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Canada might be 1/10th the size of the US population, but Canadians still deploy capital into startups but at 1/25th the rate of the US. If you're a Canadian founder you should meet some notable Toronto venture capitalists, ready to back your journey! 1. @relayventures Focus: Pre-Seed and Seed Stage Ventures Sector: Urbantech, Proptech, Fintech, Sportstech Top Portcos: Boomerang, Bird, Ecobee 2. @realventures Focus: Early-Stage Ventures Sector: Tech Enabled Businesses Top Portcos: Mejuri, Integrate AI, Unbounce 3. @radicalvcfund Focus: Early Stage Ventures Sector: Artificial Intelligence, Disruptive tech Top Portcos: BirchAI, RoadBotics, Nabla Bio 4. @GoldenVentures Focus: Seed Ventures Sector: Agnostic Top Portcos: ApplyBoard, Yesware, tacked 5. @alatepartners Sector: Real Estate, PropTech Top Portcos: Bird, Altrio, PadSplit 6.@iganvc Focus: Seed Ventures Sector: Digital Health and MedTech Top Portcos: Meta, Akira, Think Research 7. @Whitecapvp Focus: Seed and Series A Ventures Sector: B2B software and Med Tech Top Portcos: GoBolt, Real Matters, Clearwater 8. @ripple_ventures Sector: B2B Software Top Portcos: Wisely, Artemis, Plannuh 9. @LoyalVc Sector: Tech Enabled Businesses Top Portcos: MyTM, ZestIOT, Avant Meats, BetaStore 10. @portageinvest Focus: Seed to Series C Ventures Sector: Fintech Top Portcos: KOHO Financial, Albert, League, Clark Ready to connect with the perfect investor for your startup? Drop “LIST” in the comments, and I’ll tailor a personalized investor lineup just for you. Who’s your favorite VC firm in Toronto? Give them a shoutout in the comments! At @UseThunder, we specialize in matching your fintech startup with venture capital firms that align with your sector, growth stage, and goals. Let’s find the right partner to fuel your growth!

Based on what I'm seeing in the market, I've compiled a list of my 9 favorite VCs in the USA that specialize in Fintech. Let me know who I should add to this list. 1. @FinVentureCap Focus: Pre-seed to IPO Location: San Francisco, CA Top Portcos: Vestwell, Embed, onfido 2. @fintech_io Focus: Early-Stage Ventures Location: New York, New York Top Portcos: Flutterwave, Vestwell, Antler 3. @PrecursorVC Focus: Pre-Seed and Seed Ventures Location: San Francisco, CA Top Portcos: Pivo, Zeta 4. @firstround Focus: Early-Stage Ventures Location: San Francisco, CA Top Portcos: Ascend, SmartBiz, On Deck Capital 5. @FoundationCap Focus: Early-Stage Ventures Location: Palo Alto, CA Top Portcos: LendingClub, One Finance, Stripe 6. @p72vc Focus: Seed stage to IPO Ventures Location: New York, New York Top Portcos: PayEngine, Tesouro, Vestwell 7. TTV Capital Focus: Early Stage Ventures Location: Atlanta, Georgia Top Portcos: Green Dot Bank, Bill, SmartAsset 8. @CommerceVC Focus: Early Stage Ventures Location: San Francisco, CA Top Portcos: Bill, Marqeta, Socure, Fidel API 9. @BainCapVC Focus: Early Stage to IPO Ventures Location: San Francisco, CA Top Portcos: Ansa, Column Tax, Flywire Ready to connect with the perfect investor for your fintech startup? Drop a “LIST” in the comments, and I’ll tailor a personalized investor lineup just for you by leveraging our AI at Thunder.vc Who did I miss? Or Who’s your favorite fintech VC firm in the USA? Give them a shoutout in the comments! At Thunder.vc, we help great businesses get the capital they need.

