STARTUP X
The F42 brief #010
👋 Hi, I’m Derek, and welcome to the Fusion42 newsletter! This is your go-to source for navigating the startup ecosystem and making things easier for everyone involved. Here, beyond Consensus views for Maverick Founders and Investors to overcome common challenges, so you can build and scale with confidence. No BS , no Fluff, just the TREWS to help you get **it done. Join 3,000+ founders and discover what truly matters for your venture—and how to set yourself up for lasting success.
Here’s your Monday dose of The F42 Brief, where we give you essential updates and innovations that are moving and shaping our startup space.
What’s inside »
📈 Trending Now
The one thing that’s making all the noise …. with a bit of fact checking.
💸 New Funds looking to give you cash
Who has launched a new fund to invest in startups last week.
💡Innovator Spotlight
Founders that are doing suff differently.
🛠️ Tool of the Week
Something useful to up your startups velocity.
📌 Note to Self
Stuff I constantly remind myself about, don’t want make the same mistakes again.
📈 Trending Now
Decentralizing AI with Blockchain
Data isn't just an asset; it's the very backbone of innovation, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI). The merging of blockchain with AI is reshaping the landscape, where the authenticity, security, and transparency of data are absolutely paramount. This union is all about revolutionising how we manage data, ensuring every byte is traceable, immutable, and utterly secure.
Blockchain technology offers a decentralised ledger that logs every transaction or data entry in a way that’s verifiable and permanent. This is critical for AI systems, where the quality and integrity of data are what determine the effectiveness of learning algorithms. With blockchain, data inputs and outputs are recorded and validated across numerous nodes, making sure that the data driving AI processes is both accurate and tamper-proof.
Technology leaders, such as IBM, are exploiting this capability to boost data provenance and enhance security within AI applications. Their efforts show how blockchain can act as a solid framework for AI, ensuring that the data underpinning AI decisions is beyond reproach.
Leading-edge companies are steering this integration:
Block Intelligence uses blockchain to power AI-driven security solutions, ensuring the data overseeing surveillance and security operations is dependable.
InterVision and Bridgetower Capital are focused on maintaining AI sovereignty and data lineage across borders, crucial for compliance and operational transparency.
NeuroChain Tech and SingularityNET demonstrate how blockchain can boost AI decision-making processes and monetise AI services, respectively, by providing a secure and transparent environment.
For founders and business leaders, embracing this integration isn't just about adopting new tech—it’s about fundamentally rethinking how we handle data management. In a world increasingly powered by AI, the ability to verify and secure data using blockchain isn't merely advantageous—it’s essential.
By putting data integrity at the forefront through blockchain, companies can develop smarter, more reliable AI systems that stakeholders can truly trust. This is the future of technological development, where data doesn’t just fuel solutions—it defines the trust and reliability of those solutions. Embrace this data-centric approach to stay at the cutting edge and lead with confidence in an AI-driven landscape.
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For the ❤️ of Startups
💸 New Funds looking to give you cash
This week’s spotlight includes 12 cutting-edge venture capital funds driving innovation globally. Highlights include:
Healthcare Tech in the USA and Climate Tech solutions worldwide.
Focused funds for sports, entertainment, and technology entrepreneurs and real estate PropTech innovations.
Deep-tech advancements in biotech, defense, and space from India, and horticulture solutions for sustainability in agriculture.
Energy transition technologies decarbonizing power, transport, and buildings.
Inclusive investments supporting diverse founders and underrepresented entrepreneurs.
These funds span geographies from North America to Africa and Asia, empowering startups shaping the future across industries.
INITIATE Ventures
Women-led INITIATE Ventures is a new venture capital investment fund that has raised $45 million for its debut fund, focusing on healthcare technology in the USA.
Virescent Ventures
Virescent Ventures’ second climate technology fund, Fund II, is a venture capital investment fund seeking to deploy $200 million into innovative climate tech companies.
Build Your Legacy Ventures (BYL)
Launched by Giannis Antetokounmpo, this fund focuses on investments in sports, entertainment, and technology. It helps entrepreneurs overcome barriers, connecting them with investors to grow their businesses.
Boman Group Fund
A $1 billion fund managed by Melbourne-based Boman Group, aimed at backing Australian start-ups with potential to expand into China. The fund targets investments in hardware and healthcare technology.
Icehouse Ventures Growth
Icehouse Ventures has raised $100 million for its Growth Fund II, investing in 20 mature, high-growth New Zealand technology companies, attracting investments from KiwiSaver funds.
Illumen Catalyst
A $32.75 million fund aimed at supporting first-time fund managers and entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds. The fund focuses on addressing structural barriers and investing in diverse-led funds and early-stage companies.
