Explore tells the stories behind the success of entrepreneurs and investors around the world. Hi there👋, I'm Hugo Rauch, a financial analyst at Microsoft and the host of Explore. I've always been fascinated by startups, in 2022 I wrote a 100 pages paper on the startup economy. In 2023, I wanted to learn from experience and I started Explore. I'm made myself the goal of supporting early-stage founders with theoretical and practical learnings. Consider following and giving 5 stars to support the show! ✨ A feedback or an idea, reach out to me on LinkedIn (Hugo Rauch). 🤠explorepodcast.substack.com
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.Thank you to BioEsol for sponsoring this episode.
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***This week, we're joined by Annick Verween, Head of Biotope at VIB, where she backs early-stage biotech startups working to improve planetary health. With Biotope recently named one of Europe's leading startup hubs by the Financial Times, it's the perfect time to dig into what's really going on in early-stage biotech.In this episode, we explore:* Why investors are hesitant to back early biotech startups* How incubators like Biotope bridge the pre-seed funding gap* The “valley of death” in biotech, and how to survive it* What makes a startup fundable at the seed stage* How scientists can become founders and sellers* The growing opportunity in biotech x AI* … and more! If you're a founder raising capital, an investor exploring biotech, or just curious about what's next for the sector, this is a must-listen.
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***Thank you to BioEsol for sponsoring this episode.
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***This week, we're joined by Matt Jones, Managing Partner at Syensqo, to break down one of the toughest challenges in climate tech: how to exit.With 25 years of experience and a front-row seat to both successful and failed exits, Matt shares:* How to recognize the right window for exiting* The biggest red flags in corporate partnerships* How CVCs think about alignment, strategy, and exits* What founders get wrong when they pitch to corporations* How to make deep tech exits work* … and more! ***⌛TIMESTAMPS * 00:00 Introduction to the episode* 0:54 Climate Tech Exits 101* 02:22 Understanding Exit Strategies for Investors* 04:55 How to assess the exit environment?* 05:47 The IPO Dream: Are Startups Ready?* 07:33 Taking a company public as a CVC?* 08:38 Navigating Acquisitions: Finding Potential Buyers* 11:23 The Role of Corporates in Exit Strategies* 13:53 Is it important for founders to have an exit strategy?* 15:37 Common Mistakes in Engaging with Corporate VCs* 17:35 Rapid Fire Questions: Insights and Advice***▶️ CONNECT WITH MATT* Matt Jones – LinkedIn* Syensqo | Advancing Humanity***
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***Thank you to BioEsol for sponsoring this episode.
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***This week, we're joined by Jan Lozek, founder and managing partner at Future Energy Ventures, to discuss energy-tech investment opportunities and why software is the missing piece in this value chain.In this episode, you'll learn:* Why AI is crucial for managing decentralized energy systems* How software turns homes and EVs into virtual power plants* How to build partnerships with utilities and navigate regulations* What every founder should know about scaling in energy markets* … and more! ***⌛TIMESTAMPS * 00:00 - Introduction* 01:01 - Most Exciting Energy Technologies* 02:22 - Current Trends in Energy Technology* 04:41 - Do We Need More Hardware Startups?* 06:14 - The Role of AI in The Energy Transition* 08:36 - There Are Two Large Challenges In The Grid* 10:49 - How Much Can We Power Europe with Renewables?* 11:58 - Are we consuming more energy than before?* 13:07 - The Future of Energy: Hardware vs. Software* 15:35 - Risks and Challenges For Energy Startups* 18:34 - Building The Dream Team for Energy* 23:40 - Scaling in the European Market* 25:42 - Support from VCs to Founders* 28:24 - Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts***▶️ CONNECT WITH JAN* Jan Lozek – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lozekjan/?originalSubdomain=de* Future Energy Ventures - https://fev.vc/***
