Startup Investment Opportunities

Your Web3 project isn’t getting funded because you're focused on the wrong metrics. Here is how to fix it 👇 🧪 Build a prototype, not a pitch Your MVP should solve a real problem. Ship something users can test and give feedback on. Execution > ideas. 💬 Build your community before raising capital Investors look for signals. An engaged, loyal community is the strongest one. NEVER buy fake followers - they’re a red flag, not an asset. 🔍 Focus on metrics that matter Investors want hard numbers, not promises. Data showing active user retention is far more valuable than metrics that don’t demonstrate user engagement or loyalty. Retention metrics > vanity metrics. 🎯 Apply for funding strategically Not all funding paths are created equal. Choose wisely: - Ecosystem Grants: Perfect for chain integrations. - Protocol Grants: Ideal for improving existing protocols. - Hackathons: Great for networking and testing ideas. - VCs: Focus on teams with strong technical execution, clear roadmaps, and scalable potential. Don’t shotgun your pitch - tailor it to fit the funding source. 📈 Build momentum before talking to VCs VCs back progress, not just ideas. Before pitching: - Highlight adoption curves, early community growth, and technical achievements. - Build relationships with early users - they’re your first advocates. - Launch an MVP, iterate fast, and showcase how feedback has improved your product. 🔥 Don't burn cash on hype Focus on: - Token utility: Depending on the project, you can show a strong strategy for generating yield, TVL, or transaction growth. - Treasury management: Keep 12+ months of runway in stablecoins or diversified assets. - Community engagement: Highlight governance votes, staking rates, and active participation. Keep it lean, measurable, and sustainable. 💲 Want to raise capital? Build first and show progress. The money is out there. The question is: Are you fundable?

Yes, I write a lot about sports. 🎾🏀🏈   And yes, our firm is called SportsInvest Advisory.   But let’s be honest, "Sports,Media&EntertainmentInvest" Advisory sounded a bit too long.   However, our focus spans the entire 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬, 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 & 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦.   Why?   Because each of these segments is worth looking into from an investment standpoint.   Just the other day I was talking about content (series, cinema) as an investment opportunity with Louis Ladreyt from Logical Content Ventures, a fund deploying capital in films and series.   And several years ago, we also started exploring 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 as a new asset class—one that has now captured the attention of leading PE investors. 🎵 👉 BlackRock backed Alignment Artist Capital to deploy $5M-$20M deals for artists and songwriters (2015). 👉 Blackstone committed $1BN to Hipgnosis Songs (now Recognition Music Group) to acquire music catalogues (2021).   👉 Apollo Global Management, Inc. committed $1BN to HarbourView Equity Partners, led by Sherrese Clarke (2021). 👉 Providence Equity Partners launched Tempo Music in 2019 with Warner Music Group, later exiting to WMG for $450M. 👉 KKR acquired Kobalt Music's catalogue for $1.1BN (2021). What sparked private equity's interest in music rights?   ✅ Market growth—check out Goldman Sachs' Music in the Air report (link in comments).   ✅ Low correlation to macroeconomic trends & financial assets.   ✅ Stable, recurring royalties revenues (5-10% yield).   ✅ But also (and that's even more interesting) value creation opportunities through IP expansion (licensing, events, entertainment). One of my favorite investment teams in this space?   🔥 Pophouse Entertainment.   Why?   First, because it boasts an outstanding founding team, including ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus and EQT Group founder Conni Jonsson, led by CEO Per Sundin and chaired by Lennart Blecher, EQT’s Head of Real Assets.    Second, because I had the opportunity to first connect with Pophouse Entertainment back in 2022 (Shahriar Shokofan, Parham Benisi, Joakim Andersson) and I was impressed by their visionary approach in IP expansion.    🎯 Investment focus? Music catalogs and IP, covering three key rights: publishing, recording, and brand rights (NIL—artists’ name, image & likeness).   🚀 Value creation? An artist-centric approach that goes beyond passive catalog ownership, expanding and monetizing IP across the entire entertainment ecosystem. They launched ABBA Voyage—a concert featuring digital avatars of the Swedish pop icons, and The Avicii Experience—a tribute to the late Swedish DJ. On Monday, they announced a €𝟏.𝟐𝐁𝐍 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭-𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝—one of the largest debut private equity funds raised in Europe in the past decade.   They have already deployed about 30% of the fund, acquiring rights to KISS, Cyndi Lauper, Avicii, and Swedish House Mafia.   Huge congratulations to the entire Pophouse team for this fantastic achievement. 👏

