Madrona Venture Labs’ Post

Unfortunately, our team couldn't make it to the meeting in Bratislava in person with AceON Accelerator . BUT! We're counting down the days until we can meet in May ✈ ____ Yesterday's webinar delved into a crucial and fascinating topic - 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐤𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞. Huge shoutout to Milan Novotný for not only providing the material but also delivering it with flair and, most importantly, showing us how it all translates into real-world action 👏 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞: 1. 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘴 (whether scalable or not). The goal is to find early adopters and collect valuable feedback about your product. 2. 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘮𝘱 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. If you don't invest in spreading the word, how will anyone know about the awesomeness you're cooking up? 3. S𝘌𝘖 𝘬𝘦𝘺𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵. Master them, and you've got a solid foundation for visibility. And special thanks to Dale Kirkwood for valuable questions and discussion. Can't wait for the next session. Jusi team is absolutely buzzing with excitement!

Here at Startup Boston we're working really hard to create ONE central database listing ALL #startup events happening throughout the #Boston and #NewEngland startup community. Yup. We literally spend hours every month manually going to all startup calendars - hosted by the incredible accelerators and networking groups in our own backyard - to add them to the Event Calendar on our website. Why? Because we want to make it easy for YOU - the founders, startup employees, investors, students, startup curious folk - to know WHERE to go to network and learn from others in your area of interest. It's also FREE to add your event to the calendar as well - so if you're reading this and are thinking, "Wait, I don't see my event there," then please help a girl out and click the "Submit An Event" directly on the calendar page. We WANT to promote what you're working on! #networking #startupevents

You hear from her every week but have you actually met our Startup Community Engagement Manager? She's breaking down the communities we support this week! And begins to answer this question: What does NEXT do? -Support broad entrepreneurial ecosystem – affectionately #StartupGVL -Identify, support, and engage with high-growth entrepreneurs and their teams (through programs, services, and events) -Measure the impact of entrepreneurial activity – act as a Fitbit for the ecosystem

It takes a village. It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a village to grow a business. In my experience, the more you lean into your community for collaboration and accept support from trusted advisors, the more you can succeed. Need help? Struggling to cross the chasm between startup and scaleup? DM me and check out Scaleup Sussex. #network #connections #businesssupport

Hey Nashville Founder and Funder friends: StartupNash is hosting events! We are having a happy hour during the week of #3686, and I want you to come. This event is for high-growth founders in Nashville launching something new (or an interest in newly launched startups)! Founders should expect to meet peer connections. Let me share a bit more. - Startup founders have a lonely road. It's important to make/invest in professional friendships. - 3686 is a great time to share new things you're working on/launching. - We practice peer mentorship (founder knowledge sharing) every day in StartupNash. - We are bringing our community experience to life with this ongoing event. There is a mix of founders and funders already signed up. Those attending 3686 can attend the conference happy hour, then StartupNash in East Nashville, then LaunchTN's after-party. It'll be a busy day but we can do it! I'll be attending every event. How you can help: - Share this event with a founder new to town - Be open to knowledge-sharing with founders - StartupNash is seeking sponsorships for our founder events in the future Details here: https://lu.ma/03h7wpei

🌟 Happy National Small Business Day! Today, we celebrate the heartbeat of our community - our local businesses! 🎉 Did you know that here in Montgomery County, our small businesses aren't just individual entities? They're the backbone of our economy, working hand in hand with the county to create opportunities and drive growth! 💼💡 From cozy cafes to innovative startups, every small business plays a crucial role in shaping our vibrant community. Let's give a shout out to the incredible local businesses in Montgomery County, fueling dreams and fostering prosperity for all. Tag your favorite small business in the comments below! #SmallBusinessDay #SupportLocal #CountyPride #EconomicPartnership