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***This week, we're joined by Romain Vidal, co-founder of Teampact Ventures, a VC firm leveraging high-performance methodologies from professional sports to support climate and health startups. In this episode, we cover:* Why startups should learn from sports teams, not from corporates* How delayed gratification and resilience create long-term success* The mindset of elite athletes that founders should adopt* The importance of team culture in driving performance* … and more! ***⌛TIMESTAMPS * 00:00 - Introduction* 01:34 - The Philosophy Behind Teampact Ventures* 06:04 - The Importance of the Mission and Values* 07:50 - Lessons from Elite Athletes for Startups* 13:54 - Building Disciplines and Resilience in Startups* 16:24 - Individual vs. Collective Performance in Startups* 23:08 - Common Challenges For Startups* 24:48 - Peak Performance and Startups Readiness* 26:32 - The Value of Teamwork in Individual Sports* 29:02 - You Need to Collaborate with Your Ecosystem* 31:11 - The Role of Team Culture in Startups* 34:30 - Diversity in Investor Profiles* 39:08 - Athletes x Investors* 41:16 - The World Needs Better Role Models* 43:37 - Fire Questions***▶️ CONNECT WITH ROMAIN* Romain Vidal – https://www.linkedin.com/in/vidalromain/* Teampact Ventures - https://www.teampact.ventures/***
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***This week, we're joined by Yair Reem, Partner at Extantia Capital, to break down why the green premium is dead, and what's next for climate-tech startups. In this episode, we explore:* The death of the green premium & rise of the green discount* How climate startups should price & pitch their solutions* What VCs really look for in climate investments* The future of climate tech & the biggest investment opportunities* … and more! ***⌛TIMESTAMPS * 00:00 – Introduction* 02:15 – What is the green premium, and why did it fail?* 06:42 – Why customers won't pay more for green solutions* 11:30 – The rise of the green discount & new pricing strategies* 17:05 – Why startups must focus on industry problems, not sustainability* 28:45 – Case study: How Magnotherm found the right value proposition* 35:00 – The biggest investment opportunities in climate tech today* 42:15 – AI's role in climate startups & competitive pricing* 48:10 – Rapid-fire questions* 54:20 – Final thoughts***▶️ CONNECT WITH YAIR* Yair Reem – https://www.linkedin.com/in/yairreem/* Extantia Capital - https://www.extantia.com/***
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***This week, we're joined by Tina Dreimann (thank you, Tim Schumacher, for the introduction), founder and General Partner of better ventures. Instead of following a traditional VC model, better ventures operates as a community of entrepreneurs investing in and supporting the next generation of impact-driven founders.In this episode, we explore:* Why community investing could outperform traditional VC* The formula: Community + Tech = Impact + Returns* The biggest challenges for impact entrepreneurs today* Why climate is just one piece - biodiversity, water, and soil are just as urgent* How tech and AI help scale early-stage investing* …and much more!***⌛TIMESTAMPS * 00:00 – Introduction* 03:45 – Better Ventures: The Origin Story* 07:30 – The Biggest Global Risks & Where to Invest* 12:10 – How Better Ventures Finds & Selects Startups* 17:40 – Smart Capital: What Founders Need from Investors* 22:50 – Why Community Investing Outperforms Traditional VC* 27:15 – The Role of Tech & AI in Investment Decisions* 32:40 – The Future of Impact Investing & VC Evolution* 38:25 – Challenges in Partnering with Large Corporations* 42:10 – Fire Questions* 49:00 – Final Takeaways & Closing Thoughts***▶️ CONNECT WITH TINA* Tina Dreimann – https://shorturl.at/ndhKS* better ventures - https://www.betterventures.io/***
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***This week, we're joined by Dr. Benedikt Buchspies, a scientist at Planet A Ventures, one of Europe's leading climate-tech VC funds. Benedikt has been pioneering the use of lifecycle assessments (LCAs) in venture capital for years and is showing that science + VC = impact.In this episode, we cover:* What an LCA is and how it measures climate impact* Why most VCs ignore environmental data (and why they shouldn't)* How impact and financial returns align in early-stage startups* The challenges of modeling long-term systemic impact* What VCs should do to implement LCAs in their funds* And much more..
