#40 Angelinvesting.it - From idea to Series A - Weekly Newsletter

The startup dualism

I recently met with an enthusiastic founder. His charisma and competence were evident, but the project he presented wasn't as convincing to me.

To bolster his pitch, he introduced me to his CTO, a figure he introduced as a tech luminary with experience at Google, Meta, and other industry leaders. The CTO lived up to the hype. Engaging and astute, his rich beard lent him an almost sage-like presence.

"My co-founder and I," he shared, "fit together like puzzle pieces. He weaves words, while I delve into code. Although I pride myself on my expertise, I believe he surpasses me."

Encountering such harmoniously balanced teams is invigorating—teams where mutual competence is matched by mutual respect.

At a recent event, an accomplished entrepreneur, on her fourth venture, echoed a similar sentiment: "A venture requires 50% magic and 50% logic. I infuse the magic, while my co-founder instills the logic."

Later that week, a solo founder in whom I've invested confided his sense of solitude. From ideation to execution, recruitment to fundraising, every burden weighed on him. Despite his formidable capabilities, the enormity of his journey is undeniable.

To me, the magic number for co-founding teams is two. While a third with defined roles and a minor stake might add value by rounding off the edges, the alchemy between two complementary talents is invaluable. It provides solace in a journey that can otherwise be extremely lonely.

P.S. Just yesterday, as I was finalizing this newsletter, I had my final meeting of the week with two highly complementary co-founders: a 10x developer (more on this in the next paragraph) and a data-driven growth hacker adept at crafting high-performing funnels.

Start observing, and you'll begin to notice dynamic duos permeating every facet of life.

2 Resources to pro

The 10X Developer

The myth of the "10x developer" suggests that certain programmers are ten times more productive than their peers, delivering not just more code, but also higher quality and impactful work. This idea finds its roots in Frederick P. Brooks Jr.'s 1975 book, "The Mythical Man-Month," which discussed significant productivity variations among developers, even if it didn't coin the specific term.

This notion is always a hot conversation topic between founders and investors, with every team claiming to have a 10x developer on board. To delve deeper into the history and reflections on the subject, check the link below.

Check it out.

11 Unicorns are born in Europe in 2023

In Atomico's Q3 2024 report on European Venture Capital, there was a chart listing the 11 unicorns that emerged in Europe during 2023.

Using this report and data from Dealroom, I've compiled a 6-page presentation that provides an overview of these European companies. The link for access is provided. I hope you find the content informative.

Check it out

1 Reason to be happy

Speaking of two. The philosophical concept that has fascinated me most from all my Eastern readings is the idea of non-dualism. A perspective where what seem like two things are actually interconnected and interdependent and exist only as a whole. On the duality (or lack thereof) of the world, every philosopher has an opinion. This video explains it well and makes it enjoyable to watch with well-crafted animations. Over to you.

Have a great weekend,

Simone

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