Insights
venture capital
From the real-world impact of AI and the rise of operator-investors, to the growing influence of women and underestimated founders in the funding landscape. Sarah breaks down what’s happening beyond Silicon Valley, explore how capital and media now move together, and spotlight the billion-dollar ideas driving the next wave of innovation.
- Billion Dollar Moves Episodes, Personal Growth, Startups, Venture Capital
Unleashing Africa’s Tech Potential: Investing in Emerging Markets with Eunice Ajim
Long before AI became a buzzword, Vu Van recognized its transformative potential. Combining her deep understanding of language learning with her AI expertise, Vu Van founded ELSA (English Language Speech Assistant) in 2015. ELSA, an AI-powered learning app, provides users with an interactive and personalized approach to improving English pronunciation,
50 million users later, over $27 million dollars raised, with investors including Gradient Ventures, Google’s dedicated AI fund, this is a conversation not to be missed.
- Billion Dollar Moves Episodes, Personal Growth, Startups, Venture Capital
Scaling to $2 billion, Backed By Oprah and Finally Getting to His Why
Nearly 25% of fruits and vegetables are lost globally, and a shocker to some North America is among the global regions with the highest level of food waste. For the company Apeel — mitigating food waste is a multi trillion dollar market opportunity they’re working on, made even more critical by the pandemic.
To keep fruits lasting longer, Apeel has engineered an edible coating product made from plant materials that can make fruit last two to three times as long and is today is commercially available for avocados, organic apples and citrus fruits (mandarins, lemons, limes, finger limes).
- Billion Dollar Moves Episodes, Personal Growth, Startups, Venture Capital
Unleashing AI & The Future of XR with Martina Welkhoff
Unless you’re living under a rock, you know that ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm. And with it, a whole conversation surrounding AI, it’s opportunities and yes perils. Well, to go deeper in this, I’m excited to speak with someone who has been working in this space of AI, VR and XR, immersive and extended reality long before it was the hype it is today. Martina Welkhoff, Managing Partner of WXR fund, an early stage fund that invests in two of the greatest opportunities of our time: the next wave of computing + female entrepreneurs; with companies like Obsess AI, BODs and Embodied labs in her portfolio.
- Billion Dollar Moves Episodes, Personal Growth, Startups, Venture Capital
Leveraging Community to Invest in the Future with Jenny Fielding, Everywhere Ventures
Founder turned Funder, from Head of Digital Ventures of the BBC to Managing Director of Techstars, to now Managing Partner of Everywhere Ventures with 250 portfolio companies and counting, Jenny Fielding is the ultimate community builder and investor. Together with Scott Hartley, Jenny is today pursuing a global strategy, as U.S. venture capitalists have taken a step back from deals abroad; launching a new $25M fund, to be the first-check in for startups building in the future of money, health and work.
What does investing as a community mean, what do we think about the upset we’re hearing about Y Combinator’s new terms, how do you manage 500 Limited Partner investors in your fund and what is Jenny’s deepest insecurity? We cover it all and more.
- Billion Dollar Moves Episodes, Personal Growth, Startups, Venture Capital
From Lab to Table: The Startup Founder Revolutionizing the Seafood Industry | Sandhya Sriram, Shiok Meats
What does it take to sell and execute on what feels like an impossible vision?
This, is the task of a stem-cell scientist turned founder who is tapping into the multi-billion opportunity to create lab-grown crustacean meat.
Under Dr. Sandhya Sriram's leadership, Shiok Meats today is the world’s first cultivated shellfish meat company, and Southeast Asia’s first cultivated seafood and meat company. The startup’s mission is to bring delicious, sustainable, and healthy seafood to your table, using the cellular agriculture technology to grow meat from stem cells instead of slaughtering animals.Since its inception in 2018, they have grown from 2 to over 50 employees today, made a strategic acquisition themselves, raised over USD 30 Million dollars from big names from Y Combinator to Korean Conglomerate CJ’s Food Arm.
- Billion Dollar Moves Episodes, Startups, Venture Capital
Riding the Venture Downcycle: Investing in Southeast Asia with Dmitry Levit, Cento Ventures
This week we are up for a treat as we take a turn to Southeast Asia—we bust some myths about Southeast Asia's VC activity and the narratives driving the expansion seen in the region. The key question: will the momentum survive this downcycle?
You’re tuning into a two-part episode with venture capitalist Dmitry Levit, Russian-born Israeli citizen who is now deemed an expert of investing in SEA having spent more than a decade building his firm Cento Ventures. They typically invest in Series A and lead the round. Notable investments include 2C2P, Pomelo, iPrice and Kaidee, formerly led by Tiwa York who we also had on the show.
- Billion Dollar Moves Episodes, Personal Growth, Startups, Venture Capital
Building World-Class Brands & Rising with Authenticity with Eric Toda
Exiled from the only place she knew to be home, Iranian singer, Gola (Golazin) shares her story on how her first hand experiences of life under the oppressive Iranian Regime shaped her as a fearless, international women’s rights advocate. Fighting everyday to have her voice heard since female solo singers are not allowed to release songs or perform publicly in Iran, Gola shows us what pushing boundaries and true bravery means; and how at the edge of your deepest fear could lay your greatest potential.
- Billion Dollar Moves Episodes, Personal Growth, Startups, Venture Capital
Scaling Yourself As CEO with Kim Yao
Exiled from the only place she knew to be home, Iranian singer, Gola (Golazin) shares her story on how her first hand experiences of life under the oppressive Iranian Regime shaped her as a fearless, international women’s rights advocate. Fighting everyday to have her voice heard since female solo singers are not allowed to release songs or perform publicly in Iran, Gola shows us what pushing boundaries and true bravery means; and how at the edge of your deepest fear could lay your greatest potential.