Fusion42 Community Catalyst #003
A catch up on what's been going in the startup community
Where did those two weeks go? It has been totally mad here and great fun. Lots of people showing up to get s*** done, which let’s all remind ourselves, it is what we signed up for.
A quick shoutout to everyone who's been part of the action – your contributions are what make our community magic 🐇🎩
The live Pitch Kung Fu sessions are 🧨 … If you are up for doing a 2 minute video pitch then get in Channel “19 Danger (PITCH) Room” and drop it there.
Kurt and the F42 team will give you on the fly critical feedback and invite the best to the live Pitch Kung Fu sessions held every Thursday, where you will pitch live and receive feedback from an audience of investors, experts and other founders.
⭐️ Remember, Fusion42 exists to help founders 24/7 with three main things:
Get you investor ready and in front of investors, but there is no sidestepping having to be ready.
Help you get users by encouraging you to be proactive and leverage on our skill sets and the power of the community … we want you to make GTM your superpower.
I know that you know that being a founder can be really tough and lonely, we all get a little bit sad sometimes, or stuck and procrastinate or just want to celebrate something, well, that’s what we are all here for, to be there for each other when we need it.
So, here is what we are covering in this Newsletter:
😃 The Good: Highlights of our biggest wins, and we got some.
😔 The Bad: Areas where we faced challenges or setbacks.
😖 The Ugly: The toughest issues or conflicts we need to address.
💬 Chat Activity: A rundown of the data from and our new leaderboard.
🗂️ Topics Covered: Overview of key subjects discussed across channels.
🔗 Resources for F42 Members: 2500 Accelerator and Incubator list.
📞🖥️ Open Call: What it is all about and the new Startup spotlight.
📊 Poll of the Week: Cast your vote on this week's burning question.
But first….💡 If an investor tells you they’re in if you get a lead investor, this is what it means.👇🏼
1. They are not in, even if you have it in writing.
2. They need validation from someone else.
3. They'll invest in FOMO.
4. They just got you on the hook for zero. (free option to them)
➡️ If you land Sequoia, A16Z or Bessemer or another whale they will probs follow
➡️ If you land Tom, Dick or Sally they probs won't.
✅ Using it as a signal to other investors is a game that needs to be played openly and transparently.
✅ There is nothing to celebrate about hearing this, move on, level up, next meeting, keep them updated but expect nothing.
for the ❤️ of startups
😃 The good:
➡️ It is all good, we are covering more and more subjects and seeing a user engagement rate of 21%, which is insane 🤯. That is 191 people dropped multiple comments over the last two weeks.
➡️ We have a little in real life Wednesday Wellness meetup (F42 Dubai) so we can get together and giggle over our scar tissue.
➡️ The F42 Opencall is a highlight of the week, putting the world to rights, understanding that most of the AI scaremongering is hyperbole and meeting Startup founders that have real use cases using AI.
And, because I am totally biased, talking about how the Startup <> Investor ecosystem is going to change monumentally because of the scalability of processes that AI offers.
Find the deets for the next call below 👇
😔 The Bad:
➡️ Well that is easy, we are missing 79% 😀 who are not actively engaging. But on a serious note, we are reaching the ceiling of what is possible in WhatsApp, which is limited to 1000 users (we are at 906).
So a big call out because this is important for you as a founder, keep the questions coming; that's how we all learn and engaging, however uncomfortable, is a skill that is necessary to succeed as a founder.
😖 The Ugly:
➡️ I do not want to be this 👆🏼but I had to be when a founder thought it was ok to DM another member some passive aggressive messages. Just don’t be that person, we are trying damn hard to make the journey less grindy 🙏🏼.
💬 Chat activity data:
Our latest data shows a dynamic interaction within our channels, highlighting extensive participation with over 3000 messages exchanged between members. The wide range of discussions shows really diverse interests and our channels' success in encouraging collaboration.
And here are some of the stars giving and getting the most benefits out of Fusion.
We have founders from all over the world, understanding that different ecosystems with people who have their feet on the ground really highlights that the good, bad and ugly of funding ecosystem is pretty much the same the world over, a twist of lemon here and a twist of lime there.
If you have not yet registered with Fusion42 yet then please find the link here:
🗂️ Topics covered in the channels:
01 🤝 Networking & Collaboration:
AI Partnerships: A startup's AI collaboration reshapes an industry, driving significant growth.
Tech-Powered Publishing: An interactive eBook sets new standards, gaining widespread acclaim.
Wellness Tech Workshops: AI workshops at a retreat lead to high engagement and industry recognition.
Creative Masterclasses: Initiating cross-sector collaboration, resulting in innovative products.
From Fitness to Web3: An entrepreneur's pivot to web3 revolutionizes the carbon credit market, attracting major investment.
19 Danger (PITCH) Room:
Feedback on Pitch Videos: Founders received specific advice on their video pitches, such as the need to include themselves in the video to create a personal connection with the audience rather than relying solely on slides or graphics.
