Ben’s List 74

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Entrepreneurship

The Key Success Factors of European Startup Studios

“Successful European studios create a strong cultural infrastructure, which is then declined within each portfolio startup. The way to do this is to build a galaxy of enthusiasts: business angels clubs, advisors, events.”

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Guide to Growth Metrics

“The traditional investor view of this metric is, as Lawrence A. Cunningham puts it, that ‘gross profit margin demonstrates competitive advantage’ because ‘it is the purest expression of customer valuation.’ But as we see it, gross margins alone don’t make for a competitive advantage. For instance, having high gross margins—typically above 70% for software companies—demonstrates that your company might have a competitive advantage now, but without a moat, you can’t guarantee that those margins will persist.”

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Venture Capital

From Singapore to Silicon Valley, female founders fight for funds

“Women in Singapore, the VC hub of Southeast Asia, are 38% less likely than men to have a strong network, according to LinkedIn. The corresponding numbers are 14% in India and 28% in the United States.”

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Sarah Miyazawa LaFleur, founder and CEO of MM.LaFleur. (Photo courtesy MM.LaFleur)

All the VC fund of funds you need to know in Europe

“The European Commission — when it announced its €2.1bn fund of funds strategy several years ago — argued that a lack of VC funding is holding European tech back.”

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Photo by Markus Winkler / Unsplash

Community

How The Futur Built A $1M+ Community

“When I asked Ben what lies ahead for The Futur in 2023, I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised with the answer.

‘We’re looking to grow our community membership as much as possible in 2023,’ he said. ‘Because doing so will allow us to invest that much more in creating our free YouTube content.’”

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DeepTech

Spinout Playbook

” A licensing deal with a particularly low royalty rate might have an above-average equity allocation, or vice versa.”

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‘Disruptive’ science has declined – and no one knows why.

“Disruptiveness is not inherently good, and incremental science is not necessarily bad, says Wang. The first direct observation of gravitational waves, for example, was both revolutionary and the product of incremental science, he says.”

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Policy

Fighting Tech-Enabled Abuse: 2022 in Review

“Apple has had a very mixed year, taking important steps to secure devices for high-risk users, including survivors of tech-enabled abuse, while also facing the fallout from the disastrous launch of their physical tracker, the Air Tag, whose mitigations against use as a stalking device began as woefully inadequate and have progressed to merely bad.”

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Entrepreneurship Events
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OIW, founded in 2004 by Oslo Business Region, has become a key event in the global startup ecosystem. Its mission is to support Oslo’s growing startups and connect them with public organizations. Celebrating 20 years in 2023, OIW now hosts over 70 events, attracting more than 16,000 attendees worldwide. “What started as a local initiative has grown into a global platform for innovation, collaboration, and sustainability,” an OIW representative shared. Key Highlights from Recent Editions of OIW Oslo Innovation Week fosters a strong sense of community and continuous collaboration. Notable companies like Kahoot!, Oda, No Isolation, and Strise have participated in OIW, contributing to the ecosystem. “Seeing startups that once pitched their ideas now hosting their events is a true testament to the power of this community,” said the OIW team. This growing collaboration has positioned OIW as a platform for emerging leaders and problem-solvers. Themes Driving OIW Each year, Oslo Innovation Week adopts a theme aligned with global innovation trends. The 2024 theme, “Pioneers,” celebrates individuals and organizations pushing the boundaries of innovation. “We engage with the ecosystem daily to ensure our themes resonate with the startup and innovation community. Climate innovation and sustainability have always been core,” an OIW organizer explained. This focus on addressing climate change has been a consistent driver behind OIW’s success. A Global and Industry-Agnostic Event Oslo Innovation Week attracts diverse participants, including startup founders, investors, and public leaders. OIW is industry-agnostic, with events spanning sectors from health and life science research to the blue economy to ClimateTech and SportsTech. 30% of attendees come from outside Norway, reflecting OIW’s growing global presence. “It’s important to engage with international participants to expand Oslo’s reach beyond the Norwegian bubble,” the OIW team noted. International Collaboration and Global Outreach Managed by the Oslo Business Region, Oslo Innovation Week actively engages with the international innovation community. This involves collaboration with embassies, investors, and Nordic neighbors, and attending events in the UK, Germany, and the US to attract talent and investment to Oslo. “This year, we will welcome back a team from Hokkaido, Japan to the program, hosting an event to support initiatives for female entrepreneurship in the Hokkaido prefecture,” an organizer shared. OIW’s international collaborations continue to strengthen its global reputation. Commitment to Sustainability and Diversity Sustainability is central to OIW, with every event supporting at least one United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). The event has implemented practices like the Zero Waste Takeaway project to reduce waste,” As an umbrella event, we collaborate with over 200 organizers to create sustainable events, promoting vegetarian meals, environmental impact reduction, and providing the City of Oslo’s Climate and Environment Guide for guidance. Additionally, OIW emphasizes diversity and inclusion, requiring gender balance among speakers and hosting DEI workshops, “Last year 52% of all speakers were female. This year, we’ve added a workshop on diversity and inclusion for all event organizers by Diversify, which organizes the  Diversify Nordic Summit, emphasizing the importance of DEI in growing successful companies.” “Our goal is to ensure that every attendee finds value in the event while promoting sustainable and inclusive practices,” stated an organizer. OIW continues to evolve, connecting global innovators with Nordic pioneers and expanding its impact. For more information on Oslo Innovation Week : ➡️ Visit the Oslo Innovation Week program for details on events. ➡️ Sign up for the Oslo Innovation Week newsletter to learn about becoming an OIW event organizer.

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Entrepreneurship Startup
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Our list of the most exciting startup events and conferences to have on your radar in 2024. Whether you’re looking for GenAI or DeepTech, we’ve got you covered. We’ll be updating this list with new info so make sure to bookmark it & check back often!

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