Venture Everywhere

In episode 23 of Venture Everywhere, Scott Hartley, co-founder of Everywhere Ventures, chats with Kaustav Das, co-founder and CEO of Efficient Capital Labs. Efficient Capital Labs (ECL) empowers B2B SaaS companies to leverage their steady revenue streams, thus providing them with access to non-dilutive funding options that support their expansion goals. With a career spanning over two decades, which include extensive experience in risk assessment and management in the fintech sector, Kaustav has positioned Efficient Capital at the forefront of cross-border financing.  In this episode, you will hear:The deep impact of professional relationships, seen as long-term investments beyond transactions.The evolutionary path of SaaS companies in India, charting their progress from local entities to global contenders.Strategic approaches adapted to secure international funding and overcome regulatory hurdles.Predictability of revenue streams in SaaS models and the challenges of striking a balance between risk and return.The intricate balance between aggressive growth and risk management. Efficient Capital’s expansion plans, which involve transcending the SaaS vertical.Learn more about Kaustav Das | Efficient Capital Labs (ECL)Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/kaustav-das-b6a86166 Website: https://www.ecaplabs.com/ Learn more about Scott Hartley and Everywhere VenturesWebsite: http://everywhere.vc/ and  scotthartley.com  Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/scotthartley 

Anthony Dedousis, founder of Revival Homes, and Jenny Fielding, co-founder of Everywhere Ventures, discuss simplifying ADU construction and financing, addressing California's housing crisis, innovative data analysis for ADU valuation, impacts of interest rates, and policy reforms for housing supply and affordability.

In episode 21 of Venture Everywhere, Vir Kashyap, GP of The Fund India as part of Everywhere VC, chats with Mishal “Mish” Thadani, co-founder and CEO of Rhizome. Rhizome offers advanced climate risk mitigation for communities and businesses against extreme weather events. From his transition from wind and solar projects to leading his own company, Mishal discussed the challenges and opportunities within the clean energy sector. He elaborates on the complexities that utility companies encounter in justifying investments to stakeholders and how Rhizome’s innovations are paving the way to a sustainable future.In this episode, you will hear:Mishal’s longstanding interest in the environment and passion for changing the energy sector toward a more resilient future. The need for utility companies to invest in infrastructure and technologies that will mitigate the effects of extreme weather events, particularly power outages.Rhizome’s use of decision intelligence and AI to quantify resilience and help utilities justify investments. The role that regulatory bodies play in shaping grid resilience, and the collaborative nature of natural monopolies in distinct regions. Fear of missing out (FOMO) as a driving force in seizing opportunities and building strong relationships with potential customers. Learn more about Mishal Thadani | RhizomeLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mishal-thadani/Website: https://rhizomedata.com/ Learn more about Vir Kashyap and Everywhere VC | The Fund IndiaWebsite: http://everywhere.vc/ | https://thefund.vc/community/india/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vkash/

In episode 20 of Venture Everywhere, Jenny Fielding, co-founder and GP of Everywhere VC, speaks with Oban MacTavish, co-founder and CEO of fintech startup, Spade. Spade provides real-time merchant intelligence such as granular merchant, category, and geolocation details, for the card ecosystem. Oban discusses his journey from a budding investor, to tackling challenges as an early-stage founder, and the determination required to build a startup. He also addresses topics such as overvaluation and promising opportunities within the fintech industry. With a keen focus on Spade's mission and motivation, Oban provides a snapshot of the future of fintech infrastructure. In this episode, you will hear:Oban's journey as a “scrappy” entrepreneur and how challenges from his initial venture drove his success with Spade.Spade’s evolution from a logo API to a fintech infrastructure company, and how to overcome skepticism as an early-stage infrastructure company. The importance of understanding customer pain points and consistently iterating on the product based on customer feedback. Discussions on the perception of fintech overvaluation and adapting sales strategies to target mid-market and enterprise customers. Spade’s vision as the future of money movement infrastructure.Learn more about Oban MacTavish: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oban/Website: https://spade.com/Learn more about Jenny Fielding | Everywhere VCLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyfielding/Website: http://everywhere.vc/

