💫 Life purpose, Met Gala, 2025 startup-VC trends, memo > deck template, +$350K in new funding and more
This is a monthly newsletter of curated actionable insights and resources for over 20,000 underestimated founders, funders, and friends.
Psst. I’ll be at the 2025 Latinas in Tech Summit and hosting an IRL Ganas Coffee in San Francisco on May 29th. RSVP, if you’re around and raising.
💐 Happy Mother’s Day! Have you heard - AI’s helping people find purpose and organize their lives? ChatGPT Academy is live. Also, the Met Gala outfits? They were iconic. Bummer about Skype, tariff impacts, and the looming recession.
Here’s what’s lighting me up: PA’04s post and our investment in Bump 🎉 - we’ve already backed two more startups (announcing soon!). Every deal reminds me that there are incredible builders out here, solving real problems every day. And we’re always looking for more. If you’re a founder or know one we should consider for investment, send them our way to ganas.vc.
Separately, what events should Ganas be in 2025 to meet the best founders? Tell me where we should show up, and as always, thanks for being here!
✨ Lolita Taub, GP at Ganas Ventures | X | LinkedIn
Ganas Ventures invests $100K checks into pre-seed and seed community-driven startups in the US and Latin America. We’ve been featured in Forbes, Nasdaq, Techcrunch, and more.
Congrats
Aruwa Capital raised $40M fund II to invest in African startups. ForceMetrics (port co) raised $22M. Nufi (port co) raised $1.5M. Toolhouse (port co) partners with Cloudflare. Hiki (port co) partnered with Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum. Zocalo (port co) made the Top 50 in Digital Health honorees list. Bump (port co) unlocked +$2M in unclaimed creator revenue partnered with Mastercard and Snap. Storybook (port co) was named “Best App for Parenting.” Chptr (port co) partnered with Foundation Partners Group and WESH TV. Dame (port co) launched in Target and acquired Chakrubs.
Sponsored | Founders, investors, and friends: come connect with Ganas Ventures! Join us at our SF event or other upcoming events. Whether it’s over IRL coffee or virtual office hours, we’re here to build community, add value, and back the best founders.
For investors
Crunchbase | Global VC dollars are rebounding.
Unshackled | Founder sentiment report points to caution.
FC | A 2025 close look at AI in VC.
Startup-Investor Matching Tool | VCs, meet thesis-aligned underestimated founders.
Sponsored | Founders: Come connect with Ganas Ventures! We’re here to build community, add value, and back the best founders.
For founders
Carta | It's taking longer to raise your next VC round. Plan accordingly.
Crunchbase | Find out how long it takes to build unicorns and how to build yours.
Latitud | Get this memo template and do that instead of a deck.
LaaS | Underestimated founders, get resources made for you.
Money
Santander | East Coast founders: apply for $20,000 by 7/8
Boundless | Women founders: apply for $25K by 5/15
HuCapital | Early-stage founders: apply for $1,500 by 5/16
MassCEC | Mass BIPOC women founders: apply for $50,000–$150,000 by 5/19
Galaxy | US Founders: apply for $5,000 by 5/22
H&R | Women founders: apply for $50,000 by 5/30
Kirabo | Founders: apply for $5,000 by 5/30
Jobber | Home services founders: apply for $10,000 by 6/11
Cartier | Impact-driven women founders: apply for up to $100,000 by 6/24
Breva | Underrepresented founders: apply for $5,000 by 10/31
Santander | East Coast founders: apply for $20K
Ganas Ventures | Pre-seed & seed founders: apply for $100K
RCF | Social Impact founders: Apply for $15K grants
Square | Black founders: Apply for $15K
Workers Lab | BIPOC women: apply for $200K
Amber | Women founders: apply for <$10K grants
Z Fellow | Technical tinkerers: apply for a $10K grant
Equity Crowdfunding | Raise up to $5 million
Startup-Investor Matching Tool | Founders: get intros to investors
Want more? Follow @lolitataub and get additional resources here. Want to support our newsletter and get featured? Become a sponsor.