Use of AI for Language Improvement: One entrepreneur discussed leveraging AI to enhance communication skills, addressing the challenge of non-native English speakers presenting to a global audience.
Navigating Corporate Sponsorships. There were discussions about securing and negotiating corporate sponsorships, such as a potential $1M sponsorship from a large corp, highlighting the strategic importance of partnerships for startup growth.
Challenges of Building a Community. Entrepreneurs talked about the difficulties of building and maintaining a vibrant community, emphasizing the necessity of a strong community for customer retention and brand loyalty.
Scaling Internationally. Founders shared strategies and hurdles in scaling their businesses across different countries, including logistical, regulatory, and cultural challenges, underscoring the complexity of global expansion.
02 🌟 Ask Us Anything:
Marketing and Organic Growth: The importance of organic marketing, building authentic connections online, and the role of personal branding in creating business opportunities.
Technology and Automation Tools: Utilizing tools like Zapier for automation, integrating different software to streamline operations, and leveraging AI for business efficiency.
Business Development and Sales: Strategies for outbound sales, securing corporate sponsorships, and the challenges and strategies related to building and sustaining a community or customer base.
Start-up Funding and Investment: Insights into fundraising, the significance of building relationships with potential investors, and strategies for navigating the investment landscape.
Product Development and Market Research: The role of market research in product development, especially for startups looking to disrupt the market or introduce new concepts.
04 🚀 Go-to-Market:
Product Market Fit (PMF) Exploration: Sharing valuable resources and personal journeys of finding PMF, emphasizing the importance of understanding the market and aligning product offerings accordingly.
Networking and LinkedIn Strategies: Insights on effective use of LinkedIn for networking, building a personal brand, and avoiding common pitfalls that lead to low engagement.
AI and Automation Tools: Discussion on leveraging AI for tasks such as email follow-ups, content creation, and improving sales outreach, while debating the merits and demerits of AI-driven cold outreach.
Marketing and Sales Strategies: Strategies for organic growth, the importance of personalization in outreach, and the use of tools for better targeting and engagement.
Growth Tactics and Analytics: Sharing best practices for growth, including using analytics tools for app behavior analysis, and discussing the impact of AI on marketing roles and tasks.
20 🤖 AI:
AI and Education: Concerns about how educators and educational systems are adapting to students' growing AI expertise. The conversation suggests a gap between the pace of AI development and the education sector's ability to integrate these advancements.
AI Tools and Applications: Recommendations and opinions on various AI tools and applications for design, content creation, and more. This includes discussions on the limitations and capabilities of current AI offerings.#
Startups and Venture Creation: Conversations about the challenges and strategies for startups, particularly in identifying product-market fit, leveraging AI and technology for growth, and fundraising.
AI in Job Searches and HR: The impact of AI on job searches, including its role in ATS systems and the broader implications for HR practices.
Personal Experiences and Projects: Participants share their personal experiences, projects, and insights related to AI, technology, and business, providing a glimpse into the practical applications and real-world impact of these discussions.
Resources for F42 members:
Folk -Streamline your contacts and nurture relationships effortlessly.
Notion -Your all-in-one workspace for notes, tasks, wikis, and databases.
Hubspot -Grow your business with a comprehensive marketing, sales, and service platform.
Brex. -Empower your business finances with corporate cards and spend management.
fiverr. -Connect with freelancers to get more done, from anywhere, anytime.
mondaycom -Project management made easy – collaborate, organize, and track work in one visual tool.
Stripe -Simplify your online payments with seamless integration and global reach.
Zendesk -Enhance customer service with a powerful and flexible support ticketing system.
📞🖥️ F42 Open call:
Every second Thursday we hold an F42 Opencall where we dig into what is going on and speak with a founder to see real AI use cases.
💬 We'll be chatting about recent AI headlines and their impact on business and startups and what the tech jargon actually means, before jumping into the evolving investor and founder scene and how deal sourcing and fund raising is changing in light of AI.
This sessions Startup Spotlight is Jan-Stanley Brown from Thakaamed who are transforming dental care with AI, improving diagnostics, efficiency, and patient relationships.
Join Avishay (AJ), 🚀 Manish and me for a dynamic, interactive discussion on positioning for fundraising with emerging tools.
Why Attend?
🤭 For the giggles
🧠 To feed our love of learning
🤝 Because that's community spirit
🛠️ To ensure the tools we're building truly fit the founder's toolbox.
🔄 For the perfect feedback loop – your insights are the gold.
See you there.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84124836188?pwd=HKd4b4rNdUGsAklGgTYKy4q7tzx6C0.1
Meeting ID: 841 2483 6188
Passcode: 580489
📊 Poll of the week:
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Great, Very Great Rendition Derek…..this was a full caption of 14days interactivity
🙌🏾💜👌🏾🙏