Navigating Startup Ecosystems

The Regenerative Agriculture Map (by Top Tier Impact) 🌾 Regenerative ag is one of the most promising solutions for reversing soil degradation, boosting biodiversity, and sequestering carbon at scale. Here are 5 innovation areas leading the way: ▪️ 𝗦𝗼𝗶𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – Restoring soil fertility and drawing down atmospheric carbon. Startups: Loam Bio, Nori, FA Bio, Groundwork BioAg, InPlanet, RevivBio, Silicate, UNDO ▪️ 𝗔𝗴𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 – Sensors, satellites, and analytics to power regen practices. Startups: CropX , Solinftec, Granular, Farmonaut®, xFarm Technologies, SoilOptix Inc, Trace Genomics ▪️ 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 – Bio-based inputs that replace chemicals and build resilience. Startups: Pivot Bio, Biome Makers Inc., Terramera, AgPlenus, Plastomics, Inc., Biolchim ▪️ 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 – Connecting regen farmers with markets, financing, and peers. Startups: Farmer's Business Network, Inc., ProducePay, Full Harvest, AgUnity, Climate Farmers, SiembraCo ▪️ 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 – Verifying and tracing regen claims across the value chain. Startups: HowGood, Provenance, AgriDigital, SourceTrace, Bext360 | Digitizing Global Supply Chains, ifinca Find more startups on the map below. 👇 --- 📍 For more climate-tech x venture capital content, follow me @Hugo Rauch and subscribe to my newsletter

Dear women founders, If you’ve ever dared to build something from scratch, you’ve probably heard these: “Why not stick to a safe job?” “Who’ll run the home if you start a company?” “Are you sure women can handle this kind of pressure?” India has the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. Yet only 15% of Indian startups have a female founder. Shocking, isn’t it? Now before someone rolls their eyes and says – “There she goes, the feminist angle again...” If stating facts makes me a feminist, maybe check your funding portfolio – not my tone :) Because this isn’t an ambition problem. It’s an infrastructure problem. - Less than 10% of VC funding goes to women - 43% of women lacked support from family or spouse - Only 7% of unicorn leadership roles are held by women And investors still ask women about risks, while men get asked about scaling opportunities. And yet, she doesn’t just prove herself to the pitch room, She proves herself to the entire ecosystem. So, here’s what needs to change: VCs: Stop “diversity-washing” your portfolio and actually back outsiders Incubators: Build systems that serve people, not just outcomes Media: Stop spotlighting women only when it’s March 8th Families: Support your daughters even when the pitch flops Thankfully, some are flipping the script: WE Hub – India’s first women-focused incubator CXXO by Kalaari – Backed 100+ women CEOs Saha Fund – Investing only in women-led startups The Bottom line is – This isn’t a gender issue. It’s an innovation issue. It’s about unleashing the full potential of a nation. If we wish to position India as the #1 startup hub globally, we need to fund locally – without bias. Let’s raise the bar, together! What do you think?

75% of femtech startups were refused a bank account. In any other industry, this would be a scandal. For femtech, it's just another day battling systemic bias that's stifling innovation in women's health. I've backed multiple femtech businesses and regularly speak with women in the industry. Their stories are both shocking and depressingly familiar. Despite serving half the world's population and a £22.3 billion market, femtech receives just 1-2% of health tech funding. This disparity isn't just unfair—it's dangerous. An article by The Guardian last week revealed: • 60% of femtech companies had bank accounts closed • 50% faced "excessive scrutiny" from financial institutions • Many spend £100,000 monthly on digital ads, only to face constant bans censHERship's research of 35 femtech companies found 100% experienced similar issues. The result: Two-thirds lost revenue, 54% faced higher costs, 43% delayed launches (credit to Clio Wood for exposing this). My own health tech startup faced weekly campaign suspensions, no-one-to-talk-to appeals, and ‘black box’ algorithms. But my experience isn't unique. Even product descriptions face absurd scrutiny. Béa Fertility couldn't use 'vagina' on Amazon, forced to use 'birth canal' instead. But anything with the word 'semen' in it? No problem at all. Between 2011-2021, only 4% of new drugs for female-specific conditions were approved in the US. We're not just losing products; we're losing progress. This isn't just a women's issue—it's a business, innovation, and human rights issue. Femtech isn't 'niche'. Women are 75% more likely to use digital health tools and spend 29% more on healthcare. The demand and innovation are there. What's missing is equal opportunity. Ironically, the UK has the second-largest share of femtech globally. We have the potential to lead change. Here’s what we can do:  • Follow and amplify femtech voices • Challenge biased policies when you see them • Educate your network about these issues Progress in femtech benefits everyone—women, business, and society. P.S.  Kudos to Farah, Valentina, Alice, Peony Li, and other femtech leaders. Keep fighting the good fight 💪