🌎 Emerging Markets Are Leading the Global Music Revolution — And It’s Time to Invest While mature markets like the U.S., Japan, and Canada show signs of stagnation, emerging markets are experiencing explosive growth — and they hold the key to the future of the music business. 🚀 Brazil is the fastest-growing Top 10 market, expanding 21.7% last year alone. 💥 Latin America overall surged 22.5%. 🔥 MENA (+22.8%) and Sub-Saharan Africa (+22.6%) are booming. Streaming dominates, accounting for nearly 88% of recorded music revenue. But here’s where it gets even more interesting: ✅ Emerging markets aren’t just growing — they’re exporting. Examples: Colombian and Mexican artists produce music at lower costs, yet their songs flood the U.S. market, home to 60M+ Spanish speakers, where pay-per-stream is much higher. * Moroccan artists chart in France, taking advantage of cultural proximity and stronger royalty rates. * Nigerian Afrobeats artists dominate playlists globally, especially in the UK, U.S., and France, while production costs remain low in Nigeria. * Egyptian and Lebanese artists are expanding into European markets, leveraging diaspora audiences. * Turkish artists are increasingly breaking into Germany’s market, supported by a large Turkish community and higher streaming payouts. 🌍 The strategy is clear: produce high-quality music affordably in emerging markets — distribute globally — and capture revenue from premium, mature markets. 🚨 For investors: Pay close attention. This is not a trend; it’s a structural shift. The three major record labels (Universal, Sony, Warner) have already understood this and are actively investing in companies and talent across Latin America, Africa, and MENA. Now is the perfect moment to invest in music companies, labels, and tech platforms based in these regions — before valuations skyrocket. Those who move fast will be positioned to lead the next era of the global music industry. #MusicIndustry #EmergingMarkets #LatinAmerica #Africa #MENA #Turkey #Streaming #MusicBusiness #GlobalMusic #InvestmentOpportunity #Afrobeats #Reggaeton #ArabicMusic #SpanishMusic #VC #PrivateEquity #MusicTech

#blockchain | #web3 | #startups : India's Web3 Landscape Report 2023 The 2023 report provides a detailed examination of India's web3 ecosystem, encompassing the adoption by both consumers and #enterprises , the landscape of startups and investments, the expanding developer community, and the regulatory structure. Key Takeaways : (1) Organizations and governmental entities at both national and regional levels are proactively utilizing blockchain technology to innovate and tackle real-world issues. Over half of the state governments in India are actively investigating blockchain technology for a range of applications. (2) India's dynamic web3 startup environment is flourishing, with over 1,000 startups securing funding exceeding $2.5 billion. Emerging trends encompass perpetual DEXs, liquid restaking platforms, middleware infrastructure initiatives, and scaling solutions that adhere to a modular approach. (3) India is rapidly emerging as a leading global hub for web3 developers, with its share of global web3 developers doubling from 6% to 12% in 2023. As a result, various L1/L2 ecosystems are establishing significant footholds in India. (4) The regulatory environment is evolving, and the government is looking for international signals to guide further regulation. Recent laws regarding anti-money laundering (AML), know your customer (KYC), and taxation provide some clarity, indicating the legitimization of the web3 sector. Encouragingly, regulators appear to grasp the distinctions between cryptocurrencies, crypto-assets, and blockchain technology. EmpowerEdge Ventures

Inside the Fashion Opportunity in Dubai by The Business of Fashion Dubai’s fashion industry is proving resilient despite global market uncertainty and instability, and businesses looking for markets of opportunity will find a city of potential. It is strategically positioned as a hub from which to expand into the wider Gulf region and its consumer demographics cement the city’s status as a cosmopolitan hub of local and visiting customers, as well as talent and professionals. The city is undergoing rapid transformation and investment across its world-leading retail offering, and consumers are expecting ultra-localised personalisation, early product access, capsule collections and exceptional customer service, as well as omnichannel services for heightened convenience.

