Episoder
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In the latest episode of “Path to Market,” Natasha and Micah are joined by Fanny Talagrand, Head of EMEA sales for startups and SMBs at Stripe to discuss key sales strategies from startups to enterprises. Drawing from her extensive experience in global tech companies like Google Cloud and Stripe, Fanny emphasizes the importance of understanding user needs and journeys, leveraging user feedback, and the different dynamics between selling to startups versus enterprises.
She also provides advice for hiring the first sales reps, highlighting the need for candidates to be smart, driven, and coachable. She stresses the significance of onboarding processes and embedding new hires with users early on. Additionally, she explores how to balance product-led growth with enterprise sales and shares metrics to optimize sales performance.
Tune in to learn about:
- how to align sales strategies with the needs and journeys of different types of users;
- how PLG and enterprise motions can coexist with careful planning and differentiation in user journeys;
- why as companies grow, including a sales team becomes vital to extend market reach and support users who require more comprehensive solutions;
- and more practical strategies for founders looking to enhance their sales operations and build successful teams.
Show Notes:
Fanny Talagrand - linkedin.com/in/fanny-talagrand-a51a81b
Natasha Lytton – linkedin.com/in/natasha-lytton
Micah Smurthwaite – linkedin.com/in/micah-smurthwaite-2283b49
Overview:
00:00 Introduction to Path to Market
01:17 Meet Fannie Talegrand, Head of EMEA Sales for Startups and SMBs at Stripe
02:13 Fannie's Career Journey
04:29 Comparing Sales at Google Cloud and Stripe
06:58 The Importance of Product and User Feedback
13:31 Sales Metrics and Funnel Optimization
16:32 Differences in Selling to SMBs vs. Enterprises
24:07 Hiring the Right Sales Leader
34:29 Onboarding New Sales Hires
40:09 Conclusion and Final Thoughts -
In a new episode of This Much I Know, Carlos’s guest is Dr Melanie Garson, an associate professor at UCL and expert in cyber policy and geopolitics. Together they discuss critical issues in the current geopolitical and defence systems, including the evisceration of the US civil service, reactive politics, and the role of technology companies as geopolitical actors.
Dr Garson emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches, stress-tested technology rollouts, and the holistic view of future defence strategies. She highlights the information domain as another critical area, where misinformation and disinformation can proliferate and destabilize, underpinning the need for robust measures to counteract these threats.
The conversation explores the strategic role of tech in geopolitics, the evolving nature of warfare, and the potential for innovation and international cooperation within the defence industry. Dr Garson also shares her views on the importance of building secure digital economies and engaging meaningfully with emerging technologies for long-term future defence capabilities.
Looking to the future, Dr Garson predicts the emergence of new industry players and the potential for existing companies to re-engage with defence manufacturing. She remains optimistic that the industry will recognize the value of entrepreneurs and facilitate environments where innovation can thrive alongside traditional primes.
Show Notes:
Dr Melanie Garson linkedin.com/in/melaniegarson/
Carlos Espinal linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal/
Dr Melanie Garson - profiles.ucl.ac.uk/25481-melanie-garson
institute.global/experts/melanie-garson
Seedcamp - seedcamp.com -
Manglende episoder?
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Our “Path to Market” series continues with a new episode in which our Director Natasha Lytton and her co-host Micah Smurthwaite, Partner at Pipeline Ventures, delve into the intricacies of go-to-market strategies with seasoned CRO, Tim Bertrand.
Tim shares his extensive experience scaling organisations like Acquia, Project 44, and HAProxy, offering actionable insights for founders and sales leaders on building sales teams, effective onboarding practices, the fundamentals of discovery and qualification in sales, and the nuances of pricing strategies for early-stage companies.
Tim also discusses the significance of deal reviews and the evolving landscape of sales tactics, emphasizing the value of compelling events and robust qualification processes.
The discussion also covers:
- the dynamics of building sales teams;
- identifying customer pain points;
- the significance of practical sales methodologies like MEDDICC and BANT;
- fostering cross-functional collaboration;
- the role of open-source communities;
- and more.
Key takeaways:
- Understand product intricacies;
- Leverage economic buyers in sales cycles;
- Align organizational culture with company values for success;
- Make the right hire according to the company’s growth stage.
Show notes:
Tim Bertrand – linkedin.com/in/timbertrand
Natasha Lytton – linkedin.com/in/natasha-lytton
Micah Smurthwaite – linkedin.com/in/micah-smurthwaite-2283b49
Overview:
00:00 Understanding Customer Pain Points
00:22 Introduction to Path to Market Podcast
01:00 Interview with Tim Bertrand: Scaling Startups
01:39 Tim Bertrand's Journey: Acquia to HAProxy
05:07 Advice for Founders on Sales Playbooks
08:11 Hiring the Right Sales Team
16:29 Onboarding Sales Reps: Best Practices
18:31 Effective Sales Execution and Discovery
23:29 Creating Urgency in Sales
23:34 The Role of Compelling Events
25:18 Evolving Sales Tactics
28:53 Effective Deal Reviews
31:03 Pricing Strategies for Startups
32:59 Building a Strong Sales Culture
35:58 Cross-Functional Collaboration
39:17 Open Source Business Models
43:05 Sales Methodologies for Founders
44:30 Hiring the Right CRO
45:47 Conclusion and Key Takeaways -
In the latest episode of our “Path to Market” series, our Director Natasha Lytton and her co-host Micah Smurthwaite, Partner at Pipeline Ventures, speak with Gia Scinto, a partner at Cole Group, specializing in go-to-market executive hires for renowned startups like Airbnb and Stripe. Gia shares her extensive experience in building go-to-market teams for top startups across her different roles, including as the first talent leader at Y Combinator and as an executive talent partner at Andreessen Horowitz.
