Welcome to The Family
The new program and our startups' news are here!
Dear entrepreneur,
I hope you’re doing well.
I have a quick question for you: Why are we still counting on the old ways - like paperwork - when it might be possible to execute that same thing using technology?
You’ve heard it already, in (too) many pitches. You know, when an entrepreneur uses the most offended voice and asks:
- “Can you imagine that today, people are still using paper to…[choose one: sign a contract, book an appointment, exchange money, count visitors, vote…]!?!”
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, says the adage. Almost as if we humans have to be forced to change, before change finally happens. Let’s hope that voting in the US has reached a point we can call “broke”, so it will change.
One thing broke, for sure, recently: our social lives.
Suddenly, we’ve all had to experience connections across just our screens.
And from an entrepreneurial standpoint, it led to a tremendous shift in how founders can build ambitious and global companies.
This is not anecdotal.
Over the last 6 months, my team and I have seen the changes:
VCs opened their gates.
The most renowned funds are investing after Zoom calls. They are considering startups without asking to meet them in person in Silicon Valley.
And there’s no going back: once the best VCs start competing for deals at the global level, every VC will be forced to up their game.
=> You are not stuck with local funds.
The top 1% of advisors are more available.
Founders who used to be unreachable are now sharing their experiences online, contributing with webinars and more available for quick calls.
=> You can reach out to founders you admire, there’s a chance they’ll answer.
People are actively looking for relevant online content.
The time spent online has exploded. The way we consume content switched from being mainly entertaining and informative to being a big part of our education, health, social life and work. The level of concentration and the desire to find meaningful content intensified.
=> You can grab the attention of lots of potential users.
There seem to be fewer biases online.
Behind a screen, people behave differently. They tend to choose each other for skills, experiences and values, rather than attitudes, looks or geographical backgrounds. Skills matter before anything else when recruiting, selling or pitching.
=> No need to fake, adapt or change who you are.
Living in a toxic tech ecosystem is less painful.
The rise of EdTech, FinTech, Gaming, Saas (…) solutions won’t slow down. And the list of problems to solve around the globe using a digital solution is long. You can address problems situated in places other than where you live, as long as your solution can be built and used online.
=> Many local advantages of insiders are no longer barriers to entry.
Expectations are set.
Before covid-19, we needed unexpected heroes to pay attention to certain problems, like a 12-year-old girl raising awareness of the climate change emergency, for instance. After covid, those problems require no debate. That reality has entered everybody’s world. A decent healthcare system, taking mental health seriously, gender equality, inclusion of minorities and ecology are no longer optional.
=> You can go further.
Founders starting now and understanding these changes have great advantages.
One thing can’t be replaced easily though.
The feeling of belonging to a crew sharing your values. I’m talking about a support group made of great advisors, founders and operators you can ask anything, anytime. Peers living the same experience, at the same time, can bring that joy and confidence founders need daily.
That’s why my team and I have worked on a brand new program.
The Family’s program for startups is now open to literally ANYONE across the globe who’s willing to build an ambitious tech company solving a problem that matters.
During 6 weeks, starting in January 2021, we’ll provide dozens of founders everything they need to build a scalable business: advice, mindset, network & a world-class investor demo day, in exchange for 5% equity.
As it’s our first program fully online and beyond Europe, you know the rule: we’ll overdeliver.
So grab your seat, tell your friends and apply.
The selections are happening now. We’re impressed by the level of determination, creativity and execution we’re receiving. As if this pandemic had triggered a new kind of drive.
Alright, now let’s get to our startups’ news ;)
💳 Vybe: The neo-bank made for teens just started shipping out the first cards to their thousands of users, well done!
💊 Inato: The team partnered with Sanofi and The Center for Cancer Prevention and Treatment to talk about ways to increase diversity in clinical trials - super important, especially when we see how covid isn’t equal in hitting different populations.
❤️ Fairmint: Their CAFE method for financing your business has taken off, with dozens of companies contacting them about their new way of distributing equity.
🔎 Algolia: They’re powering over 1 trillion (with a t!) searches so far this year 🙀 Btw, if your business needs a search boost, check out their guide to nailing it during the holiday season.
💸 Emma: Their approach to financial therapy is paying off, with discounts each time you make a purchase - including with some of their new partners like NordVPN and Postmates!
🎼 Flat: The team hit 5M+ installs on their Gdocs add-on to collaborate when writing music. Plus, they’re adding Brazilian, Portuguese, Korean, German, Italian and Swedish to their list of supported languages!
🚚 Spacefill: They raised a €7M round by fixing supply chain inefficiencies driven by the lockdown, with hundreds of European companies using them for remote warehousing solutions.
📕 Side: Cofounder Gaspard put together a guide for French businesses to understand how to manage their interim contracts during the 2nd lockdown.
