In a new episode of 'This Much I Know,' Carlos hosts Andy Budd, a veteran UX/UI designer and one of our venture partners, to discuss his latest book, 'The Growth Equation: How Early Stage Startups Can Build a Powerful Engine for Growth.'

Andy shares his journey from being a tech enthusiast to launching the UK's first UX agency, ClearLeft.

The discussion rich with anecdotes and actionable insights explores key themes to help founders navigate the complexities of startup growth. These include:

founder-led sales;

creating a go-to-market strategy, and the importance of customer retention and onboarding.

He emphasizes practical, incremental approaches to building a customer base, crafting effective sales emails, and leveraging community-driven growth.

Andy advocates for positioning and language-market fit as critical aspects of early-stage success, suggesting that a focused effort on understanding and connecting with the target audience precedes establishing a strong brand.

Show notes:

Andy Budd - linkedin.com/in/andybudd

Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal

Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

Andy Budd - andybudd.com/book

The Growth Equation: How Early Stage Startups Can Build a Powerful Engine for Growth by Andy Budd is available in bookstores and online.

In this episode, our Managing Partner Carlos Espinal is joined by our Talent Manager James Wright, and special guest Dominic Jacquesson, a veteran VC operator who recently received an MBE for his contributions to the UK entrepreneurship and technology ecosystem.

Dominic shares insights from his varied career, including his extensive experience at Index Ventures working with top-tier tech companies, and from his latest book, 'Scaling through Chaos' written on behalf of Index to offer founders a comprehensive roadmap for scaling teams and leadership.

The conversation covers key topics, such as:

- Building effective teams;

- Leadership, and the role of culture and values in scaling a startup;

- Risk management, setting up processes, and the applicability of OKRs/KPIs.

Dominic also announces his new venture into studying neuroscience after an accomplished career in the startup ecosystem.

Show Notes:

Dominic Jacquesson MBE - linkedin.com/in/dominicjacquesson

Carlos Espinal MBE - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal

James Wright - linkedin.com/in/jdhwright

Scaling Through Chaos and other resources from Index Ventures, including the web app TeamPlan, are available for free on Index Press (https://www.indexventures.com/index-press)

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:46 Dominic Jacquesson's Career Journey

07:53 Writing 'Scaling Through Chaos'

15:01 Scaling Startups: Key Insights

17:24 Navigating Leadership and Hiring

37:08 Risk Management in Scaling

45:29 Dominic's New Venture

49:50 Conclusion

In the ever-evolving landscape of business communication, platforms like WhatsApp are no longer just messaging apps but have transformed into powerful platforms enabling businesses to connect with their customers in groundbreaking ways.

In the latest episode of Startups in Focus, our Managing Director Carlos Espinal and our Principal Felix Martinez, dive deep into this topic with Tarek Khalil and Mohamed Elbadwihi, co-founders of Rasayel, exploring how they are leveraging WhatsApp to redefine business communication.

They also explore:

- the evolution of WhatsApp as a platform and its impact on business communication, driven by its mass usage and business demand, highlighting the complexities of compliance and global usage variations;

- the strategic choice of focusing on WhatsApp due to its global prevalence and trusted infrastructure;

- the potential of building a billion-dollar company on platforms like WhatsApp, drawing parallels with Salesforce and Shopify;

- how to navigate platform risks.

About Rasayel:

Rasayel focuses on enabling businesses to interact with customers via WhatsApp, which they see as the future of business communication, offering a more personal and immediate interaction compared to emails and phone calls. Tarek and Mohammed foresee significant business opportunities as WhatsApp evolves, aiming for Rasael to become a leading player on the platform.

Show Notes:

Tarek Khalil - linkedin.com/in/tarek-khalil-wa/

Mohamed Elbadwihi - linkedin.com/in/amuno

Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal/

Felix Martinez - linkedin.com/in/felixjmartinez/

Rasayel - rasayel.io

Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

Get in Touch with Rasayel:

For businesses, investors, or users eager to explore further into Rasayel, the easiest way to reach them is—fittingly—through WhatsApp via their website.

Dive Deeper:

Betting on WhatsApp - Tarek Khalil, Co-founder and CEO of Rasayel, wrote a thesis for anyone who wants to understand, build, or invest in the future of the WhatsApp platform. [https://justmessaged.substack.com/p/betting-on-whatsapp]

Overview:

00:00 Can WhatsApp Sustain a Billion-Dollar Company?

