Hagi Schwartz

PE - Insights from "Constellation Software" Shareholder Letters Some of the key investment takeaways Constellation Software (CNSWF - https://buff.ly/3Coo3V8 ) These highlight a strategic focus on long-term growth, disciplined investment practices, and the importance of governance and engagement, all good insights for tech PE: - Disciplined Investment Approach: strict adherence to specific acquisition hurdle rates, reducing risk and underscoring the importance of rigorous investment criteria - Acquisition-Focused Growth: they target 100 acquisitions annually, underscoring an aggressive portfolio expansion strategy attractive for growth-oriented investors - Flexible Capital Structure: exploring various financing options for acquisitions, especially in downturns highlighting proactive financial health management - Long-Term Horizon: emphasis on indefinite investment holds to maximize returns, favoring long-term strategies over short-term gains - Post-Acquisition Reviews: they conduct detailed after action reviews (AARs) post-acquisition to refine investment strategy, a best practice for continuous improvement - Decentralized Decision-Making: Constellation operates with small, autonomous business units (just like portfolio CEOs & execs) to foster agile leadership and decisions (i.e. the PE firm doesn't tell the CEO what to do but works alongside collaboratively) - Behavioral Economics: Constellation incorporates insights from behavioral economics to mitigate cognitive biases, enhancing decision-making rigor Constellation Shareholder Letters: https://buff.ly/4fu29Pc ------------------ #pe #privateequity #tech #ceo #cro #saas #gtm #growth #middlemarket #boardofdirectors #board #revenue #revenuegrowth #investing #investment #finance #business

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Alinia AI, an alignment platform enabling companies' safe and controlled deployment of generative AI, announces a successful $2.4M pre-Seed funding round. Speedinvest and Precursor led the round with participation from KFund and Tom Preston-Werner, and notable angels including Clem Delangue & Thom Wolf (Hugging Face Co-Founders) and Oriol Vinyals (Google DeepMind VP of Research). Factacy.ai Congratulates and wishes them well as Alinia will use the funding to hire additional talent to build the Alinia Alignment Platform to create an end-to-end alignment process focused on safety and regulatory requirements - enabling safe and inclusive use of generative AI across LLM modalities and languages. Kfund, Speedinvest, Precursor Ventures, Tom Preston-Werner, Clem Delangue 🤗, THOM WOLF, XAVIER AMATRIAIN, ORIOL VINYALS Ariadna (Ari) Font Llitjós, PhD #funding #fundraising #pre_seed

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📢📢 Dive into "The Quarterly Checkup: Q2 2024 Market & VC Landscape," authored by Jason Robertson : An insightful analysis of the current market dynamics and venture capital landscape, highlighting the mixed signals we're experiencing. Key Takeaways: > The evolving state of inflation and interest rates. > Public market resilience amidst economic uncertainty. > The challenges in exit markets and the rise of buyouts. > Insights on venture capital trends, including early-stage investments and digital health funding. 🔗 Read the full post here:  https://lnkd.in/g9HZFCPj #MarketInsights #VentureCapital #InvestmentTrends #Q22024

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🚀 Ready to take your VC and PE investment strategy to the next level? Our latest blog dives into the top five metrics that every savvy investor should be tracking in quarterly reports. From Revenue Growth Rate to Net Dollar Retention, these insights will help you make smarter decisions and maximize your returns. Don't miss out on these key performance indicators—your portfolio companies will thank you! 📊💼 https://lnkd.in/gNPE6prj #VentureCapital #PrivateEquity #InvestmentStrategy #BusinessGrowth #FinancialMetrics

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Building an early-stage company? Protecting your innovation from day one is critical, and your intellectual property strategy can be the difference between success and failure. In my latest post, I walk you through the key IP tools every startup needs—patents, trade secrets, and more—and how to use them strategically to secure investment, build partnerships, and outmaneuver competitors. Want to know how to balance protection and cost-efficiency while growing your business? Click through to learn how to craft a winning IP strategy. https://lnkd.in/eNbNqXnT