You don’t have to be an a**hole to build a successful company. I’ve met plenty of founders who believe they need to act like the “tough CEO” stereotype to succeed. Ultra-aggressive. Overconfident. Always selling the dream. They think that’s what investors want. But in reality, it’s often insecurity in disguise. We forget that business success, especially in startups, comes from creating value, rather than playing a character. And you can build a great company while staying true to who you are. From my two decades of investing, I’ve seen this firsthand: ✅ Authentic founders build trust faster. ✅ A nurturing and supportive culture attract / retain better talent. ✅ Investors appreciate honesty over bravado, especially when times get hard. In Southeast Asia, where relationships drive so much of business, This matters even more. I’ve seen time and again how founders who treat suppliers, partners, and teams with respect are the ones who get doors opened for them. People talk in this region. Being kind and measured is strategic. Because kindness compounds. It compounds in reputation, in loyalty, and in the quality of people you attract to your mission. They prove in numbers that you don’t have to be an a**hole to win. In the end, building a company is about reputation. Those who stay true to themselves are the ones who build businesses that last. It’s possible to win without sacrificing who you are. That can be your biggest advantage. Agree?

Dignity plays a huge role in Asia. Even in buying and selling. Wrong.... Especially in buying and selling. --- Every sales meeting in Southeast Asia has two negotiations. The first is about price. The second and often more important - is about face. In our part of the world, “face” isn’t about vanity or pride. It’s about dignity, respect, and emotional safety. It’s the invisible layer that decides whether a buyer feels comfortable saying yes or even telling you the truth. Western sales culture values directness. They challenge. They push. They reward confrontation as a form of confidence. And it works, especially in cultures that see disagreement as healthy and growth. But here, confrontation without permission is a risk. You can have the best pitch, perfect timing, and logical ROI, but if the buyer feels exposed, disrespected, or cornered, the deal dies. Worse if the deal dies a slow painful death in your pipeline. That’s why so many sellers in Southeast Asia think they’re being ghosted. In reality, they’ve just taken too much face. “Giving face” means allowing the other person to preserve respect, even in disagreement. It means asking questions gently, praising contributions publicly, and disagreeing privately. It’s a slower form of selling, but it builds long-term trust and access. The kind of access that Western sellers struggle to replicate here. In this region, deals don’t collapse because of price. They collapse because someone - intentionally or not - took away someone else’s face. Selling here is about protecting dignity while finding alignment. It's not about trying to look smart of winning an argument. That’s what real influence looks like in Asia. And that's what sellers here should acknowledge and apply in their deals and conversations to be in control of their deals. ✌