"Constant change is the new normal." 🧨 The word “Uncertainty” is used most frequently to describe the industry in 2026 by fashion executives in the annual State of Fashion by The Business of Fashion x McKinsey & Company. (US tariffs cited as number 1 hurdle, FYI.) Many leaders are feeling pessimistic: 46% said they expect conditions to worsen in 2026, vs 39% LY. 🌎 Increased global macro-eco volatility is expected (to continue) to weigh on sentiment and drive value-conscious consumer behavior, particularly in the US. On top of every leader’s agenda right now is “adapting to a new environment” with constant changes in: → Trade → Consumer behavior  → Technology 🤝 Among consumers higher product quality, craftsmanship and better in-store service are the top factors that would encourage them to buy more from luxury brands in the year ahead. TRUST will be the keyword of 2026, and it needs to be rebuilt (not only in luxury). Agile brands that are able to adapt quickly will be the winners of tomorrow. 🤖 AI will be play a big role in this, as the tech is shifting from a competitive edge to a business necessity. +35% of execs report already using AI in areas like customer service, image creation, copywriting, consumer search or product discovery. It's expected that Finance & Manufacturing will see the greatest impact from automation (without gen AI), while automation with gen AI is believed to lead to huge productivity gains for Comms and Marketing functions. ☀️ But not all is bad. Biggest areas for opportunity in 2026: 1️⃣ The mid market (value segment up through affordable luxury) is the fastest growing and replacing luxury as fashion’s main value driver. 2️⃣ Jewelry: increased its prices slower, combined with consumer perception of a lasting investment and a rise in self-gifting means the jewelry market is thriving (expected to grow 4x faster than clothing). 3️⃣ Smart eyewear is poised for a breakout year with several launches expected in 2026 after a great intro year in 2025 (i.e. EssilorLuxottica + Meta) 4️⃣ Resale market is forecasted to grow up to 3x faster than the firsthand market. A great way to drive sales amongst aspirational consumers looking for a more accessible price point. 💡 2026 will be The Year of the Trust Reset. The rules that have been in place the last decade will be rewritten by the companies that get it. Many companies have lost the trust of their customers, and the smart brands will win that trust (back). Prepare to see some big winners & big losers. ⏳

$15 million for AI drone swarms: Swarmer secures largest investment in defense tech Ukrainian innovations have become game changers on the battlefield, permanently reshaping the concept of modern technological warfare. The BRAVE1 defense innovation cluster members are developing cutting-edge products that attract global investment. Swarmer, a company developing artificial intelligence solutions for drone autonomy, has raised $15 million from U.S. investors: Broadband Capital Investments, R-G.AI, D3 Ventures, Green Flag Ventures, Radius Capital Ventures, and Network VC. This marks the largest investment in a Ukrainian defense technology company since the start of the war. Swarmer’s technologies have already proven effective in combat. The landmark investment will allow the company to integrate swarm capabilities into every unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), enabling the deployment of unlimited numbers of drones and robots regardless of the availability of trained operators. Ukraine is producing systems with no global equivalents. American investors' backing of these technologies shows not only that the world believes in Ukraine’s potential but also that it is ready to help scale up and deploy combat-tested innovations on the front line.

🇮🇳 Indian Luxury Fashion: The Real Business Behind the Runway (FY25 Outlook) Indian luxury fashion has entered a decisive phase. The question is no longer “Who designs best?” The question now is “Who can build a repeatable, scalable, profitable luxury business?” A closer look at India’s leading luxury houses reveals very different growth engines 👇 🖤 Sabyasachi (~₹500 Cr) Business model: Bridal-led, margin-first luxury Sabyasachi cracked what most designers haven’t — monetising Indian weddings at scale. Bridal couture + high-ticket jewellery creates: • Predictable demand cycles • Extremely high gross margins • Strong brand control with limited discounting ✨ Manish Malhotra (~₹308 Cr) Business model: Celebrity brand → lifestyle platform Manish Malhotra has systematically converted pop culture visibility into revenue streams: • Couture as brand halo • Beauty, jewellery, interiors as margin drivers The brand’s strength lies in extensions, not just apparel. 👗 Tarun Tahiliani (~₹200 Cr | Target ~₹700 Cr) Business model: Transition phase Couture builds credibility, but ready-to-wear builds scale. The long-term bet here is clear: • Prêt-à-porter • Occasion wear • Standardised fits + scalable retail formats If executed well, this could become one of India’s largest luxury fashion platforms. 🌱 House of Anita Dongre (~₹300+ Cr) Business model: Portfolio-led luxury group Unlike single-designer brands, this is a multi-brand ecosystem: • Anita Dongre (luxury) • AND & Global Desi (premium scale) The real advantage: • Operational depth • Retail systems • Sustainability as a long-term brand asset This looks less like a fashion house — and more like a future luxury conglomerate. 🏛 Ritu Kumar (~₹500+ Cr, group level) Business model: Legacy + distribution power Decades of retail presence have created: • Massive consumer reach • Strong ethnic wear dominance • Deep Tier 2–3 penetration In Indian luxury, distribution is strategy — and Ritu Kumar owns that playbook. 🎨 Rahul Mishra (~₹100–150 Cr est.) Business model: Global couture credibility This is craftsmanship-first luxury: • International runway recognition • Museum-grade design language • Limited but premium clientele The challenge ahead is translating global prestige into commercial scale without diluting brand purity. 🔍 The Bigger Insight Indian luxury fashion is now splitting into two clear paths: 1️⃣ High-margin, low-volume prestige 2️⃣ Moderate-margin, high-volume scalable luxury The winners of the next decade will not be decided on the runway. They will be decided in: • Retail execution • Supply chain discipline • Category expansion • Leadership beyond the designer Luxury is no longer art alone. It is strategy, structure, and scale. 💬 Which Indian luxury brand do you believe is closest to becoming a global powerhouse? #IndianLuxury #LuxuryBusiness #FashionStrategy #RetailLeadership #BrandBuilding #IndiaLuxury #FY25