In episode 19 of Venture Everywhere, Alex Abelin, co-founder and CEO of PlantBaby, interviews Becca Millstein, co-founder and CEO of Fishwife – a premium canned fish brand that has successfully navigated the turbulent waters of startup growth. Becca shares Fishwife’s approach to distribution, including growing organically with a direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategy and the role of packaging and world building in attracting an audience. From its inception to meeting the challenges, Becca gives an in-depth look into the canned fish market, collaborations with independent female artists, and strategies of a successful consumer product business. In this episode, you will hear:The origin story of Fishwife: its name and how it was conceived from the unconventional path of its founders.How Fishwife cultivates a robust community around the thoughtfully designed brand, including Fishwife's partnerships with independent female artists.Fishwife's distribution strategy, starting with an unconventional take on growing customer base organically in the first year. Managing distribution when launching in supermarkets, and avoiding the common pitfall of  rushing into distribution without focusing on order turnsLeveraging a lean team and securing smart, invested individuals on the cap table when fundraisingFind  Becca Millstein | Fishwife | at: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becca-millstein-98595989/Website: https://eatfishwife.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fishwife/Twitter: https://twitter.com/fishwifeLearn more about Alex Abelin | PlantBaby | Kiki MilkLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexabelin/Website (Personal): https://www.alexabelin.com/PlantBaby: https://www.plantbaby.co/Kiki Milk: https://www.kikimilk.com/Kiki Milk (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/kikimilkco/

In episode 18 of Venture Everywhere, Jenny Fielding, co-founder and GP of Everywhere VC, sits down with Serge Kassardjian, co-founder and CEO of StayTuned and co-founder and GP at 6th Man Ventures. StayTuned is a software company specializing in Shopify e-commerce app development and acquisitions, while 6th Man Ventures is an early-stage cryptocurrency VC firm that funds Web3 apps and infrastructure. Serge shares his journey from venture capital to becoming an operator and founder. He talks about the struggles and eventual advancements in building his companies, including a major pivot that led to the success of StayTuned! In this episode, you will hear:The importance of relationships and friendships in the startup ecosystem and how they have played a role in Serge's career.Investors' role in backing founders and the significance of transparency and communication in maintaining strong founder-investor relationships.StayTuned's primary emphasis on building a software suite within Shopify and plans to expand to other e-commerce platforms.A high-level view of the market, including the potential impact of upcoming IPOs and overall outlook for startups.Challenges as a founder, including burn, runway, and hitting milestones, as well as the optimism for the future of the company.Serge's involvement in the crypto and blockchain space, including his experience in starting a fund and investing in startups in the Web3 and crypto ecosystem. Find Serge Kassardjian at: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergekass/Twitter: https://twitter.com/sergekassStayTuned: https://staytuned.digital/6th Man Ventures: https://www.linkedin.com/company/6mv/Learn more about Jenny Fielding | Everywhere VCLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyfielding/Website: http://everywhere.vc/

In episode 17 of Venture Everywhere, Eamonn Carey, general partner at Tera Ventures, LP of Everywhere VC, and GP of The Fund London, chats with Andreas "Anton" Ströberg of Stackend – a social shopping platform supercharging Shopify users. Anton shares the journey of Stackend, from its origins in building a community backend platform for media companies to its evolution into a tool that combines content commerce, live commerce, and community commerce. Tune in to discover insights about the Swedish tech ecosystem and the impact Stackend aims to make in the world of online retail.In this episode, you will hear:Anton’s founding journeys, including working with and learning from various mentors from previous companies The intimate and supportive nature of the Swedish tech ecosystem and the ability to connect with successful founders and investors How the size of a community impacts trust and equity, as well as customer acquisition costs and conversion rates How to move past inertia and find the right audience who is willing to build something new and impactful rather than using what is already familiar Juggling different industries and interest areas while tackling go to market and getting tractionFind Andreas “Anton” Ströberg at:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreasstroberg/Website: https://stackend.shop/#/Email: Anton@stackend.comLearn more about Eamonn Carey | Everywhere VC | Tera Ventures | The Fund LondonLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ecarey/Website: http://everywhere.vc/ | https://www.tera.vc/ | https://www.thefund.vc/community/london/