👋 Hey founders! We've got a problem with AI. It's too easy to use and too effective. Why is that bad? Well, the quality of work you put out is going to have to match it, especially if you're trying to pitch AI investors. If you make small errors that AI could easily prevent, you're going to look bad and it's likely to be an automatic pass from a VC. So if you're struggling to make a pitch deck that shows what your business is all about and convinces investors to lean in, then you need to leverage AI if you don't have access to the experts in real-time. #OpenAI's latest update, #GPT4o, has an enhanced #GPT store and experience that can save you time by giving you critical feedback in real time. It's surreal Here are some popular GPTs in the store available now for you to collab. 1. The Pitch Deck Analyzer by Vladislav Tislenko is a tool you don't want to miss. By providing expert feedback, this tool helps you refine your pitch to potential investors by giving you detailed analysis, expert insights and actionable feedback. Remember, your pitch deck is often your first impression. Make it count! 2. The Startup Pitch Deck GPT by Ivan Landabaso can give you personalized feedback on your pitch deck. Once you've uploaded your pitch deck, you'll receive customized advice to refine your presentation and make it more compelling for potential investors. Remember, the goal is to tell a memorable story that resonates with your audience. 3. Get expert insights on all things startups with the Startup Guide by Duygu Dulger, covering everything from business models to VC practice. This tool doesn't just skim the surface; it provides actionable advice that can propel a startup from an idea to a thriving business. Whether you're at the ideation stage or gearing up for your first round of funding, this guide could be your roadmap to success 4. Hone your pitching skills with #VC #GPT, your personal pitch training bot by Piotr Bombol. It offers a unique opportunity to refine your pitch in a safe and supportive environment. Whether you're gearing up for a big meeting or just starting out, VC GPT is like having a personal coach by your side. Remember, a great pitch can make all the difference. With VC GPT, you're not just practicing; you're perfecting your approach to win over investors. Don't just take my word for it—comment below and let me know which tool you've tried or share which ones I missed.

Hey Mate! We're continuing our #VC List series but taking you across the pond to London! I've carefully picked 12 amazing VCs in London, each a leader in their field. If you know any blokes or birds seeking capital? Tag'em in the comments to help them out. (If you're British and take offense to my attempts to use British slang, tell me in the comments) 1. @seedcamp Focus: Early-Stage Ventures Sector: Agnostic Investment Range: £300,000 - £500,000 Top Portcos: Hopin, Wise, Revolut 2. @passioncapital Focus: Early-Stage Ventures Sector: IT,TMT, internet, mobile, infrastructure & SaaS Investment Range: £150K - £200K Top Portcos: Xelix, Native, FERTIFA 3. @firestartrco Focus: Seed stage, Series A Sector: SaaS/Cloud Infrastructure, Digital Media, Fintech and E-Commerce/Marketplaces. Investment Range: £500k - £5M Top Portcos: Coins.ph, Chain, Korbit 4. @firstminutecap Focus: Seed Sector: Blockchain, Fintech, Consumer Investment Range: $1M - $5M Top Portcos: Heist Studios, Stitch, Talktile 5. @Episode1VC Focus: Seed Ventures Sector: B2B software Investment Range: £500k – £2M Top Portcos: Docker, Adsum, Carwow 6. @sfccapitaluk Focus: Early-Stage Ventures Sector: AI & ML, Entertainment, Fintech, Healthcare, Media, SaaS, Productivity, Cybersecurity, Developer Tools Investment Range: £100,000 - £300,000 Top Portcos: Bot-Hive, Mayku, Onfido 7. @HoxtonVentures Focus: Pre-Seed and Seed Ventures Sector: Agnostic Investment Range: $500k to $5 million Top Portcos: Fluent, Baseimmune, Cogna 8. @fuelventures 🚀 Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed Sector: Marketplaces, Platforms, SaaS Investment Range: £250k - £3m Top Portcos: Volt, ContentCal, Heroes 9. @jamjarinvest Focus: Seed, series A and growth stage Sector: Consumer Investment Range: £500k - £3m Top Portcos: Oatly, Many Pets, Deliveroo 10. @7pcventures Focus: Pre-Seed, Seed Sector: Deeptech, Transformative, Frontier technology Investment Range: £250k - £2m Top Portcos: Flexport, Archax, Earnr 11. @localglobevc Focus: Early-Stage and Growth Stage Ventures Sector: Fintech, Ecommerce, Mobile Top Portcos: Qogita, Travel Perk, Sylvera 12. @Kindred_VC Focus: Pre-Seed and Seed Ventures Sector: B2B Businesses Investment Range: £250k-£3M Top Portcos: Lottie, Pollen, Paddle Ready to connect with the perfect investor for your startup? Drop a “LIST” in the comments, and we’ll tailor a personalized investor lineup just for you. Who's your favorite London-based VC firm? Give them a shoutout in the comments!

