SeedBlink Blog

Microsoft started as a software-only company, believing that its software would help put all kinds of hardware in every home and on every desk.

Apple has always believed that owning both hardware and software creates the best conditions for the "perfect product."

I am not saying one is right and the other is wrong, I am just following the story as it has evolved and is now getting a new chapter.

Then Microsoft (during Steve Ballmer’s tenure) started copying Apple and got its own hardware: acquired Nokia, got into the laptop/tablet business, and even copied Apple's Physical stores.

And it all failed as they strayed far from their credo. One CEO change later, after they found their true ego again, Microsoft is the "software queen" again and very successful.

Now Apple is announcing the next generation of CarPlay, which is basically an operating system for the car (well, I get it - just the UX, but the direction is clear). Apple is on its way to becoming a pure software company that can make all kinds of cars friendlier. So after MSFT tried to copy Apple and failed, Apple is now trying to copy MSFT.

Let's see how that will work out...

My point is that companies have a "credo". It starts with the vision of the founder(s), but then it becomes deeply embedded in the company culture. I believe that this credo should be accepted, nurtured and leveraged. Changes bring our weaknesses to light, and instead of solving them, they plunge us.

Disclaimer: I am only talking about this kind of deeply held credo now, which goes beyond even vision and strategy. On other levels, it is change that keeps us all alive.

Radu Georgescu,

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Chairman of the Board, SeedBlink 

Portfolio Updates

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• Dronamics announced partnership with Australian company Quickstep for full scale cardo drone manufacturing.
• DRUID AI, a market leader in conversational AI solutions, has completed a new conversational healthcare project for the Regina Maria Health Network
• Protio made it official that it has raised €2 million in pre-seed funding to ramp up the growth of its digital real estate selling and rental services across Greece.
• mk2 Biotechnologies and Sartorius Stedim Biotech join forces to develop a biologics production platform

Dive into the full July edition of Portfolio Companies Updates.

Community Voice

Feedback is what moves us further. We have asked our portfolio companies to share their thoughts on raising a round, and we hope you find these insights useful as you move toward fundraising.

“We immediately clicked with the SeedBlink team as their crowdinvesting expertise was immediately obvious and their no-nonsense approach really appealed to us. After all, fundraising is only a means to an end, and we liked how the SeedBlink team was really focusing on supporting us and on getting things done. Of course, it helped that they already had built a large audience and had done the hard work of bringing to a platform people with an interest in investing in SEE tech startups, so all of these things set it up for success.”

Read all the feedback here.

Is your startup also looking for funding? Look here.

Boost your startup

ScaleMatch by Techcelerator

𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 #6 is a matchmaking event dedicated to SEE start-ups ready to get on board top-notch investors and innovative partners from the corporate landscape. The matching is done by judging the industries of our guests VCs , investment strategy, strategic interests of the invited corporations, product maturity, identifiable opportunities, the investment/partnership objectives, and last but not least by the availability of the 2 invited parties - founders & guests. The event is in the form of a 2-day online event and is free of charge. Apply here until September 8th and meet your future investors.

Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Central Europe | 2022 Edition

Deloitte is now launching its annual ‘Technology Fast 50 Central Europe’ competition. The renowned regional competition for fast growing companies in the technology sector is now in its 23rd year. It provides both established and emerging technology companies the platform to showcase their leading position in the tech industry. Apply online until August 31st.

How to Web Spotlight

Spotlight is the flagship competition & matchmaking program part of the How to Web Conference 2022. It's an opportunity for early-stage tech CEE startups, with up to €1M in funding to date, seeking to raise pre-seed / seed stage investment. It fuels early-stage tech startups with unique opportunities for matchmaking, collaborating and scaling. Apply here until September 1st.

Tech news and trends

European Tech Voices

As we move further into 2022, macroeconomic conditions are becoming more challenging. For European startups to come out of this period stronger than before, and for the ecosystem to be set up for future success, it is crucial to understand the role that public policy and the legislative and regulatory environment play in the success or failure of startups. Stripe came out with this report that talks about the European startup experience through the lens of policy and regulation as enablers or barriers to growth.

When it comes to company valuations, startup CEOs need to take ego off the table

The process of finding the right investor is far from straightforward. When you are ready to start the fundraising dance, get ready to experience an emotional roller-coaster. Katy Wigdahl, CEO of Speechmatics shared for Sifted their experienced when raising Series B. Find it here.

What do Gen Z founders really want from VCs?

Members of Gen Z — those born after 1996, generally — are self-aware, persistent and innovative; they’re digital natives, care deeply about their own wellbeing and that of the planet; and they’re more culturally diverse and socioeconomically vulnerable than older generations.

But how does that affect Gen Z founders’ relationship with VCs? Find the answer here.

Food for thought

How to raise venture capital for your startup regardless of market conditions

There’s no way around it: We’re in a bear market, and layoffs are hitting startups across sectors. Even though many investors are sitting on freshly raised funds, VC purse strings have tightened. Regardless of whether or not a recession emerges or another tech bubble bursts, there are questions that every startup should ask and answer prior to approaching any VC firm as fundraising kicks off. See which are those here.

Warner Philips (Rubio Impact Ventures): Don’t just do it because you think there is a market opportunity, do it because you believe it solves a problem that is close to your heart

Warner Philips is a Managing Partner at Rubio Impact Ventures, an impact fund based in Amsterdam and focused on passionate entrepreneurs who can change the world through a commercially scalable business model. With over 25 years of experience in ImpactTech and startups, Warner has been both a VC investor and an entrepreneur, investing in or starting over 50 companies. In all of them, he was a founder, shareholder or an active board member. Read in this interview his view about VC and startup world.

Book: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love

How do today's most successful tech companies--Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix, Tesla--design, develop, and deploy the products that have earned the love of literally billions of people around the world? Perhaps surprisingly, they do it very differently than the vast majority of tech companies. In INSPIRED, technology product management thought leader Marty Cagan provides readers with a master class in how to structure and staff a vibrant and successful product organization, and how to discover and deliver technology products that your customers will love--and that will work for your business. Order here.