Climate Adaptation Roadmap 🌎 Climate risks are growing exponentially and adaptation has become essential for resilience. Organizations need to ensure continuity of operations and competitiveness as physical risks increase across regions. Adaptation also delivers broader benefits. Beyond risk reduction, it supports ecosystems, enhances supply chain stability, and contributes to community wellbeing. Disclosure frameworks such as IFRS S2, CSRD and TPT now require information on adaptation. Investors and stakeholders increasingly evaluate companies on their ability to plan and implement climate resilience strategies. This roadmap developed by EcoAct is a great tool to guide the adaptation journey in a structured way. It translates the complexity of climate risks into clear phases that organizations can follow. The first phase is risk assessment. Companies must review vulnerabilities, prioritize risks, and confirm the drivers that could affect assets, operations, and value chains. The second phase is defining adaptation ambition. Senior leaders and stakeholders align on objectives, co-benefits, and an overarching adaptation goal supported by governance. The third phase is identifying relevant adaptation options. These range from physical measures to operational and strategic approaches, selected according to context and resilience potential. The fourth phase is assessment and planning. Options are analyzed in terms of cost, benefits, and feasibility. No regret measures and flexible pathways are prioritized to ensure scalability. The fifth phase is integration. Adaptation must be embedded into core business processes, financial decision-making, and supply chain management. The sixth phase is reporting. Organizations include adaptation progress in both internal and external disclosures, reinforcing transparency and alignment with regulatory expectations. The seventh phase is implementation. Measures are deployed according to defined timelines, starting with low cost actions and moving towards larger investments as needed. The final phase is monitoring. Continuous review ensures risks are reassessed, plans are updated, and adaptation strategies remain effective as climate conditions evolve. Source: EcoAct #sustainability #business #sustainable #esg

Why do energy terms sound like scary German monsters? 😱 First, it was Energiewende—the dramatic “energy transition.” Now, it’s Dunkelflaute—dark doldrums when, for a few consecutive days, the wind dies, the sun hides, and energy grids struggle to cope with demand. In 2024, #Dunkelflaute hit Germany hard: wholesale electricity prices soared to €1,000/MWh, coal plants sprang back to life, and energy imports became a lifeline. For #climatetech startups, this daunting term presents a significant business opportunity. Every founder should consider whether their solution could help tackle this challenge and change the narrative to capture this opportunity. Here are a few opportunity fields for startups: 1. Long-Duration Energy Storage (LDES): This is naturally the obvious one, and many companies are already working on solutions (e.g., hydrogen, flow batteries, and thermal storage). What's interesting here is that a solution like Reverion (biogas to electricity and back to hydrogen/methane) can fit this challenge, even though it wasn't on the company's radar when it was founded or part of our investment thesis. 2. Grid Flexibility Solutions: Balancing supply and demand is critical during Dunkelflaute periods. Startups can develop AI-powered demand response systems or virtual power plants that aggregate distributed energy resources, especially cross-border solutions as the topic becomes highly political. 3. Predictive Analytics for Weather and Energy Markets: Dunkelflaute events can be forecasted with greater precision. Startups offering real-time grid analytics and weather forecasting tools can help utilities and industries plan ahead. 4. Hybrid Renewable Systems: If you can't solve the macro, offer a solution to the end user. Pairing wind, solar, and other sources with storage creates local resilience for commercial and residential customers. Solving Dunkelflaute isn't just about energy and geopolitical stability; it's about unlocking a significant business opportunity for climate tech startups. Let's break the doldrums together! What’s your take on tackling Dunkelflaute? Share your thoughts! #venturecapital #energytransition #renewables  

Your tech solutions might be universal, but business cultures rarely are. For founders expanding globally, understanding cultural nuances can make a world of difference. I've seen so many brilliant construction tech solutions face unexpected challenges internationally not because of product issues, but because of cultural cues that were hiding in plain sight. What works smoothly in your home market frequently encounters unexpected barriers abroad. In our latest Practical Nerds episode, Shubhankar and I explored three cultural patterns we've observed that often create unexpected challenges for founders expanding internationally: 1/ Trust deficit can kill deals in Asia before you realize what happened. Asian markets require relationships BEFORE transactions. That mid-deal silence? It's not disinterest—it's a fundamental lack of trust. When things stall, don't send another "just checking in" email. Request a direct call: "Hey, can we get on a call? I'd just like to hear from you." 2/ Europeans want facts, not hype. Your high-energy American pitch style? It can be "overcompensating" to Europeans. They're engineering-minded—lead with observations, not judgments. And remember: Europeans minimize downside before maximizing upside. Frame your solution as risk mitigation first, opportunity second. 3/ Middle East surprisingly loves American tech but demands in-person presence. Virtual meetings barely register as "meetings" at all. And forget the org chart—decisions flow through specific gatekeepers who might not even appear in formal hierarchies. What seems to work well for many companies in global expansion? Maintaining consistent products and channels while building localized teams who can navigate the nuances of each market's business culture. 👇 Dive deeper into our full analysis of global construction tech expansion below. #ConstructionTech #GlobalExpansion #BusinessCulture

