'venture capital' Category
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Laying the foundation for Smart Cities
December 1, 2020Urban planners, politicians, and real estate developers in most international cities across the globe grapple with the prospect of transforming their metropolis into a smart city. If you work in real estate or any adjacent sector, you’ll know that the concept of smart cities is hot. Yet like many euphoric new trends, the notion of […]
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New investment: Zaiko
November 5, 2020I am pleased to finally announce that we participated in this summer’s Series A round of Zaiko. Covid-19 has radically disrupted the activity of live events. We believe that not all of this disruption will prove temporary. Zaiko operated a ticketing platform for concerts and other live performances in Japan. When Covid-19 hit, Zaiko recognized […]
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For some, working from home is akin to flying business class
September 23, 2020Has the covid-19 pandemic ushered in a permanent shift in our professional work habits, or will everything return to the former status quo in a year or two ? This question sits at the root of many of my reflections as I consider where the next areas might lie for VC investment opportunities in enterprise […]
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Expansion of accredited investor status in the U.S.
August 28, 2020In a long overdue decision, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission expanded its definition of accredited investor this week. The accredited investor status represents one of the principal tests in the U.S. to determine who is eligible to participate in private capital markets. Historically, individual investors who did not meet specific income or net worth […]
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Most valuable startup unicorns
August 19, 2020Since the startup unicorn count has become a metric of governments worldwide, here’s the latest unicorn compilation from the brilliant minds over at CBInsights…
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The “future of work” is arriving faster than expected in Japan
August 7, 2020It was barely two years ago that we invested in enTouch. As I wrote at the time, we believed that the mode of working would undergo a substantial transformation in many industries in Japan over the coming decade. Well, the “future of work” arrived a lot faster than I expected, at least here in Japan […]
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Rude VC Summer reading list 2020
July 31, 2020As is customary this time of year, here are the Rude VC summer reading recommendations. For reading lists from prior years, see 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, as well as the special edition shelter-in-place reading list of 2020). Wishing you all a safe, healthy, and hopefully relaxing summer !
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Europe to entrepreneurs worldwide: You are welcome here
July 1, 2020Long-time readers of this blog know that two recurring themes that I often harp on about are Silicon Valley No Longer Has A Monopoly On Innovation, and Immigrants Often Make The Best Entrepreneurs. So whenever I see data which reinforces these convictions, I have a tendency to amplify it. While the US government relentlessly tightens […]
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Repeat offenders in France
June 26, 2020This week I noticed three noteworthy new startup fundraisings in France. Memo Bank (a small business bank), Jumbo Privacy (a consumer privacy and security app), and Swile (meal payment cards). Other than announcing significant VC rounds in the same week, what do these French startups have in common? All are created by serial entrepreneurs Memo […]
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The CVC lagging indicator
June 15, 2020Five years ago I published a chart of global corporate venture capital activity since 1995. Here is this same chart updated with data through 2019. Corporate venture capital units (CVCs) serve an important function, and I’m not here to knock them. I even spent the early part of my VC career working for a corporate […]
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Real estate in a post-coronavirus world, part 2
June 7, 2020This article represents the second piece in a two-part series on how the Coronavirus pandemic will transform the real estate business. Undoubtedly, this transformation will prove disruptive to some incumbents in the sector. However, this transformation will also usher in compelling opportunities for innovation. Real estate developers who capitalize on such opportunities will not only […]
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Real estate in a post-coronavirus world
May 31, 2020As I’ve written in these pages before, for startups working on innovative tech in the real estate sector, a compelling market is emerging here in Japan. Whether it be property management tools, construction tech, blockchain-based real estate solutions, commercial and residential marketplaces, etc., there is demand. Now, the Coronavirus pandemic appears to be accelerating the […]