💻 Kasva: This fabulous team is matching tech talents sourced from North Africa with global tech startups - get in touch with CEO Saber to find your next recruit.
🏡 Jinka: They just released a new rebranding. You might have known them as LouerAgile ;)
🍇 Oé: These wine lovers closed deals with more than 100 retailers selling their organic, pesticide-free wines - check them out on Insta 🙌
🌷 Jubiwee: Their burnout calculator is ready to help companies prevent employee burnouts. That’s important in the chaos we’re all living through. Plus, their solution for staying up-to-date on employee morale is free.
🕶 SEO Secret: The team pivoted to a SaaS product - if you want to really up your SEO game, write to them at adams@seosecret.co and tell them The Family sent you 😉
📞 Vybe’s looking for a head of sales to get teens (and their parents!) using their bank cards - reach out directly to their CEO, Vincent, if it’s an adventure you’d like to join.
🕹 Sompani’s hiring a senior software engineer to help them keep getting more VCs using their solution - they’ve got all the technical details here.
🇮🇹 Soplaya’s got multiple posts available, from community manager to developer, and is a super opportunity for anybody out there who speaks Italian! Check it all out here.
Mathias, Director at The Family, launched a new series of events called ‘Family Affairs’. It’s a live and intimate conversation with founders he admires.
Up to 7 selected founders can join the conversation, to keep it very cool. Apply to join. If you can’t attend, some parts of these talks will be on our YouTube Channel.
🖤 FAMILY AFFAIRS WITH NIKOLA, FOUNDER @EMBED SOCIAL, Nov. 5
User-generated content is a growing part of online commerce. Nikola built EmbedSocial from Skopje, Macedonia, for businesses to make the most of what customers are saying about them. They already count tens of thousands of clients, and Nikola will discuss the importance of reviews in building trust online, growth techniques for SMB-focused SaaS and the benefits of bootstrapping.
Only 7 founders can attend this private discussion. Apply to join here.
🖤FAMILY AFFAIRS WITH WOJCIECH, CEO @PACKHELP, Nov. 10
Packhelp allows companies to design and order their own custom-branded packaging. Anyone can design and order their own packaging in just a few clicks. They have tens of thousands of customers in over 30 countries.
Wojciech will discuss what it takes to start with small independent e-commerce brands and go up to H&M, Uber & L'Oréal, launching dozens of countries per year & leveraging the best Warsaw has to offer.
Only 7 founders can attend this private discussion. Apply here to join us.
🌹BE MY COFOUNDER. Nov. 7
We’ve been working hard on iterating this one! We’ve got the formula: smart interactions, a spark of inspiration and intense one-on-ones. You’ll have the unique opportunity to talk to 20+ other founders who are excited to start something new.
The next edition is this Saturday, Nov. 7.
🌎 RECRUITING FROM ANYWHERE SUMMIT. Dec. 2
We’re continuing our Summit events, helping founders & employees adapt to this new world. After fundraising, CX, and remote work, we’re onto hiring!
We’re currently gathering the most relevant speakers, but I can already tell you that the founder of HireSweet will be sharing his tips! Join us on Dec. 2, free tickets here.
🌈 GIRL, READY FOR GOLDUP’S NEW BOOTCAMP? Dec. 1-11
The next edition of Goldup is fast approaching as well!
400+ women have gone through the program, getting the mindset and support they need to launch their own business. It’s 100% online now, meaning all you need is a good internet connection. It’s running from Dec. 1-11, if you speak French and want to learn everything about launching your online business, take the leap 😍
So you want to make the most out of the time you spend online?
Be my guest ;) Here are some videos and articles you’ll like…
🎬 Oussama did a talk last week on The Family’s new program ;)
✊🏽 My other cofounder Nicolas shared with Sifted why It’s time for a new social contract for the gig economy - a must read.
☀️ I wrote on the rise of emotional intelligence since covid-19 hit, in which I gather some of the best practices of the founders we accompany.
💎 I sincerely enjoyed interviewing Juliette, the COO of Ubble.ai. I’m sure you’ll love discovering how this young woman is tackling a very big tech challenge: online ID verification.
🌎 If you missed the Work From Anywhere Summit, good news - the talks are available on our Youtube channel, Startupfood.
My friend Tonjé Bakang hosted a talk on How to successfully transition to remote work.
Soldo CEO Carlo Gualandri went over What it means to be a CEO in the age of COVID-19.
Coach Marc Avanzo put things in perspective with What if working harder in times of crisis doesn’t help?
Whaaaaaaat, you’re still here?
Apply now to The Family’s new program, we’re ready to get to know you!
And by the way, paper’s not done.
I hope you loved this postcard-newsletter ; )
See you soon,
Alice & The Family Team.
