Rishi Jaitly

Machiavellian leaders at the helm, prioritizing self-interest over all else, raise concerns about the true essence of freedom and democracy. Factors like greed, envy, and fear (the toxic triangle) have historically constrained freedoms, making it easier to manipulate the uninformed than the enlightened. Let's heed the warnings against propaganda, cronyism, sexism, nationalism, and the suppression of human rights. Leaders must govern, not just campaign, and uphold the law above all else. In a world where selfishness masquerades as moral superiority, let's reject divisive narratives based on skin color or religious beliefs. After all, we all live in the shelter of each other. Good leaders will guide with positive influence and educational materials; bad leaders will misguide with misinformation and propaganda. “All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach.” - Adolf Hitler The lessons of history tell us that if we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle ‘Machiavellianism’ is a real thing and a major component in the toxic triangle of destructive leadership. As we navigate the complexities of globalization, let wisdom guide us, not misinformation or mystical panaceas. Thomas Jefferson once warned… And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter. But we may hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away all this artificial scaffolding...

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Just bought my ticket to Elevate (conf). Anyone else coming? https://lnkd.in/gfGakawg Stoked for these talks: Melissa Allen (Capital M Ventures) Patricia Nielsen (AWS Startups) Rizwan Khalfan (TD Bank) Michele Romanow (Clearco) Sabrina Geremia (Google) Rachael D'Amore (TalkShop) lisa laflamme (Order of Canada, beloved Journalist) Jordan Jacobs (Radical Ventures) Douglas Soltys (Betakit) Sidney Leeder (Air Head, AI short film) Anthony Lacavera (Globalive) Olivia Chow (Mayor of Toronto) Elamin Abdelmahmoud (CBC) Giles Sutherland (Interac) James Hicks (Moneris) Nicole Foster (AWS Global AI Public Policy) Sachin Agarwal (Think Research) Daniel Eberhard (Koho) Aaron Saunders (Boston Dynamics) Julien Brazeau (Department of Finance Canada) Hugo Larochelle (Deepmind) Rachel Tobac (SocialProof Security) Harley Finkelstein (Shopify) That's a full cup, eh???!!! Two observations as I type this out. (1) Canada has so much talent brimming and bristling to the surface that we are no longer just emulating other innovation capitals but starting to form our own unique identity. Still a work-in-progress to be sure. But we have certainly come a heck of a long way forward from our Can Tech Awards in 2012, a time when the demise of Blackberry and Nortel were the only tech headlines on the national news. (2) Next week is going to be busy running around to all these talks. I am definitely getting my 10K steps (nice burn on the hams/glutes) and fill-up a moleskin or two with new ideas. See you all there!

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This research draws from 100 in-depth interviews and 184 comprehensive surveys from progressive organizers across the country. Troubled by the Left’s inability to amass sufficient power as well as the ascendancy of Right-wing forces—an increasing number of progressive organizers have begun to register higher and higher levels of alarm. They have argued that the transformation in service of racial, economic and climate justice that progressives seek will not happen unless we change our approach. In particular, Mario Lugay has raised the alarm for years about the outsized role #philanthropy has in our progressive movements. To read this finding, "Eighty-five percent of respondents—the overwhelming majority—agreed that Left-wing organizations have become more accountable to our funders than to our bases and constituencies . . ." illustrates the urgency for us to build our Movement Commons: https://lnkd.in/grQdpzkw

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2025 is here, and the Middle East’s startup ecosystem continues to hit major milestones. 🌍 Last year, I had the privilege of interviewing the founders behind some of the region’s most innovative companies—eyewa, Lean Technologies, Zid | زد, and Salla E-Commerce Platform. Their insights offer a glimpse into how they’re shaping the future: 👉 eyewa: Gulf-based eyewear disruptor with a vision for growth. ➛ Founders - Mehdi Oudghiri & Anass B. ↳ Surpassed 150 stores. ↳ Secured $100M funding from General Atlantic. ↳ Introduced AI-powered eye exams and virtual try-ons. ↳ 2025 plans: 250 stores and a Riyadh hub delivering custom products in 24 hours. 👉 Lean Technologies: A fintech leader bridging innovation and compliance. ➛ Founders - Hisham Al-Falih & Ashu Gupta & Aditya Sarkar & Mehdi Tazi ↳ $67.5M Series B funding from General Catalyst. ↳ $2B+ transaction volumes in the UAE. ↳ Pioneering Open Banking in Saudi Arabia. ↳ 2025 plans: Expanding Open Banking and Open Finance in Saudi Arabia and the UAE while enhancing financial infrastructure for SMEs and individuals. 👉 Zid | زد: Revolutionizing e-commerce with its Total Commerce ecosystem. ➛ Founders - Sultan H. AlAsmi & Mazen AlDarrab ↳ Merchant base grew by 30%, exceeding 12,000 active users. ↳ Integrated AI-powered tools + partnerships with Amazon, TikTok, and Meta. ↳ Merchants saw 25% GMV growth and 10x revenue increases through Zid’s programs. ↳ 2025 vision: Cross-border commerce and advanced AI solutions for merchants. 👉 Salla E-Commerce Platform: Empowering Saudi merchants with cutting-edge e-commerce tools. ➛ Founders -  Nawaf Hariri & Salman Butt ↳ $130M pre-IPO funding led by Investcorp and Sanabil Investments. ↳ 80,000+ active merchants supported $7B in sales since 2020. ↳ New tech integrations with Adjust and STC Bank. ↳ 2025 focus: Expanding payment solutions and driving Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation. Each founder’s vision is a testament to the power of combining regional insight with global ambition. 💡 Who’s a Middle Eastern startup you’re watching in 2025? Share your thoughts below. ⬇️ P.S. If this inspired you, don’t forget to share! ♻️ Articles: ↳ https://lnkd.in/dXha4rg4 ↳ https://lnkd.in/ddbasi24

