Ken Davenport

As I look forward to The Care Summit coming up this week, I am thrilled to see more investors and founders focused on the care economy. We like to say that if it keeps your mom or grandma up at night, The Artemis Fund is looking for technology to solve it. The care economy is $64B industry critical to unlocking the prosperity of American families. Founders we are proud to back building solutions to the hair-on-fire problems facing families and businesses include: Joanna Newman McFarland at HopSkipDrive, Abbey Donnell at Work & Mother, Erin Levine at Hello Divorce, Paige Wilson at Naborforce, and Kanan Ajmera at Builders Patch. Keeping us up on a recent evening was an amazing dinner and conversation on innovation solving childcare, senior care, parental care, addiction, and housing. The dinner was hosted by The Artemis Fund and Brex, and included investors and founders from Springbank, SteelSky Ventures, Loeb.nyc, Metrodora Ventures, K. Ventures, American Family Ventures, Watershed Ventures LLC, Park Rangers Capital 🏕️, Ingeborg Investments, Claritas Rx, RubyWell, Gabbi, and Builders Patch. You can read more about our thoughts on the care economy here: https://lnkd.in/eyKhDt9Z If there is a founder innovating in care tech you think we should meet, tag them in the comments! #caretech #careeconomy

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In the #40 episode of the #FoundersGuidePost Podcast, Thomas J Marki, CPA and I jump headfirst into a great discussion on 20 Common Issues that all Founders should consider when planning for the sale disposition or succession of your business. If you need this checklist or have a question, send me a DM or call at 480-367-9000. We hope you enjoy this episode: https://lnkd.in/grvx5rHk #ArizonaBusiness #MergersandAcquisitions #FamilyOffice #IncreaseProfits #Operations #FamilyBusiness #BusinessAttorney #BusinessPodcast #AmericanDream #ScottsdaleFoundersForum

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Today, Last Money In Media is excited to share a guest post from one of our colleagues Phil Nadel, who leads Forefront Venture Partners. Phil wrote a piece title "The Misaligned Syndicate Incentive Structure" to provide a viewpoint on syndicates doing high volume deals versus those that are more concentrated. (link to full post in comments) Forefront Venture Partners formed one of the first syndicates about 12 years ago. They have invested in more than 200 rounds in over 100 companies since then. Additionally, they started a rolling fund about 3 years ago. Given Phil’s experience across models (SPVs/Funds) and having seen the evolution of the syndicate ecosystem over the last decade, Phil has offered to share his unique perspective with Last Money In Media readers in our article published today. In this Last Money In Media article, Phil discusses: - His POV on the incentive structure in the SPV ecosystem - The landscape shift to some higher volume syndicate GPs - Why Rolling Funds may be a better alternative for some LPs - And more The full article is in the comments for further reading. Powered by Sydecar, Last Money In Media is the most actionable venture capital newsletter. Written by Zachary Ginsburg and Alex Pattis who have deployed > $200M across 700+ SPVs.

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Endeavor Entrepreneurs is a remarkable network filled with top-performing, pay-it-forward leaders—a truly special group of people. "They’re not only building their companies, they’re building their communities, their cities, and frankly, the future of their countries," to quote Allen Taylor. Each year, Endeavor recognizes the crème de la crème—Outliers. These entrepreneurs, despite challenges like the VC downturn, economic instability, and political unrest in many regions, lead the fastest-growing, top-performing companies. To give you some perspective: 🚀 This elite class includes 30 exits, 14 publicly listed companies, and 16 acquired companies, totaling an enterprise value of $18 billion. 💼 Collectively, Endeavor Outliers have raised $31 billion and created 1.3 million jobs across 33 countries. I'm thrilled to see how the Endeavor network is expanding (kudos Adrian Garcia-Aranyos 🚀). I'm also proud to see our 🇵🇱 contingent growing. A big shoutout to our three Polish representatives in the Endeavor Outliers Community: Stefan Batory, Przemek Gotfryd, and Filip Victor. 👏

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#UnpopularOpinion: build *YOUR* business - not what is popular or that you've been led to think is profitable. If you need help figuring out what that is, get in touch with me, your Chief Navigation Officer. And please check out the latest edition of The Rutledge Perspective Podcast with my guest, Jennifer Campbell of Soul Star as we get into the details. To find out more about Jennifer: https://www.soulstar.inc/ #TheRuteldgePerspective #AlignmentVisionAction