She emphasizes the importance of metrics in recruitment, the founder's role in hiring, and key considerations for early-stage companies hiring their first sales leaders. Gia also provides actionable advice on running an effective recruiting process, including aligning on job requirements, conducting thorough interviews, and ensuring a successful onboarding process.
Key takeaways:
- Set a minimum experience threshold for the role
- In the first interviewing rounds, assess the candidate against the main goals of their roles
- Set clear expectations and establish attainable goals in the initial months to facilitate a seamless onboarding into the company.
Show notes:
Gia Scinto – linkedin.com/in/giascinto
Natasha Lytton – linkedin.com/in/natasha-lytton
Micah Smurthwaite – linkedin.com/in/micah-smurthwaite-2283b49
Overview:
00:00 Introduction to Gia and Her Extensive Experience
00:54 Working with founders at Andreessen Horowitz and Y Combinator
08:13 Advice for Early-Stage Sales Hiring
12:25 Running a Successful Recruiting Process
20:35 Interview Questions for Sales Leaders
24:35 Assessing Culture Fit in Early-Stage Companies
26:31 Hiring Challenges and Lessons Learned
28:17 Pitching to Senior Candidates in Startups
29:09 Importance of Product Differentiation
30:03 Segmentation and Market Strategy
34:09 Onboarding and Setting Expectations
38:03 Back-channeling and Reference Checks
41:16 Onboarding Best Practices for Success
43:17 Common Pitfalls in Hiring
46:40 Building Go-to-Market Systems
50:41 Advice for Go-to-Market Candidates -
In a new episode of Path to Market, our Director Natasha Lytton and her co-host Micah Smurthwaite, Partner at Pipeline Ventures are joined by Ryan Lieber, an experienced Go-to-Market Leader and one of Snowflake’s earliest employees and its first SDR.
Together they discuss Snowflake's impressive growth trajectory, the challenges and strategies of category creation, key sales methodologies like MEDDPICC, the best approaches for scaling internationally, and cross-functional sales efforts. Ryan shares his experiences from joining Snowflake when it was an unknown startup in 2014 to its current status as a data giant with over 7,000 employees and a market capitalization of over $50 billion.
He also delves into when and how founders should hire their first SDRs and sales leaders, the metrics for measuring their success, and the role of marketing alignment in scaling sales. Moreover, he emphasizes the importance of understanding regional cultural and communication nuances, and how to leverage partnerships in new markets.
Key takeaways:
- taking an iterative approach to the sales process enables you to transition from broad outreach to focusing on sales-qualified opportunities;
- hiring SDRs earlier rather than later is not only cost-effective, but it also enables founders to focus on product development;
- choose a sales leader who isn't afraid to "get their hands dirty" and is willing to adapt to the dynamic needs of a growing startup. They are in touch with the pulse of the market and the realities faced by their teams;
- international expansion is not a uniform process and differs significantly by region. This is why understanding cultural nuances, leveraging regional partners, and ensuring the market is ripe for entry are essential considerations;
- taking a partnership approach to scaling accelerates growth and embeds credibility in the customer’s eyes.
Show notes:
Ryan Lieber – linkedin.com/in/ryan-lieber-8aa59a62
Natasha Lytton – linkedin.com/in/natasha-lytton
Micah Smurthwaite – linkedin.com/in/micah-smurthwaite-2283b49
Overview:
00:00 Introduction and Guest Background
01:00 Ryan’s Early Days at Snowflake
03:59 Career Growth and Opportunities
05:01 Building the EMEA Team
07:08 Challenges and Learnings
08:19 Finding the Ideal Customer Profile
13:57 Sales Methodology: MEDDPICC
19:30 Hiring and Building a Sales Team
21:48 The Daily Grind of an SDR
22:01 Key Traits for Sales Success
23:30 Red Flags in Sales Hiring
27:07 Effective SDR Metrics
32:09 Hiring Your First Sales Leader
34:54 The Power of Marketing in Sales
36:49 Scaling Internationally
42:26 Snowflake's Startup Program
45:02 Final Thoughts and Advice -
In this insightful episode, our Director Natasha Lytton and co-host Micah Smurthwaite, Partner at Pipeline Ventures are joined by Alicia Carney, a seasoned product marketing expert with extensive experience at high-growth startups like Deliveroo.