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***While traditional VC prioritizes financial returns, makesense invest is proving that social and environmental impact can be at the core of investing, without sacrificing performance. Marion Schuppe, an Investment Director at makesense Invest, joins the podcast to discuss their unique model that integrates a VC fund inside a non-profit. In this episode, we cover:* How makesense balances nonprofit with venture capital* Raising a first-time impact fund: lessons from securing LP commitments* Why their team takes zero carried interest, and where it goes instead* The reality of recruiting top talent without traditional VC compensation* How to measure success beyond financial returns* And much more.. ***⌛TIMESTAMPS * 00:00 – Introduction:* 02:23 Understanding Venture Capital* 05:34 Make Sense: Mission and Model* 09:08 Investment Strategy and Impact* 16:02 Challenges and Innovations in Impact Investing* 23:07 Raising and Structuring Impact Funds* 31:10 Investment Process and Criteria* 41:14 Future of Make Sense Invest* 45:44 Fire Questions and Closing Remarks***▶️ CONNECT WITH MARION* Marion Schuppe - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marion-schuppe-50b35345/***
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***Raphaele Leyendecker, a Managing Director at Techstars Sustainability Paris, where she has invested in 70+ climate tech startups, joins the podcast to discuss early-stage impact assessment and the french ecosystem as it compares to the global landscape. In this episode, we discuss:* Why early-stage impact assessment is often a myth* The biggest challenge for climate startups in France* How investors should really measure impact* The role of technological readiness levels (TRLs) in deep tech investing* How France's climate tech ecosystem compares to the US and Nordics* Why founders should focus on revenue before certifications* And more...***TIMESTAMPS * 00:00 – Introduction:* 01:14 – Why Impact Assessment is Overrated for Early-Stage Startups* 04:45 – Defining Impact Metrics That Matter* 07:32 – Revenue vs. Impact: What Should Startups Prioritize?* 12:10 – Tools & Frameworks for Impact Investors* 18:25 – The Role of TRLs in Deep Tech & Hard Tech Startups* 22:40 – The Strengths & Weaknesses of the French Climate Tech Ecosystem* 30:15 – Why France is Slow to Scale Climate Innovation* 35:50 – Comparing France to the US, Nordics & Germany* 40:10 – Rapid-Fire Q&A: Advice for Founders & Investors* 48:00 – Closing Thoughts***CONNECT WITH RAPHAELE▶️ Raphaele Leyendecker - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaeleleyendecker***CONNECT WITH ME ▶️ Newsletter - https://climateventuresvco2.substack.com/
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***Tim Schumacher, General Partner at World Fund, joins the podcast to share insights on building Europe's largest climate-tech VC and what it takes to back companies that even climate deniers would buy from.In our conversation, we explore:* World Fund's investment and fundraising strategy* Assessing startups with the climate performance potential (CPP) * Climate-tech that can sell to climate deniers * The founding of Ecosia* … and more!***TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction01:22 Tim's Journey from Software to Climate Tech 06:18 Ecosia: A Climate-Friendly Search Engine 14:57 World Fund's Investment Strategy 20:11 The Importance of CO2 Reduction 26:03 Assessing Climate Performance Potential (CPP) 31:12 Defining the Ideal Founder 33:42 Global Applicability and Market Fit 37:32 Due Diligence in Climate Tech Investments 40:51 Selling to Climate Deniers 43:55 Future Outlook for Climate Tech 48:05 Rapid-Fire Questions 54:52 Closing Thoughts and Final Words***FRAMEWORKS* Climate Performance Potential (CPP) - A methodology developed by World Fund to assess how much carbon a technology can save over time.STARTUPS* Ecosia – A search engine that uses ad revenue to plant trees.* Planet A – chocolate alternative made from oats and precision fermentation.* Anaphite – Developing new battery production methods for electric vehicles.* Aedifion – AI-powered energy optimization for buildingsFUNDS* European Investment Fund (EIF): A major LP in World Fund.* World Fund – Europe's largest climate-tech VC.* Better Ventures – An impact-focused angel investment group.* Energy Impact Partners (EIP) – A later-stage climate-tech fund.***GUEST▶️ Tim Schumacher - https://www.linkedin.com/in/timschumacher/
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***August Solliv, a former climate VC, and author of the newsletter Impact Supporters joins the podcast to dive into the learnings from the first wave of cleantech startups and what it means for today's climate-tech companies.In our conversation, we explore:* The reasons behind the rise and fall of Cleantech 1.0* The lessons learned for Climate Tech today.* The future of Climate Tech investments* ...and more! ***TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 01:15 Defining Cleantech 1.0 06:24 Case Study: Solyndra's Failure 20:21 Success Stories from Cleantech 1.0 27:38 The Emergence of Climate Tech 29:30 Differences Between Clean Tech and Climate Tech 38:26 The Future of Climate Tech Investments 41:12 Is Climate Tech Dead? 45:47 Rapid Fire Questions 50:31 Closing Thoughts and Recommendations***STUDIES* MIT Study on Cleantech 1.0 (2011)* John Doerr's Cleantech Reflections* "Impact" by Sir Ronald CohenSTARTUPS AND FUNDS* Solyndra* Tesla* Northvolt* Kleiner PerkinsCONCEPTS* Evergreen Funds* Cleantech 1.0 (2006–2011)* Climate Tech 2.0 (Post-2010s)* Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs)***GUEST▶️ August Solliv - https://www.linkedin.com/in/augustsolliv/***If you're new here, I'm Hugo Rauch, the founder of VCo2 media and an aspiring climate tech VC who shares insights, interviews, and research about venture capital and climate tech. I aim to help you become a better climate-tech entrepreneur and smarter impact investor. ***CONNECT WITH ME ▶️ Newsletter - https://climateventuresvco2.substack.com