How did Brady Nolan transform a rent crisis into a successful acquisition story? Learn from his strategic moves that helped raise millions for his Fintech startup and eventually a successful exit to a larger consumer Fintech company, @MyBestEgg, in a difficult market via a cold LinkedIn message. Full episode in the comment section!

Many founders I've spoken with feel overwhelmed and uncertain about starting the fundraising process. They often don't know where to begin or what steps to take. Here are some tips to guide you from my conversations with successful founders on fundraising. First off, have you thought about figuring out how long your current funds will last? It's like planning a road trip – knowing how much gas you've got can really help you plan when to refuel. That's your runway right there. A founder I spoke with navigated a market shift by strategically cutting costs and stopping paid marketing to extend the cash runway. Mapping your runway is a critical step in navigating financial challenges. The founder I spoke with understood this well. He knew that to steer through tough times, he needed a roadmap. Also, what if you made fundraising part of your daily grind? In #fundraising, there's never enough time to do everything in a day. That's why it's crucial to prioritize tasks. Focus on activities that have the most significant impact first. I remember this founder who had 30 #investors on board, they focused on keeping the big players in the loop with #Zoom calls, considering they're the most invested. For the rest, it was all about email updates with an open invite for a chat if needed. It's like they said, you gotta pick and choose where to invest your time wisely. Remember, it's about making every minute count. And hey, breaking things down into bite-sized pieces always helps me. Instead of staring at this huge task of raising funds, why not tackle little bits at a time? Update your pitch one day, research some investors the next – keep things manageable, you know? Smaller steps are key to tackling big projects. Keep your eyes peeled for chances to meet investors too. You're already out there hustling, so take advantage of events, workshops, and whatever comes your way. Sometimes, opportunities pop up in the most unexpected places. A founder I talked to shared how she met with an investor at the beach! She found out through a friend that there was an angel investor in crypto who was heading to the beach for the weekend. She decided to tag along and meet the investor there! No formal meetings, no fancy conferences—just a casual beach hangout turned into a networking opportunity. And you know what? It paid off big time. The investor ended up putting money into their company and introducing them to four other potential investors. She shared that with me during our conversation on Episode 37 of the Fundraising Demystified podcast. Lastly, those lunch breaks or quick coffee runs? Perfect times to network. It's casual and relaxed, and you'd be surprised how a short chat can turn into a lead. Just some food for thought! Keep at it, and remember, every big journey starts with a single step. Like stories like these? Be sure to subscribe to #FundraisingDemystified where I cover one topic in detail every Tuesday and release a #podcast on Thursdays.

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Let me tell you about how Brady Nolan raised $16 million for Till before being acquired by Best Egg. The twist? A cold LinkedIn message led to their acquisition! Initially, Brady and his partner jumped in, wanting to solve a real problem they saw in the rental market—rents were skyrocketing, and incomes just couldn’t keep up. They started with this idea for a rental loan to give renters some breathing room, but that was just the beginning. What's really impressive is how they secured that early investment. Brady shared that the initial funding accelerated their journey but also pressured them to constantly validate their worth and revenue for further investments. They raised equity capital early on to fund their renter credit line despite lacking a proven track record. They noticed they were speeding through product development, focusing on investor-pleasing metrics rather than customer needs. This misstep was a wake-up call for them. They quickly realized they were off course, paused to engage with their customers, and adjusted their product to meet user needs. During COVID-19, while their competitors were aggressively expanding, Brady and his team took a more cautious approach. They didn’t push their balance sheet as hard, which meant slower growth, but less risk too. Brady thinks they might have missed a chance to scale up during that crisis. But Till navigated the startup ecosystem, engaged investors, and scaled rapidly enough, leading to its strategic acquisition by Best Egg. Post-acquisition, when Best Egg took over, Brady shared something that really struck me: the integration wasn’t rushed. They took their time blending the teams and operations, which helped everyone adjust without losing their essence, making the acquisition a success in more ways than one. Brady’s biggest takeaway? 1️⃣ Keep your investors close and your communication open. 2️⃣ Having investors who trust and support you can make all the difference, especially when tough decisions come up. Just goes to show how important it is to stay flexible and really listen—to your team, your customers, and your gut. Brady's story is a powerful reminder of how vision, timing, and a bit of bold networking can align to create remarkable outcomes. If you're curious about navigating startup funding challenges or want to learn how strategic partnerships can lead to acquisition, you’ll definitely want to check out the full story in Episode 40 of #FundraisingDemystified! Link on comments!!