Together, they dive deep into identifying and validating Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) in pre and post product-market fit stages. Alicia shares her insights on navigating early market fit through to scaling operations post-product market fit.
Key takeaways:
- Define and validate ideal customer profiles (ICP) through market needs and user research
- Be intentional and thoughtful about who you are serving and the value you offer
- Focus on empirical metrics and continuous customer engagement.
Show notes:
Alicia Carney - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciacarney
Natasha Lytton - linkedin.com/in/natasha-lytton
Micah Smurthwaite - linkedin.com/in/micah-smurthwaite-2283b49
Interview guide link: http://bit.ly/3tJubmC
Establishing an ideal customer profile (ICP) by Notion VC
Market research platforms: userinterviews.com, pollfish.com, gong.io, grain.com -
We are excited to announce the launch of our new podcast series, "Path to Market," where our Director Natasha Lytton and co-host Micah Smurthwaite, Partner at Pipeline Ventures dissect the art and science behind effective go-to-market (GTM) strategies for startups and scale-ups.
The introductory episode explores essential elements of go-to-market planning, real-world examples of startups overcoming market-entry challenges, and practical advice on avoiding common pitfalls.
Highlights include:
- understanding the balance between art and science in sales;
- the importance of a focused market entry;
- the critical nature of making the right hire.
What to Expect from “Path to Market”
Future episodes will cover an array of topics, from defining your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) to choosing between sales development representatives and product-led growth motions. Whether you’re embarking on your startup journey or are further along, there’s something beneficial for every stage.
The podcast series will feature seasoned marketing, sales, and product experts who have worked for companies such as Stripe, Snowflake, and Deliveroo. -
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. -
In a new Seedcamp Deep Dive, Carlos's guest is Di Cook, AI Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), research affiliate at the Center of the Study for Existential Risk at the University of Cambridge, and a doctoral candidate in war studies at King's College in London. Her research interests lie at the intersection of defense, intelligence, and AI.
Their conversation revolves around the societal and security implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI), from the existential risks that AI could create, to the role of AI in national and international security. They also explore how AI technologies, and especially synthetic media, are augmenting and exacerbating societal and ethical issues and discuss potential initiatives and policies that can help to address these issues.
They also examine the risks, potential misuses, and opportunities presented by AI, especially in the field of open-source intelligence (OSINT).
Last but not least, they delve into different stakeholder's roles in re-establishing societal trust.
Show Notes:
Di Cooke - linkedin.com/in/dcooke34/
Carlos Espinal – linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal
Centre for Strategic and International Studies - csis.org
Seedcamp - seedcamp.com -
In the latest Seedcamp Deep Dive, Carlos is joined by Kyran Schmidt, co-founder of Outverse, a community-first solutions platform; Jonathan Reimer, co-founder of crowd.dev, a developer data platform; and our Partner Sia Houchangnia.
They discuss:
- the importance of community-building for tech startups;
- why intentionality and fostering a sense of belonging in community development are essential;
- types of communities namely product and practitioner communities;
- challenges, and strategies in creating and managing communities;
- the community tech stack and specific tools (e.g., Discord, WhatsApp);
- key success metrics and budget management considerations;
- and more.
Overview:
00:38 - Introduction to the Power of Communities
06:47 The Role of Community in Product-Led Growth
18:02 Defining Community and Its Importance
26:28 Managing Community Dynamics: Heroes vs Nutters
28:50 The Importance of Community Culture
29:43 Building, Designing and Scaling Community
33:49 Community Segmentation and Success Metrics
37:49 The Role of Founders in Community Building
57:47 Community Building: Tool Stack and Budgeting
1:05:31 Concluding Thoughts on Community Building
Show Notes:
Jonathan Reimer - linkedin.com/in/jonathimer
Kyran Schmidt - linkedin.com/in/kyran-schmidt
Sia Houchangnia - linkedin.com/in/siahouchangnia
Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal
crowd.dev - crowd.dev
Outverse - outverse.com
Seedcamp - seedcamp.com
Resources:
How to build a developer community: a step-by-step guide
CrowdDev's blog (includes many articles about community building)
[Seedcamp Firsts] How to create and scale an iconic community. Lessons from Sorare – Features Dan O’Kelly, an early Community - - Lead at Seedcamp-backed fantasy sports unicorn Sorare in conversation with our Partner Sia Houchangnia
Appwrite's community and blog [appwrite.io] -
In a new episode of Seedcamp Firsts, Candice Ren, Founder of 173Tech and a member of the Seedcamp Expert Collective, talks with our Venture Partner Devin Hunt about how data relates to building a great product at your startup.
Candice, who contributed to building Bumble's data analytics function and team, explains the importance of understanding and utilizing company data effectively in startups. She provides insights into establishing Northstar metrics, user journey analytics, feature analytics, data dictionaries, and strategies for effective data sharing among teams.
Learn about:
- the user journey as your source of data;
- the difference between product/app and features analytics;
- how to think about your data stack;
- what to track and why you shouldn't track everything;
- why you need a master dashboard and what should it include. - Vis mere
