Hyde Park Venture Partners

I could not be more excited to announce the acquisition of the company I founded AmpliFund by Euna Solutions. Press release here https://lnkd.in/gZ6ibXaR. Thank you to the customers, board members, employees, partners and investors that made this possible. One group specifically that deserves a tremendous amount of credit for this success is the leadership team at AmpliFund. Lead by our CEO Scott Smith and joined by Rachel Bennett, Correen Brown, Jillian Neimeister, CGMS, PMP, Scott Weiss and Jason Yu this team created fantastic growth, while building a data focused discipline and a customer centric approach resulting in this great outcome. This was a long and winding road starting as StreamLink Software Inc. (named by wife) with our first product BoardMax that was acquired by Diligent allowing us to focus on grants with AmpliFund. While this was probably the second hardest (first was 3 kids under 18 months) endeavor I have taken on it has been so rewarding. As I move forward I am thrilled by the opportunity to see what can be accomplished as part of Euna Solutions, which will provide many opportunities for our product, employees and customers. For those that impacted AmpliFund from my early advisors and employees, to the first iteration of our board, to the current group mentioned above, you know who you are.....and I thank you! This success is your success.

Is loving leadership possible in the fast-paced world of startups? It might seem like a stretch. But in the latest episode of the Love Lead Change podcast, Simon and I talk with Jim Conti, Talent Partner at Hyde Park Venture Partners, who has seen firsthand how love can shape high-performing, early-stage teams. Jim shares thoughtful, practical insights on: ?? Practicing love in the high-pressure startup environment ?? Supporting founders in building people-first systems ?? Navigating the challenges of leading with love when stakes are high ?? And his hopeful vision for the future of leadership Listen to the full episode: https://lnkd.in/giW_xnVh P.S. Know a loving leader with a story to share? Send me a DM! I'd love to connect. ??

Customers often ask us, “Can SlipBots really handle ALL my freight?” At Slip Robotics, we believe automation should work for all freight—not just standard pallets. That’s why we built SlipBot+, a suite of modular attachments that let SlipBots auto-load/unload loose, oversized, and non-stackable freight just as easily as anything else. ?? SlipBot+Bin is ideal for fluid-loaded parcels, increasing throughput to 1,200+ parcels per hour and cutting dock dwell times by 90%. Modular walls enable swarm access, reducing overall freight processing time by 60%+. ?? SlipBot+Rack transforms non-stackable freight into stackable units, more than doubling trailer capacity. It’s infinitely configurable, using standard load bars, straps, and E-Track connectors to secure fragile, irregular, and soft-packaged freight. And that’s just the beginning. Some freight doesn’t fit neatly into racks. Some can’t be stacked at all. That’s why we built solutions for that, too. ?? See what’s possible: https://lnkd.in/eVQBdVXE We built SlipBot+ with and for our customers. Their operations needed more flexibility, so we made it happen. And today, SlipBot+ is ready to move more freight, faster. ?? Watch the video to see SlipBot+ attachments in action. #SlipBot #SlipBot+ #Automation #SupplyChain #Logistics #TruckLoading

Last night at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in Toronto, we hosted a powerful discussion on how Canadian founders can break into the U.S. market. ?????????? Maggie Bolt (Forum Ventures) led the conversation with Zach Johnston (2048 VC), David B. (Mucker Capital), Ibrahim Ashqar (Lumi AI), and Victoria Leon (Hyde Park Venture Partners). ?? Top Takeaways: ? Think global, not just Canada – U.S. VCs back companies with global potential. Canadian founders should avoid positioning themselves as the "X for Canada." Investors want companies that can scale globally and compete on the world stage. ? Network early & often – Relationships drive U.S. fundraising success. While remote fundraising is possible, a U.S. presence (especially in key tech hubs) significantly increases credibility and access to capital. Warm introductions and a strong network are crucial. ? Delaware C-Corp? Maybe not Flipping to a Delaware C-Corp isn’t always necessary. Maintaining CCPC status can offer tax and grant advantages—so understand the trade-offs before making the move. ? U.S. traction matters – Investors prioritize product, team & traction. Economic shifts have made investors more selective. Canadian founders should refine their pitch to emphasize these three core pillars: ?? A compelling product solving a real problem ?? A team with strong execution capabilities ?? Demonstrable traction (U.S. customers are a huge plus!) ? Keep everything in USD – It simplifies cross-border fundraising. Thank you to our panellists and everyone who joined! Let’s keep building bridges. ????

Loyalty partnerships and integrations are broken and outdated – so we’re fixing them. Excited to introduce our new startup, Benji: A next-generation platform that will re-imagine how brands launch loyalty partnerships, manage campaigns and reward their members. Best of all, I’m launching it with the best builders I know: Arik Gaisler and Jon Elron. If you’d like to join us, we’re hiring for two critical roles where you’ll be shaping the trajectory of the company: 1) Founding Engineer (New York preferred): https://lnkd.in/g86y9MWn 2) Implementation & Customer Success Manager (Chicago preferred): https://lnkd.in/ga-9BKNd If you’re passionate about disrupting a notoriously complex space with a beautiful, modern solution – hit me up, we have work to do! PS: We’re fortunate to be backed by incredible VCs and angels: Hyde Park Venture Partners (Ira Weiss, Allison Lechnir, Greg Barnes), at.inc/ (Nadav Eylath), Preface Ventures (Farooq Abbasi), M25 (Victor Gutwein, Mike Asem), Great North Ventures (Robert Weber), ethan austin, Sean Harper, Ryan Coon, John (JR) Renaldi

Last week we had the privilege to visit one of our partners, Hyde Park Venture Partners who hosted a guest lecture with The Grainger College of Engineering + Engineering City Scholars. Allison Lechnir and Jim Conti, thank you so much for coordinating the session and hosting our students. We are so grateful for sharing your investment thesis and personal journeys, and we are so excited to grow the tech community in Chicago with you. Appreciate your partnership and looking forward to working together long term :) ?? ??