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This is an excellent analysis of the situation.

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So great to speak to Mohammed Islam on The Mo Show podcast last week! Watch the full episode here!

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After 4 months in what can only be described as an intensive bootcamp, I’m thrilled to announce that CarbonSync is one of the 10 graduates from Founder Institute's Spring 2024 - Washington DC chapter. 🏆 When I signed up for this accelerator, I had no idea that only 30% of startups make it to the end. Nor did I know I would meet such a vast array of talented founders and mentors here in DC! 🌟 I saw the words 'pre-seed accelerator' and blindly clicked on 'apply', not knowing what to expect. Speculation about startup accelerators doing more harm than good might be apt for some programs, but the Founder Institute has shattered that mold. Their curriculum is RIGOROUS (hello, weekly homework!), and their incredible mentors open up office hours to give us unfiltered advice. These sessions can literally change the trajectory of your product or startup because the mentors are invested in your success. 📚🤓 You are back in student-mode, thinking of the fastest way to finish your homework, while rooting for the other founders! My previous stint as a student was at The Fletcher School at Tufts University and the mafia helped carry everyone to the finish line <3 Our cohort was packed with amazing solutions across various fields: SaaS, AI-powered B2B and B2C solutions, hard-tech, batteries, health-tech, real estate – even pet health! While FI doesn’t market itself as a social impact accelerator, every founder I met was driven by an important cause, pushing themselves to the limit. 🌍💡 After 4 months, I’m exhausted, sporting a few more grey hairs, and carrying some extra pounds from stress eating 🍕😅. But I’m more confident than ever that CarbonSync will revolutionize industrial design for a sustainable tomorrow. We’re the closest we’ve ever been to PMF, and it’s all thanks to the incredible mentors and local leaders who cheered us on every week. 🚀🌿 We made more progress in the past 4 months, than we could have in 2 years without this program. If you’re a founder embarking on the impossible task of taking an idea from 0 to 1, do yourself a favor and apply to Founder Institute. Trust me, it’s worth every grey hair! 👩‍💻🎓 Tagging our amazing mentors: Thank you!! 🏁Guc Ozenci Brian Bassett Andres Jordan You Mon Tsang Ken Gordon Cameron Powell Ashtan Moore Tovit Neizer Debra Cancro Arcui Usoara 💡 Sean Makulowich 🔥 Sammy Popat Kuzeyhan Ozdemir Alan Ocana Ario K. Allan Wilson

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I had a lot of fun recording a podcast episode with Shiva Singh Sangwan. We discussed the evolution of Humba Ventures & Susa Ventures; tips for raising and building a fund; how to improve investment sourcing & picking; the role of luck in investing, and so on. https://lnkd.in/eiqsStej

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This historic gathering brought together high-level government officials, thought leaders and sovereign families from the UAE and the Gulf states to participate in this groundbreaking initiative. The Founder and CEO of Earthy, Sam Singer, presented transformative solutions to address global environmental, humanitarian, and social crisis, leveraging cutting-edge technologies. Projects like Earthy are a great example of impact ventures our global investor network should be prioritizing. One man cannot solve global environmental, humanitarian, and social issues. But one man, supported by other ten, can. On behalf of De Bacci Noble Family and De Bacci Capital, I call on angel investors, funds and family offices worldwide to join this groundbreaking initiative which will forever change the way charitable and social institutions operate, while providing transparency and credibility to all parties involved. We need this change to happen now, more than ever. May God Bless all Co-Founders of Earthy. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dDqFUCHw #debaccicapital #privateequity #venturecapital #investing #impactinvesting #startups #humanitarian #environment #charity #socialcrisis #blockchain #accountability #dubai #uae

