Founder Buddies

What does "Investing in Kindness" mean to you? I am launching a new research project asking just that. Five years ago today, I launched Women in Exploration for my birthday. That project has been an incredible learning experience and has provided content to thousands of people. Now, on my birthday again, I am launching something new—and I hope it will be just as impactful. Investing in Kindness is a research project exploring how kindness influences leadership, investing, and business outcomes. Through a global survey and a series of interviews, I want to understand whether kindness—often dismissed as “soft”—can actually be a competitive advantage in business. Can it strengthen teams? Build trust? Drive performance? I was inspired to start this project after hearing a talk where an investor implied that backing a kind and thoughtful founder was a bad bet. I, of course, did not love hearing that. The video is of me answering the question: What drives you when you wake up? Simply put, I want to make the world a better place. I believe that one way to do this is by investing in the good—companies that are doing good, founders driven by values, and everyday acts of kindness. I hope to learn from all of the brilliant minds around me—what is the return on investment in bringing more kindness into our business decisions? I would love your input: ?? Share with your network: https://lnkd.in/e3vFrk6V ?? Fill out the short questionnaire: https://lnkd.in/eAeBbCkK ??? Sign up to be interviewed: https://lnkd.in/erqAwSZX Let’s build a global picture of what “Investing in Kindness” really means—and what it can make possible. Hopefully great things ?? ?? Video from SXSW German Haus in Austin - on stage with Anne Cocquyt, Nyla Beth Gawel, Sonja Jost, and Marie-Louise Sadakane. Let's chat... Ferdinand Mühlh?user ?????? | Robert Hindman | Doreen Marchetti | David Leighton | Bun Lai | Ashley Pullen | Kikanu Doreen | Leander N. | Justin Fornal | Andrew Tauhert | Synthia Tahsin Synthi | Nupur Garg, MD, DipABLM | Bryony Cooper | Dalia Hierro | Darya Kamkalova | Cate Luzio | Dr. Janet Walsh | Vicki Salemi | Kai Malkwitz | Lavinia Ionita & many more :) Founder Buddies #InvestingInKindness #Leadership #Startups #ImpactInvesting #Innovation

???Calling all technical founders!??? Are you building the next big breakthrough in?enterprise AI, healthcare, or industrial automation? Or know a founder who is??Fusion Fund is hosting Q2 Office Hours in Palo Alto on April 15th, and we’d love to meet you. This is a chance to get?confidential feedback?from our team of experienced investors who have backed transformational startups. We’re looking for?technically driven founders?redefining industries. ???Meet the Investors At office hours, you’ll meet?Fusion Fund’s investment team, including David Gerster, Ivneet Bhullar, Ryan JB Taylor, Charlotte Xia, and me - all of whom bring deep operational and technical expertise scaling early-stage startups. ???Who should apply? ?? Early-stage founders leveraging?data and technology?to solve complex problems ?? Founders who haven’t raised a seed round yet but want to sharpen their?product, GTM, and fundraising strategy ???How to Apply April 4:?Final deadline to submit your application April 9:?Founders notified of acceptance to the program If selected, you’ll receive a link to sign up for a?1:1 meeting?with our investors on April 15th. Apply now, and let’s build the future together! https://lnkd.in/ghNN_Cg7

My first #SXSW 1. Lots of humans ?? 2. Many thanks to the German Haus , Digital Hub Initiative , Sarah Gholiha, Kiana Frank for inviting me to speak! 3. Great to chat about how #AI is shaping #storytelling and have the opportunity to explore the topic on our panel with Anne-Sophie Panzer, Burkhard Müller, and Philipp Feit. 4. #Innovation ??Very happy to be on a panel about innovation and #womeninstem with Anne Cocquyt, Nyla Beth Gawel, Sonja Jost, and Marie-Louise Sadakane. 5. IRL: Ferdinand Mühlh?user ?????? from Founder Institute Berlin / Germany | Cate Luzio many thanks for the lovely event invites! | Gianfranco Miranda Quintana | Lucas Ocon | Michael Grinn, MD, MPH & Kate Gardiner & Peggy Yin

?? Today in Austin #SXSW ?? I hope to see you at the Speakeasy Music Lounge German Haus SXSW Monday, March 10, 2025 @ 12:20 pm - 1:20 pm, ???The Art of Storytelling: AI, Branding, Creativity ??Exploring how AI is shaping branding, design, and storytelling while keeping creativity at the core. @ 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm, ??Breaking Barriers & Building Futures: Women Shaping Tomorrow's Innovation ?? A discussion on the influence of women in tech and their role in driving innovation. #GermanHaus #dehub #AI #Storytelling #WomenInTech #Innovation Digital Hub Initiative

