Peter Kern

Worth reading: Situationsl Awareness by Leopold Aschenbrenner PDF : https://lnkd.in/gkxQ3yMD Web site: https://lnkd.in/gyJUCBhb Interesting perspective, time of course will tell.

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🌟Innovative VC Firm Overcomes Exits Drought with Secondary Sales🌟 ⛵Navigating a challenging landscape where exits are scarce, Santa Barbara Venture Partners (SBVP) has pioneered a novel approach to sustain its growth and attract investors for its second fund: secondary sales. Instead of waiting for traditional exits like IPOs or acquisitions, SBVP opted to sell shares of its portfolio companies, demonstrating its ability to generate returns for investors and stand out in a competitive market. 🎤According to Dan Engel, founder and managing partner of SBVP, these secondary transactions have been a game-changer, sparking investor interest and bolstering the firm's credibility. By leveraging its recent successes, including a lucrative stake in sports-betting company DraftKings Inc.' acquisition of digital lottery app Jackpocket, SBVP seized the opportunity to return profits to its limited partners (LPs) and pave the way for its second fund. 💡Engel highlighted the challenges faced by young VC firms in raising subsequent funds, particularly amid a downturn in exit activity and heightened investor scrutiny. With traditional exit routes becoming increasingly elusive, the pressure is on for firms to demonstrate tangible returns and establish a track record of success. ✨"For us, secondary sales have been a game-changer. They've helped us return profits to our LPs and attract investors for our second fund," said Dan Engel. 💰For SBVP, the decision to pursue secondary sales was driven by the need to provide liquidity to LPs and validate its investment thesis in the eyes of prospective investors. By strategically offloading portions of its holdings in high-performing portfolio companies like Bark Technologies and Rad AI, SBVP not only generated substantial returns but also bolstered investor confidence in its ability to deliver results. ⚠Despite the complexities and potential stigma associated with early share sales, Engel emphasized the importance of prioritizing investor returns and seizing opportunities to unlock value for stakeholders. With a focus on profitability and transparency, SBVP remains committed to its mission of delivering sustainable growth and maximizing returns for its LPs. 🔍 "Returning profits to our investors is our top priority. By strategically selling shares, we're proving our commitment to delivering results and driving value for our stakeholders," added Engel. As SBVP continues to explore secondary transactions and expand its investor base, the firm stands as a testament to innovation and resilience in the face of market challenges. 🚀 ✅ Looking to raise capital for your #fund and increase the international pool of your LP #investors?   🤝 Need warm #LP introductions?   📝 Selling #secondaries to increase liquidity?   🧐 Looking for co-investments?   ▶ G+QUANT's link for inquiries and fund decks: https://lnkd.in/gjC_EuTE #VCInnovation #SecondarySalesSuccess #InvestorReturns #ValueCreation 

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That’s right. You keep control over your SaaS company while still accessing the funds you need for scaling. This type of financing offers flexible terms that align with the growth trajectory of SaaS businesses. Explore benefits and options from River SaaS Capital. https://lnkd.in/e3wraWK9 #VentureDebt #SaaSFunding #BusinessGrowth

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Elevate your networking game with our #SiliconValley VC contact list. Access 200+ #VC firms and 1800+ professionals, along with 1500 emails to help you make valuable connections. Learn more: https://payhip.com/b/eUIyc #venturecapital #startups #funding #startupfunding #startupinvestors #privateequity #founders #entrepreneurs

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If you enjoyed our first blog on the metrics that matter for Verticalized SaaS then don't miss on the Part II of the series where my colleagues Devraj Hom Roy and Matt Schaar discuss the strategic and operational choices to improve these operational indicators. https://lnkd.in/g5QkCrcH

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Comprehensive #SanFrancisco VC Directory. Featuring 275+ VC firms, 2,100+ venture capital professionals (partners and principals), and 1,600 email contacts. https://payhip.com/b/idx8b #startup #startups #vc #venturecapital #investmentbanking #privateequity #managementconsulting #b2b #founders #entrepreneurs