00:25 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests

01:05 Founders' Backgrounds and Journey

03:16 Lessons Learned from Previous Startups

05:29 The Birth of Octopods and Rassayel

08:10 How Rassayel Helps Businesses

10:36 WhatsApp as a Platform

13:34 Platform Risks and Meta's Strategy

21:24 Global Usage of Messaging Apps

23:53 Global Messaging Trends and WhatsApp's Dominance

24:47 Trust and Confidentiality in Messaging Platforms

25:47 WhatsApp's Strategic Development and Market Penetration

27:45 Navigating Multiple Messaging Channels

32:07 WhatsApp Business Platform: Features and Compliance

37:34 Future of Business on WhatsApp

45:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode, Carlos interviews General Stanley McChrystal, a distinguished military leader with 34 years of experience commanding at a four-star level, including significant roles in Iraq and Afghanistan.

They discuss General McChrystal's career, including his extensive awards like the Defense Distinguished Service Medal. General McChrystal shares his post-military endeavors, including founding the McChrystal Group and teaching leadership at Yale. The conversation delves into General McChrystal's books, particularly 'Leaders' and 'Team of Teams', exploring how writing these books shaped his views on leadership.

Key themes include:

- understanding the complexities of leadership;

- the interplay between leaders, followers, and context,

- and the role of character and self-discipline in effective leadership.

The episode also covers practical insights on managing and transforming organizational cultures. General McChrystal shares personal anecdotes and reflections on leadership mistakes, personal development, and mentoring.

00:00 Introducing General Stan McChrystal

01:26 General McChrystal's Career Evolution and Achievements

01:48 Discussion on Leadership

07:15 The Three Myths of Leadership

09:58 The Role of Followers and Breaking the Cycle

13:15 Leadership Evolution and Organizational Dynamics

16:58 Challenges in Leadership and Adaptability

20:52 Team Dynamics in Startups and Large Organizations

23:40 Adapting Leadership Styles and Overcoming Mistakes

30:09 Commander's Dilemma: Vehicle Maintenance and Leadership Challenges

31:48 Leadership in Counter-Terrorism Operations

32:35 The Importance of Character in Leadership

35:42 Defining and Reflecting on Character

39:43 Personal Development and Daily Routines

45:26 Mentorship and Learning from Mistakes

55:54 Military Traditions and Cultural Questions

57:37 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Show Notes:

General Stan McChrystal - linkedin.com/in/stanmcchrystal

Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal

mcchrystalgroup.com

seedcamp.com

General McCrysyal's books - mcchrystalgroup.com/about/books

The latest episode of Startups in Focus features Leonid Feinberg, founder of Verax, a Seedcamp-backed company that provides enterprise-grade trust solutions for generative AI. Having a strong background in security and cloud services, including a previous company acquired by Amazon, Leonid shares insights on managing AI-related risks and offers practical advice for future customers regarding AI's potential and trust management.

In conversation with our Managing Director Carlos Espinal, he delves into the challenges and solutions associated with deploying generative AI in production. He also explains how Verax's Control Center helps enterprises gain visibility and mitigate risks by analyzing and modifying AI responses in real-time.

Furthermore, they discuss the current and future landscape of AI data management, the evolving best practices in AI, and the geopolitical implications of AI.

Show Notes:

Leonid Feinberg - linkedin.com/in/leonidf

Carlos Eduardo Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal

Verax AI - verax.ai

Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

Overview:

00:00 Introduction to Today's Guest: Leonid Feinberg, Co-founder and CEO of Verax

00:53 Leonid's Background and Journey to Founding Verax

01:33 Understanding Verax: Enterprise Trust Solution for Generative AI

02:48 Architectural Insights: Rolling Out LLMs in Enterprises

05:02 Challenges and Best Practices in AI Deployment

08:01 Future of AI and Data Management

12:16 Verax's Role in Enterprise AI Trust

18:39 Geopolitics and AI: Global Implications

26:15 Advice for future AI Customers

28:21 Conclusion

In a new episode of Startups in Focus, our Managing Partner Carlos Espinal is joined by Ryan Donnelly, co-founder and CEO of Enzai, an AI governance platform that allows organisations to adopt best-in-class AI governance policies and measure against them.

