VC From Seed To Growth Stage: Supporting The Next Great Companies | SALT iConnections New York | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Experts discuss the importance of sovereign wealth funds and venture capital in the technology industry, with a focus on investing in growth-stage companies and utilizing AI and blockchain technologies.

Key Insights

• 🫥 Sovereign wealth funds have been active in technology for many years but have become more visible due to the macroeconomic changes and the impact of the tech reset.
• 🔬 Venture capitalists are focusing on fundamentals and achieving real return on invested capital in growth-stage investing.
• 🎁 The fintech sector presents opportunities for AI applications in areas such as fraud detection, financial coaching, and financial data analytics.
• 😵 Blockchain technology can address trust issues in the fintech industry, especially in cross-border payments and stable currency holdings.
• 🐕‍🦺 The combination of blockchain and AI technologies has the potential to revolutionize financial services, but regulatory and adoption challenges remain.
• 😮 The next wave of consumer fintech platforms may emerge in the coming years, driven by macroeconomic volatility, the rise of Gen Z, and technological advancements.
• 🧑‍💻 Collaborative support for portfolio companies and deep collaboration between investors and founders are crucial in navigating the challenges and opportunities in the tech industry.

Transcript

foreign I'm excited to host our panel today with a great lineup of friends and colleagues in the space we're going to discuss a few topics around investing in growth stage our speakers today I'm excited to welcome Ibrahim ajemi I had Adventures of capital and Lauren kolodny co-founder and managing partner at a crew capital just for a little bit of ... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How has the role of sovereign wealth funds in venture capital evolved in the past few years?

Sovereign wealth funds, like Mubadala, have been active in technology for over 15 years but have become more visible due to the macroeconomic changes and the impact of the tech reset. They focus on combining real support for founders with the resources of a sovereign entity.

Q: How are venture capitalists adapting to the changing market conditions and the need for fundamentals in growth-stage investing?

Venture capitalists are spending more time collaborating with portfolio companies, helping them balance capital efficiency and achieving milestones. There is a greater emphasis on fundamentals and achieving real return on invested capital.

Q: What opportunities does AI present in the fintech sector?

AI can be utilized in areas such as fraud detection, personalized financial coaching, financial data analytics, and underwriting. It has the potential to transform the efficiency and accessibility of financial services, particularly in emerging markets.

Q: How are blockchain and AI being combined to address trust issues in the fintech industry?

Blockchain can enable trust and transparency in financial transactions, especially in areas like cross-border payments and stable currency holdings. The integration of blockchain and AI technologies can revolutionize financial services, but the regulatory environment and adoption are still developing.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Ibrahim Ajemi and Lauren Kolodny discuss the role of sovereign wealth funds and venture capital in the technology industry, particularly in investing in growth-stage companies.

• They highlight the importance of supporting founders and working with them as both investors and company builders.

• The experts also discuss the challenges and opportunities in the fintech sector, focusing on areas such as fraud detection, financial literacy, and cross-border payments.