Good day everyone,
This is the Flowlie newsletter with insights on VC & PE: from operations, tech, and tax matters to trends, notable guides, and news on recent capital raises. We hope you enjoy it and find some value!
This week’s newsletter is sponsored by Aura. It uses cutting-edge AI technology to scan the internet to identify where your personal information is exposed and being sold. With Aura, you can reduce robocalls and keep your information safe from identity thieves. Our readers get to try Aura free for 2 weeks and see if thier information has been compromised. Start Free Trial here ✅
Our second sponsor for the week is AI Tool Report. You can learn about using AI in daily life to increase your productivity: from building your brand to writing a high-conversion copy. Subscribe here ✅
Articles we enjoyed:
1️⃣ Carta’s quarterly report on the startup ecosystem is out. Read more here.
Across all funding stages, Q2 valuations came in above those of Q1. Series B and C in particular saw substantial gains over recent lows in median pre-money valuations. Median round sizes saw more muted increases across the venture ecosystem. Although the final numbers on total rounds and capital raised are not yet available for Q2, they are almost certain to come in above Q1 on both counts.
2️⃣ “Angel Investing: Start with a Plan”. Read here.
Angel investing can help you advance your career as a venture capitalist by breaking free from the limitations of the "Jr. VC Catch-22."
To make the most of it, create a plan for your target portfolio and treat it like a fund. Determine your budget, decide how many investments you want to make, and consider the size of each investment. This helps create a balanced portfolio.
Angel investing offers benefits beyond financial returns, such as building relationships with founders and showcasing your investment expertise. However, be cautious to avoid potential career risks when investing outside your VC employer.
Stick to your plan and resist the temptation to deviate, whether due to early success or failure. Following through with your strategy increases your chances of long-term success. Take good notes and document the process (hint: Flowlie).
3️⃣ GPT-4 is now publicly available via API to everyone. Developers rejoice! More announcements can be found here.
Venture announcements that caught our eye:
1️⃣ Voice.ai, a company focused on voice modification technology, has raised $6 million. The company's tools, available as apps for various platforms, are already being adopted by gamers, content creators, and users on platforms like TikTok, Zoom, and Discord. The funding will be used to develop new software development kits and APIs, support additional platforms, add multi-language support, and explore applications like singing where voice is central. The company aims to democratize voice AI technology and make it accessible to individuals at an affordable cost.
2️⃣ Sales performance and intelligence platform Weflow has raised $3.2 million in a seed funding round led by Gradient Ventures, Google's AI fund. Weflow aims to address challenges faced by revenue teams, such as inaccurate data, lack of visibility, and forecast accuracy, by providing a revenue workspace that integrates with Salesforce, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365.
3️⃣ Not everything goes up and to the right, not even what a16z touches. US-based fintech PeerStreet, a platform for investing in real estate debt, has announced it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a court in Delaware. The company last raised $60 million in a Series C funding round led by Colchis Capital in 2019.
Flowlie news 🎉
No major updates this week, but as always, you are welcome to check out Flowlie. We help investors with Deal Screening & Deal Management and founders with Deck Sharing & Fundraising Analytics.
As always, feel free to email us with any questions,
Mike from Flowlie