Venture Pill

In this week’s dose, we interviewed Maya Shaposhnik Cadena, CEO and Co-Founder of Vetted Pet Health. Tune in to hear (1:47) Maya discuss her background and the story behind Vetted, as well as (4:25) her experience at UChicago Booth School of Business. (6:30) Next, Maya explains how Vetted is different from other virtual pet care providers and (9:06) breaks some news about a new product offering. (12:15) We then dive into the business model, (17:17) followed by Maya’s background in the Israeli military and (19:52) how that differentiates her as a female founder. We’ll then hear more about Vetted’s (25:05) growth plans and (27:05) marketing strategy. To wrap up this week’s dose, Maya tells us about (37:09) her startup role models and (39:56) a startup that she is tracking. You can find Vetted on Instagram @vettedpethealth or check out their website getvetted.io. If you are interested in reaching out to Maya and the team, send an email through their Contact Us page.

On this week’s dose, (2:12) we discuss MeliBio’s mission to create sustainable honey, fueled by a recent $5.7M seed round. (6:38) Then, we discuss Subject’s innovative solution to teacher shortages throughout the United States after a $29M Series A. (14:17) Next, we talk through Chief’s massive $100M Series B and how it’s propelling women into positions of power throughout the business world. (19:58) Finally, we analyze Tier Mobility’s acquisition of Fantasmo and how the move will minimize traffic hazards and help bolster security in the evolving micro mobility landscape. Sources https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/30/tier-mobilitys-buy-of-fantasmo-brings-camera-positioning-tech-in-house/ https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/17/melibios-seed-honey-production-minus-the-bee/?utm_campaign=Portfolio%20News%202022&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ICAl2FzdohcitXvR0DIWV27PpTnSnVo3EVusr7PZSU3LAClwxQXhX45fyauosvSv3u-1e https://dot.la/subject-edtech-video-learning-2657010748.html https://subject.com/ https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220330005926/en/Chief-Secures-100-Million-in-Series-B-Funding-Bringing-Total-Valuation-to-1.1B https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenamcgregor/2022/01/11/this-exclusive-womens-network-is-going-national/?sh=7860af7e1d66

On this week’s dose, (1:36) we discuss Cambium Carbon’s $3.2M seed round, as the circular economy startup looks to reforest America by repurposing fallen trees. (8:05) Next, we talk about Shopthing’s innovative live shopping experience and expansion plans following their $10M Series A. (15:51) Then, we break down Firstbase’s massive $50M Series B and riff on the future of hybrid work from home models. (26:06) Lastly, we conclude this week’s episode with a stimulating conversation about Workramp, a company looking to fuel business success through continued education, and their recent $40M raise. Sources: https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/23/shopthing-10m-live-video-shopping-marketplace/ https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/25/remote-work-boom-powers-firstbase-to-50m-series-b/ https://enterprisetalk.com/news/firstbase-receives-us-50-million-to-build-employee-experience-management-platform/ https://www.workramp.com/blog/workramps-series-c-news/?utm_campaign=General%20Brand%20Awareness&utm_source=Home%20Page%20Promo%20Banner&utm_medium=promo%20banner&utm_content=Announcing%20$40M%20Series%20C https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/workramp-raises-40-million-for-its-all-in-one-learning-platform-built-to-unlock-the-growth-potential-of-fast-growing-businesses-301508424.html

On this week’s dose, (1:41) we talk about Almost Friday Media’s recent seed round as the popular media company looks to expand its content library and media presence. (6:27) Then, we update y’all on Sequoia Capital’s exciting announcement on Arc, a newly launched startup catalyst for tomorrow’s most innovative companies. (10:49) Things get a little zesty once we start discussing Zestworld, a startup positioned to shake up the comic book industry. (14:16) Next, we discuss impact investing and Pallet’s ambitious mission following a $15M raise. (19:14) Lastly, we wrap up this week’s episode with a breakdown on Ramp, one of the fastest growing startups in recent memory, and their finance automation platform. Sources https://www.finsmes.com/2022/03/almost-friday-media-raises-6m-in-seed-funding.html https://twitter.com/jesskah/status/1505910354806669314 https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/21/with-9-3m-in-fresh-funding-zestworld-plans-a-newsletter-service-for-creator-owned-comics/ https://www.geekwire.com/2022/startup-tackling-homelessness-with-easily-erected-durable-shelters-lands-15m/ https://ramp.com/blog/ramp-doubling-down-for-our-customers/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=seriesc3-content https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/21/corporate-spend-startup-ramp-closes-on-750-million-confirms-new-8-1b-valuation/ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ramp-secures-750-million-in-funding-to-help-businesses-automate-their-financial-operations-301506408.html

