Vicky Lay

There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing. –Aristotle

At the ‘Australian Tech Community Fall Meet Up’ tonight in Chelsea! Always a fun night of networking (+ wine tasting!) with fellow Aussies, and friends from the New York #Tech ecosystem! Thank you, @Austrade Rachel Howard, Elise Webb for hosting the community/vino-education! @artesianvc

It was a pleasure to celebrate the 15yr anniversary of GOODBYE GORDON GEKKO (“How to find your fortune without losing your soul”) by Anthony @Scaramucci, Founder of @SkyBridge Capital! A big thank you to the fabulous super-connector @CristinaAlesci for hosting such a memorable evening last night - a packed room full of money & media folks, DJ + plenty of food/drinks! Here I am below with Cristina, @anuduggalnyc Founding Partner of the @fcubedvc & the man himself, Anthony Scaramucci! 🥂📸 @artesianvc @FemaleLeadersVC

Closed out Day 1 #climateweek with a visit from @InvestHK to our NY offices! @artesianvc

Family office New York #climateweek kick off lunch today co-hosted by @artesianvc & @MorganStanley

We are proud to announce that the Female Leaders Fund managed by @artesianvc has invested in Andromeda, the $100m companion robotics company founded by Grace Brown & Yan Chen womensagenda.com.au/business/entre…

Yesterday at the Climate Innovation Forum 2025 for #London Climate Action Week! @artesianvc @cityoflondon @Masdar

At double events last night around Japan’s Startup Future for #NYTechWeek. Great to meet/run into friendly faces! •@muratny (@remarkable_vc, @eranyc) •@takeda_yoshi (MIKI House) •Kevin M. Ninomiya, Esq. (ShibuLA Ventures) •Masahiro Nishikawa (Office of the City of Yokohama Representative to the Americas) •@nseki (Monozukuri Ventures) •Ryu Fukuyama (Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP) •Satoru Sasozaki (Waffle, YC X25) •Toshiharu Uchida (Development Bank of Japan Inc.) •Kay Makishi (Lupoff/Stevens Family Office LLC) •Shizuka Umehara Kanazawa (Square Up New York) @artesianvc at #NYTechWeek

Just wrapped up an inspiring week in #Tokyo 🇯🇵 Blown away by the depth of talent and the momentum in Japan’s tech ecosystem. Met brilliant, thoughtful people building bold solutions with global impact in mind. Excited to see how Japan continues to lead in innovation and purpose-driven technology. #JapanTech #Innovation #Impact #SushiTech #GlobalCollaboration @JETROUSA @METI_JPN @googlejapan , #GoogleforStartups #SumitomoMitsuiTrustBank #RemarkableventuresClimate @WorldBank @Newlab @NYSERDA @DigitalGarage #WitnessCreativePartners Lupoff/Stevens Family Office @AlchemistAcc @SusHiTech_SUEN @SusHiTech_SUJP @artesianvc

It’s a full house tonight at Investor's Night＠TIB(Tokyo Innovation Base) Interesting panel @NordicNinjaVC @tokyometro_info @artesianvc

Japan’s Startup Ecosystem: Key Sectors to Watch in 2025 🚀 🔹 AI & Generative AI – The top-funded, fastest-growing sector 🔹 SaaS & Digital Transformation – Powering next-gen business 🔹 Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics – Precision tech meets automation 🔹 Healthcare & Biotech, Agetech & Longevity Tech – Innovation for an aging society 🔹 CleanTech & Renewable Energy – Including green hydrogen, energy storage, and carbon capture 🔹 Deep Tech – Semiconductors, materials science, and quantum computing 🔹 AgriTech & FoodTech – Horticulture, Precision farming and sustainable protein solutions

At SusHi Tech (Sustainable High City Tech) Tokyo 2025 - one of Asia’s Largest Startup Conference - come say hi! 👋 @artesianvc

Spoke at the ERA Tokyo Climate pitch event tonight with my co-panelist, Eiko Ooka (GM at SMBC group) ➡️lu.ma/9zp4us02 📸👇Here we both are at a post-event co-investor dinner in excellent company! From left: -SMBC Group (Shinsuke Fujii) -Remarkable Ventures Climate (Murat Aktihanoglu) -@WorldBank (Maja Andjelkovic) -@JETRO_InvestJP (Daiki Nakajima) Great hosting by @eranyc, @JETRO_InvestJP & Tokyu Fudosan Holdings Corp! @artesianvc #Japantech #globaltech #deeptech #climatetech #agrifoodtech

