Connect the Dots - our roundup of what's happening at Connect HQ. Subscribe to keep in touch.
Hey friends!
We hope you've started the year off strong, and are still feeling as focused and motivated as we are as we head into March, especially in light of the recent Covid upheaval. In our latest edition of the Connect Ventures Newsletter, you'll find announcements of our new investments, updates on our existing portfolio, and a few insider tips on things we've loved and wanted to share.
NEW INVESTMENTS
where we announce exciting new investments
Fintech
Emma
Edoardo Moreni and Antonio Marino are on a mission to empower millions of individuals to live a better and more fulfilling financial life. Cue Emma, the money management app described as your "financial friend." The app uses open banking to connect all your bank accounts, credit cards and investments, giving you a one-stop-shop view of all your finances. Having led the round with participation from Ithaca Investments, TinyVC and existing investor, Aglaé Ventures, we're excited to welcome them to the Connect family!
Fun fact: Edoardo and Antonio slept on mattresses in their office during
SaaS
Purple Dot
Serial product founders Madeline Parra and John Talbott sold their first company, Twizoo, to Skyscanner in 2017. Now they're back, building the future of shopping with Purple Dot, a new way to request a discount on things you want. Bid, wait, save. It's a non-instant shopping revolution. Read the full story here. We're thrilled to have lead this round, investing alongside Moxxie VC, TinyVC and Paul Forster.
Fun fact: Madeline is an obsessive swimmer and John bakes a mean lemon drizzle cake :)
CONNECT INSIDER
where we tout general Connect portfolio updates
PRODUCTS
Fintech
TrueLayer lends its Open Banking technology to Revolut
TrueLayer teamed up with Revolut to deliver Open Banking to Revolut customers. This new account aggregation feature allows U.K. Revolut customers - both consumer and business - to connect external bank accounts to their Revolut profile, making it easy to "see everything in one place, track spending, and set budgeting controls" for all their accounts in one dashboard. We're so proud Revolut trusted TrueLayer to help create this seamless, secure, and empowering user experience.
Healthcare
Making OurPath Second Nature
Second Nature, formerly OurPath, recently celebrated two milestones. They raised a $10m Series A and revamped their name and brand. We couldn't be more thrilled for the 5-year old company, whose mission is to help people change their habits to take control of their health. The founders, Chris & Mike shared the thinking behind their journey from #ourpathtosecondnature
ROUNDS
Saas
Lanes & Planes raises Series A
Lanes & Planes prepares for take-off after closing its €9m Series A round. The new injection of capital from Battery Ventures & DN Capital will allow the Munich-based travel platform to scale up its building of an all-in-one digital-only solution for business trips. We're ecstatic for the team and can't wait to see what they build next!
TALENT
If you're an ambitious operator who's hungry for a great opportunity, want to make a difference and are keen to contribute your talents to a fast growing product company, then you're in the right place. Below are just a handful of the open roles within our portfolio.
SaaS
TrueLayer
- People Partner
Consumer
Second Nature
- Head of People
FinTech
Soldo
- HR Officer
Consumer
Stairway Learning
- Junior Full Stack Engineer
- Full Stack Engineer
View another 42 new open roles across our portfolio, posted in the last 30 days.
ON THE RADAR...
… where we share some of our favourite recent discoveries
TRIALLING: MATTER
Keen on personal development in a fun way? Matter captures genuine feedback from your team/peers, and offers suggestions on skills you should develop and how to go about doing so. Honestly life-changing.
READING: PETER ATTIA'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
If you're a newsletter lover, this one's for you. Peter Attia's weekly report provides (very) in-depth, scientifically-based strategies and tips for increasing lifespan, healthspan and well-being. A good addition to any inbox.
LISTENING: STARTING GREATNESS PODCAST
Starting Greatness is a solid resource for founders at any stage. This particular episode explores the million-dollar question of "How to Know If You've Got Product Market Fit" with Andy Rachleff, Co-Founder of Benchmark Capital & Wealthfront, and the man who actually coined the term.
LISTENING: HOW TO CEO PODCAST
These short-but-informative 20 minute-episodes cover a range of topics, many of which touch on emotional intelligence and self- management as a CEO. We particularly liked the episode on "What Makes a CEO vs. a Founder."
WATCHING: DON'T F**K WITH CATS
Available on Netflix, this riveting documentary talks about what happens when you mess with the internet's favourite animal. (Sorry Taco!)
MEET US IN PERSON
Travel-permitting, Rory will be attending New York FinTech Week (30th March - 3rd April). If you're around, be sure to say!
And that's it for this issue. If you have any questions or comments, please reply directly!
We're always happy to hear from you.
Stay healthy
Your team at Connect Ventures
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