Venture Pill

Our Social Media Pages, follow us and engage with the Pill-grim community!InstagramTwitter YouTubeTikTokLinkedInAnd now, for this week’s prescription:On this week’s dose, we have an incredible compilation of short street interviews from SXSW in Austin.(1:34) First up, you’ll hear from Brazilian founder and creator, Nathalia Arcuri. She tells us about her company, Me Poupe!, a financial entertainment platform that aims to educate the people of Latin America on financial literacy and the importance of investing. Hilarious one liner ending on this one!(7:43) Next, tune in to hear a little bit from one of our good friends, Luca Tomescu, web3 consultant and startup guru. Luca talks to us about what he was looking forward to at SXSW and gives us a glimpse into the cutting edge of web3.(10:38) Then, you will hear our interview with Dr. Charleson Bell from Vanderbilt University’s Wond’ry (the campus innovation center). Dr. Bell spits knowledge about what it means to innovate, and how the Wond’ry is fostering positive value change through student entrepreneurship.(17:40) We couldn’t let the folks from Vanderbilt step away without quickly highlighting Deanna Meador, founder of Coutour Technologies, a fashion technology company. Deanna is a true inspiration to girls and women out there looking to build a startup and raise money!(20:35) To wrap up part 1 of our SXSW interviews, we spoke with Elena Hinnawi from Tamatem, the leading mobile games publisher in the Middle East.Thanks to all of the folks who stopped and chatted with us on the loud, bird chirp-fileld streets of Austin amidst their busy schedules going from event to event. We had a blast!Tune in next week for some more amazing conversations like these!Sources/Links:https://br.linkedin.com/in/nathaliaarcuri https://mepoupe.com/https://lucatomescu.com/28c588848486498882bf0c9972fc8ceahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesonsbellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-meador-99bb5640https://www.vanderbilt.edu/thewondry/https://jo.linkedin.com/posts/tamatem-inc-_gaming-team-rebrand-activity-6871762435833954304-62ZDhttps://tamatem.co/

Our Social Media Pages, follow us and engage with the Pill-grim community!InstagramTwitter YouTubeTikTokLinkedInAnd now, for this week’s prescription:On this week’s dose, (1:58) we start things off with a discussion on REALLY communications, a modern telecommunications company that just raised an $18M seed round. (7:46) Next, we talk about Champions Round, a fantasy league startup that caters to Gen Z through their micro fantasy sports games, and their recent $7M Series A. (14:36) From there, we break down Immi, the world’s first low carb, high protein, plant-based ramen company, hot off a $10M Series A. (19:28) Lastly, we wrap up this week’s episode with a discourse on Oats Overnight’s $20M Series A, and how the company is leveraging its strong community to drive development.Sources:https://www.adamlyonsw.com/ https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/inno/stories/fundings/2023/02/28/really-raises-18m-seed-round.htmlhttps://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7036900095547625473/https://championsround.com/https://thefsga.org/records-broken-in-legal-sports-wagering-and-fantasy-sports-participation/https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/27/fantasy-sports-app-champions-round-raises-7-million/https://immieats.com/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/immi-closes-10m-series-a-raise-to-bring-healthy-instant-ramen-mainstream-301761726.htmlhttps://www.oatsovernight.com/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oats-overnight-raises-20m-to-expand-in-retail-and-bring-customers-into-the-product-development-process-301762334.htmlMusic Credit: Chapter One by Cole Bauer and Dean Keetonhttps://www.colebauer.com/https://www.instagram.com/deankeeton/?hl=en

Our Social Media Pages, follow us and engage with the Pill-grim community!InstagramTwitter YouTubeTikTokLinkedInAnd now, for this week’s prescription:On this week’s dose, we have Doug Donovan, CEO and Founder of Interplay Learning, the leading provider of immersive simulation-based training for the skilled trades. Tune in to hear about Doug’s entrepreneurial journey, from his early life, to his first job, to eventually co-founding Interplay Learning. From there, Doug shares his perspective on fundraising, as well as what’s in store for Interplay in the coming years. Stick with us as Doug breaks down the importance of building a strong company culture, and what Interplay’s mission means to him. Listen through to hear Doug’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, his thoughts on work/life balance, and his favorite business books.Doug's Book List:Conscious Business by Fred KofmanPredictably Irrational by Dan ArielyTribe of Mentors by Tim FerrissFour Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss Sources:https://www.interplaylearning.com/Music Credit: Chapter One by Cole Bauer and Dean Keetonhttps://www.colebauer.com/https://www.instagram.com/deankeeton/?hl=en