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This article poses a question that we have to be asking sooner rather than later: Is the government ready for the silver tsunami? "The number of people 65 years old or older makes up 18% of the population today. That percentage will swell to 23% by 2054," reports Susan Miller. This will have a major effect on health and long-term care services, and perhaps an even bigger impact on government agencies like Social Security. If we want to ensure that seniors will have access to the resources they deserve and in many cases, desperately need, we have to address this issue as soon as possible. #SilverTsunami #SocialSecurity #SeniorCare

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Yesterday was my 20th Demo Day at Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator, and it's always a whipsaw of emotions: Watching our founders showcase their companies' vision, traction, and potential through wonderful storytelling and delivery is exhilarating. 🎤 Seeing investors respond so positively is obviously rewarding. Putting on a great show is fun, but Demo Day is ultimately an investor showcase. ✅ And today, we had our final group KPI session which was...bittersweet. Having worked so intimately with these founders every single day for four months...well, it felt like the last day of summer camp 😥 But back to happy...I know we'll be supporting these founders for years to come as their companies flourish and grow. So there's many good times ahead. 🌲 And finally, we now move on to a sneak peek of the next generation as we begin reviewing and interviewing applicants for the summer cohort. Somewhere in all those applicants are the 15 new founders who will be a part of my life for a very long time. Exciting days ahead! ❤️ So a big congrats to the presenters... Nancy Rhodes of alternew Tristan Springer of CarbonPilot Rayan Sadri of Carez AI Khalil Zlaoui of CaseBlink Ephi Banaynal dela Cruz of Context Nature Public Benefit Corporation Dennis Kennelly of DashlyHR Prasad Joglekar of deben Tan Huynh of Detexian Ciaran Gillen of Digital Iron Dwayne Caldwell of Enspi.io Angela Gu of Hively Vinodh Balaraman, MBA of KolateAI PharmaTech Inc Max Klein of LEA Technologies Cosimo Corsini of Pontigo Paul Julius of Thread Health Galym Uteulin of ZenGuard AI ...and all of their equally important co-founders of course. You made me all very proud! #startups #accelerators #venturecapital #vc

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I've founded 10 for- and not-for-profit ventures, and created strategies for hundreds of the most accomplished and gratified entrepreneurs in dozens of industries. Here are a few topics that work well for a 45-minute conversation: - Focus and prioritizing next steps - Opportunity assessment – now, later, or never - Fundraising bootstrap, equity, debt, philanthropic, crowd, or combo - IP development, test, and launch or regroup around market data - Deal prep, pitch, nurturing, and negotiations - Pivot or persevere when your plan isn’t going accordingly - Stamina, self-care and lifestyle design for your creative marathon You'll be asked to pay $475 when scheduling. If you need a sliding scale, you can pay what is affordable. I'd love to be helpful. https://lnkd.in/g-JvZK9r

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In today’s game-changing session of Your Advantage Play®, we take a dive deep with Ordan Trabelsi into the transformative world of offender monitoring technology. Ordan shared the cutting-edge advancements PureMonitor is bringing to the criminal justice space with their innovative bracelets and cloud-based systems—a true blend of safety and sophistication. To listen to the full episode, go to: https://lnkd.in/g4HcVcRk We explored how leveraging military-bred innovation is disrupting traditional tracking for the betterment of public safety. From Tel Aviv's tech culture to NASDAQ's trading floors, Ordan painted a picture of steadfast growth and strategic triumphs—proof that in a mature industry, foresight and adaptation are the ultimate advantage. These are the top 5 points made by the guest, Ordan Trabelsi: 1. His company offers advanced tracking technology that disrupts traditional criminal justice monitoring methods. 2. The technology caters to a wide range of applications beyond criminal justice, including patient and Alzheimer's tracking. 3. They prioritize long-term operations and growth over short-term stock price fluctuations. 4. The company has a strategy of focusing on one market at a time for better market penetration. 5. Trabelsi outlines his transition from military skills to technology leadership in the civilian sector. Join us again as we continue highlighting the players who not only move the pieces but redefine the game.