They discuss:

- the impact of AI as a technological revolution similar to the mobile shift, dotcom boom, and web invention

- the importance of regulations and standards in ensuring AI's responsible use and trustworthiness

- the challenges and opportunities in AI adoption

- Enzai’s mission of enabling organizations to leverage AI technology effectively and responsibly, in compliance with emerging regulations

- Enzai's vision of enabling trust in AI future regulatory landscapes and the necessary frameworks for AI adoption.

Tune in for an insightful discussion on the future of AI governance and compliance.

Show Notes

Ryan Donnelly - linkedin.com/in/ryan-donnelly-enzai

Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal

Enzai - enz.ai

Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

Reach out to Ryan and his team at [email protected]. 

Time stamps:

00:00 Introduction to the AI Technological Revolution

00:36 Meet Ryan Donnelly: Co-founder and CEO of Enzai

01:14 The Inspiration Behind Enzai

02:19 Understanding Enzai’s Customers

03:13 The Role of Regulations in AI

05:07 The Evolution of AI Regulations

10:26 The Importance of Standards in AI

14:20 Enzai's Vision for the Future

15:49 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

The latest episode of This Much I Know is an in-depth exploration of leadership, personal growth, and the transformative power of understanding one's own history and motivations. Carlos's guest, Jerry Colonna, Co-founder and CEO of Reboot, shares his journey from being a venture capitalist to becoming an executive coach, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and human connection in business and personal development.

His reflections on the challenges and complexities of leadership are interwoven with personal anecdotes, and the painful but enlightening process of self-discovery he experienced.

Carlos and Jerry discuss the societal implications of leadership decisions, the moral and ethical responsibilities of leaders in today's world, and the potential for venture capital to contribute positively to societal challenges.

Central to the conversation is the concept of "Reunion," derived from Jerry Colonna's eponymous book, highlighting the necessity for leaders to confront their own pasts and the "othering" that divides people, to foster more empathetic and effective leadership.

Show Notes:

Jerry Colonna linkedin.com/in/jerry-colonna-reboot

Carlos Espinal – linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal

Reboot - reboot.io

Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

Jerry Colonna's new book Reunion: Leadership and the Longing to Belong - reunion.reboot.io

In the newly launched "Startups in Focus" series, our Managing Partner Carlos Espinal chats with Johannes Keienburg, co-founder and CEO of Cakewalk.

Their conversation revolves around the importance of access control, visibility, and security in organizations. Johannes shares insights on the need for access management processes from the early days of an organisation, the challenges of data security, the evolution and future of access controls.

Show notes:

Johannes Keienburg - linkedin.com/in/johannes-keienburg/

Carlos Espinal – linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal

Cakewalk getcakewalk.io

Seedcamp seedcamp.com

In a new episode of This Much I Know, Carlos's guest is Chris Tottman, General Partner at Notion VC, one of Europe's top-tier VC firms.

Chris shares insights on:

- his journey as an entrepreneur and Venture Capital investor

- the evolution of venture capital in Europe

- how founders can become successful in company building.

- the role of mentorship in the VC industry.

He also highlights the significance of founder-led sales, strategic pricing, understanding customer needs, fundraising challenges, and more.

Show Notes:

Chris Tottman - linkedin.com/in/chris-tottman

Carlos Espinal – linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal

Notion VC - https://www.notion.vc/

Included - https://included.vc/

Seedcamp - seedcamp.com

Chris's Book 'THE GO TO MARKET HANDBOOK FOR B2B SaaS LEADERS' - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CJ45462M?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_CBFYWJN41F41CBK033SA

In a follow-up to their Seedcamp Firsts conversation on data, our Venture Partner Devin Hunt and Candice Ren, Founder of analytics agency 173Tech and a member of the Seedcamp Expert Collective, dive deep into A/B testing and good data science practices.

With new and exciting AI technology emerging around recommendation engines, how can product leads evaluate which solution is better and how to really measure a “better recommendation”?

Focusing on a specific case study - a furniture marketplace, Candice, who worked on A/B testing and recommendation engines for Bumble, Plend Loans, MUBI, Treatwell and many others, shares her thoughts on:

- the intricacies of setting up and analyzing an A/B test experiment focused on comparing two different recommendation algorithms

- how you set your hypothesis

- the best way to segment your user basis

- how to select what you are controlling for (e.g. click-through rate)

- how to interpret test results and consider broader business metrics impact.

Candice and Devin also emphasize the importance of granular testing, proper test design, and documentation of test results for informed decision-making within a company's testing framework.