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***Heidi Lindvall, a general partner at Pale Blue Dot, a climate-focused venture capital fund from the Nordics, joins the podcast to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities in building a VC firm centered around climate impact.In our conversation, we explore:* Her approach to assessing impact as a climate-tech VC * Why intentionality is the most important criteria for impact * What we can learn from traditional startups and VCs * And more.. ***TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction03:18 Why Invest in Climate Tech?05:31 Challenges and Opportunities in Climate Investing11:12 Understanding Impact Measurement22:23 Evaluating Founders and Intentionality30:46 Challenges with Climate Fund Restrictions34:39 Balancing Impact and Returns40:08 Annual Reporting and KPIs44:44 Carried Interest Linked to Impact47:22 Rapid Fire Questions54:15 Summary and Closing Remarks***REFERENCED• Impact Measurement Framework• SFDR Article 9 • Climate Pledge• Less is More by Jason Hickel***GUEST▶️ Heidi Lindvall - https://www.linkedin.com/heidi_lindvall***If you're new here, I'm Hugo Rauch, the founder of VCo2 media and an aspiring climate tech VC who shares insights, interviews, and research about venture capital and climate tech. I aim to help you become a better climate-tech entrepreneur and smarter impact investor. ***CONNECT WITH ME ▶️ Newsletter - https://climateventuresvco2.substack.com
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***Eric Gossart, a partner at Racine2, an 85 million euro impact fund focused on climate, health, and education, joins the podcast to discuss the differences between traditional venture capital and impact investing.In our conversation, we dive into:* The reasons behind his transition from traditional VC to impact investing* His approach to assessing and supporting impact-driven companies* The strategies he used and concerned he had when raising an impact fund***TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction07:48 Defining “Impact” in Venture Capital10:42 Challenges and Strategies in Impact Investing15:07 The Role of VCs in Shaping the Future21:25 Aligning Business Models with Impact26:54 Measuring and Reporting Impact33:59 Understanding Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)37:49 Equity Stories and Fundraising Challenges43:39 Raising an Impact Fund56:54 Fire Questions***REFERENCED• Jean Moreau • Cap Horn• Serena and Racine2• Technology Readiness Level• Planet A• France 2030 • Antidote au culte de la performance***GUEST▶️ Eric Gossart - https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-gossart***If you're new here, I'm Hugo Rauch, the founder of VCo2 media and an aspiring climate tech VC who shares insights, interviews, and research about venture capital and climate tech. I aim to help you become a better climate-tech entrepreneur and smarter impact investor. ***CONNECT WITH ME ▶️ Newsletter - https://climateventuresvco2.substack.com
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***Thomas Bajas, a VC at Founders Future, joins the podcast to discuss the energy market and how startups are trying to disrupt it. In our conversation, we explore:* The role of energy in modern economies and its link to climate change.* Innovations driving renewable energy, electrification, and smart grid technologies.* How to decarbonize energy and how we need to rethink the grid* Challenges for energy startups, from funding gaps to regulatory hurdles.* Venture capital's role in driving innovation within the energy sector.***TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 05:52 The Role of the Grid08:22 Decarbonizing the Energy Mix09:13 Energy Efficiency and Smart Grids19:59 The Future of Energy Startups41:57 Venture Capital in Energy48:40 Final Thoughts and Predictions***REFERENCED• Vaclav Smil's "How the World Really Works"• First of a Kind (FOAK) Infrastructure• Green Premium Concept• Transmission System Operators (TSOs)• Distribution System Operators (DSOs)• Behind the Meter• Front of the Meter• V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) and V2H (Vehicle-to-Home)• Startups: Plexigrid, Ampere Cloud, Plug***GUEST▶️ Thomas Bajas - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-bajas/***If you're new here, I'm Hugo Rauch, the founder of VCo2 media and an aspiring climate tech VC who shares insights, interviews, and research about venture capital and climate tech. I aim to help you become a better climate-tech entrepreneur and smarter impact investor. ***CONNECT WITH ME ▶️ Newsletter - https://climateventuresvco2.substack.com
