venture capital

Identity.vc is bringing capital and community to Europe’s LGBTQ+ venture ecosystem

Fundraising /

When Til Klein and Jochen Beutgen came across Gaingels, the U.S.-based syndicate of angel investors backing LGBTQ+ founders, they wondered why there wasn’t a firm looking to do the same for the European LGBTQ+ startup community. Five years later, when a firm like that still didn’t exist, Klein and Beutgen decided they should try to […]

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Austin-based Ironspring Ventures raised $100M to invest in the industrial revolution

Hardware /

When Ironspring Ventures launched in 2020 to back startups in industrial sectors like construction and manufacturing, it was one of very few early-stage venture firms paying attention to those capital-intensive sectors. Now, the firm is doubling down. The Austin, Texas-based firm raised $100 million for its second fund to focus on industrial startups. This is

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Why Tecovas sought out physical sales first despite its DTC dreams

Venture /

When Paul Hedrick left his private equity career to launch Tecovas in 2015, he knew he wanted to sell the brand’s signature cowboy boots a little differently than other traditional Western wear companies. He wanted to sell the boots direct to consumers online — but unlike many other DTC brands, he wasn’t going to wait around

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Foray Bioscience is breaking down the barriers of bringing biomanufacturing to plants

Climate /

Ashley Beckwith spent years of her academic and professional career focused on the intersection of biology, materials and manufacturing to build medical solutions more efficiently. When she realized the tech could be applied to plants and plant-based materials, an area that desperately needed it, she decided to switch gears. “Life on earth is only as

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Kevin Hartz’s A* raises its second oversubscribed fund in two years

Startups /

Venture firms raised $9.3 billion in Q1 according to PitchBook data, which means this year likely won’t match or surpass 2023’s $81.8 billion total. While emerging managers are feeling the fundraising market’s frost the most, some emerging VCs like A* have enough name recognition, and a good enough track record, to still find success. A*,

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Kevin Hartz’s A* raises its second oversubscribed fund in three years

Fundraising /

Venture firms raised $9.3 billion in Q1 according to PitchBook data, which means this year likely won’t match or surpass 2023’s $81.8 billion total. While emerging managers are feeling the fundraising market’s frost the most, some emerging VCs like A* have enough name recognition, and a good enough track record, to still find success. A*,

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Materia looks to make accountants more efficient with AI 

Fintech /

The U.S. is facing an accountant shortage. Fewer first-time candidates took the CPA exam in 2022 than in 2006, according to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. One possible reason people aren’t as interested in the field is the large amount of drudge work involved: Accountants have to rifle through large amounts of unstructured

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Steve Case on why policy is crucial to make sure AI success isn’t concentrated to a few players

Government & Policy /

Steve Case is no stranger to how policy can help aid innovation. His former company AOL would have been dead in the water if not for the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which required telecoms companies to open access to their tech. Now, Case is hoping the federal government will look to take the same stance

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