Valley Nordic
Episodes
We look at valuations of tech companies that went public in the first half of 2020 and highlight the companies that might go public in the second half of 2020.
The companies that might go public are Lemonade (filed S1), Robinhood, Airbnb, Snowflake, Palantir, Postmates, Doordash, Instacart, and McAfee. Startups that went public earlier this year are listed in the useful links section below.
We will be off for the summer. Next episo...
We review and analyze major announcements made at Apple's latest Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC).
Useful links
Apple's announcements at WWDC 2020
We discuss Apps that allow third party developers to publish mini apps within the App. These apps are called Super Apps. WeChat is the biggest Super App. Last week, Snap announced a program to become a Super App. Facebook has been trying to become a Super App for years.
Useful links:
1. Snap Minis announcement
2. WeChat
We discuss the difference between capital markets and money markets. Alliance Venture, an early stage venture firm based in Norway recently raised a new ~$60M fund. We get into nitty gritty of raising a venture fund and how raising money is different for entrepreneurs. Arne is a partner at Alliance Venture.
Useful links
1. Alliance Venture
2. Capital Markets
We discuss the evolution of remote work and its pros and cons. Furthermore, we pontificate on potential changes in society if everyone works remotely.
Useful link:
History of remote work
We discuss the purpose of packaging in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and how it might change with the direct-to-consumer (D2C) business model. The discussion is based on Chander's blogpost on the subject.
Useful link:
Changing P in CPG: Packaging In The Direct-To-Consumer World
We discuss the reasons why companies do M&A (Mergers and Acquisitions) and review the recent acquisitions in the tech space. Also, we talk about the M&A scene in 2020 vs 2019 and themes of 2020 acquisitions. Following are the acquisitions we analyze:
1. Facebook buying Giphy
2. Microsoft buying Affirmed Networks, Softmotive, and Metaswitch Networks
3. Apple buying NextVR
4. Zoom buying Keybase
5. Intel buying Moovit
6. Veriz...
We discuss how to think about Fintech, what segments startups are targeting within Fintech, and how we see Fintech changing in future. Also, new business models in insurance and banking.
Useful links:
1. Ayden - Most highly valued European startup
2. Credit card payments
We share our views on Quibi, a new streaming service designed for people on the go to watch professionally produced original videos on mobile phones. The assumptions behind Quibi and what mistakes Quibi is making in execution.
Useful links:
1. Quibi
2. Differences between Silicon Valley and Hollywood
We are very excited to have Kjell Håkan Närfelt, Chief Strategy Officer, at Vinnova, a Swedish government agency focused on building and funding nationwide innovation ecosystems. Chander and Kjell Häkan talk about incubators, science parks, exit focused venture capital vs dividend based capital. We also discuss the common mistakes early stage startups make.
Arne will be back next week.
Useful links:
1. Kjell Häkan on LinkedIn
2. Vi...
We discuss how technology is being used to end the coronavirus pandemic. We look at the tech in two categories 1) Cure - respirators, ventilators, and treatment 2) Prevention - vaccines, testing, and tracking. Furthemore, we explain how the new Apple/Google initiative works for contact tracing.
Useful Links
1. Open Source ventilator projects
2. Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)
3. Norwegian contact tracing app
4...
Arne is back on the podcast. We discuss analysis vs. synthesis, linear thinking vs. systems thinking, parts vs. systems and what are the types of complex systems. We explore a new way of looking at the world and how systems thinking can be applied to startups and investing. Chander tried to make it a box-free episode but Arne found a way to sneak in his boxes.
Useful links:
1. Systems Thinking
2. Complex Systems
3. New England Comp...
We have a very special guest, Andrew Sherrard, on this episode. Andrew is a former Chief Marketing Officer at T-Mobile US where he managed $1B+ in marketing budget and drove $16B in annual revenue. His un-carrier marketing strategy changed how wireless services are sold in the US. Andrew shares his insights on concept testing, positioning, naming, branding, pricing, advertising agencies, and other marketing topics that are usef...
We discuss the education and EdTech segments. Why things have not changed in decades after multiple attempts in bringing technology to education? We also share some examples of successes and failures in education and EdTech.
Useful Links
1. Global learning landscape
2. Microverse
We discuss some of the temporary changes in businesses caused by the coronavirus and what permanent changes in society might occur due to the pandemic. We also talk about the current funding situation for startups and possible scenarios on when we will get to the post corona world.
Our thanks to healthcare, delivery, and retail/grocery/pharmacy workers who are are going to work every day and making our work from home lives possible...
We discuss segmentation of the healthcare market from a startup/investment perspective, why the US healthcare system is highly inefficient, and how product development is different in healthcare. Furthermore, we talk about opportunities for startups in the healthcare market.
Useful links:
1. Chander's keynote speech on digital health
2. Genesis of a wearable device
3. Region Skåne (Sweden) pivot to mobile health (mHealth)
4. Ap...
In this episode, guest Per-Arne Lundberg, a Swedish game investor and CEO at Amplifier Game Invest AB, is discussing the game industry with Arne. Topics covered include:
Thanks for visiting, Per-Arne.
Check out: https://www.amplifiergameinvest.com/
Arne and Chander discuss how the technology ecosystem works and how it might evolve. The discussion is based on Chander's blogpost on the subject. You can see the blogpost at
https://cdoq.blogspot.com/2020/03/dynamics-of-technology-ecosystem.html
We discuss the complexity of Go To Market (GTM) strategies and focus on how Business to Business (B2B) startups with Software as a Service (SaaS) products reach their customers. Common mistakes that founders make and the multiple channels that are used for getting customers to use new products.
We discuss a topic that is in the news and is on everybody's mind - Sustainability. What does it mean? How should startups think about it? Why now is the right time to do a startup focused on sustainability?
Useful Links:
1. United Nations sustainability goals (2030)
2. Larry Fink (BlackRock Chairman and CEO) letter to investors on sustainability
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