Today we’re talking about secondary markets with the expert and founder of @Hiive_HQ, a secondary marketplace for private company stock. He doubled dipped for his capital raise because his customers are also his investors. He had a new unique strategy for his capital raise that we uncover below. Discover how Hiive is shaping future market trends by launching with $4.25M in funding and drawing the right investors, even in a tough market. podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jason… #Secondaries #VentureCapital #FundraisingDemystified

Hey, Mid-Atlantic startups (give me a 👍 if that's you, because I'm expecting less than 5 😅), I'm sharing 11 of the best VCs in Virginia, each a champion in their niche. Whether you're in tech, healthcare, or any field in between, having the right venture capital partner is key to scaling new heights. 1. Columbia Capital Focus: Growth and Late-Stage Ventures Sector: Communications, Media, and Enterprise Technology Investment Range: $25M - $100M Top Portcos: Ooyala, Brightcove, Asana, SailPoint, Grubhub, Duo Security 2. @Edison_Partners Focus: Growth Ventures Sector: Financial technology, healthcare IT, and enterprise software Investment Range: $10M - $30M Top Portcos: ONlyte Software, Medchart, WebMD, Billtrust 3. @route66ventures Focus: Early-Stage Ventures Sector: Digital health and financial technology Investment Range: $10$500K – $4M Top Portcos: Joon Care, Eirene Medical, Finary, Healthwave, PayPlug, Aircall, Jobbio, Oqium 4. @QEDInvestors Focus: Early-Stage Ventures Sector: Fintech Investment Range: $30K - $3M Top Portcos: Avant, Moniepoint, Banbee, Betterfly 5. @foolventures Focus: Early-Stage, Series A Ventures Sector: Technology: Software, platforms, tech-enabled services Investment Range: $1M-$2M Top Portcos: Bamboo, Carta, Effectiva 6. @AAF_Management Focus: Early-Stage, Pre-Seed, Seed and Series AVentures Sector: Agnostic Top Portcos: Robinhood, Didi, Savage X by Fenty, StockX, Figure, Reddit 7. @Blu_Venture Focus: Early-Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed and Series A Ventures Sector: TeCyber Secutiry, Fintech, Healthcare, IOT Investment Range: $500K - $1M Top Portcos: Spin.ai, Tidal, Enveedo 8. @razorsvc Focus: Early Stage and Growth Stage Ventures Sector: National security, Commercial enterprise Top Portcos: R908 devices, Blacksky, Blackbird Technologies, Black Horse 9. @PROOFVC Focus: Early-Stage and Growth Stage Ventures Sector: Marketplaces, Cybersecurity, SAAS, Fintech, Healthtech, Foodtech, Gaming, eCommerce, Frontier tech Top Portcos: Epic Games, Carta, Materclass, Sweetgreen 10. Riverbend Capital Advisors Focus: Early Stage and Growth Stage Ventures Sector: Software or Tech-enabled ventures Top Portcos: Epic Games, Carta, Veda, Varo 11. ShockVentures Focus: Early-Stage Ventures Sector: MobilityTtechnology Investment Range: $100k - $300k Top Portcos: Treepz, JOCO, AnswersNow Ready to connect with the perfect investor for your startup? Drop a “LIST” in the comments, and we’ll tailor a personalized investor lineup just for you. Got a favorite Mid-Altantic #VC firm that deserves a shoutout? Let us know in the comments below. At @UseThunder, we excel in pairing your #startup with venture capital firms that align with your specific sector, growth phase, and objectives.