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Startup incubator Dvx Secured $100 Million Investment https://shorturl.at/rOBPH DVx, a startup incubator co founded by Tesla and Lyft veteran Jon McNeill, tells Axios that it s raised 60 million in new funding, for a total of 100 million #StartupIncubator #DVx #JonMcNeill #TeslaVeteran #LyftVeteran #VentureCapital #StartupFunding #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #BerkshireHathawayModel #EarlyStageStartups #NoManagementFees #StartupInvesting #FundingNews #TechStartups

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Thrilled to announce the launch of our inaugural edition of Beyond Benchmarks at Emergence Capital. This comprehensive report dives deep into the metrics and trends shaping the early-stage enterprise cloud market. A huge thank you to our VC partners and contributors for making this possible! Here's a sneak peek of our findings: --> 60% of companies have already integrated GenAI into their service offerings, with another 20% planning to do so this year. --> While most companies use OpenAI as their primary LLM, many are experimenting with multiple models. We’re seeing a trend toward intelligently routing GenAI inference requests based on cost, performance, and security. --> Companies that have implemented GenAI are showing promising results, with a 7% higher NDR compared to those that haven’t. Beyond Benchmarks goes further with more GenAI trends, insights on the current fundraising environment, and key performance metrics. Our goal is to provide founders and their teams with valuable benchmarks to help them make better-informed decisions. At Emergence Capital, we're committed to helping founders build iconic companies. Dive into the full report here: https://lnkd.in/g6bnvAZM

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A few Friday thoughts... After several days in Chicago surrounded by 200+ LPs at the ILPA Members' Conference covering everything from AI to NAV facilities, I'm headed into the weekend energized by what's to come. That may come at a surprise after the week we've had as an industry. The decision from the U.S. Fifth Circuit on the SEC's Private Fund Advisers rules was handed down just moments before we kicked off ILPA’s AGM on Wednesday. All along, ILPA has viewed the PFA as addressing areas that pose risks to both LPs and the industry around transparency, governance and alignment of interest. It was disappointing—albeit not a shock—to see the PFA vacated. But ILPA is choosing to turn our energy to the compelling opportunity before us as an industry. Together, we can chart the path for how we'll work better together, on our own terms. Particularly around transparency. Just days prior to the ruling, we had debuted the next evolution of ILPA reporting templates on fees and expenses and performance for industry feedback. The templates were developed by a broad industry coalition over a three-month period, partly to comply with the PFA quarterly statements rule implementation deadline, but largely because this work needed to be done. We've temporarily paused the comment period. Now we have the benefit of more time to ensure that these minimum reporting standards have cross-industry buy-in to ensure wide support and adoption. Will you join us in this effort, in paving the way forward as an industry? https://lnkd.in/e-6hspU4