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Considering a career in startups or VC? Starting today, I'm available for 1:1 calls on @Intro to help startup founders and aspiring VCs think through the path ahead. As the founder + managing director of Red Sea Ventures, we invested early in companies like Allbirds (IPO), Sweetgreen (IPO), Nest (acq. Google), Casetext (acq. Thompson Reuters), and Prose to name a few. What topics can we cover? ✔️ Finding product-market fit ✔️ The different paths to funding ✔️ Determining how much you need to raise ✔️ Building a VC firm ✔️ Careers in VC ✔️ Celebrity partnerships Honored to be alongside world-class Experts like Chris DeWolfe (co-founder of MySpace (sold for $675M), Scott Saunders (founder of Happy Money, valued $1B+) & Geraldine Martin-Coppola (former President of Goop). I’ll be donating 100% of the proceeds to Seeds of Peace

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Hey all 👋, I finally got around to editing the PMF workshop (yes, please hype me up for just doing my job). Thanks again to #founders Mina A. Leonel Lacayo and Monica Vespe Lincoln for sharing their startups and building in public! Grab the video or sign up to be notified of the next workshop at the link in the comments. —— Want to a stress test your #startups Product-Market Fit? Get the free PMF workbook at the link in my profile and make sure your #marketing and #branding are minimum viable for your stage of growth.

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We need more GovTech funds backing innovative ideas to help democracy get back on track worldwide. Technology will fail unless the systems that govern it succeed. We need a lot of innovation in our political systems: better communities, better advocacy, smarter policy development, fairer elections, and the list goes on. Many of political problems can be solved or improved by technology. GovTech has been largely overlooked by investment, and look at the results. Now is an inspiring time for positive change. We can fund innovations that will make politics better for everyone. Let’s do it.

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How PRS was able to call the Trump/GOP win last March, and where the Democrats fell short.  The accuracy of our forecasts is independently tested again. Plus, rebuilding our data banks; the AI models come to fruition; a rebranding process begins with our NYC design team; visits to Montreal and plans for a large conference in Nice in 2025. And some new studies using our ICRG data to draw the connection between subsidies and approval ratings (it’s more nuanced than commonly assumed) and between election cycles and FDI. When time permits, have a look at my latest letter to clients and friends. The PRS Group: Our data drives www.PRSGroup.com www.christophermckee.net #uselection #trump #Harris #geopoliticalrisk #geopolitics #politicalrisk #ai #data #dataanalytics #emrgingmarkets #investmentrisk

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I first met Mike Maples, Jr in 2010, when Founders Network was just an idea. Over the years, Mike and his team at Floodgate (special shoutout to Arjun Chopra) have been great mentors, sharing their insights and guiding our founders. Most recently, their advice played a pivotal role in helping us launch Founders Network Fund. Today, Mike shared the key ideas with FN'ers from his new book Pattern Breakers (https://a.co/d/buKBd5O ), which explores the insights he’s gained from backing companies like Twitter, Twitch, and Okta -- and which put him on the Forbes Midas List 8x. This is the most important book on startups in the last ten years, according to Steve Blank. My notes on the key concepts of his talk: 1) Inflections – "not a trend but a change event that represents a turning point in our ability to provide empowerment." e.g. The GPS chip in iPhone 4s 2) Insights – "a non-consensus and right insight about the future that's powerful and non obvious and leverages inflections." e.g. Lyft = GPS + strangers driving you 3) Founder future fit – "Living in the future before other people live in the future and then try to build what's missing in the future." If you're a founder, check out the book. Grateful for the impact Mike and Arjun continue to have on both me and the Founders Network community!

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"Let’s Ascend to Our Higher Minds to Heal Our Civic Souls in a Year When Democracy Itself Is on the World’s Ballots" In a journey to my quarter-century class reunion at The Wharton School, my thoughts turned to the ways leaders must help us climb down from a performative global arms race of primitive mind symbolism and theater. My latest article, which I really hope helps us all in such an important election year and amongst so many geo-political challenges:

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Since moving to China in 2002, I've been interested in whether or not globalization can serve as a force for progressive change. For a while there, it looked like it might. But in recent years it feels as if globalization might have been a mere fever dream; the more things change, the more authoritarian they become. I've wanted to share some thoughts on these issues for a while, and the LA Review of Books provided the opportunity in a review of the two most recent books by Leslie T. Chang and Peter Hessler. Hope you'll give it a read; I enjoyed doing it. https://lnkd.in/gUbxW9uf

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Excited to announce that Unusual Ventures is leading GovSignals' $5.5M Seed Round! GovSignals is transforming government contracting by launching the first AI platform that fully automates 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀. We’re thrilled to lead their $5.5M seed round at Unusual Ventures as they revolutionize the government procurement space! Congrats to the exceptional GovSignals team - Derek, Ethan, Jeremy, and Conner bring deep technical and execution expertise in government, government contracting, and AI from Palantir, Amazon, the DIA, DOE, Stanford, Harvard, and more! To learn more about GovSignals, check out the press coverage below 👇

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