Valor VC

Is SaaS dead? What is the next market wave? Find out more at my 11th annual Venture Atlanta Entrepreneur & Investor only breakfast.?Since 2013, one of my passions has been building bridges between Atlanta and other top tech ecosystems across the country, particularly with San Francisco and Silicon Valley.?I’m excited to continue that mission with this year’s incredible line-up of speakers. Thanks to Lynne Laube from Valor VC, Mark Suster from Upfront Ventures, Victoria Treyger from Felicis, and Leura Craig from Outlander VC for coming together this October for a dynamic discussion and to engage with Atlanta’s premier entrepreneurs and investors at the Venture Atlanta Conference! Special thanks to Scott Lopano, F. Peter Franconi, Allyson Eman, Erik Sebusch, and the Venture Atlanta Conference Board for their partnership on this special event. CBRE, #Technology, #VentureCapital, #ChooseATL

I recently helped a startup organizing an internal #hackacthon. Sharing a few insights that might help if you're considering doing one too. I'm a big fan of a well planned hackathon. Great team building, can boost innovation and can really help sharing tech knowledge across teams. And should be fun too of course! https://lnkd.in/ep4ngDTT

Today for ATL's Innovation Week and Venture Atlanta Conference, we're dropping what may be Atlanta's FIRST synthetic podcast, 100% narrated, scripted, and recorded by #AI. It's about . . . #VC fundraising and investing in our new AI-augmented reality. ?? Take a listen and please share your thoughts below. Link in first comment.

Thank you Startup Atlanta for the honor of being chosen as your Investor of the Year 2024! Grateful to visionary sponsors IFUSION CONSULTING LIMITED and Jacqui C., Dell Technologies, J.P. Morgan, and more for making this celebration of our ecosystem possible. Two quick reflections: 1. Right after stepping off the stage, someone congratulated me with, “I remember meeting you and thinking, who IS this #woman starting a venture firm?” Yes, that’s me—the first woman to launch a VC in Atlanta. ?? Being FIRST is something so many of us share in this city. I stand with a growing army of Atlanta pioneers in #innovation, and many of you heroes are Valor VC investors--thank YOU for making this recognition (and our successes) possible. 2. When Atlanta plays any game--soccer, football, or innovation--we don’t just raise the score; we challenge the rules. We have a unique culture that's diverse, inclusive, pragmatic, and friendly. We have a LOT to bring to #venture. The broader #VC world doesn’t quite know what to make of Atlanta’s everyday inclusion and boldness, but we're educating them. ?? Atlanta owns the will and the talent to win big. One thing we need more of, is capital. So today, I'm asking you--please ask your financial advisor, RIA, college endowment, or employer pension fund just how they’re exposing YOU to this booming ecosystem and the wealth we're creating in it. It is large institutions that fuel venture capital globally. In Atlanta, very few of these organizations have chosen to fund local venture firms that fund local founders. YOU can change that. No one’s coming to do it "for us." We build the culture we get to thrive in every day. Now is the always the right time to choose to win here, where we live, together. Kauffman Fellows Donnie Beamer Jr., CFA +Thank you Aqila Zafar Jafri for the video!

The future of work is evolving at lightning speed. As AI continues to advance, it’s not about machines taking over—it’s about amplifying human potential. The most creative, meaningful, and impactful work will always remain in human hands. In a compelling interview featured in CEOWORLD magazine with Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, Nick Smith dives into how AI enhances, rather than replaces, human ingenuity. Discover why the future lies in the powerful synergy between humans and AI, unlocking our ability to focus on what truly matters. ?? Check out the full article: https://lnkd.in/g29aRtnE #AI #FutureOfWork #SalesTechnology #AIForSales #Innovation?#sailesmissionelevate #Sailes

I hate the questions. I hate asking friends for money. I hate the lack of transparency. These were the top frustrations shared by early-stage founders at a workshop yesterday at ATDC. I helped them reframe these challenges, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on how to make #fundraising less burdensome in the comments. 1. Reframe fundraising as finding partners in success. As a founder, you’re a #wealth generator, driving growth, innovation, and job creation. You need financial fuel, and you are someone’s opportunity. As one attendee said, imagine having a rocketship company and not asking friends to invest early—how hurt would they be later? 2. Address transparency by asking better questions. #VCs are people too, and they may assume you know more about their process than you do. Start by qualifying them: ? Ask about deals they’ve done recently. ? Find out their typical entry stage, check size, and whether they prefer to lead or follow. ? If they lead, and they’re aligned with your sector, ask for advice on accelerating your business. If they often follow, ask for introductions to leads they know. 3. Avoid unqualified VCs. Many founders hate answering endless questions from VCs who aren’t well-versed in their industry. Curious by nature, VCs love to learn, but that doesn’t mean you should spend weeks explaining your sector to them! Set a bar for who you engage with. Save your energy for those who truly fit your fundraising goals. Thanks Dr. Caroline M. Ford for the opportunity to connect with these engaging founders! Want to see get in some live fundraising practice? Sign up for Startup Runway Oct 10 -- https://lnkd.in/e_KfmnyY