Let me share an inspiring story I just heard from @SimDesai, CEO of @Hiive_HQ, who's making waves with a recent $4.25 million capital raise to transform the secondary markets! Imagine this: after a career brokering private equity investments, Sim steps away from the comfort of established practices to launch a startup that tackles problems in secondary markets. What really grabbed my attention was Sim's vision for Hiive. Inspired by his experiences from Setter Capital and the cumbersome nature of traditional trading, Sim envisioned a platform that would make trading shares of private companies as transparent and efficient as public stock exchanges. Back in the '90s and early 2000s, companies went public sooner and at lower values, which provided the public with access to them. Now, private companies stay private until they are worth tens of billions. Secondary markets are now the only way for early employees and investors to get access or cash out their shares. Hiive is creating a chance for more transparent, seamless transactions via a platform, unlike the opaque broker-dealer approach of using personal contacts and spreadsheets. We've all felt that frustration, dealing with opaque transactions and limited access to investments. Instead of calling up a broker, you end up just having one central place where buyers and sellers can go. You don't have to have conversations with six different brokers and not know which broker is telling the truth about the real price that buyers are willing to pay. Sim shared that they approached about 100 or so investors, maybe 120-ish, and had actual conversations with about 30 or 40 of them. That's a double-dip. He's working on the business and raising money at the same time. They ended up with about five or six investors. They had unique requirements. They didn't want one investor taking a large percentage. Instead, they opted for a strategic spread to maximize value—having more investors taking smaller chunks. Each investor is a potential customer and brings a valuable network, enhancing Hiive's ecosystem. This move is a critical takeaway for founders on how to think creatively about who they bring to their cap table. It's not just about money, it's about the broader network effects and strategic advantages they can offer. Of course, the journey wasn't without its bumps. Hiive faced its fair share of challenges and skepticism, especially in a tough fundraising climate. In the current high-rate environment, #VCs are expecting higher returns due to the increased cost of capital. This is also a challenging time for startups, particularly SaaS companies, as product adoption has slowed down. Founders now face a catch-22 due to investor liquidity issues amidst down portfolios, yet cash-rich investors find opportunities for better deals. If you're a founder trying to raise funds, or an investor eyeing the secondaries market, Sim has some advice for you in Episode 39 of #FundraisingDemystified

Searching for VCs in Los Angeles? We've picked out our favorite 12 VCs for you. Each one focuses on different areas, like tech or healthcare, to give you some exposure to VCs that might not have been on your radar. 1. BAM Ventures Focuses on Early-Stage Ventures Consumer, B2B Enterprise Notable Portfolio: Tala, Honey, Clique Brands 2. @bonfire_vc 🔥 Focuses on Early-Stage Ventures B2B Software $100,000–$10 Million Investment Range Notable Portfolio: Chownow, Disqo, Involve.ai 3. @ConnectVentures Focuses on Early-Stage Ventures Consumer Sector $10–$50 Million Investment Range Notable Portfolio: JomBoy, Blacktag, Spire 4. @CrosscutVC Focuses on Early-Stage and Seed Ventures Technology, Consumer Products, and Media $100,000–$5 Million Investment Range Notable Portfolio: Boosted, Inspire, Gumgum, BuzzFeed 5. @fifthwallvc Focuses on Early and Growth Stage Ventures Proptech and ClimateTech Sector $10 Million - $25 Million Notable Portfolio: Blend, Loft, Hippo Insurance 6. @Frontier_VC Focuses on Seed Ventures Technology Sector $5–$10 Million Investment Range Notable Portfolio: Syndio, Dailypay, Haawk 7. @backedbymagic Focuses on Early-Stage and Seed Ventures Cryptocurrency, E-Commerce, FinTech, HealthCare, SaaS Notable Portfolio: Bank Novo, Payfazz, Frubana 8. @mucker Focuses on Seed and Series A Ventures SaaS $100,000–$3 Million Investment Range Notable Portfolio: Auditboard, Honey, Emotive 9. @ScOpVC Focuses on Early-Stage and Seed Ventures SaaS and Marketplace $500,000–$3 Million Investment Range Notable Portfolio: Cloverleaf, Designalytics, Guava 10. @TenOne10 Focuses on Early-Stage Ventures B2B Software $500,000–$4 Million Investment Range Notable Portfolio: Wish, Procore, Kaggle, Goodreads 11. @upfrontvc Focuses on Early-Stage Ventures E-commerce, Software, Internet, Healthcare Sector $3–$10 Million Investment Range Notable Portfolio: Apeel Sciences, GOAT, Parachute Home 12. @outlandervc Focuses on Early-Stage Ventures Sector Agnostic $50,000–$250,000 Investment Range Notable Portfolio: #Twitter, Stripe, SpaceX, Lift Interested in connecting with the right investor for your #startup? Drop a “LIST” in the comments, and we’ll send you a link to a personalized investor lineup. Got a favorite #LosAngeles #VC firm that deserves a shoutout? Let us know in the comments below. At Thunder, we excel in identifying which #VentureCapital firms align with your specific company's sector, stage, and geo.