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​🎉 ICYMI: I launched Ganas Ventures! We're investing in pre-seed and seed Web 2 and Web 3 community-driven startups in the US and Latin America.

​💰 Founders, apply for investment here. 👊🏽 LPs, apply to invest in Ganas here.

​Jessica Peltz Zatulove (Hannah Grey), Lolita Taub (Ganas Ventures), Mandela Schumacher-Hodge Dixon (All Raise), Paula Enei (Platanus Ventures)

​In the last several issues, we talked about money goals, investment options, perspectives on becoming an angel/LP/VC, how to become an angel/LP/VC, and launching Ganas Ventures! And considering the LP interest (over $7M in a week!) in and amount of questions I’ve received about Ganas, I thought I’d take the next few issues to pull back the curtain on venture capital, give you the inside scoop, and answer questions I get frequently asked about the fund.

​What does Ganas mean? It's a Spanish word that translates to "winning" but to me it means more than that; it's a nod to my family who struggled but always told me: echale ganas! "Echale ganas" means to keep your chin up, no matter what, and always give it your all. The goal at Ganas is to win with a community of founders, funders, and friends that are all in.

​What was the journey to launching your venture capital fund, Ganas Ventures, Lolita? Here it is: for almost a decade, I was made to believe that I *didn’t have what it takes to be a venture capitalist, to run a fund and make money for others. But after putting in the investor reps (with 91 investments), and co-launching The Community Fund, managing it, recruiting for it, and investing through it and seeing our portfolio grow in value (9 companies we invested in increased in valuation in 1 year alone), I realized I do have what it takes to be a successful venture capital fund manager. The bonus: I love the job and know VC is my calling.

​*On several occasions, I was told (sometimes directly and other times indirectly) that I did not fit the Silicon Valley cookie-cutter pattern matching mold of a white-cis-gendered-man-who-came-from-money-and-went-to-an-ivy-who-worked-for-a-FAGMA-or-unicorn. This mostly came from the white men who control 93% of venture capital dollars and came from this background.

​The way I see it, this is the only industry where, with the life I have on earth, I get to make a living and create generational wealth in community (my thesis is investing in community-driven startups) by backing the best founders and the companies that will change the trajectory and cause ripple effects in the world - long after I’m gone. I see myself on my deathbed, dying in peace knowing that I invested in incredible humans/companies, gave my family a better life, and was a member of the VC-startup community that helped create a flywheel that opens doors to those that come after us.

​Note: if you want to ever launch a fund and also do not fit the Silicon Valley mold, know that you belong in the industry. I’m not going to say it’ll be easy but, we only live 1 life. So, if you really want something and believe you can create value, go do it. Ignore the haters.

​✨ Lolita Taub
twitter | lu.ma | Recently Techcrunch, AngelList, Technical.ly, Impact Alpha, Tecnoticias, Rest of the World, Yahoo!news, ProNetwork, Descubre.vc and Latitud featured Ganas and me

​Congrats

​Avlok Kohli and the AngelList team raised $100M in capital at a $4B valuation. Screendoor VC raised $87M to back emerging fund managers, including Monique Woodard, Jessica Peltz, Ariana Thacker, Austin Clements and Sean Mendy. Paula Enei, Joaquín Stephens, and team raised $20M for Platanus Ventures. Darrian Mikell raised $2.5M for Qualifi. Mandela Schumacher-Hodge Dixon is the new CEO at All Raise. Pat Alex and the Endeavor team has backed 31 LATAM unicorns. Hunter Walk and Satya Patel have shifted Homebrew to an evergreen fund.

​Sponsored | SVB Startup Banking is a community of former founders, operators, and investors passionate about supporting founders on their path to success. Beyond banking, we work with early-stage founders to help them navigate the challenges of funding and scaling a startup from Day 1. Please reach out to connect with us! We'd love to learn more about what you're building and how we can help. - Rochelle & Vanessa

​Funders

​Lolita Taub | Emerging LPs: Ganas Ventures is looking for underestimated founder, funder, and friend LPs

​Mario Gabriele | Emerging fund managers: understand the benefits of being a solo GP

​Startup-Investor Matching Tool | VCs: meet thesis-aligned underrepresented founders

​GP-LP Matching Tool | LPs: get thesis-aligned intros to underrepresented GPs

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​​Sponsored | Join thousands of senior executives, investors, and researchers, using our intelligence to tap into the Black innovation economy when you subscribe to our weekly briefing at tpinsights.com. 

​Founders

​Forefront | Web3 founders: read about the social landscape of Web3 and find a map of Web3 tools

​Alpaca VC | Founders: review Alpaca VC’s master agency and contractor list to find the help you need

​Asking for a founder | Founders: get tips on how to snag a lead investor

​LaaS | Underrepresented founders: get resources made for you

​​Sponsored | Have a startup idea but don’t know where to begin? The Science Center’s free OnRamp accelerator is designed for entrepreneurs with an idea and the drive but without startup experience. Apply by 3/27!

​Money

​SoGal Foundation | Black female founders: apply for $5-$10K in grants

​1863 Ventures | Black founders: apply to get a 3Rs $5K grant

​Non-dilutive capital | Create a profile to find non-dilutive capital

​Equity Crowdfunding | Raise up to $5 million

​Startup-Investor Matching Tool | Founders: get intros to investors

​Jobs

​Progressive Governance Academy | PGA Director (Remote, US)

​Grand Ventures | Analyst/Associate (Grand Rapids, MI)

​Venture Forward | Content and Community Manager / Director (San Francisco, CA)

​💥 See all open roles and post yours here.

​Want more? Follow me @lolitataub and let me know how I can help. Want to support our newsletter and get featured? Become a sponsor.