Our Social Media Pages, follow us and engage with the Pill-grim community!InstagramTwitter YouTubeTikTokLinkedInAnd now, for this week’s prescription:On this week’s dose, we have David Beazley, Managing Partner of Purple Arch Ventures, one of the largest Alumni Ventures funds which is focused on Northwestern University Alumni and friends of the community. Tune in to hear about David’s journey from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism into venture capital. From there, David tells us about what drew him to Alumni Ventures, as well as Purple Arch’s investment thesis and the types of deals he likes. Stick with us as David tells us about the strength of network powered venture capital, and how Alumni Ventures has leveraged its community to create a virtuous circle of value. Listen through to hear David’s advice for anyone trying to break into VC, what he likes to do in his spare time, and his favorite quote. Sources:https://www.av.vc/funds/purplearchMusic Credit: Chapter One by Cole Bauer and Dean Keetonhttps://www.colebauer.com/https://www.instagram.com/deankeeton/?hl=en

Our Social Media Pages, follow us and engage with the Pill-grim community!InstagramTwitter YouTubeTikTokLinkedInAnd now, for this week’s prescription:On this week’s dose, we have Michael Fanfant, General Partner at Runa Capital, a global VC firm built by serial entrepreneurs that invests in early stage software startups around the world. After attending Stanford University, Michael began his career at Capital One, where he eventually got the inspiration for his startup, Octane Lending. Then, in 2014, Michael and his co-founders started building a marketplace to make financing power sports fast and easy. Eventually they realized that they themselves needed to become the lender, and that’s where things really took off. After serving as COO at Octane for several years, Michael transitioned into what he saw as a long term career as a VC investor where he could leverage his experiences as a founder to help other founders in their journeys. In the interview you will hear about Michael’s entrepreneurial journey, what he looks for in potential investments, a couple of notable portfolio companies, and some great advice for the Pillgrims looking to break into venture.Sources:https://runacap.com/Music Credit: Chapter One by Cole Bauer and Dean Keetonhttps://www.colebauer.com/https://www.instagram.com/deankeeton/?hl=en

Our Social Media Pages, follow us and engage with the Pill-grim community!InstagramTwitter YouTubeTikTokLinkedInAnd now, for this week’s prescription:On this week’s dose (2:24), we start things off with a discussion on Starling Medical, a startup that’s launching an at-home urine testing device that turns your toilet into a health tracker, and their $3.4M seed round. (7:05) Next, we talk about Fable Foods’ recent $8.5M Series A, and the Australia-based startup’s delectable mushroom-based meat alternatives. (11:22) From there, we dive into a discourse on Car IQ, a company that’s making vehicular electronic digital payment seamless for commercial fleets. (15:12) Lastly, we wrap up this week’s dose with a discourse on Atmosphere TV’s $65M Series D, and how the worldwide leader in streaming TV entertainment for businesses helps venue operators elevate their space and boost their bottom line.Sources:https://starlingmedical.com/https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/27/starling-medical-urine-health/https://fablefood.co/ https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/08/fable-foods-series-a/ https://www.gocariq.com/ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/car-iq-raises-15m-in-oversubscribed-addition-to-series-b-led-by-forte-ventures-with-participation-from-visa-bridgestone-navistar-circle-k-301740274.html https://www.atmosphere.tv/https://www.wvnews.com/business/streaming-tv-platform-atmosphere-raises-series-d-round-at-a-1-billion-valuation/article_e6639161-f088-5581-85bc-1ba8089c82ea.htmlhttps://www.fastcompany.com/90845558/atmosphere-streaming-network-out-of-homeMusic Credit: Chapter One by Cole Bauer and Dean Keetonhttps://www.colebauer.com/https://www.instagram.com/deankeeton/?hl=en

Our Social Media Pages, follow us and engage with the Pill-grim community!InstagramTwitter YouTubeTikTokLinkedInAnd now, for this week’s prescription:On this week’s dose, (2:12) we kick things off with a discussion on Freeform, a disruptive 3D printing company looking to revolutionize large scale production of metal, and their $45M raise out of stealth mode. (7:29) Next, we talk about Lavender's $13M Series A, and how the number one sales email coach is helping salespeople write better emails faster. (12:25) After that, we break down The Ugly Company’s $9M Series A, and the startup’s beautiful mission of preventing millions of pounds of food waste by upcycling ugly fruit into dried fruit snacks. (18:00) Lastly, we wrap up this week’s dose with a discourse on Atomos’ $16.2M Series A, and learn more about how the company is building the future of orbital logistics through their Orbital Transfer Vehicles.Sources:https://freeform.co/ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-01/3d-printer-by-ex-spacex-engineer-aims-to-refresh-technology https://www.tctmagazine.com/additive-manufacturing-3d-printing-news/metal-additive-manufacturing-news/metal-3d-printing-company-freeform-emerges-from-stealth-with/ https://www.lavender.ai/ https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/02/lavender-lands-13-2m-for-its-ai-powered-email-marketing-engine/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9tb2xseXNvc2hlYS5zdWJzdGFjay5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFdJ3HjDZ2SNBVSjb_uPS_UCU7XLI7mcKlI6Bc20myY-A3UDUMhiXRxucTkwLzXIAmVHexACUfK4qqGTcWWr0TroKFKqCtR_6KBvw3IN_WFCDwjSl7kdU45yo-_oYn1B-9hb4Ah9qOgvp1aKtUGEgh9jmbAzSOaRzWxzG9YJFAVBhttps://www.theuglyco.com/https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/02/07/2603082/0/en/The-Ugly-Company-Announces-9M-Series-A-Funding-Round-to-Accelerate-Nationwide-Growth.htmlhttps://vcnewsdaily.com/the-ugly-company/venture-capital-funding/btqqqyfbpxhttps://atomosspace.com/https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/27/space-tug-boats-toot-toot-atomos/Music Credit: Chapter One by Cole Bauer and Dean Keetonhttps://www.colebauer.com/https://www.instagram.com/deankeeton/?hl=en

