Lynx Collective

On a rooftop in NYC last night, we hosted a summer party for 100 NYC VCs. We asked them when they think we’ll achieve AGI  - and the answers might surprise you. AGI - or artificial general intelligence - is the point when machines can perform any intellectual task as well as (or better than) humans. Sam Altman has predicted we could get there in 4-5 years; this group of NYC #VC partners & principals think the time horizon is longer: About one-third believe we’ll reach #AGI in the next 20 years 50% believe we’ll achieve AGI in the next 30 years ~16% basically believe we’ll never get there ~93% like their data in pretty shapes (a fish-like blob, a rectangle and a couple very straight lines) Thank you to my co-hosts Kamran Ali and Andrew Chang, Inspired Capital for the beautiful rooftop and D. Scott Bennett and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP for sponsoring last night! What are your predictions? Put them in the comments below!

Hey B2B SaaS Founders in NYC - join us next Wednesday for an exclusive opportunity to sit down to lunch with Laconia Capital and an intimate group of other founders. **Why Attend?** Laconia Capital specializes in early-stage B2B software ventures in healthtech, fintech, vertical SAAS and more. Known for their hands-on support and strategic guidance, Laconia empowers founders to achieve their vision with guidance on sales acceleration, operational execution, and capital strategy. Some highlights from its portfolio include AutoFi, PromoteIQ (acquired), Ocrolus, Yuvo Health, Auxa Health, Bluefish AI and many more. Visit Laconia Capital's website to learn more about its inception story, investment thesis and the founders it seeks- and to find useful resources on first time fundraising. You can also learn from its founders' journey in a new Founder Spotlight video series. ✨ **What to Expect:** - 🌟 An insightful fireside chat with two of its investors - managing director Geri Kirilova and investor Mirit Lugassi - 🌟 A casual lunch with Laconia Capital - 🌟 An opportunity to connect with fellow early stage B2B founders 🔗 **RSVP Today:** https://lu.ma/iq7d0ilo With many thanks to our sponsor: Rho is the business banking platform with everything founders need to manage your company cash and scale your startup. Earn rewards for switching your operating account to Rho. Terms & conditions apply. #Founders #Innovation #Growth #NYC #Startups

Accelerators are now nearly ubiquitous in the startup ecosystem, with over 3,000 programs operating worldwide. Most offer funding in exchange for equity, along with mentorship to guide startups through their development. But not all accelerators are created equal, and Techstars has continued to stand out as one of the most prominent and prolific among them. A few weeks ago I spoke with Christine Lu Hong, Investment Manager at Techstars NYC for insight into how the Techstars programs work, how the application and selection process works and what else founders should know. https://lnkd.in/e7y4uTqb

If you're a startup founder who is at one of those moments where you're looking to open or switch to a new banking partner, it's a no-brainer to go with Rho. Rho makes it dead simple to get going - with business banking, savings, treasury management and credit cards all in one easy to use platform. Of course, it also plugs into accounting and other parts of your financial stack. And the team is incredibly responsive and helpful. Get $500 if you sign up with our link or promo code LYNXCOLLECTIVE. *Terms and conditions apply* Learn more in the link below. Thanks for your partnership, Justin Wolz!

Calling all AI startup founders & investors! We're hosting an AI Demo Day at #NYTechWeek and it's going to be epic. We've spoken to a ton of amazing founder applicants - the quality is insane - so much so, that Next Wave NYC is committed to invest $50,000 in one of the presenting startups! Jesse Middleton, Celestine Maddy and I will be the judges and will announce our decision at the end of the event. Also - over 100 other active investors are planning to be there - so it's an awesome opportunity for early-stage AI startups. 🌟 Founders - apply to pitch & demo by May 21! 💵 Investors - register to attend! Many thanks to co-hosts The Council, Lynx Collective & Next Wave NYC - especially Shriya Nevatia, Cherae Robinson & Andrew Chang for making it all happen - and to our sponsor, the best business banking partner out there, Rho!!

Join us this Wednesday for another installment of our InsideVC series!

I had the pleasure of working with the brand designers of YummyColours and have remained friends over the years, so I've gotten to see first hand how they have pushed my thinking on great branding. So I was thrilled when they wanted to partner on a branding workshop for startups. Whether you're a #founder tackling branding for the first time - or a seasoned #marketer at a startup who could use a refresher - this will be a great overview of how to build a lasting brand with heart, meaning and thoughtfulness. It's virtual, free and will be fabulous. Please join us!

Get a rare look into how startup investments are made - from the perspective of both the investor and founder. Lynx Collective will interview both Equal Ventures' Chelsea Zhang and one of their portfolio company founders, Michelle Liao (Co-Founder, DayZero). We'll hear from both their perspectives about how Equal Ventures led the pre-seed investment round of DayZero. https://lnkd.in/eHXnkeEz

"GroupMe was 80% luck, 20% execution" - Jared Hecht, Union Square Ventures Thank you, Jared, for sharing your real, raw insights & advice from your experiences as a founder - as well as your perspective as an investor. We'll share more clips & a recap in the coming weeks - sooo much good stuff that we're still digesting. It was an amazing kick-off to our InsideVC Series as we take Lynx Collective & friends on our tour of all the VCs that founders should know. Stay tuned. If you joined us - comment below to share your favorite takeaways! 📸 : Jarrod Barnes Jaclyn Siu Kyle Bhiro Haley Noh & Andrew Chang

This week's post focuses on the perils of giving away your product for free. Free isn't always a good thing, the downsides can often be worse than the upsides