A new report from Antler interviewing 43 female tech founders from across Europe has been published, and the findings are disappointing…and not surprising. Just 1.8% of European VC funding goes to female-led startups – and, even when investors do engage with women, those women report biases and frankly sexist (my words not Antler’s) behaviour that their male counterparts would never face. “What is it like being 30 and not having children?” “Are you planning to have a major life event soon?” “Do you think you’ll lose interest in the business once you’ve had your baby?” The list goes on, each question more disappointing than the last. The solution? 72% of the founders Antler interviewed reported that when they did receive funding it was from female investors – who recognised them as competent and valuable individuals with names and backgrounds and talents rather than as just ‘women’. It’s not rocket science – the imbalance in funding distribution is changing at a snail's pace while the investor landscape itself is so heavily unbalanced, with a report from Diversity VC stating that there has been no improvement in the gender demographics of VCs since 2019 - almost 5 years 🤯 Until VC investment stops resembling some sort of old boys club, we will continue to see this kind of bias and sexism continue unchallenged, and countless talented women give up on their dreams because they just can’t find anyone to give them the capital they need. That is a tragedy, and a path to a future that is worse for all of us. It’s a global act of shooting ourselves in the foot. So, let’s start at the top. More female VCs. More funding for women. More talented founders empowered to change the world for the better.

Too Many GTM ‘Experts’ Are Spoiling the Broth. Let’s Talk Real Strategy. LinkedIn is flooded with #GTM advice. Most of it is engagement bait, generic tips, and recycled playbooks. This noise isn't just unhelpful for startups and IT services companies eyeing APAC—Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Australia—it’s dangerous. Here’s the truth: #APAC eats “global strategies” for breakfast. If you’re serious about breaking in, forget the hacks. Let’s dig into what matters: 1. “APAC” Doesn’t Exist. Treating Indonesia like #Singapore or #Vietnam like #Australia is a recipe for failure. A SaaS company scaled in Malaysia by partnering with government-linked entities. In Australia, they needed to navigate enterprise procurement cycles dominated by local compliance frameworks. Your move: Build hyper-local GTM pods. You can hire leaders with Region expertise before you launch, not after burning $500k on mismatched campaigns. 2. Trust Isn’t Sold Here. It’s Earned. In APAC, relationships aren’t a KPI, they’re oxygen. A cybersecurity firm learned this hard in Hong Kong: Buyers only engage vendors introduced through trusted networks. Tech specs alone? Ignored. Your move: Invest 6-12 months in face-to-face relationship building. Join industry guilds, sponsor local events. Don’t expect buyers to care if you're unwilling to show up. . 3. Your “Global” Playbook is a Liability. I’ve seen IT service companies copy-paste pricing models from Europe into Thailand, only to realize that decision-makers expect heavy customization. Startups using U.S.-style cold outreach in Japan? Reputation ruined before Day 1. Your move: Localize your entire value proposition, not just translating your website. Does your solution flex for Indonesia’s 20% local content rules? Does pricing respect Australia’s OpEx preferences? 4. Regulatory Landmines Are Invisible, Until They Explode. Australia’s Privacy Act, Vietnam’s data laws, and Singapore’s MAS guidelines, miss these, and your launch implodes. One compliance misstep in Malaysia delayed a client’s entry by 14 months. Your move: Bake legal and compliance into your Day 1 strategy. Partner with local firms who’ve navigated these waters. This isn’t a cost, it’s insurance. The bottom line? APAC rewards those who do the unsexy work, deep localization, patience, humility. No influencer post will give you that. Agree? Disagree? Let’s discuss. #GTM #Sales #SaaS #technology #innovation #marketing #b2bsales #b2b #AI