Hort Innovation Venture Fund
A $60 million fund investing in early-stage startups addressing challenges in horticulture, such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and sustainability, with investments ranging from $250,000 to $3 million.
Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) VC Fund
A ₹100 crore (~$12M) venture fund focused on supporting deep-tech startups in science, biotech, space, defense, and other national priority sectors.
Move Energy
A €100M+ fund targeting decarbonization technologies in power, transport, and buildings, with a hard cap of €150M.
MetaProp Ventures
A $150 million fund focusing on real estate technology (PropTech), investing in startups in North America and East Asia.
Catalyst Fund Resilience
A $40 million fund investing in pre-seed African climate adaptation startups, focusing on fintech for climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, and climate-smart services.
Ortella Global Capital
A ₹300 crore (~$36M) fund focused on early- and growth-stage startups in consumer and enterprise solutions.
What’s on at F42 this week.
Pitch Kung Fu
💡Innovator Spotlight
AI Pimping
AI-generated influencers are seriously shaking things up on social media. As of 2023, a whopping 27% of Instagram's 1.32 billion users are keeping tabs on these digital darlings. That's a big deal! These virtual trendsetters are not just racking up followers; they're smashing engagement stats, pulling in up to three times more interactions than human influencers. It's no wonder brands are queuing up to partner with them.
Take Lil Miquela for instance, this virtual influencer with a follower count in the millions has bagged deals with none other than Chanel and Givenchy. And it’s not just about the big names; on platforms like Fanvue, AI influencers like Emily Pellegrini are making a mint—her earnings skyrocketed from $6,000 to $23,000 in just a few months! This shows just how much dosh these AI influencers can rake in, turning heads in the influencer marketing game.
But here’s the rub: Instagram seems a bit hesitant to clamp down on AI-generated content, probably because it's a huge draw for the platform. This leads us into a bit of a grey area with authenticity and transparency online. As these AI personalities blur the lines between real and manufactured, there's a growing call for clear rules and genuine disclosure to keep things above board.
The rise of AI influencers is reshaping the marketing landscape too. Brands are jumping at the chance to work with these virtual entities because they offer a mix of cost-effectiveness and tight control over their messaging. This shift is not only nudging human influencers to up their game but also changing the rules of engagement in the marketing world.
Looking ahead, the impact of AI influencers is only set to grow. This wave of digital personalities is not just a flash in the pan; it's redefining what influence looks like in the digital age. The challenge now is to keep up with the innovation while ensuring the digital world remains a fair and trustworthy space for everyone.
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🛠️ Tools of the Week
Pimp My Influencer: Building AI-Generated Influencers with the Right Tools
AI-generated influencers are redefining the digital landscape, and the right tools can help you create, manage, and track them effectively. Here’s how to become an AI influencer pimp by leveraging state-of-the-art platforms:
AI Influencer Creation & Management
Brandwatch: Discover, manage, and measure influencer campaigns with AI-driven reporting and advanced filtering for aligned brand objectives.
Socialfaim: Dive into audience demographics and KPIs with comprehensive real-time insights for campaign success.
Affable: Tap into a network of over six million influencers with AI-powered campaign management trusted by global brands.
Analytics & Performance Tracking
Favikon: Cross-platform influencer discovery with background analysis and audience metrics for strategic decisions.
HypeAuditor: Leverage fraud detection, engagement metrics, and reachability insights to ensure authentic influencer connections.
Influencer Hero: Monitor audience insights and detect fake followers for authentic engagement tracking.
Content Creation & Authenticity
PageProof: Verify digital asset authenticity with Content Credentials to ensure ethical practices in AI-generated campaigns.
AI Content Shield by InkforAll: Maintain transparency in influencer campaigns by detecting AI-generated content.
TopView AI: Automate video editing and streamline branded content creation with AI-powered tools designed for creators and founders.
Why It Matters:
By combining influencer management platforms, performance analytics, and content creation tools, you can build and manage AI-generated influencers that are efficient, impactful, and trustworthy. Just remember: transparency and ethical practices are non-negotiable for building lasting audience trust.
With these tools in your arsenal, you can truly master the art of AI influencer marketing—turning digital personalities into a powerful force for your brand or startup. Time to pimp your influencer game!
When using these tools, it's important to consider the ethical implications and transparency issues surrounding AI-generated influencers. As the industry evolves, clear disclosure practices and adherence to platform guidelines will be crucial for maintaining trust with audiences.
📌 Note to Self
Thank you for reading. If you liked it, share it with your friends, colleagues and everyone interested in the startup Investor ecosystem.
If you've got suggestions, an article, research, your tech stack, or a job listing you want featured, just let me know! I'm keen to include it in the upcoming edition.
Please let me know what you think of it, love a feedback loop 🙏🏼
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For the ❤️ of startups
✌🏼 & 💙
Derek