💎 Lab-grown diamonds, +$10M in funding opportunities, fundraising in 2024, BHM and more
This is a monthly newsletter of curated actionable insights and resources for over 20,000 underestimated founders, funders, and friends.
We’re almost halfway through the first quarter of the year! What’s happening? It’s Black History Month, the Fed is holding off on cutting interest rates, there’s a strong stock market, Americans seemingly feel less terrible about the economy, young women are increasingly more liberal, lab-grown diamonds are in, Apple’s Vision Pro dropped, and Elmo went viral for asking “How is everyone doing?” Elmo recommends belly breathing to feel better. Ha!
And in startupland, we continue to see investors shifting from growth obsession to valuing business durability. There's a positive vibe with stabilizing interest rates and a focus on resilient, high-quality startups. Angel investing is expected to rise, with eyes on fresh sectors like AI and defense. However, challenges like market volatility, cautious investors, and a tougher environment for overhyped unicorns (papercorns!) continue to reshape VC activity. The playbook now? Smart funding strategies, emphasis on solid fundamentals, and adapting to tech advancements like AI integration.
On that note, I invite you to talk about these topics and say hello at our 2024 Ganas Expert Series and Coffee events. You can RSVP here.
✨ Lolita Taub, GP at Ganas Ventures | twitter | luma
Ganas Ventures invests in pre-seed and seed community-driven startups in the US and Latin America. We’ve been featured in Forbes, Nasdaq, Techcrunch, and more.
Congrats
Bea Dixon for selling The Honey Pot for $380M. Ashlee Wisdom raised $3M for Health in Her Hue. Anthony Brown raised $1.9M for Breakr’s (port co) Seed extension. Derek Ali of EngineEars (port co) won a Grammy. Ileana Gonzalez, Ganas Deal Partner, made the 2024 Texas 100: Influential list. Megan Alexander of a16z, Dave Salvant and Songe Laron of Squire made Black Enterprise’s 40 Under 40 list. Lolita Taub of Ganas Ventures made Thrive Global’s 35 Women Changing the World list.
Sponsored | Congrats to Derek “MixedByAli” Ali of EngineEars (port co) on his 2024 Grammy! If you want to book him or other world class audio engineers and recording studios, check out EngineEars.
For investors
Carta | Check out startup round trends
Signature Block | Explore the guide to raising your fund in public
TechCrunch | Find out the differences between US & LATAM startups
Startup-Investor Matching Tool | VCs: meet thesis-aligned underrepresented founders
Sponsored | Join Papaya's (port co) mission to empower underrepresented K-12 students. We are seeking dynamic English and math tutors for a rewarding role at $15/hr. Make a difference in education and join us as a tutor!
For founders
Crunchbase | Learn about what it’s like to raise a Seed round in 2024
HBR | Find out how to build a startup in a tough funding environment
Cuantico | Read the latest Latin America’s VC Report
LaaS | Underrepresented founders: get resources made for you
Sponsored | Get insider tips from top experts at the Ganas Ventures Expert Series! Join us monthly for fireside chats and Q&A sessions that fuel your startup's success. 🔥 Next up: Mastering US & LATAM legal challenges with Lizbeth Flores, Feb 27, 1PM PT. Don’t miss out, RSVP today!
Money
ChicagoDPD | Chicago founders: apply for $5M
B2BNB | Illinois founders: apply for $5-$30K grants
Ganas Ventures | Community-driven founders: apply for $100K
Sephora | Black beauty founders: apply for $100K grants
Lattitude | US Latino founders: apply for up to $1M
HerSuiteSpot | WOC founders: apply for $1K grants
Wish | Black founders: apply for $500-$2K
Workers Lab | BIPOC women: apply for $200K
Amber | Women founders: apply for <$10K grants
Z Fellow | Technical tinkerers: apply for a $10K grant
TechRise | Chicago founders: apply to win $50K
SoGal Foundation | Black women founders: apply for $5-$10K in grants
1863 Ventures | Black founders: apply to get a 3Rs $5K grants
Equity Crowdfunding | Raise up to $5 million
Startup-Investor Matching Tool | Founders: get intros to investors
Want more? Follow me @lolitataub, and let me know how I can help. Want to support our newsletter and get featured? Become a sponsor.