FILM FINANCING AS AN ALTERNATIVE ASSET CLASS For family offices and private investors, independent film and television projects represent a sophisticated asset segment that combines intellectual property creation with structured recoupment models. The opportunity lies in understanding how capital moves through the financing stack and how risk and liquidity are managed at each stage. ⸻ EQUITY PARTICIPATION Equity represents ownership. Investors exchange capital for a share of the film’s revenue through theatrical sales, streaming, licensing, and catalog value. Capital remains at risk until recouped, but successful distribution can deliver outsized returns. Seasoned investors structure equity positions with first-position recoupment, executive producer credit, and defined backend participation to protect their upside. ⸻ DEBT FINANCING Debt provides a collateralized, income-based approach to film investment. Lenders underwrite loans against secured receivables such as pre-sales, distribution minimum guarantees, or transferable state tax credits. Interest and fees are repaid from contracted revenue streams, reducing exposure and positioning the loan as a form of asset-backed lending. Completion bonds further mitigate delivery risk and enhance capital security. ⸻ BRIDGE AND GAP FINANCING Bridge and gap facilities maintain production continuity between funding milestones. Bridge loans cover timing gaps before contracted funds clear, while gap loans secure the final portion of a budget not yet backed by confirmed collateral. These short-duration instruments are typically supported by unsold territories, pending tax incentives, or distribution receivables and offer premium yields reflecting execution sensitivity. ⸻ TAX CREDITS AND INCENTIVES Government-backed incentives act as soft-money equity. Credits can be monetized or factored upfront to provide immediate liquidity. Leading U.S. jurisdictions—Georgia, New Mexico, Louisiana, Ohio, and New York—remain competitive because of transparent, transferable credit programs and strong local-spend multipliers. ⸻ STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND BRAND INTEGRATION Corporate partnerships and product placement supply non-dilutive capital and marketing exposure. These relationships can offset production costs through co-branded campaigns, hospitality support, or in-kind value that enhances both the film’s visibility and investor return profile. ⸻ WHY IT MATTERS Film assets behave more like structured credit than speculative art. When professionally packaged—with bonded budgets, collateralized incentives, and diversified recoupment streams—they offer investors an alternative asset class capable of producing asymmetric upside within a disciplined, risk-managed framework.

$80 million for a small movie theater to watch sports. That's the pitch. And investors just valued it at $1 billion. The company is called Cosm. It creates the feeling that you're courtside at an NBA game or inside the Harry Potter universe. They build immersive "Shared Reality" venues—massive 87-foot LED domes where you watch live sports, films, and entertainment surrounded by 12K resolution screens. IMAX meets sports bar meets planetarium. Three venues are open: • LA (Hollywood Park, next to SoFi), • Dallas (Grandscape), • Atlanta (Centennial Yards, opening June) They hosted 750+ events in 2025 and have deals with the NFL, NBA, NHL, WWE, PGA Tour, Fox Sports, and Warner Bros. Here's why it's interesting from a real estate lens. The build: • ~64,000 sqft per venue • $80-$90M build-out cost (yes, per location) • 3 zones: Dome (premium immersive), Hall (social), Deck (outdoor terrace) Each venue is anchoring a major mixed-use development—not filling a strip center, but serving as a foot traffic magnet for an entire district. The revenue stack: • Ticketed events (sports, entertainment, screenings) • Full-service F&B with in-seat delivery • Group and corporate bookings ($10K+ per event) • IP content (Harry Potter, Cirque du Soleil, The Matrix — repeatable, high-margin programming) • Tech licensing: Cosm also sells its LED dome system to third parties (planetariums, science centers) That dual revenue stream—venues + tech licensing—is what separates this from a pure entertainment play. $250M raised at a $1B+ valuation from... • Marc Lasry's Avenue Sports Fund • Dan Gilbert's ROCK • Baillie Gifford • David Blitzer's Bolt Ventures The bull case: Cosm venue is the ultimate anchor tenant: massive foot traffic, premium demographics, and a reason for people to show up to your mixed-use project. The bear case: $80-$90M per venue is brutal capex. The experiential entertainment graveyard is real... Pinstripes went bankrupt, Meow Wolf has had financial struggles, and Topgolf's parent company has been restructuring after similar scaling challenges. Plus how many cities can support an $80M immersive dome? 10? 20? This probably isn't a 100-location concept. My take: the tech is worth more than the real estate portfolio, if it's real.