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***Dan Bowyer, a partner at SuperSeed VC, a £50M UK fund investing in startups transforming the way the world works, joins the podcast to challenge conventional definitions of impact and climate tech.In our conversation, we explore:* The definition of impact and climate-tech* Doing more with less as a way to save the planet* How to transform industries through productivity and efficiency* Why B2B Startups can drive meaningful climate impact* The role of venture capital in creating scalable, sustainable change* Aligning economic and environmental goals in startup ecosystems* AI's potential to revolutionize climate innovation***TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction to Dan Bowyer and SuperSeed VC01:26 Dan's Investment Philosophy and Impact Definition02:46 Exploring Climate Tech and Impact05:45 Efficiency and Productivity in Business12:31 Examples of Impactful Investments26:05 The Role of Venture Capital in Climate Tech30:41 Rapid Fire Questions and Final Thoughts***REFERENCED• ThingTrax• Messium• AI Build• Maslow's hierarchy of needs• Impact Reporting (sfdr 9)• GenCast by DeepMind• PACT.VC***GUEST▶️ Dan Bowyer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danbowyer***If you're new here, I'm Hugo Rauch, the founder of VCo2 media and an aspiring climate tech VC who shares insights, interviews, and research about venture capital and climate tech. My goal is to help you become a better climate-tech entrepreneur and smarter impact investor. CONNECT WITH ME ▶️ Newsletter - https://climateventuresvco2.substack.com
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***Lisa Mangertseder, a venture capital associate at Carbon Removal Partners, joins the podcast to explore the critical role of carbon removal in combating climate change. Carbon Removal Partners has invested in 15+ startups including Climeworks, Carbonfuture, and Heirloom.In our conversation, we discuss:* The carbon removal methods: from nature-based to high-tech solutions* Measuring and verifying carbon removal effectively* Business models and the evolving role of buyers* The importance of venture capital in scaling carbon removal technologies* Challenges of achieving scalability and affordability* The significance of compliance markets in driving adoption* The future of carbon removal as a cornerstone for net-zero goals***TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 01:14 Understanding CO2 and Its Impact 04:34 The Rise of the Carbon Market 09:16 Carbon Removal Technologies Explained 18:53 Direct Air Capture: The High-Tech Solution 21:25 Business Models in Carbon Removal 22:16 Understanding Carbon Removal Credits 22:50 Key Players in the Carbon Removal Industry 23:21 Revenue Streams for Carbon Removal Companies 24:44 Buyers of Carbon Credits 26:05 Challenges in Carbon Removal 27:43 The Importance of Permanent Carbon Removal 30:14 Scalability and Affordability 37:27 The Role of Venture Capital43:15 Advice for Entrepreneurs and Investors 45:39 Future Milestones in Carbon Removal 46:51 Conclusion and Summary***REFERENCED• Kyoto Protocol (1997)• Paris Agreement (2015)• Technological Readiness Level (TRL)• CDR.fyi• IPCC Standards• Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement• Carbon Removal Resources Database***GUEST▶️ Lisa Mangertseder - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mangertseder***If you're new here, I'm Hugo Rauch, the founder of VCo2 media and an aspiring climate tech VC who shares insights, interviews, and research about venture capital and climate tech. My goal is to help you become a better climate-tech entrepreneur and smarter impact investor. CONNECT WITH ME ▶️ Newsletter - https://climateventuresvco2.substack.com
Welcome to VCo2, a podcast for people interested in building, investing, and supporting impact startups. My goal is to help you become a smarter climate-tech entrepreneur and better impact investor. *** I'm Hugo Rauch, the founder of VCo2, a media about climate tech and venture capital. I'm an aspiring climate tech VC who shares insights, interviews, and research to help climate tech founders and investors. *** TIMESTAMPS 00:00 The Climate Crisis: A Tipping Point 00:21 The Role of Venture Capital in Climate Tech 00:33 Meet Hugo Rauch and VCo2 Media 00:48 What to Expect from VCo2 Media 01:16 Join the Journey Towards Sustainability *** CONNECT WITH ME ▶️ Newsletter - https://climateventuresvco2.substack.com
Welcome to this new episode of Explore and thank you for your continuous support. If you want to support the show you can give a 5 stars review ✨ on Spotify/Apple podcast.This is the final episode of Explore Season 2 - thank you for your support! Together, we've grown the podcast and had the opportunity to speak with incredible guests. I'll share a dedicated post reflecting on the last six months soon, but don't worry Season 3 will bring even more learnings, there's plenty more to learn!This week, I sit down with Ethan Austin, former entrepreneur and founding partner at Outside VC. Ethan spent 7-years building GiveForward, a crowdfunding platform he sold to Gofundme. 2-years ago, he launched Outside VC with the goal of building a more equitable and just financial system through pre-seed investments ($100K-$250K first checks). In our conversation, Ethan talked about:* Founding a crowdfunding platform* Navigating early days as a non-technical founder * Securing investment by creating FOMO* Loosing everything after Facebook turned off traffic* Lessons learned from being part of Techstars* Tactical strategies for getting into accelerators* The importance of transparency and relationships with founders* Outside VC's investment philosophy * Understanding the economics of venture capital.Listen now on