On this week’s dose, (2:24) we start things off with a discussion on Zurp, a startup that enables creators to interact with their fans like never before through their innovative credit card, and their recent $5M pre-seed round. (8:31) Next, we talk about Nourish’s $8M Seed round, and how the company hopes to connect more people with registered dietitians. (13:07) After that, we break down Freemodel’s $19.5M Series A, and learn about how the disruptive startup partners with realtors to design, manage, and pre-pay for their client’s home renovations - all while allowing the homeowner to reap maximum profit. (18:47) Lastly, we close out this week’s dose with a discourse on Osmo’s $60M Series A, and how the company leverages AI to model scents based solely off of molecular structure.Sources:https://www.zurp.com/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230124005042/en/Zurp-Raises-5M-Pre-Seed-Round-to-Launch-The-Credit-Card-for-Experienceshttps://www.usenourish.com/https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/20/with-a-focus-on-patients-with-chronic-illness-nourish-hopes-to-help-americans-eat-better/?guccounter=1 https://www.freemodel.com/https://www.finsmes.com/2023/01/freemodel-raises-19-5m-in-series-a-funding.htmlhttps://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pre-sale-home-renovation-startup-freemodel-raises-19-5m-in-series-a-funding-301735034.htmlhttps://osmo.ai/ https://www.wired.com/story/this-startup-is-using-ai-to-unearth-new-smells/ Music Credit: Chapter One by Cole Bauer and Dean Keetonhttps://www.colebauer.com/https://www.instagram.com/deankeeton/?hl=en

On this week’s dose, we have Sebastian Galindo, CEO and Co-Founder of Maple, the platform that facilitates fun and meaningful first dates. Born in Bolivia, Sebastian’s entrepreneurial journey began as a student at the University of Florida, where he created and sold a laundry startup. He doubled down on his entrepreneurial itch by starting a dating app called Jungle, which he eventually had to wind down. From there, he applied his experiences and lessons learned to create Maple - a dating app that’s flipping the script in the crowded marketplace by focusing on local experiences and common interests to tailor a memorable first date for singles. Listen through to hear all things Maple; including monetization plans, notable success stories, fundraising goals, updates on the horizon, and more. Stick with us to hear about Sebastian’s other startup, NexUnicorn, and some simple yet effective advice for anyone looking to break into the venture capital and startup scene.https://maplex.io/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebgalindo/Music Credit: Chapter One by Cole Bauer and Dean Keetonhttps://www.colebauer.com/https://www.instagram.com/deankeeton/?hl=en

On this week’s dose, (2:26) we start things off with a discussion on Vint, a startup that allows you to invest in the emerging alternative asset class of fine wine and spirits. (7:45) Next, we talk about Howdy’s $5M Series A extension, and how the Austin-based hybrid workforce platform is connecting top Latin American talent with US tech companies. (11:43) After that, we break down Sublime Systems’ $40M Series A, and learn about how the company is revolutionizing cement production through a proprietary carbon-neutral approach. (16:04) Lastly, we close out this week’s dose with a discourse on Capella Space’s $60M growth round, and how the leading American satellite manufacturer and Earth observation company is keeping pace with increasing demand.Sources:https://vint.co/blog/Vint-Seed-Round-Announcementhttps://vint.co/blog/vint-how-it-workshttps://www.howdy.com/ https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/howdy-extends-series-a-by-5-million-bringing-total-to-18-million-following-a-full-rebrand-301717111.html http://sublime-systems.com/ https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230117005464/en/Sublime-Systems-Secures-40-Million-Series-A-to-Electrify-and-Scale-Decarbonized-Cement-Production https://www.capellaspace.com/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/capella-space-raises-60m-in-growth-equity-from-the-united-states-innovative-technology-fund-to-expand-satellite-imaging-capacity-and-meet-rapidly-growing-customer-demand-301717388.htmlMusic Credit: Chapter One by Cole Bauer and Dean Keetonhttps://www.colebauer.com/https://www.instagram.com/deankeeton/?hl=en