Actionable Insights with your First Coffee/Chai
Top Posts on Building & Investing in Startups from Our Global Community
To ring in 2023, we’re sharing this [recently past] year’s ten most-read pieces. As you sip your first coffee/chai of the year, here’s a chance to check them out ahead of another year of learning together in 2023.
Our Top 10 Posts of 2022
How ShopUp Raised $200M to Build the Digital Layer for the $100B Retail Value Chain
ShopUp’s Co-Founders Shaheen Siam and Ataur Rahim Chowdhury share about building the next unicorn from Bangladesh, breaking fundraising records and creating a national network of 150K retailers along the way.
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Anchorless VC: Why & How Angels Can Prepare Portfolios For VC
As the 9th largest mobile user market in the world, the largest registered population of online freelancers, one of the fastest-growing economies and a middle class that is now in the tens of millions, Bangladesh’s startup ecosystem has been garnering much interest. Rahat Ahmed from Anchorless Bangladesh provides an insightful primer for active and aspiring angels exploring angel investing opportunities in 🇧🇩.
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The Startup Compliance Toolbox: The Right Framework for Startup Investment
Early-stage startups are in for a surprise when they dive into what’s needed to comply with the regulatory framework. They may inadvertently place themselves and their companies at risk of malpractice in the absence of knowledge on how to deal with these issues. Seezan Mumith Choudhury, Founder Partner at ACE Advisory shares a how-to guide for founders and investors looking at compliance.
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Here's How Bangladesh Is Leveraging Startup Investments for Economic Growth
Over the last decade, Bangladeshi startups have raised over $800Mn in investments, spearheading the economy and creating 1.5Mn+ direct and indirect employment opportunities. But what will drive the country's startup ecosystem to the next phase? Get the TLDR on the influential 2021-2022 Ecosystem Report by Lightcastle Partners.
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Lunchbox: Taking Back Control For Restaurants
Founded by Bangladeshi-American Nabeel Alamgir, Lunchbox is a collection of powerful digital ordering platforms for restaurants, built by restauranteurs. In 2022, the company announced the closing of its $50 million Series B funding round led by Coatue Management. Nabeel shares about how he came to found the company, idea testing in the beginning and gaining initial traction and how Lunchbox raised its first funds and support from its early investors.
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wagely's Playbook for Mass Market Fintech in Asia
wagely is Asia's leading financial wellbeing platform providing earned wage access in Bangladesh and Indonesia. In 2022, it raised $8.3 million in pre-Series A funding. Amrita Vir and Sanjida Tanny share about the initial vision and evolving operating model of wagely and the earned wage access product, and how it is an entry point for other future financial products for wage earners.
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How Alter Has Built a Portfolio of 40+ Leading Startups in 18 Countries
Silicon Valley is no longer a location but a mindset, and every country has a few game-changing entrepreneurs that can create outsized value. Alter finds these national heroes in the making and asks, “How can we scale your growth and impact 10x?” Then matches them with top Silicon Valley talent, networks, know-how and investments to make it happen. Alter's portfolio companies in Bangladesh include Praava Health, Pathao and Chaldal, all leading companies in healthcare, logistics and ecommerce, respectively. Insights into Alter's investment thesis, how it combines talent and venture capital through its unique Fellowship program and its work in Bangladesh.
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What We Learned from Making 40+ Angel Investments
Catch Nirjhor Rahman in Ahmed Fahad’s (Sr. Vice President & Head of Product at Pathao) latest podcast, where he distills our learnings in the last 3.5 years supporting 42 companies with funding in Bangladesh. In this power-packed masterclass, hear from Nirjhor as he shares about the origins of BAN, the fundamental differences between angel investing and venture capital investing, screening startup ideas in an emerging market such as Bangladesh, BAN’s approach to due diligence for its pipeline companies and advice for would-be entrepreneurs.
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Fundamentals of Financial Due Diligence for Early Stage Founders
Finprojections provides financial modeling and virtual CFO services to startups and transaction diligence services to startup investors. With 10+ years of experience as an investment banker and investor, Sadaf Sultan has worked at the bleeding edge of venture capital and private equity globally. He shares about the virtual CFO model, fundraising fundamentals for early stage companies and how FinProjections helps founders navigate it.
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Spearheading Gender-Lens Investing (GLI) in Bangladesh: Patamar Capital, local ecosystem leaders break down myths about GLI
Gender Lens Investing (GLI) rapidly grew to a value of USD 5.3Bn in 2020 according to Project Sage. However, while the discourse in Bangladesh is largely focused on supporting female entrepreneurs, GLI takes into consideration gender-based factors across the entire investment process.
Biniyog Briddhi (B-Briddhi) plays a prominent role in the Bangladesh ecosystem in creating an enabling environment for impact investing. In October 2022, it hosted an interactive panel discussion on how innovative financing can unlock capital for women-led and women-focused enterprises.
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Wishing you all an incredible holiday season! May you have space to think, the latitude to relax and the time to recharge and reconnect.
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