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#PaaS Northflank, a developer workload platform, has secured $22.3 million in funding, comprising a $6.3 million seed round led by Vertex Ventures US and a $16 million Series A round led by Bain Capital Ventures (BCV). Other investors in these funding rounds include Kindred Ventures, Tapestry VC, Pebblebed, and Uncorrelated Ventures. This financial backing positions Northflank to advance its mission of becoming the go-to platform for engineering teams deploying and managing software. Northflanks production workload platform allows developers to create, deploy, and scale workloads on their preferred cloud through a self-service interface. The company aims to address inefficiencies in the software development lifecycle, where manual, complex processes between coding and cloud deployment slow down release cycles and hinder developer productivity. Engineering teams would often face a choice between investing heavily in custom internal developer platforms or relying on rigid third-party solutions. Northflank presents a third option: a flexible, real-time platform that eliminates the need for piecing together fragile solutions while enhancing the developer experience. Our goal is to let developers do what they do best: write code and release new features, said Will Stewart, Northflanks CEO and co-founder. Infrastructural complexity often gets in the way. Customers dont pay you to produce YAML, and our platform abstracts those complexities, enabling platform and DevOps teams to manage infrastructure more effectively while automating deployments. Rancher, Mesos, Kubernetes The Northflank platform would integrate seamlessly with Kubernetes, providing developers with the tools to design, deploy, and scale applications, processes, and databases across any cloud environment. By utilizing a user interface and Infrastructure as Code to deliver decoupled processes, Northflanks platform enhances both consistency and reliability. This approach gives businesses control over their infrastructure without compromising flexibility or the developer experience. The platform has been adopted by a diverse range of businesses, from major sports leagues to software companies such as Sentry, Writer, and Chai Discovery. Tens of thousands of developers would use Northflank in production, benefiting from its ability to lower barriers to entry while elevating the potential for all engineers working with cloud infrastructure. Northflank made it easier for us to develop and implement new products, said Waseem Alshikh, co-founder and CTO of Writer. Using their fully functional APIs, we quickly implemented a secure multi-tenant runtime in our cloud powered by Northflanks BYOC (Bring Your Own Cloud) solution. Their APIs have provided us with the flexibility, speed, and control we need. Former Chief Architect Keith Adams praised the developer platforms unique capabilities, stating, Northflank is the first batteries included…

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🔋 #TodayinVC - All of the biggest deal announcements in venture capital - November 20th, 2024. Sourced from Litquidity's Exec Sum newsletter. · Kong Inc., a developer of cloud API technologies, raised a $175M Series E at a $2B valuation led by Tiger Global Management  · High-performance networking chip maker Enfabrica raised a $115M Series C led by Spark Capital  · Smart ring maker ŌURA raised a $75M Series D at a $5B valuation from Dexcom  · Database startup Neo4j raised a $50M round at a $2.2B valuation from Noteus Partners  · OneChronos, an Alternative Trading System optimizing electronic trading, raised $32M in expansion capital led by Addition  · Lightyear, an enterprise telecom management startup, raised a $31M Series B led by Altos Ventures  · Goodstack, a SaaS and fintech platform for charitable donations, raised a $28M Series A led by General Catalyst  · Ample, a battery swapping technology for EVs, raised $25M from Mitsubishi Corporation · Synapticure Inc., a virtual care platform for dementia patients, raised a $25M Series A led by B Capital   · Distyl AI, an AI engineering and research team, raised a $20M Series A led by Lightspeed · Levanta, an affiliate marketing platform for Amazon sellers, raised a $20M Series A led by Volition Capital  · Revv, a startup simplifying auto repair, raised a $20M round from Left Lane Capital · Quantum interconnect startup Lightsynq raised an $18M Series A led by Cerberus Ventures GmbH  · AI publishing platform Spines raised a $16M Series A led by Zeev Ventures · Physical AI startup BrightAI raised a $15M seed round led by Upfront Ventures  · CommBox, an enterprise-grade omnichannel AI customer experience platform, raised $15M from PSG  · Citizen Health, an AI-powered consumer health platform, raised a $14.5M seed round led by Transformation Capital  · DEScycle, a startup improving e-waste recycling, raised a $13.4M Series A led by BGF and Vorwerk Ventures  · Creator marketplace startup Agentio raised a $12M Series A led by Benchmark Congrats to all teams! Follow for daily #venturecapital news! 📆

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The Silver Tsunami is upon us, and it's reshaping the mergers and acquisitions landscape like never before. With an estimated $10 trillion in assets set to change hands over the next decade, driven by baby boomers retiring, the opportunity for savvy investors and entrepreneurs is immense. Currently, around 30,000 businesses sell annually, but with more than 8 million baby boomer-owned businesses expected to transition, the volume of transactions could increase tenfold. This is a monumental shift that smart buyers are already preparing for. You don't need to be a Wall Street titan to benefit from this trend; many of these businesses will transition to local entrepreneurs and small business owners. Are you ready to seize a piece of this $10 trillion wealth transfer? Position yourself strategically to take advantage of this unprecedented wave of opportunities. Engage with fellow professionals and explore how you can be part of this transformation. Not sure how? Let's talk about it! #SilverTsunami #MergersAndAcquisitions #BusinessOpportunities

