching, George and Sam shed light on the importance
of backing those who aim to build management businesses. Tune in to gain
insights from industry experts and explore the stories shaping the
venture capital landscape.

🕒 Time stamps -
00:25 - Thema's Role in Supporting Emerging Managers
01:50 - The Challenges for Emerging Managers
03:19 - Fund Structuring and Regulation
05:03 - The Importance of Guidance for New Fund Managers
06:05 - Thema's Approach to Supporting Fund Managers
07:14 - The Need for Capital and Structuring Support
08:17 - The Role of LPs and the Fundraising Process
09:10 - The Ecosystem's Gatekeeping and Transparency
10:17 - Co-Investment Opportunities and LP Interests
11:42 - Supporting Underrepresented Emerging Managers
12:02 - Operator Backgrounds in Venture Capital
13:15 - The Genesis of Thema and Co-Founder Synergy
14:47 - The Return Profile for Emerging Managers
16:09 - The Importance of Fund Structuring
17:22 - The Market's Current State and Advice for Allocators
18:48 - The Risk Aversion in European Venture Ecosystem
20:19 - The Role of LPs in Supporting Emerging Managers
21:44 - The Value of Operator Experience for GPs
23:17 - The Importance of Differentiation for Emerging Managers
24:50 - The Patient Capital and Risk Aversion in Europe
26:48 - The UK Venture Ecosystem and Lessons from the US
28:08 - The Role of GP Seeding in the Emerging Manager Ecosystem
30:35 - The Evolution of Family Offices in Venture
32:11 - Final Advice for Emerging Managers
33:30 - The UK vs. US Emerging Manager Ecosystem
34:47 - The Potential of the UK Venture Ecosystem
36:36 - The Excitement for Emerging Managers and Innovation
38:24 - How to Connect with Thema and Closing Remarks

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah interviews Sean
Williams, the founder and CEO of Autogen AI. Sean shares insights on
learning from failures, the role of managers in delivering results,
staying focused amidst distractions, and the significance of linguistic
engineering in business. He also discusses his journey with investors
and the importance of context windows in team scaling. Tune in for a
deep dive into the world of generative AI and venture capital with Sean
Williams.

⏱️ Timestamps:01:01 - Introducing Sean Williams of Autogen AI01:22 - Sean's Approach to Learning and Management02:04 - Sean's Background and Autogen AI's Mission02:25 - Reflecting on Past Success and Lessons Learned03:52 - Building a Business with a Clear Exit Strategy04:13 - The Philosophy of Building a Business05:02 - The Confidence in a Four-Year Exit Plan06:02 - The Venture Capital Mindset vs. Strategic Growth07:04 - The Importance of Sticking to a Business Plan08:11 - The Shift from Corndell to Autogen AI09:36 - The Current Venture Capital Landscape10:07 - Autogen AI's Fundraising Journey11:11 - Choosing the Right Venture Capital Partner12:39 - The Role of Investors Beyond Capital13:31 - Autogen AI's Decision to Take Venture Capital14:18 - Autogen AI's Target Customer Base15:29 - The Process of Raising Capital Without Fundraising16:07 - Filtering Through VC Approaches and Selecting Blossom Capital17:49 - The Importance of Choosing the Right Investors18:54 - The Potential Need for Future Capital19:57 - The UK's Perception of Tech Business Success21:03 - Autogen AI's Approach to Scaling Internationally22:10 - The Early Adoption of Generative AI23:14 - The Importance of Building Something People Want24:21 - The Future of Large Language Models and Linguistic Engineering25:07 - Sponsor Break: Emerge One25:30 - The Role of Humanities Graduates in AI Development26:56 - The UK's Tech Ecosystem and Ambition28:31 - The Importance of Customer Feedback in Product Development29:51 - Advice for Young Founders and Challenges in Business Growth31:00 - The Intersection of Humanities and Technology in AI32:04 - The Concept of Linguistic Engineering33:03 - The Practical Application of Large Language Models34:02 - Hiring Humanities Graduates for AI Development35:06 - The Importance of Customer-Centric Product Development36:08 - The Future of Specialized AI Applications37:14 - The Role of Prompt Engineers and Humanities in AI38:43 - Final Advice for Founders and Personal Business Concerns

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish Shah sits down with Enis
Hulli, a general partner at 500 Emerging Europe. They discuss Enis'
journey from listening to VC podcasts to launching a fund, his shift
from being risk-averse to investing, and the importance of boots on the
ground for pre-seed and seed investments. They also delve into how 500
Emerging Europe differs from the global family, the challenges of equity
financing in Europe, and the dynamics of startup culture in emerging
Europe. Tune in for insights on venture investing and navigating the
unique landscape of emerging markets.

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and Sponsor Message01:11 - Guest Introduction: Enes Huli02:21 - Enes' Transition from HVAC to Angel Investing04:42 - Risk Aversion and Entrepreneurship07:20 - Sales Experience and Self-Confidence09:28 - Founder Types and Portfolio Balance10:58 - The Path from Entrepreneur to Investor12:06 - 500 Global and 500 Emerging Europe Model14:23 - The Unique Approach of 500 Emerging Europe17:02 - Portfolio Strategy and Global Competition19:04 - The Population Paradox in Venture20:24 - Equity Financing Deficit in Emerging Europe22:49 - The Pathway to Closing the Equity Gap25:51 - Early Adopters and Scaling Challenges27:20 - Advice for Founders in Emerging Markets30:01 - Americanizing Startup Culture33:35 - How to Connect with Enes Huli