Welcome to this new episode of Explore and thank you for your continuous support. If you want to support the show you can give a 5 stars review ✨ on Spotify/Apple podcast.This week, I sit down with Vanessa Larco, a former product manager that became a VC at NEA. Vanessa has spent 9+ years supporting companies like Microsoft and Twilio. She is also the co-founder of FunLoop, a company that she sold after a year. For the last 7-years she has been doing investments in Series A and B in North America. In our conversation, Vanessa talked about:* Growing up with a mom entrepreneur* How she discovered the product role at Microsoft* The creation of a gaming startup for children and her path to acquisition * The challenges of transitioning into VC and learning the ropes* How personal experiences can inform investment decisions* The role of VCs in supporting startups during challenging times* The importance of founder quality in startup success* The way she thinks about assessing product-market fit* How she supports founders through tough times as a VC* Practical advice for founders currently seeking investments* Why founders should do due diligence on VCs* Red flags that she looks for in startups * How to analyze a potential market Listen now on
Welcome to this new episode of Explore and thank you for your continuous support. If you want to support the show you can give a 5 stars review ✨ on Spotify/Apple podcast.This week, I sit down with Ben Lang, one of the first employees at Notion, the founder of next play and an active angel investor. In our conversation, Ben talked about:* Founding a mapping software with his father* Creating the Hummus Day as a side project * Discovering Notion on Product Hunt and launching notion-pages.com* Joining Notion after emailing Ivan Zhao and flying to SF to meet the team* Developing the template gallery and the ambassador program* Notion's unique startup culture and traditions that made it great* Transitioning to Angel Investing and starting as an apprentice * His investment thesis, sourcing mechanism, and support to foundersListen now on
Welcome to this new episode of Explore and thank you for your continuous support, I wanted to let you know that the best way to send me some love is to give a 5 stars review ✨ on Spotify/Apple podcast. This week, I sit down with Edrizio de la Cruz the co-founder of Arcus that he sold to Mastercard, a former visiting partner at Y-Combinator and CEO of the Founder School. Tune in to learn about the highs and lows of a startup and get valuable advice.In our conversation, he shares:* How he went from being an airplane mechanic to an investment banker* The creation of Arcus to tackle the remittance market through gift cards* Being rejected from all accelerators, except Y-Combinator* Pivoting and focusing on LATAM bills payments through API integration* How to maintain team's motivation during challenging periods* How they got acquired by Mastercard in a prolonged negotiation process* Becoming a visiting partner at Y-Combinator and coaching founders* How he supports entrepreneurship for underrepresented tech professionals * Going to the Whitehouse to talk about venture capital and startups Listen now on
Welcome to this new episode of Explore and thank you for your continuous support, I wanted to let you know that the best way to send me some love is to give a 5 stars review ✨ on Spotify/Apple podcast. Thank you OpenVC for keeping this content free for our listeners. OpenVC is a fundraising platform used by 10,000 founders and 5,000 investors. You can use the code: "EXPLORE” to upgrade to OpenVC Premium and get a 20% discount.
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
Welcome to this new episode of Explore!
In this episode of Explore, I sat down with Abi Bouhmaida, the founder of For Good Code
In this episode of Explore, I sat down with Kevin Jurovich, the CEO and founder of Circles
In this episode, the last of season 1, I sat down with Francis Barel, the General Manager of PayPal France!
In this episode of Explore, I sat down with Naomi Titleman, a renowned HR expert with a successful corporate track record, most recently as the former vice president of human resources at American Express
In this 5th episode of Explore, I welcomed Tima Elhajj, the woman that builds personal brands for the most famous CEOs in the world!
In this 4th episode of Explore, I welcomed Leyla Acaroglu, a chief circular designer, public speaker, entrepreneur and united nation environment program champion of the earth!
In this 3rd episode of Explore, I welcomed David Pullara, an ex-Google, Starbucks and Coca Cola employee, currently chief marketing officer, teacher and writer!
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