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🔋 #TodayinVC - All of the biggest deal announcements in venture capital - August 13th, 2024. Sourced from Litquidity's Exec Sum. 💰 Fundraising Announcements: - UptimeAI Inc., an AI-based plant monitoring software, raised a $14M Series A led by WestBridge Capital (PRN)  - Battery performance tech startup Gaussion raised a $12M Series A led by Autotech Ventures (EU)  - Indian EV charging startup Kazam raised an $8M Series A3 led by Vertex Ventures (TC)  - Cross-border payments platform Conduit raised a $6M seed extension from Helios Digital Ventures (TC)  - Ragie.ai, a fully managed RAG-as-a-Service, raised a $5.5M seed round led by Craft Ventures, Saga VC, and more (PRN) Congrats to all - what #startups do you have your eyes on? 👀 Follow Today in VC for daily #venturecapital news! 📆

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At Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference, an engaging discussion shed light on the evolving venture capital (VC) landscape. One of the key takeaways was the underscore of vibrant growth of the VC sector, with the number of firms soaring from 6,000 in 2013 to about 60,000 today. This surge in competition is driving VCs to innovate and refine their fundraising strategies, creating a dynamic environment for investment opportunities. Additionally, the session touched on how family offices provide flexible capital for smaller investments while emphasizing the thorough scrutiny required for larger funds. An emphasis on candid conversations among VCs and limited partners highlighted a commitment to fostering a more collaborative and forward-thinking investment community. Read More Here: https://lnkd.in/gHjJbtr3 Fortune Allie Garfinkle Branded Hospitality Ventures Hospitality Headline Newsletter #VentureCapital #Investment #hospitality #community Clara Shih Paulo Rosado #BrainstormTech Christine Moseley Rick Rose

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⏰ With 32 days to TechCon SoCal! ⏰ Join us to hear from Jeremy Glaser, Co-chair of the Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice at Mintz. Jeremy is renowned for his extensive experience in guiding technology-based companies through various stages of growth, from inception through public offerings and strategic acquisitions. Specializing in sectors like life sciences, software, mobile applications, and clean energy, he provides invaluable counsel to issuers, underwriters, and venture capital firms in securities transactions, including IPOs, SPACs, and private placements. Jeremy’s deep legal and business expertise, combined with his roles in significant securities transactions and executive positions at investment and software companies, equips him with unique insights into the venture capital landscape. His involvement with MintzEdge, an online resource for entrepreneurs, showcases his commitment to fostering innovation and supporting startups. Don’t miss his session at TechCon SoCal 2025, where he will share strategies for securing financing and navigating mergers and acquisitions in the high-tech ecosystem. 🔗 Secure your spot today to gain from Jeremy’s wealth of knowledge and experience at this leading tech event. 📅 January 17-18, 2025 📍 San Diego, California 🌐 www.techconsocal.com Watch our teaser video to see what’s in store at TechCon SoCal 2025! https://lnkd.in/diacNCYS Tariq Ahmed Serhat Pala Neal Bloom🎩Sufyan Subzwari NuFund Venture Group Interlock Capital OPEN Silicon Valley Orange County OC Startup Council Nicole Daversa Cheryl K Goodman #TechConSoCal2025 #TechConSoCal #IndustryExperts #TechConference #InnovationSummit #TechTalks #Innovation #Technology #Networking #ArtificialIntelligence #DigitalHealth #Robotics #startups #vc #SandDiegoStartup #Founders #ConsumerTech

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Great to be partnering with Uncapped - together we can get even more companies funded. shipshape.vc users have raised over $1bn, Uncapped offers a way to fund without dilution! #capitalraising #startups #fundraising #founders #venturecapital #investors #vc #vcfunding #technology #startup #tech

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