In venture capital, the real power often lies not just in finding great founders or securing great LPs — but in understanding who bridges the gap. Consulting firms are the unseen gatekeepers of the investment world. They are the connectors — the ones who sit between angel investors, high-net-worth individuals, VC funds, and founders. This year alone, I’ve pitched 22 times for our fund. Through those conversations, I’ve secured 8 promising collaborations — bridging potential LPs and VCs. Yet the real lesson came not from the number of meetings, but from where the meaningful progress actually happened. It was through consulting firms — the strategists, analysts, and market translators who understand both sides of the table. They see opportunities from a macro lens, yet they negotiate from a micro, detail-oriented one. In my experience, maintaining strong relationships with consulting and research firms isn’t optional — it’s a competitive edge. They bring clarity to complex deals, data to emotion, and objectivity to ambition. The art of negotiation, especially in the venture ecosystem, is often about alignment — not persuasion. And consultants make that alignment possible by turning potential into partnership. Funding ideas is easy; building enduring relationships that make those ideas scalable is the real investment. As an old Jewish proverb reminds us: “A wise man hears one word and understands two.” That’s the essence of collaboration — hearing what’s said, but also perceiving what’s possible.

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR SUCCESS RATE WHEN RAISING FUNDS FROM ANGEL INVESTORS? Raising capital from angel investors is a crucial milestone that can help startups accelerate their growth. However, convincing investors to “write the check” requires more than just a great idea — it takes strategic preparation, a clear vision, and an inspiring story. Below are three key factors that can help you boost your fundraising success. 1️⃣ Craft an Impressive Pitch Deck & Tell an Inspiring Story Your pitch deck is the first “weapon” you bring to the table when meeting investors. An effective pitch deck should: Define the market problem your startup is solving Present your solution – product/service and competitive advantages Analyze market size (TAM, SAM, SOM) Describe your business model and revenue strategy Showcase current traction (revenue, users, partnerships) Introduce the founding team Summarize financial projections & use of funds Specify funding amount and equity offered In addition, sharing a personal and inspiring story behind your startup journey helps investors feel your passion and authenticity – two decisive factors in early-stage investing. 2️⃣ Build a Clear Exit Strategy to Strengthen Investor Confidence Angel investors not only care about growth potential — they also want to understand how they can recover their investment. A clear exit strategy helps demonstrate your long-term vision: Research common exit scenarios in your industry (M&A, IPO, secondary sale to venture funds, etc.) Present a 3–5 year roadmap with milestones leading to an exit Provide case studies of successful exits in your field to enhance credibility A transparent exit strategy reassures investors and builds confidence in your startup’s direction. 3️⃣ Partner with Expert Advisors – Bridge the Gap to Investors The support of experienced mentors, advisors, and M&A consultants can help startups: Reach the right investors efficiently Refine fundraising strategy and valuation Negotiate more effectively and improve success rates However, it’s crucial to choose trusted advisors with real-world experience and ensure their fees fit your budget. 📩 VIMAA – Connecting M&A & Investment Opportunities in Vietnam 📧 info@vimaa.vn | m-a@vimaa.vn | m-a@tradeanalytics.vn 🌐 www.vimaa.vn 📱 Hotline: +84 865 986 665

Sustainable Venture Capital → Meaning → Venture capital intentionally seeking measurable positive environmental/social impact alongside financial returns through early-stage investments.  →  Origin Sustainable Venture Capital (SVC) emerges not as a mere incremental adjustment to traditional venture funding, but as a fundamental re-imagining of capital's purpose in an era defined by ecological limits and social imperatives. It represents an attempt, fraught with complexity and potential contradiction, to harness the potent engine of venture finance – its appetite for risk, its drive for innovation, its capacity for rapid scaling – and redirect its trajectory towards outcomes that actively regenerate environmental systems and enhance societal well-being, alongside generating financial returns. The core impulse stems from a growing, uncomfortable awareness within pockets of the financial world that the conventional model, predicated on maximizing shareholder value often irrespective of externalized costs, is becoming increasingly untenable on a finite planet facing systemic crises. SVC seeks to internalize these externalities, embedding considerations of environmental resilience, social equity, and robust governance (ESG) into the very DNA of investment decisions, from initial screening to portfolio management and eventual exit. This endeavor moves beyond simple negative screening (avoiding "bad" industries) or thematic...  → Discover → https://lnkd.in/gVTi-hkk  #BlendedFinance #CircularEconomy #CircularEconomyVentures #ClimateTech #DueDiligence #ESGIntegration #FinancialReturns #ImpactInvesting #ImpactMeasurement #ImpactMeasurementandManagement #PatientCapital #RegenerativeEconomics #RenewableEnergy #SocialEquity #StakeholderCapitalism #SustainabilityChallenges #SustainableFinance #ValueCreation #VentureCapital #VenturePhilanthropy