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Last week, I sat down with Vator to discuss AI applications in the workforce, and how founders in key industries like Healthtech, Fintech, and supply chain can apply AI in meaningful ways to reduce friction in day-to-day life. We have literally seen a usable, value-generating case of artificial intelligence inside pretty much every major vertical that exists in the last year or so, but many people are still not using AI to its full advantage. At Forum Ventures, we see thousands of B2B AI companies a quarter, and we are increasingly bullish on AI-powered verticalization. Read on to learn more about some of the exciting AI applications we see founders utilizing, the nuances we consider when finding great founders across diverse industries, and the importance of founder-market fit. https://lnkd.in/gh-hDSSG

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Yup, here's 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 piece of media on 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. Only, this one's not all doom and gloom 💀 ...or hype and magic. 🪄 Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Tom Kemp for the latest episode of 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐬, where we spoke about all things AI and Big Tech. Tom's a policy advisor for California, having contributed to the Privacy Rights Act, Delete Act and the just-passed AI Transparency Act. He's also an author, entrepreneur and the founder and former CEO of Centrify - a leading cybersecurity cloud provider that served the top Fortune 50 companies. So yeah, it's safe to say he knows a thing or two about AI and Big Tech. During our insightful discussion we talked about: 🔸 Why consumers need to limit their digital footprint online 🔸 How deepfakes are causing issues for democracy... and Taylor Swift 🔸 Can we tell what’s real in the age of AI? 🔸 When your homework is so good it’s mistaken as being AI-generated 🔸 How your data is powering the AI revolution 🔸 Why we’d all benefit from more tech competition 🔸 Can we stop our data being mined for AI training programs? 🔸 The potential impact of AI on the workforce 🔸 The importance of building an organic internet movement ...and so much more. With all the craziness and the never-ending news stories surrounding AI, this episode is going to be a fun one to look back on. ⌛ So, if you're at all curious about Big Tech, how your personal data is used, want to know more about the future implications of AI, or frankly are just a user of the Internet, then this is an episode you are 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 going to want to hear. 🎧 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀: https://lnkd.in/gq3UdHE2 🔗 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀: https://lnkd.in/gr9Rs92F

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What's with the fetishism around attending oversized conferences in a digital-rich, time-poor era where value is imperative? Just as we've culled frivolous meetings, is it time to treat conferences with contempt? The first recorded conference in 561 BC Corinth (GR), hosted the Isthmian Games. How did they devolve into the wasteful employee 'school field trips' they are today? The glossy veneer of conferences often obscures their archaic and wasteful reality. Ostensibly about celebrating innovation and connection, they increasingly prioritise profit over promise, money over magic, noise over nuance. Organisers rose-tinted optics ignore flaws: wasted flights, lost productivity, pointless swag, and exorbitant production costs on garish exhibitor signage for ~2 days. Today’s conferences feature the same vanity panels, fence-sitting sponsored chats, tepid moderators, and corporate-scripted speakers spewing middle-ground rhetoric to the same crowds. Attendees realise too late they could've simply spent their time (and money) more wisely and authentically unwinding over a pint at the pub afterwards. Take London Tech Week at Olympia. Despite its title, where was the tech? A missed trick to showcase actual hands-on tech, even 1 flying drone - instead, we were treated to pigeons (true story), and a hectic schedule as if designed by Anneka Rice herself. Attendees, seen as QR-coded target practice for exhibitor scan guns, scuttled through shallow networking corridors. "Let's Connect on <platform du jour>" amid 45,000 people ensures conference burnout; connection becomes resentment rather than a reward. It becomes a chore. Talks of flying cars in London by 2050 (?!) distract from pressing issues. Conferences promise "jam yesterday, jam tomorrow, but not today," neglecting the actionable innovation we need now. Registrations hoard attendee data, enriching marketers over delegates. We squander potential for personalised experiences amidst self-promotion and hollow engagements. We need to transform these costly talk spectacles into genuine engines of progress and connection. It’s time for a radical rethink: Fully autonomous AI-generated conferences with zero human intervention—AI-2-AI panels, AI moderation, AI fireside chats, and AI networking. Each delegate's generative AI avatar, using data, connects with each other, then triages optimal human connections, suggesting relevant contacts and optimising schedules for serendipitous meetings. Value isn’t in attendee numbers but interaction quality and tangible outcomes. AI-curated, focused gatherings could deepen connections, foster productive discussions, and maximise participant value. Imagine conferences showcasing tech’s real-world applications. Reduce waste, enhance quality, leverage AI for efficient, effective, and effervescent experiences. Sure, let's embrace the future—but please enjoy the present first. Please and thank you. Boom. See you at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity...

