NFTs, cats and investor value propositions
A weekly newsletter that profiles women in venture and technology
Welcome to issue 20 of Heroa, a weekly newsletter that profiles women in ventures. If you enjoy what you read, please do share this newsletter with friends and like it above!
Round-up of the news this week
So đ», a meme of a cat playing the piano sold for $61K, and Gucci is selling $12 trainers that you canât wear. Welcome to the age of the NFT or to call them by their full name the non-fungible token.
In other money news following on from the announcement last week that Passion Capital would be crowdfunding some of their new fund, Backstage Capital have announced they will also be running an equity crowdfunding campaign over in the US.
Tech Nation has launched its 2021 Report on the UK Tech Ecosystem đ. Sequoia Capital shares its letter to founders on navigating the current climate and the coming COVID recovery period.
From the investors
â[As an investor] The goal is not to claim to offer everything to every founder profile but rather to identify your strengths, decide what you wonât do and clarify your position in the market. â Miruna Girtu
How Emerging Investors Can Think About Their Value Proposition To Founders. Perhaps most importantly, communicate effectively along the way, so founders know where in the fundraising process they are and what to expect next. Miruna Girtu of the Sydnidate Room argues that this can help you stand out in an industry where thereâs still a lack of clarity and transparency. Read more here.
A Community Building Playbook Cheat Sheet for founders created by Lolita Taub, Co-Founder and General Partner at The Community Fund. If you ever want to leverage community as a moat, start here.
Do women want employers to freeze their eggs? Itâs all the rage in Silicon Valley, and many UK corporations are beginning to follow in Facebookâs footsteps. The likes of McKinsey and Goldman Sachs are either offering to reimburse you with a cash payment or offering employees a flat fee for âmaking a familyâ. Emma Phillips of Local Globe explores the topicâŠFind out more here.
Insuretech enables are fairy godmothers. Insurance incumbents, in particular, struggle to integrate the latest technologies with their complex legacy systems. Clara Ricard of Balderton says insurers need a technological transformation from the insurtech enablers, aka their fairy godmothers, to help them deliver better experiences and unlock operational efficiencies. Read more here.
From the operators
âWriting is the meta-skill of the modern workplace.â Linda Zhang of Faire
The most powerful communication tool might be a clever meme these days, but itâs still the written word at work. Writing well supercharges your trajectory. Linda Zhang of Faire on how great writing is rare, which is why you should treat your writing like a product and make it effortless to consume. Read more here.
The essential guide to syndicates. A syndicate is a deal by deal venture capital firm. Paige Doherty, a Developer Success Engineer at WorkOS and an early stage syndicate lead, explains how to work with syndicates and why you should consider them part of your fundraising journey as an organiser, an investor, or a founder. Read more here.
Co-creating Black Girl Fest and pivoting during the business during the pandemic. Check out this authentic interview with founder and Ada Ventures angel investor Nicole Crentsil. Read more here.
Events
âšYC demo day on March 23rd. There are many interesting European and female-founded start-ups in this batch, so itâs worth looking at the cohort afterwards, even if you canât attend the event.
LEGO Ventures are hosting a meet & greet for diverse founders in EdTech & Digital Play on the 23rd of March at 2 pm GMT.
Personio & LocalGlobe are hosting a discussion on Remote vs Office Working on the 25th of March at 4 pm GMT.
Also, check out We are the City for a great event list
Opportunities
The Female Founders Challenge run by Viva Tech is open for applications from founders until April 18
Notion is hiring for two Associates
EQT Ventures is hiring for a Ventures lead and a Tech Research Analyst in France
Transport for London is hiring for an Innovation lead
SEE YOU NEXT MONDAY!
If you have any comments, questions, or want to chat about start-ups and venturing, then do drop me a comment.
Written by Alexandra Wyatt, based in London but a global traveller. You can also reach me on Twitter and Instagram.