Day 1 in #Tokyo! Just landed at the JETRO #Innovation Garden 🇯🇵 📸👇 with @JETRO_InvestJP Director, Daiki Nakajima, & Soojin Choung, CEO, at Witness @artesianvc #climate #agrifood #JapanTech #DeepTech #Startups #Innovation #VentureCapital #GlobalTech

Wrapping a week with our Co-Head of #VC, @RohanGray, visiting from our #Austin office…final stop at a Round Table & Lunch at the American Australian Association to welcome @Austrade’s new CEO, Dr Paul Grimes 🇦🇺.. Interesting discussion on policy, markets & investment trends @johnmcartesian @artesianvc @CommBank @Macquarie @enterIDVerse

Just left the Australian NY Tech Community Spring meet up event tonight organized by @Austrade at @Macquarie new offices… was a pleasant surprise to run into @artesianvc PortCo, @fleetspace & to finish the night with a pink sunset! 📸👇 (from left) -Ross Compton, Macquarie Group -Richard Hordern-Gibbings, Fleet Space Technologies -Rachel Howard, Trade & Investment Commissioner, AusTrade. -Benjamin Soemartopo, CEO EurekaAI

At the Women in VC GP/LP Salon in Soho today 💰💅🫖 - investors talking shop over tea service & manicures in a relaxed, intimate setting... i met family offices from 3 different continents today.. always feels like a small world when I’m back in New York! Such a fun(d) idea from ever-creative #GlobalWomeninVC !👏 @artesianvc @FemaleLeadersVC

In celebration of this month’s #WorldWaterDay, I joined for a discussion around "Women and Water" led by @ZainabSalbi & #DaughtersForEarth Team. We at @ImpactArtesian & @she_syndicate are inspired by the purpose & dedication of these impact leaders addressing #climateaction #sdg13: -Carolina Pantano, Science and Conservation Manager at @porelmar_org in Argentina. After diving for the first time, she knew she would spend every possible moment underwater and decided to make the ocean her career. In her role at Por el Mar, she has been key to developing the means and application to reforest the kelp along the Patagonian coast. -@nicholesobecki is a photographer and filmmaker based in Nairobi, Kenya. The primary focus of her work is humanity’s fraught, intimate, and ultimately unbreakable connection to the natural world. As a @NatGeo Explorer, she is currently developing Natura, a photography series and film that captures the evolution of #motherhood in an era of unprecedented ecological change.

Q&A List for Founders in #Cleantech Looking to Go Global. Summary of notes from #VC Panel I recently joined by #NSWGovt, @artesianvc, @TitaniumVC & #SVGventures.. 1. Why expand to the US? • Q: Why should clean tech founders expand to the US? • A: The US offers access to a large market/TAM, capital, talent pool. 2. When to expand? • Q: What’s the right time to expand to the US? • A: Expand when you have traction in your home market and a clear go-to-market strategy for the US. US investors typically like to see evidence of sales, partnerships, or pilot projects within the US. 3. Funding strategies • Q: How should founders approach raising capital in the US? • A: Prepare a compelling pitch tailored to US investors, highlighting traction, scalability, and market fit. Cold emails can be effective if concise, clear, and targeted. Understand investment mandate of each VC to avoid timewasting. 4. Geographic considerations • Q: Do we need to be physically present in the US? • A: While physical presence isn’t mandatory, having a representative, partner, or operational entity in the US strengthens credibility. 5. Differentiation • Q: How can clean tech founders stand out? • A: Highlight your competitive edge clearly. Show awareness of global competitors and explain how your solution is unique. Demonstrate deep customer discovery and understanding is essential. 6. Cultural adjustments • Q: What cultural differences should founders be aware of? • A: Americans value directness, fast follow-ups, and big thinking. Present confidently, emphasize your achievements, and show ambition. Be prepared for a fast-paced environment and a results-oriented mindset. 7. Common red flags • Q: What are red flags for US investors? • A: Key red flags include: Lack of clear unit economics or financial metrics, Weak understanding of US customer needs, Disorganized cap tables or co-CEO arrangements, No clear path for manufacturing and after-sales service if hardware is involved. 8. Building relationships • Q: How can founders effectively network with US investors? • A: Use warm introductions wherever possible, but don’t underestimate a well-crafted cold email. Be concise about your ask and why your company is a fit for their portfolio. 9. Presenting at conferences • Q: How should I structure a 5-minute pitch? • A: Focus on: What problem you solve and for whom. Evidence of traction and scalability. Your ask (e.g., funding, partnerships). End with a strong call to action and clarity on how audience can help.

Artesian at the #wonderwomendinner in #NYC this week… Lots of interesting stories & like-minded allocators: @RockefellerFdn @OneCarlyle @Verizon @JPMorganAM @artesianvc #impactinvesting #sustainablefinance