On this week’s dose, (1:11) we talk about an Austin firm, S3 Ventures (https://www.s3vc.com/), and their recent announcement of a $250M to continue investing in Texas startups. (6:45) We then update y’all on AngelList’s (https://angel.co/) Series B, their first round in over seven years. (11:32) Next, you’ll hear about Perlego (https://www.perlego.com/), the Spotify for textbooks, which just raised a $50M Series B. (18:49) Lastly, stick around for a passionate discussion on Mojo (https://www.mojo.com/​​), a company blending the stock market with sports. Sources https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/introducing-mojo-sports-stock-market-workatmojo/?trackingId=5Mjur%2F%2BPwJZu%2Bo%2Bb8ya2zw%3D%3D https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/15/perlego-raises-50m-to-build-out-its-vision-of-being-the-spotify-for-textbooks/ https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/08/angellist-series-c/ https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220309005131/en/S3-Ventures-Announces-250M-Fund-VII-%E2%80%93-The-Largest-Venture-Capital-Fund-Focused-on-Texas-based-Startups

We welcomed our first guest, the inaugural Venture Pillgrim, Jack Ruhl. Jack is the Co-Founder and CEO of Imma, a social marketplace that shows you what your friends are buying and allows you to earn money by referring products. We dive into his entrepreneurial journey, his thoughts on the current influencer marketing model, and how Imma is going to change the way we shop through authentic referrals. And so much more. You can find Jack on Twitter @jackruhl and follow Imma @imma__app on Twitter, @imma.app on Instagram. Check out their website (imma.app) for more info!

(1:48): Sahil Bloom just announced his new venture fund, SRB Ventures (https://www.sahilbloom.com/#Hero). We talk about the rise of media-based venture investing. (6:12): Serena Williams launched the inaugural fund for Serena Ventures (https://www.serenaventures.com/), a firm which aims to invest in underrepresented founders. (9:08): We also highlight Chipper (https://www.chipper.app/), an Austin-based seed stage startup helping people more easily manage their student loans. (12:40): Dutch (https://www.dutch.com/), an online veterinarian subscription platform for pet owners, just raised a $20M Series A led by Eclipse Ventures and Forerunner Ventures. (15:15) Lastly, Aurora Solar (https://www.aurorasolar.com/) just announced their $200M Series D to expand their platform which streamlines the solar installation process at scale. Song credit: Dean Keeton's "That Sound" Sources: https://techcrunch.com/2022/02/17/dutch-raises-20m-to-scale-its-telemedicine-platform-for-pets/, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-28/aurora-solar-gets-4-billion-valuation-on-backing-led-by-coatue

(2:02) The New York Stock Exchange filed a trademark for an NFT Marketplace. (4:16) London-based Spoke (spoke.world) just raised a $1.5M pre-seed round led by Ada Ventures to address young males’ mental health through therapeutic music. (9:50) Encore (clapforencore.com), Kid Cudi’s new startup, just raised their $9M seed round led by Battery Ventures along with investments from 468 Capital, Parade Ventures, and more. The company allows artists to host Augmented Reality concerts and connect with their fans easily. (13:32) French startup Boxy (getboxy.co) just raised a $28M Series A led by Serena Capital to grow their smart convenience store pods made out of old shipping containers. (18:19) Helium (helium.com) raised a $200M Series D to expand their blockchain-based internet service. Other Notes: Zfoundr (zfoundr.com) is a great weekly newsletter written by Aaron Farr (@aaron_farr) and Elian Haddock (@elian_haddock) Dean Keeton's "That Sound"

Startup Spotlight: Peakz - The athlete's version of OnlyFans. The platform takes a modest 15% cut of subscriptions, unlike traditional social media where the athlete receives little financial benefits. Fans can "scout" their favorite athletes for a small subscription. Peakz.com OpenSea added a venture capital arm. Taking a page out of Coinbase's book, the company will leverage its expertise in crypto/NFTs and its strategic partnerships to provide unmatched value to web3-related startups. @opensea on Twitter Dawn Health - a sleep tech company addressing sleep disorders. In an increasingly crowded space of sleep tech ventures, Dawn is carving out a niche to help the estimated 70% of Americans with a sleep disorder. @DawnHealthApp on Twitter Veho - leveraging crowdsourced delivery drivers for last-mile package delivery. After raising a $125M Series A in December, Veho is accelerating growth even more with a $170M Series B which put them at a $1.5B valuation. @shipveho on Twitter Notes The CEO of Flexport is Ryan Petersen @typesfast on Twitter Cold Start Problem by Andrew Chen @andrewchen on Twitter

Future raised a $75M Series C to grow their virtual personal trainer app. Peloton dominated headlines as Founder and CEO stepped down to hand off the reigns to former Spotify and Netflix executive, Barry McArthy. Wander raised a $20M round to build the future of work and travel. Hear why we think they could make a name for themselves even in the presence of Airbnb. Lastly, Syndicate DAO is making moves to revolutionize how we invest together through DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations). The boys get into the depths of accreditation laws and how those may or may not change in the near future.