In episode 16 of Venture Everywhere, Vir Kashyap, LP in Everywhere VC and General Partner at The Fund India, sits down with Hemanshu Jain, Founder and CEO of Khyaal, a fintech startup from India that aims to provide digital literacy, community support, and upskilling for seniors. With his previous experience as the founder of Diabeto, a healthcare startup that was acquired by Livongo Health, Hemanshu brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his work. Through Khyaal, he is spearheading a movement that prioritizes the financial security and inclusivity of senior citizens, revolutionizing the way they manage their finances.In this episode, you will hear:The challenges faced by senior citizens including their unique social and financial needs. Khyaal's solutions for increasing financial security and inclusivity for senior citizens.Current options available for seniors to access credit and ways to leverage these opportunities for financial empowerment. How the Khyaal card, a virtual bank account designed for senior citizens, came about and how it provides convenient and secure access to funds.Practical strategies for tackling fraud targeting senior citizens and protecting them from financial scams and exploitation.Find Hemanshu Jain at: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hemanshujain/Website: https://www.khyaal.com/Learn more about Vir Kashyap and Everywhere VC | The Fund IndiaWebsite: http://everywhere.vc/ | https://thefund.vc/community/india/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vkash/If you liked this episode, please give us a rating wherever you found us. To learn more about our work, visit Everywhere.vc and subscribe to our Founders Everywhere Substack. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and news.

In episode 15 of Venture Everywhere, Sylvia Kuyel, founding partner at Fund XX as part of Everywhere VC, interviews Liz O'Sullivan, founder and CEO at Vera, a startup leader and AI advocate advising early and mid-stage companies on Artificial Intelligence design practices, strategies, and product development. Liz discusses her startup experience and her mission to promote responsible AI. She highlights the unpredictable nature of AI and the necessity for human oversight. Liz also addresses challenges in scaling teams and fostering inclusivity in remote work environments. She believes AI can advance science but stresses the importance of governance and policies to protect marginalized communities.In this episode, you will hear:The importance of being practical and realistic about the capabilities and limitations of AI, as well as the need for human control over its use.Vera as a gateway for companies looking to deploy AI and to foster its adoption while reducing risks.Potential benefits and risks of AI, including job automation, bias, and the transformation of various industries.Liz’s personal journey in the AI field, including her work at Clarifai and her decision to leave a job involving military applications of AI.The importance of understanding both the long-term risks and the immediate risks of AI, and the need for collaboration and compromise within the AI community.Find Liz O'Sullivan at:Website: https://www.askvera.io/LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lizzosullivanLearn more about Sylvia and The Fund XX:Website: https://everywhere.vc/LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sylvia-kuyel-3aa1803Twitter: https://twitter.com/skuyelIf you liked this episode, please give us a rating wherever you found us. To learn more about our work, visit Everywhere.vc and subscribe to our Founders Everywhere Substack. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and news.

Neha Govindraj is the founder of Bonside, providing tailor-made financing for brick-and-mortar businesses without dilution, guarantees, collateral, or restrictions on spend. Prior to Bonside, Neha co-founded Glowbar and worked at Bain and Glossier. This episode is hosted by Jenny Fielding, co-founder and managing partner of Everywhere Ventures (previously The Fund). In this interview, Jenny and Neha dive into the founding and thesis behind Bonside. They discuss Bonside’s mission to drive a narrative change in the brick and mortar universe and normalize the multiple ways to finance and scale growth. Hear how a four-hour solo dance performance changed Neha’s perspective forever, and her unique approach to fundraising as a founder. Listen till the end for a neat productivity hack! If you liked this episode, please give us a rating wherever you found us and be sure to subscribe to Venture Everywhere. To learn more about our work, visit Everywhere.vc and ideas.everywhere.vc on Substack. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates and news.