Riding Unicorns: Venture Capital | Entrepreneurship | Technology

David Jarvis is the Co-Founder and CEO of Griffin. ​Griffin puts the bank in Banking as a Service. They combine the secure, regulated infrastructure of a bank with the speed and power of modern software into one powerful full-stack BaaS platform. Their goal is to empower companies to embed banking into their products quickly and safely. With purpose-built APIs and an all-access developer sandbox, they’re helping customers build and launch payment platforms, financial wellness apps, client account products, business loans, and more.David joins James Pringle and Hector Mason to discuss the founding principles of Griffin, company culture and management, the future of embedded finance, & so much more. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow The Riding Unicorns Podcast on our socials and your chosen podcast platform to stay up to date! 🎙️🦄

Mike Soutar worked in the media and entertainment industry since the mid-1980s, starting as a magazine journalist and editor before becoming a Publisher and Managing Director working across print, digital, and broadcast platforms in the UK and America. In 2000 Mike joined the Board of Britain’s largest magazine publisher, IPC, and was part of the Board team which sold that business to Time Warner. In 2006 Mike co-founded Shortlist Media, one of the fastest-growing media companies of the early 2000s. As CEO he led the business from a 5-strong start-up to an award-winning enterprise employing 180 staff, with operations in the UK and Europe, across print, digital and events. He led the ultimate successful sale of the business to legendary Scottish publishers DC Thomson, the company he joined from school as a trainee journalist aged 17.Mike joins James Pringle and Hector Mason to discuss the winning formula for a successful media brand, what he enjoys about being a CEO, the future of media, & so much more. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow The Riding Unicorns Podcast on our socials and your chosen podcast platform to stay up to date! 🎙️🦄

George Henry is a General Partner at LocalGlobe. LocalGlobe is a venture capital firm that focuses on seed and impact investments. They have seeded impactful founders since 1999 at places like Citymapper, Improbable, Lovefilm, Moo, Wise, and Zoopla. They invest in startups selling to consumers, small businesses, and enterprises. They are lean, data-driven, and move fast in decision-making. They offer highly structured, collaborative support to investee companies, and have an excellent track record in getting their startups to a Series A raising (almost 90% vs less than 40% EU average).George joins James Pringle and Hector Mason to discuss founder evaluation, the 4 investment themes they’re excited about, what the next 10 years potentially hold for VC, & so much more. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow The Riding Unicorns Podcast on our socials and your chosen podcast platform to stay up to date! 🎙️🦄Read George's 4 investment themes for 2024 here: https://digitalculture.substack.com/p/4-investment-themes

Richard Anton, Co-Founder and General Partner at Oxx, dives into the world of B2B SaaS investing. He discusses the importance of developing a repeatable growth engine for startups and how experienced leadership can transform venture outcomes. The conversation also covers the evolution of venture funding in Europe, navigating IPOs, and the impact of AI on the SaaS landscape, highlighting both opportunities and challenges. With insights on strategic partnerships, Anton reveals how Oxx aims to bridge funding gaps and foster sustainable growth.

Tim Creswick is the CEO and Founder of Vorboss. Vorboss is a dedicated fibre network and internet service purpose-built for the needs of London’s most demanding businesses. They are the only internet service provider that offers 10Gbps as a minimum—meaning that their network can cope with the demands of the most data-hungry businesses for the next decade and beyond.Tim joins James Pringle and Hector Mason to discuss infrastructure operations, significant business pivots, network security, & so much more. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow The Riding Unicorns Podcast on our socials and your chosen podcast platform to stay up to date! 🎙️🦄

Oana Andreea Jinga is a CCO and Co-founder of Dexory. They develop robotics and AI logistics solutions to drive better business decisions. Through their DexoryView platform, they automate data collection and build real-time fed digital twin technology that unlocks insights across all levels of warehouse operations.Oana joins James Pringle and Hector Mason to discuss what problem Dexory solves, leaving Google to start Dexory, her view on humanoid robots, & so much more. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow The Riding Unicorns Podcast on our socials and your chosen podcast platform to stay up to date! 🎙️🦄

Gareth Jefferies is a Partner at RTP Global, a global, early-stage venture capital firm, backing ambitious founders who are reshaping the world with technology. Their track record speaks for itself; over 110 investments worldwide, with one in 10 becoming multi-billion dollar companies including Datadog, DeliveryHero, and Cred. Gareth joins James Pringle and Hector Mason to share the skills to hone as a VC, common profiles of companies that became unicorns, intuition in investing, & so much more. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow The Riding Unicorns Podcast on our socials and your chosen podcast platform to stay up to date! 🎙️🦄

Akshat Goenka, Partner at Moonfire, discusses Moonfire's data-driven approach, the future of capital allocation, strategies for customer success in healthcare, and the importance of a supportive founder network in the Indian startup ecosystem.

Sam Ettelaie is the Co-Founder and CIO at Thema, Europe's strategic LP for emerging fund managers. They act as a strategic cornerstone limited partner, writing first tickets of up to £5m, offering operational and regulatory support. Sam joins James Pringle and Hector Mason to discuss building long-term defensibility, knowledge vs operational edge,  Fund of Funds investing, & so much more. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow The Riding Unicorns Podcast on our socials and your chosen podcast platform to stay up to date! 🎙️🦄

Callum Taylor is the Head of ITV AdVentures Ignite, they are here to help startup and scaleup brands begin an ongoing journey into the exciting world of TV - not as simply a media owner, but as a business partner. Hosting some of the nation’s favorite shows and offering unrivaled reach, advertising on ITV will supercharge your brand's growth - unlocking new customers in the only medium that can give you the scale and gravitas to tell your brand’s story with impact. They’ll use their expertise to help you identify the right media strategy, target audience, and creative messaging to help you maximize the outcome of your TV campaigns.Callum joins James Pringle to share about the Ignite Program, what media for equity is, new standards in the TV industry, & so much more. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow The Riding Unicorns Podcast on our socials and your chosen podcast platform to stay up to date! 🎙️🦄