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Great article on the success of the VA's flagship mobile app. The tl;dr is that the success comes from a relentless focus on the Veteran's and their needs and understanding how they access information and services. The care and attention that VA has taken to ensuring the mobile app is accessible is also a real highlight. #digitalservices #mobileapps #customerexperience https://lnkd.in/euZ86KhY

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#Longevity Tech is on the rise ✌️ -Endeavor BioMedicines raised $135M at a $795M valuation in April 2024. -Humanaut Health secured an $8.7M Seed round, valued at $52M in May. -Superpower raised $4M, reaching a $24M valuation in May as well. These are just 3 of the 90+ #longevity startups highlighted in Dealroom.co's latest report (Link in the comments). In this newsletter, I dive into the Longevity Technology Market and the emerging trends shaping the future of health! 👉 https://lnkd.in/e3EZrAPH #Longevity #HealthTech #StartupFunding #Innovation

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We are excited to have announced our Series A lead investment in Abett. Founded by Mike Hanlon, the company provides a data layer that enables any self-insured employer in the US to receive a regular and consistent feed of their claims data so they can actually understand healthcare costs, the efficacy of their employee benefits, and how to better serve their employees (to whom they have a fiduciary responsibility). While this sounds like table stakes, it's far from the norm. After payroll, healthcare is the biggest cost consideration for American employers. A majority of Americans receive employer-based health insurance. A majority of those Americans receive insurance from a fully or partially self-funded plan (i.e., the employer is taking risk instead of the insurance company). Abett brings transparency and alignment to a thorny data problem to empower benefits leaders & CFOs. More to come on Acrew Capital's focus on the investing at the intersection of healthcare & data. cc: Mark Kraynak and Kwabena "KB" Nimo for their partnership on this investment.

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While there are numerous pros and cons to consider when raising a seed round, I generally agree with Gary Tan’s assessment: companies succeed when they create products that solve problems and meet customer needs, not because of the size of the check VCs write. I understand the frustration for VCs who have been raising larger seed-stage funds and need to deploy more capital per deal, but I support the founder’s decision to limit dilution early on. My advice to founders is to stay strong, be bold, hustle and take a chance on yourself, if you can solve customer problems, the same VCs who are upset about your decision to raise and dilute less during the seed round will come knocking on your door. #startups #founders #dilution #believeinyourself #venturecapital https://lnkd.in/gdmKsUje

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🎙️ NEW EPISODE ALERT on Zero Limits Podcast! 🚀 EP 2 is live and it's packed with strategies for maximizing your business value. Join Melinda Wittstock and me, as we dissect the anatomy of a successful business pivot and reveal the importance of understanding market dynamics to drive growth and increase company valuation. 🔗 Listen at https://lnkd.in/g_s2dHa7 and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts for more actionable insights to grow your business 🔑Key Takeaways 🚀Optimize Value Growth: Understand what potential buyers value beyond the top line revenue growth and EBITDA. We dissect the perfect pivot to show you how one company's brand tweak from trucking to energy logistics made a world of difference in multiplying its value. ⚡Market Mastery: Learn the art of aligning with market needs and dynamics to stay ahead in the game. Your success depends on more than having a great product or service: Understanding how it’s positioned relative to competitors and how it might accelerate the growth of a potential buyer is critical to value growth. We explore how to position your business for acquisition by focusing on differentiating factors and market potential. 🌱Growth Mindset: To skyrocket your business, focus on key metrics and customer growth dynamics – don't be myopic about broader performance indicators or blindsided either by current success or temporary setbacks. We explore why it’s vital to monitor and adjust to market changes, competition, technological innovations, and economic conditions among them.   📊Beyond Face Value: The importance of evaluating and communicating business value to mitigate perceived risks and amplify opportunities. ⚡ Accelerate Your Growth: Subscribe now so you don't miss out on future episodes that promise to guide you through understanding the market, identifying growth drivers, managing risk, and navigating the waters at different stages of your business life cycle. 🚀 More at zerolimitsradio.com Make your learning actionable: Get the free workbook HERE: https://lnkd.in/gTVi5BPP

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I should have not left for HBS when I did. I had the privilege of working at AOL Ventures during the late 90s, alongside incredible individuals like Chris Bolster, Ron Peele, Stacy Tucker, Neil Sequeira and Ted Maidenberg. It was a remarkable era at the cusp of the Internet and mobile devices, where I spearheaded over 7 deals and was part of a team with a stellar corporate mission. However, after pursuing further education at HBS, re-entering the VC realm proved challenging. Despite a brief stint at a buyout firm masquerading as VC and operational experience, I faced age-related barriers even with a small exit under my belt. The competition with younger, more agile entrepreneurs was fierce. I was too old to be an Associate and not sexy enough to be a Partner. Lesson learned: Never sacrifice a dream job for a brand name or school. Despite the setbacks, I still harbor the same dream. With my experience in angel investing and successful exits, and solid operational experience, I believe I can bring immense value to the right team. The question remains: How do I persist and continue striving towards this dream? #VentureCapital #Entrepreneurship #CareerJourney

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