Astra Global, a global business development company, specializing in startup funding, in association with Gold Ventures, present:
FINTECH, INSURANCE, BLOCKCHAIN: WHAT’S NEXT?
Are you a high potential Seed or Series A startup with an ambition to go global raising capital for your project? Then we are looking for you!
Join the Astra Global leading VCs panel and a Startup Competition and pitching session for a chance to present your idea and get feedback from the 30+ leading VCs from the US and Europe.
Over 50% of startups begin negotiations with investors as a result of our events. To date the total investment value is in excess of $20m.
During the investors panel Ben Narasin, Venture Partner at NEA – New Enterprise Associates, Vivek Krishnamurthy, Investor at Commerce Ventures, Nina Gerson, Investor at CapitalG, Julio Marquez, Managing Partner at New York Bay Capital, Olga Shikhantsova, Investment Manager at Target Global, Gabriel Zanko, Venture Partner at Mobile Your Life will share their thoughts on the latest trends and challenges the industry faces today, due to COVID situation, how has their deal flow recently changed? How has the ratio of seed, series A versus series B + investments has changed, what changes in portfolio companies are being implemented.
SPEAKERS
Ben Narasin, Venture Partner at NEA – New Enterprise Associates
Ben Narasin is a prolific entrepreneur and early-stage investor with three decades of company-building expertise. His portfolio comprises of key early successes in fintech, digital marketplaces, mobile and connected devices. His seed investments include Dropcam, Lending Club, TellApart, Kabbage and Zenefits. Before NEA, Narasin most recently served as a General Partner at Canvas Ventures, and was previously with TriplePoint Capital, where he oversaw the firm’s seed funding investment activities. He founded several consumer companies before launching his investing career, including Fashionmall.com which led to a successful IPO. He holds a B.A. in Entrepreneurial Studies from Babson College.
Vivek Krishnamurthy, Senior Associate at Commerce Ventures
Vivek Krishnamurthy is an investor at Commerce Ventures where he focuses on early stage opportunities in enterprise software and infrastructure for financial services. The fund’s portfolio includes companies like Bill.com, Marqeta, Snapsheet, Socure, Forter, MX and ~60 others. Prior to joining Commerce Ventures, Vivek was a member of the investment banking team at Financial Technology Partners where he worked on a number of M&A and private placement transactions for growth and late stage companies in the broader fintech ecosystem (e.g. GreenSky, Yapstone, Prosper, Enservio).
Nina Gerson, Investor at CapitalG
Nina joined CapitalG in 2019 and is an Investment Associate. Prior to CapitalG, Nina worked as an investment banking analyst at Union Square Advisors in San Francisco and New York City, where she covered Technology M&A and Private Capital Raising advisory. Nina graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, where she earned a B.S.B.A in Finance at Olin Business School. While at WashU, Nina competed as a goalkeeper on the Women’s soccer team. Nina hails from Berkeley, CA.
Julio Marquez, Managing Partner at New York Bay Capital
Julio is Managing Partner of New York Bay Capital, a cross-border advisory and investment firm based in New York City. He has 25+ years of experience in cross-border principal investments and M&A, having previously worked at institutions such as Wasserstein Perella, Citibank and Morgan Stanley. Julio is also a Director at Wyndham Global Partners (a PE fund), Young America Capital (a US broker-dealer specializing in emerging technologies) and Socius Global (an international advisory network). Julio holds an MBA from Harvard Business School (1990), a master’s degree with honors in systems engineering from the University of Pennsylvania (1985) and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1984). He holds FINRA licenses Series 7, 24, 27, 63. He was born and raised in Mexico City and is a dual US-Mexico citizen.
Olga Shikhantsova, Investment Manager at Target Global
Olga is a Berlin-based Fintech Investor leading FinTech investments across early and growth stages in Europe and Israel. Before joining Target Global, Olga worked for the funds Finsight Ventures and Binomial Ventures investing in FinTech and supporting actively the business development and fundraising for MedTech companies. Olga has gained a solid VC track already of 15 investments and 3 exists in 4 years. She closed remarkable deals including Raisin, Rapyd, and Zego. Earlier speaker at FinanceFWD, German FintechWeek, 0100 Conferences, Startup Banking by Amsterdam Venture Partners, StartupGrind Berlin events.
Gabriel Zanko, Venture Partner at Mobile Your Life
An advisor and investor in technology and renewable energy companies. CEO/Founder of MobileyourLife & Urano Capital.
Plus over 30 leading VCs are waiting to hear about your project, including Fintech Ventures Fund, DIP Capital, Key Difference Media, Eco Fusion, Blockchain Founders Fund & ScaleX Ventures, Finboot Ltd, Step For Business, Belmond Capital, R3i Ventures, Adan Corporate, Digital Horizon among others.
**********************
Startups Application Process:
Startup stage: Seed, Series A
Please take our free quiz to understand if you are ready for raising capital.
1. Purchase a Pitching Package ticket via Eventbrite for USD 290.
2. Prepare and send a 2 min video pitch about your startup and the idea.
Note. Priority is given to startups with previous exit experience, seed money raised. We reserve the right to return your money/application, if we see that your startup is not at the suitable stage or not focused on the topic of the event (see more below).
3. Attend the event on the selected date and wait for the voting results.
4. If you are selected, congratulations, you may now pitch and communicate with the interested investor in a separate Zoom room.
5. If you are not selected, you will get USD 200 refund (excluding Eventbrite booking fee).
Please apply as soon as possible, as only 15 startups are allowed in the competition and only up to 6 startups will be invited for personal pitching.
Agenda:
5:00pm – 5:10pm CET: Opening remarks, Astra Global/GVI
5:10pm – 5:40pm CET: Startups battle
5:40pm – 6:20pm CET: Panel discussion
6:20pm – 7:00pm CET: pitching, Q&A and individual feedback & networking sessions for each startup (separate Zoom rooms)