Founder Institute had #FounderX in Austin, TX the past few days. Learning founder stories from Allison Ellsworth (poppi) and Linda Avey (23andMe) - awesome. Meeting and learning from fellow local leaders, alumni, mentors, investors, and partners from 41 countries made the event. Incredibly interesting to chat with Andrew Tauhert the Chief Impact Officer at XPRIZE - reviewing the current open calls and discussing the process around how new ones are brought into the fold - inspiring! Speaking with Neil Vidyarthi from Feel Good Games about storytelling was great prep for my panel The Art of Storytelling: AI, Branding, Creativity on Monday at the German Haus (SXSW) and I love seeing opportunities for Women in Exploration to bring stories in new ways. Great conversations about Founder Buddies and the importance of working together for a supportive founder environment with Akshay Bajaj, Andrew Martinko, PMP, Mohd Santarissy, Lina G. Rugova, Christine C., Godson Inikori, & more ?? Learning from Anthony Rose about helping founders automate their legal needs - super helpful. The pitches were impactful and I especially love hearing about what's next in #spacetech ??. I even had the opportunity to spend a little time with a robot dog and learn about its applications for LiDAR and more ???? ?? I hung out with my Founder Institute Berlin / Germany team member, Ferdinand Mühlh?user ?????? IRL & ?? Mercedes Bankston from the Silicon Valley chapter. Many thanks to everyone from FI that made this event a success: Martín Martinez Jonathan Greechan Adeo Ressi Janet Todorova Ryan Micheletti Ayhan K. Isaacs Scout Tweedie-Yates and more... ?? #startups #innovation #sxsw #womenentrepreneurs #founderinstitute

?? SXSW 2025 – Let's Talk! ?? I am excited to be part of SXSW 2025 joining the German Delegation and taking part in two engaging conversations at the German Haus . ?? Moderating: The Art of Storytelling: AI, Branding, Creativity ?? Exploring how AI is shaping branding, design, and storytelling while keeping creativity at the core. With: Anne-Sophie Panzer, Co-Founder & COO, ZAUBAR Burkhard Müller, CDO, Mutabor Philipp Feit, CCO, German Wahnsinn ?? Panelist: Breaking Barriers & Building Futures: Women Shaping Tomorrow's Innovation ?? A discussion on the influence of women in tech and their role in driving innovation. With moderator Marie-Louise Sadakane, CEO, Fake Agency, and fellow panelists: Sonja Jost, Founder, DUDE CHEM Anne Cocquyt, Founder & CEO, The GUILD Nyla Beth Gawel, Founder & CEO, NBG Strategy Consulting ?? I am looking forward to connecting, sharing insights, and collaborating with global innovators. ?? Meet us at German Haus in Austin! ?? german-haus.com #SXSW #GermanHaus #dehub #AI #Storytelling #WomenInTech #Innovation Digital Hub Initiative

This is money raised for Femtech only. The blue bar is what men-only team raised. You'd think no women are trying to build Femtech! That's absolutely NOT the case. Its infuriatingly hard for investors, apparently, to invest into the bodies who knows the problems the best. It's important and great that men innovate in Femtech, but they really must do it on eye level with women. This is what I suggest: VCs - ask teams to be gender balanced, make it a requirement. Don't accept Femtech founding teams with no females. #femtech #vc Source dealroom.co

?? Voices of Women 48+ Community Research ?? Founder Buddies and Dalia Consulting are teaming up on a new project focused on?community building for women over 50! We are in the?research phase?and would love to hear your thoughts. ??Please take 3 minutes to share your thoughts in our survey: https://lnkd.in/gpADPqCb ?? Bonus: Participants get?10% off?when we launch!??? ??? Double Bonus: Participants who enter by April 1st will be entered into a raffle to win a $100 gift card to Whole Foods! ?? ?? ?? Please share this post?with your networks to help us reach more women. Thank you! Dalia Hierro #womensupportingwomen #innovation #communitybuilding

Opportunity to Pitch Your Idea ????? Free Pitch Event | Thursday, February 13 All are welcome: - Attend & Pitch to get direct, actionable feedback that will help improve your pitch. - Attend & Watch to learn about new startup ideas and see how pitches are analyzed. Sign-up for free here: https://lnkd.in/eWAWU2dr. Our Panel: Darya Kamkalova | Bryony Cooper | Raluca Bujoreanu | Me :) Thursday, February 13 @ 6 PM CEST (9 AM PST | 12 Noon EST) - Pitches will be 3 minutes audio only (on camera, but no slides) - Event is in English Our Founder Institute Berlin / Germany team: Mohammad Hossein Tavangar | Kai Malkwitz | Amanda Fornal | Ferdinand Mühlh?user ?????? | ? Nathan Evans ? | Rikke Klitskov #entrepreneurship #startups #womenentrepreneurs #womeninbusiness

?????? Exploring the Holiday Season?????? Happy to share that I will be speaking tomorrow, Saturday, December 21 about holiday celebrations! It will be an interactive event with trivia, breakouts, and fun information about global celebrations! All are welcome! It is a free event with WITI & Women in Exploration #exploration