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Stigg has announced a $17.5 million Series A round led by Red Dot Capital Partners, with participation from Unusual Ventures, Emerge Ventures, Redseed, and Cerca Partners. The company, co-founded by Dor Sasson and Anton Zagrebelny, offers a scalable monetization platform designed for the modern SaaS billing stack, helping businesses rethink pricing with tools tailored for both engineers and go-to-market teams. Frederic Lardinois | TechCrunch https://lnkd.in/dzDC7dXy #AI #ArtificalIntelligence

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Market inefficiencies across the small business acquisition process have a dual impact on the search ecosystem. On one hand, an overly inefficient market can hamper transaction volume, as the challenges and costs related to sourcing and closing a transaction may outweigh the expected benefits. On the flip side, a market that is too efficient can erode the competitive advantages searchers have over institutionally backed financial sponsors. To unpack this a bit further, part of the reason the Stanford Search Study continues to report 30%+ IRRs across traditional search is due to traditional searchers’ ability to capitalize on the inefficiencies that fortify searchers from competition by larger, better capitalized acquirers. One example of this dynamic is the robust, and often focused, deal sourcing processes traditional searchers conduct in order to find ONE business to acquire. Based on my pulse, self-funded searchers are also investing more in deal sourcing and we’re seeing a greater number of self-funded acquisitions sourced through a proprietary process. Market inefficiencies create an environment where searchers can acquire small businesses at lower multiples if they put in the effort. However, if the inefficiencies are too extreme, entrepreneurial acquisitions can be too challenging and costly, ultimately deterring many searchers that might perform well under other market conditions.

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Meta's decision to end third party fact checking is not going to end well, for them, or -- even worse -- for society writ large. https://lnkd.in/e8rdjt2t

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Check out this episode of Travel Tech Insider, hosted by our friends Cara Whitehill and Gilad Berenstein and featuring Gaurav Tuli alongside Suzanna Chiu and Katelyn Foley. In it, the team breaks down the many paths available to travel tech entrepreneurs and operators within the current market: - What, if anything, has changed for the ecosystem in the past year? - Are we bullish or bearish on where the innovation market is heading for travel, hospitality and mobility? - If you’re a startup in this space, how should you be thinking about fundraising now? - And if you’re heading up innovation within a corporate enterprise, how can you best capitalize on the new ideas coming to market so you don’t get left behind?

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Boostrapping vs VC Funding A great breakdown from Data-Driven VC on the bootstrapping vs. VC funding decision. ✨ Key Takeaways: Bootstrapping means leveraging personal savings and revenue for growth, offering full control but possibly slower progress due to limited resources. VC funding provides rapid capital and strategic support, enabling faster scaling but often comes with equity dilution and external pressure. 👉 Your choice depends on your goals. Looking for independence and sustainability? Bootstrapping could be for you. Want to scale quickly? Consider VC funding. #cofounder #startups #innovation #inovexus #startupcommunity #entrepreneurship #vc

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As we stand on the brink of 2025, the world's technology, infrastructure, AI, Data, Cloud, Crypto, venture and everything else in tech are poised for a transformative year. I am excited to share my predictions for 2025 — insights that I believe will guide us through the next wave of innovations as important as the internet and smartphones. Together, let’s explore the trends that will not only guide and influence our thinking and investment strategies but also inspire us to create a better world through entrepreneurship. Here are a few predictions 💡💡💡: -  Imagine the creation of HealthGPT, BioGPT, NuclearGPT, LogisticsGPT, GovGPT and more - Establishment of a US Bitcoin Reserve by the end of 2025 - SpaceX, OpenAI, Stripe, SHEIN, Databricks, Canvas, Chime, Anduril, and Scale AI are anticipated to go public - 50% of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) new hires are from Silicon Valley. #prediction #2025 #venture #funding #M&A #DOGE #bitcoin #AI #GPT #IPOs #exits #startups #venturecapital #USmarket #databricks #chime #anduril #scaleAI #OpenAI #stripe #spaceX #bytedance #canvas Read more on my Substack  👉 👉 👉

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Entering the Post-ZIRP, venture-capital-winter years. Thanks TechCrunch for this great summary of the macro economic context of #VC emerging managers.

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San Francisco VC firms list. Find #SanFranciscoVC firms. Access 270 #SanFrancisco venture capital firms list. https://lnkd.in/dp8cW28T #startup #startups #vc #venturecapital #funding

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