Venture capital secondaries are emerging as one of the most attractive ways to access private markets. As startups stay private longer, they create liquidity gaps, and opportunities for investors to acquire stakes in proven growth companies at compelling valuations. In Southeast Asia and Australia, skilled managers are turning these deals into real returns, not just paper gains. 📖 Read more: https://lnkd.in/dqRuS4gk #secondaries #venturecapital #VC #capital

Venture capital secondaries are becoming a powerful bridge between liquidity and opportunity. In Southeast Asia and Australia, they’re giving investors access to mature, high-growth companies with clearer paths to return. #secondaries #venturecapital #VC #capital https://lnkd.in/d9bxV_yz

Nordic venture investment is gaining momentum, reaching USD 1.8 billion in Q3, the strongest level in nearly two years and signaling a positive trend in the market. The latest KPMG Venture Pulse Q3 2025 report highlights how this growth is driven by major funding rounds in AI, quantum computing and alternative energy, with Klarna’s IPO further reinforcing investor confidence in the region. Denmark is part of this positive trend, with growing interest in early-stage innovation and continued attention from pension and institutional investors. Simon Andersen, Partner in Audit, points to how a more disciplined market is creating opportunities for Nordic scale-ups: “The venture market is moving again, but at different speeds. In the US, we are seeing a strong reopening of the IPO market and record levels of AI investment. In Europe and the Nordics, capital is flowing more selectively toward companies with proven substance. This creates a healthier market where discipline and quality are once again rewarded, and where Nordic scale-ups can position themselves strongly at the intersection of responsibility and technological innovation. Optimism is back, but it demands more focus than ever.” Read the full Venture Pulse Q3 2025 report to explore the latest trends and investment outlook.

Private Equity vs. Venture Capital: A Geographic Divide PE-backed businesses are spread far more evenly across the U.S. compared to VC-backed ones — and the reason lies in their sector focus. Nearly 37% of VC-backed companies are in California, driven by Silicon Valley, with another 15% in New York. That’s because VC is highly concentrated in tech and software, which make up 55% of all VC investments. Another 15% goes to biotech and healthcare - all sectors that thrive in dense, urban ecosystems where talent and networks cluster. Private Equity, on the other hand, leans into services (25%) and industrials (13%) - sectors that are more evenly distributed across the country. As a result, PE activity is not just concentrated in CA (12%) and NY (7%), but also strong in Texas (12%), Florida (7%), Illinois (6%), and Massachusetts (4%) - states where these industries often anchor regional economies. Interestingly, TMT now accounts for 25% of all PE deals, and it’s growing fast - but it still has ground to cover compared to VC’s dominance in tech.

Most people think Private Equity and Venture Capital are "similar". But there are multiple differences that change everything: The investment thesis and capital deployment approach are fundamentally different. Private Equity: - Targets mature, cash-flow positive businesses with proven models - Takes majority or full control to optimize and restructure - Focuses on operational efficiency and profitability - Deploys $100M+ per deal from institutional capital pools Venture Capital: - Backs early-stage companies seeking product-market fit - Takes minority advisory stakes to preserve founder control - Bets on rapid expansion and innovation potential - Writes $0.5-10M checks across multiple rounds As a result, the investor base is different too. PE funds are backed primarily by pensions, sovereign wealth funds, large family offices, and endowments. VC funds are backed primarily by corporate investors, HNWIs, VC-focused family offices, endowments and foundations. And the exit strategies diverge completely: 1️⃣ PE pursues strategic sales, buyouts, or IPOs after operational improvements. 2️⃣ VC aims for acquisitions, IPOs, or secondary sales in hot markets. In recent years, we've seen the lines blur: - Growth equity firms operating in the $20-100M range - Late-stage VCs taking majority positions in tech companies - And crossover funds adapting based on market conditions What other key differences between PE and VC have you experienced?