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2024 Annual Report Mrizek Global Triple Bottom Line Impact https://lnkd.in/gvDecz7E @jmrizek

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2025 List of Incubator and Accelerator options, starting with VC-run programs: - Greylock's Edge Program - $500K+ - Sequoia Capital's Arc - $500K-$1M - Lightspeed's Launch Program (undisclosed) - Designer Fund's Partnership - $500K for 5% - Andreessen Horowitz' Talent x Opportunity, Start Programs, and Crypto Startup Accelerator - $500K-$1M+ - Bain Capital Ventures' Founders Studio - Pre-Seed/Seed (undisclosed) - [Immigrant Founders Only] Unshackled Ventures - Pre-Seed - Village Global's Pre-Seed Accelerator - Afore Capital VC Founder In-Residence Program- Pre-Seed $100K-$500K For more traditional Incubators and Accelerators to keep an eye on: - Y Combinator — Pre-Seed — $500K for 10% - Techstars — Pre-Seed — $100K+ - LAUNCH's Accelerator — Pre-Seed/Seed - Pear VC — Pre-Seed — $250K-$2M - [New York City-specific] AlleyCorp's Startup Studio — Pre-Seed/Seed — $100K+ - IDEO CoLab Ventures – Pre-Seed/Seed – $250K+ - Seed Club's – Pre-Seed/Seed – ~$200K+ (cohort based) For something a bit 'earlier', check out these Pre-Idea Programs: - South Park Commons — Pre-Idea — up to $1M - Founders, Inc. — Pre-Idea/Pre-Seed — undisclosed - ODF — Pre-Idea one-week intensive - Founder University — Pre-Idea/Pre-Seed - buildspace — Pre-Idea/Pre-Seed Every year, I update this - a list kept from my time in Venture - and release it with the hope that it helps one or two friends get started on that 'next thing'. Comment below if you'd like access to the full doc (LinkedIn limits linking in posts) or tag a friend that should have it ↓

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How to Crush Pre-Seed Fundraising in the New Year Raising money at the pre-seed stage is one of the hardest challenges for founders. You’re asking investors to bet on an idea that’s still taking shape while they’re looking for proof your startup can become a winning business. Why is it so tough, and what can you do to boost your chances? Visible Hands, a venture fund, broke down how the year shaped up for early-stage startups (source). Here are the key takeaways: 1?? Pre-seed is the new seed. Back in the day, seed rounds were smaller (around $1M) and meant for testing hypotheses. Now, they’ve grown to $3M+ with investors expecting solid progress. Pre-seed founders are stuck bridging the gap that seed used to cover. 2?? More startups, less cash. Entrepreneurial activity is off the charts: roughly 430,000 new businesses are registered every month in the U.S.—that’s up 50% from 2019. But venture funds are pulling back on deals. In 2024, they raised nearly half as much capital as they did two years ago. 3?? Funding inequality persists. Women founders and underrepresented groups still face hurdles. In 2023, startups founded solely by women received just 2.1% of all VC funding. 4?? Funds are moving upmarket. Small funds are struggling to survive because of limited management fees. As a result, many are shifting from pre-seed to seed and Series A deals. How to Win in 2025 ?? Be ready for a grind. Getting funded at pre-seed is tough, so gear up for a long process. These rounds often involve a mix of angel investors, accelerators, and small checks from funds. ?? Tap into the right programs. There are more initiatives now for early-stage founders: ?? Ultra VC backs early-stage startups. Their accelerator kicks off in March 2025 (details). ?? Pre-Seed to Succeed (P2S) invests in startups with early traction. ?? Sell your vision. At this stage, investors care more about your big-picture vision and growth potential than current numbers. Make sure your pitch is inspiring. ?? Build sustainable models. Aim to generate revenue quickly and keep expenses low. Use tools like AI to speed up product testing and launches. ?? Network like crazy. If you don’t have investor connections, find them through accelerators, industry events, or online communities. Pre-seed isn’t just about raising money—it’s about proving your idea, showing grit, and staying focused. The founders who succeed are the ones who keep going no matter what. ?? What’s been your biggest challenge at the pre-seed stage? Drop your thoughts or tips in the comments below!

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Merry Christmas! #mrizekglobal wishes you a warm cozy season full of joy, rest, family, reunion, and generosity! Jeffrey Mrizek, EdD, MBA