BarCamp is not your typical conference. It’s an open, participatory workshop where YOU set the agenda. Attendees are encouraged to share their knowledge, ideas, and experiences in a relaxed, collaborative environment. There are no spectators at BarCamp – only participants! This year's focus is on building a robust small business and startup ecosystem in Central and West Central Minnesota. We're building a regional community where ideas flourish and founders and friends can connect, learn, and grow. Why Attend? Connect with Local Innovators: Meet like-minded individuals who share your passion for business and innovation. Expand your network with other small business owners, startups, and professionals in Central MN. Learn and Share: With sessions ranging from startup funding to digital marketing, you'll find a wealth of knowledge ready to be shared. And if you have a topic you're passionate about, sign up to lead a session! Spark New Ideas: The unstructured format of BarCamp encourages creative thinking and collaboration. Engage in spontaneous discussions that could ignite the next big idea for your business. Be Part of the Community: Central MN is bustling with entrepreneurial spirit. This is your chance to contribute to and benefit from a growing ecosystem that's dedicated to supporting small businesses and startups. Registration is not required, but help us know who’s coming prior to the event https://hubs.la/Q02FCVzq0 #fastlane94barcamp #barcamp #roundhousebrewery

Startups are hard & lonely, which is why we're hosting the Military Veteran Startup Conference in 16 days! Here's why >300 founders & VCs make the trip to SF and you should too 👇 🤝 1. NETWORK & NEW FRIENDS This event is unlike any networking event you've attended in the past. All attendees are united by a shared experience. We've all raised our right hand to defend the country. A great tribe of friends and mentors is essential in life and business - we're assembling a ton of new friends for you at the event. 💸 2. SALES & MARKETING The attendees are business owners - they have purchasing authority. It's a great place to meet people who want to support your business and have the capacity to do so. 💰 3. FUNDRAISING Nearly every military veteran VC attends the event. These folks can be helpful in refining your pitch and many founders will raise their next round from connections they make here. 💲 4. $100k pitch competition! That's right - register/check out the rules here - milvetstartups [dot] com/mvs-pitch-competition 🖼 PHOTO CRED: Incredible to reconnect and break bread with a ton of veteran entrepreneurs and advocates I admire during the event. ----------------------------------- If you've been to an event we've hosted in the past, let me know in the comments below along with what you thought! If you're joining this year, leave a comment! See you in SF on 2/8 & 2/9. Register at milvetstartups [dot] com

This summer heralds the launch of a groundbreaking venture, the C.E.O. CoLab - Cultivating Entrepreneurial Outcomes, a transformative youth-led project aimed at revolutionizing youth entrepreneurship in Long Beach. The C.E.O. CoLab incubator program doesn’t just teach business; it instills a mindset to conquer the challenges ahead. We stand as a testament to the belief that, within our vibrant city, lies a rich breeding ground for the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs. We're breaking down barriers to ensure this empowering space is accessible to all youth aged 14-24, equipping them with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to transform their bold ideas into successful businesses. More than just a workspace, C.E.O. CoLab is your summer gateway to a supportive community and network. We’re not merely growing entrepreneurs; we’re nurturing leaders who will become the bedrock of our communities. With wellness practices and collective empowerment at its core, the C.E.O. CoLab is where new paths are forged, and progress speaks in actions.

At the recent Founders N' Funders event, I got to see our founder Eduardo Henriques give a quick 30-second pitch for Ponder.ly - a really exciting glimpse into what we're building. For those interested in seeing the full pitch and learning more about our AI-powered consumer intelligence platform, Eduardo Henriques will be presenting at the upcoming Pitch Deck Review Session on May 20th. This is a great opportunity to observe his pitch to a panel of startup experts who will provide valuable feedback. As a co-founder, I'm really passionate about the problem we're solving - enabling brands to ethically collect customer data and generate deep insights, while empowering consumers to control and benefit from sharing their information. Our approach using interactive branded data communities, gamification, and AI is truly innovative. I'd encourage anyone interested in disruptive marketing/research technologies to sign up and check out Eduardo's pitch. It will give you a window into how Ponder.ly is pioneering the future of transparent data exchange between brands and customers. Looking forward to getting more exposure and feedback as we continue growing Ponder.ly into a game-changing platform! Thanks to Jeff Erickson with Founders N' Funders because without his support and unconditional belief in startups like ours, we wouldn't have opportunities like this. Supportive ecosystems play a vital role in nurturing entrepreneurship and innovation. Registration link: https://lnkd.in/guFgMib4 Tanner S. Zyanya Bejarano David Reyes Jose Octavio Carrillo