📢 HCP Newsletter: No Tricks, Just VC Treats – Oct 2024 🎃
Harlem Capital’s monthly recap on our portcos, industry news & beyond! 👻
The Headlines 🗞️
AI in B2B SaaS: The Big Opportunity 🤖
How exactly is AI revolutionizing B2B SaaS? From automating operations to creating personalized customer experiences, AI integration has become table stakes for companies trying to maintain a competitive edge. Take a comprehensive look at where we’re investing and why.
What you need to know:
1️⃣ AI Integration is Continuous: Constant updates and iteration are essential.
2️⃣ Customer-Centric Development: Solutions that solve real pain points drive loyalty.
3️⃣ Operational Efficiency: Automating routine tasks reduces costs.
4️⃣ Data-Driven Decisions: AI-powered analytics unlock hidden insights.
5️⃣ AI Investment Outlook: Venture firms like Sequoia and A16Z show sustained confidence in AI’s potential.
As AI tech matures, the potential for disruption across industries will continue to grow. Harlem Capital's report provides a framework for companies to integrate AI effectively.
Power Table SF 🍽
We hosted our third Power Table dinner in San Francisco in partnership with Gunderson Dettmer. The event united top-tier, diverse founders and executives from our portfolio, as well as Series B+ and growth-stage companies. The evening was filled with new connections and shared stories of scaling success.
💥 Women Leaders: From LA to NY
HCP West hosted an intimate brunch with top female leaders in venture and tech during LA Tech Week. Melody and Nicole facilitated a conversation on building personal advisory boards, finding work-life harmony, and navigating the often lonely entrepreneurial journey. We loved creating a table for the intrepid founders of LA’s leading tech companies including Kina Rewards, Eydle, Everi, and GetGenAI, to name a few.
In New York City, HCP’s Gabby and Nicole brought together investors for a Women in VC lunch. Colleagues from Susa Ventures, Primary, Precursor, Eniac, Torch Capital, and Laconia, among others, took time to break bread and trade notes 📝
Harlem Capital Related 🚀
🌬️ Winds of Change: Disrupting the Incumbents
Learn how startups are identifying blind spots in legacy industries and turning them into launchpads for real disruption in our latest report.
Key Highlights:
1️⃣ Spotting Market Gaps
2️⃣ Leveraging Partnerships
3️⃣ Securing Marquee Clients
4️⃣ Adapting Core Offerings
5️⃣ Investor Insights
This guide offers a robust roadmap for builders and backers looking to make a differentiated impact in crowded markets.
🎧 Melody Spills on “New to Venture”
From interviewing icons like Stephen Curry and Will Smith to leading Harlem Capital’s brand strategy, Melody shares insights on storytelling, public speaking, and building authentic connections in the “New to Venture” podcast. Learn how to perfect the art of asking the right questions – in journalism or VC – and how it can be a game-changer for your career.
Listen now on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts
🌟 Gabby Cazeau in the Spotlight
Gabby opens up about her path into venture, the trends shaping NYC’s startup scene, and her go-to spots for the best slice in the city. Read the full feature here.
🏬 Stuf’s Blueprint
Stuf CEO Kat Lau joined leading industry voice Blueprint for an in-depth interview on how every experience along her career path led her to build the pioneer in self-storage.
🪜 HCP Interns Topping Charts
Big congrats to our HCP intern alums, Layla Alexander and Emily Herrera, for being named among New York’s Top VCs under 30 by TechCrunch! They’re out there making moves and showing what the next generation of VC leaders looks like. Keep breaking barriers and leading the way!
📅 A Week in the Life at HCP
Curious about the ins and outs of our internship? How better to dig in than with a look from the inside? Valeria Vinas, our Summer 2024 intern, shares her experience navigating VC through our internship.
Valeria highlights key aspects of the program, like the structured pairing system with HCP team members, insightful discussions during weekly meetings, and working on special projects, including deep dives into AI, SaaS benchmarks, and market trends. With an acceptance rate of just 0.4%, the program provides unparalleled access to the inner workings of VC and opportunities to build meaningful relationships across the industry.
🚨 Jobs in VC 🧑🏾💻
Mark Your Calendars – Save These Dates! 📅
📌 Peerless Pitch 2025 – Apps Open!
Harlem Capital is proud to amplify AlleyCorp and MLT’s Peerless Pitch 2025, which elevates exceptional founders from their earliest days through mentorship, intentional networking, and a $1M investment from AlleyCorp. Apply by December 6, 2024.
📌 AfroTech: Houston
Harlem Capital is heading to Houston November 13-16 for AfroTech 2024! Join us at one of the largest gatherings of Black tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and VCs. It’s the perfect place to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the future of tech and culture.
Helpful Resources 💯
Optimize decks with real-time investor engagement insights.
🎓 MLT MBA Prep Program – Class of 2026
Applications for the 2026 cohort are now open! This program provides underrepresented minorities with coaching, workshops, and networking to navigate the MBA application process and excel in business school.
📐 ChartMogul SaaS Benchmarks Report
Report analyzing over 2,100 companies, reveals key trends: enterprise churn rates under 1%, SMB churn around 3-5%, top-quartile growth at 20-30%, and the importance of NRR above 100% for sustained expansion.
Thanks for reading! See you next month.