Navigating Startup Funding and Resilience

I had not done an Ask Me Anything session in over a year which led to many questions on a wide variety of topics: macro, marketplaces, AI, fundraising, wealth management, education, island shopping, India, how to lose your accent, adventure travel, climate tech, the state of VC, and much more.

Here are the key questions we covered:

00:01:17 How will all the geopolitical changes, tariffs, and Trump policies influence the world?

00:06:14 What are the key tips for finding and persuading investors?

00:08:44 What do you think is the future of fashion marketplaces? How has it been impacted by downfalls of marketplaces such as Farfetch? What is the role of AI in these?

00:13:19 What's your view on the best investment opportunities currently? Is the stock market, given the current drop off, attractive or still overvalued? I read a while ago your non-traditional approach to wealth management. How would you allocate $10 million now?

00:19:21 We have around 15K revenues per month, are we okay to raise a pre-seed?

 00:21:14 What kind of education, school, university degrees do you recommend for kids to best prepare for them for the jobs market in 10 years considering the impact of AI? What skills should they start developing? 

 00:26:46 What is the best cold inbound email you ever received?

00:29:39  If you're finishing your studies today, what kind of job or company would you join to best train yourself to launch a tech startup later? Is a place like McKinsey or investment banking still relevant if the goal is to learn to work with intensity and structure?

00:32:40 As a recent French graduate with a background in BA in finance, which countries do you think offer the most learning opportunities today in terms of ease of doing business, networking, potential, etc.?

00:33:34 When will you launch the updated and new version of Fabrice AI? How can I build a network in the tech community in France?

00:38:30  Fabrice, any exciting travel coming up? What's your favorite personal use of AI?

00:42:39 If an incumbent exists in my category, are there still opportunities to enter the market?

00:45:51 What made you decide for Turks & Caicos and not another island

00:52:57 What is your favorite place in India?

00:55:48  How did you lose your French accent? What is your secret?

01:00:52 What is on your target list for climate related investment opportunities?

01:02:55  Did you do your long hike through Greenland that you wanted to do?

01:06:03 If you were building a tech company like Zingy today, would you still raise VC money or bootstrap it considering there are many examples of founders barely making any money in $500M exits?

01:08:39 What advice do you have for a home care marketplace founder who has found product market fit but ran out of money in 2023 but has "survived"?

01:10:55 What are the future big trends in AI and especially with consumer usage?

01:13:12  For personal or small retail, which AI tools do you believe are worth paying a subscription for today?

01:13:49 What do you seek in founders for pre-revenue Startups?

01:14:34 What is the biggest turn down for the VC while seeing the pitch deck? What is the biggest green flag as well? What is the red flag when cold connecting with VC people?

01:16:17 Can you address the opportunities for crossover funds?

01:18:43  Any view on Indian VC opportunities?

01:19:29 Should I hire a CTO or CFO?

01:20:23 What do you see as the future for companies like Alan (French Unicorn) nearly 10 years in €500 million raised, still unprofitable, operating on tight margins, valued at €4.5B?

01:21:15 From your perspective, what skill or type of service is the easiest to sell today is a freelance consultant?

 01:22:20 How much will Bitcoin be worth in 2030?  

01:26:35  What do you think of initiatives such as WorldCoin?

01:26:43  Loved the shoot-out story in the Dominican Republic. Do you have any other crazy adrenaline pumping stories from your adventures?

01:30:27 Do you prefer repeat founders or first-time founders?

01:32:22 Why is it so hard to raise capital for fashion marketplaces? 

01:33:28 In your view, what is the most important trait or skill for a founder - being emotionally stable, able to handle the extreme stress, something else entirely?

01:36:11 Would you be open for a lunch in New York so I can bring all the questions I have for 45 minutes?

01:37:13 What makes niche marketplaces breakout and go big globally?

01:39:44 Is artificial intelligence dangerous for humanity? Will it increase unemployment? Should countries create rules to prevent that? Can we master something that might be beyond us?

01:46:46 What's your take on vibe coding trend or real shift?