Reflections | July 2021
We provide valuable updates, news, trends, and opportunities every month on what we’re up to and what’s happening in tech, innovation, and venture capital.
"Marginal gains is not about making small changes and hoping they fly. Rather, it is about breaking down a big problem into small parts in order to rigorously establish what works and what doesn't" — Matthew Syed
Hello everyone!
As I write this latest edition of our newsletter to all of you, I wanted to take the time to reflect on this past year and how far Steamworks have come as an emerging fund. It was only in February 2021 in which this notion of starting a venture capital fund slowly crept into our minds. It was merely a pipe dream at that moment, however, right from the beginning we truly believed in our mission and that forced us to commit to this exciting journey of ours.
Our thesis is simple:
Ignite and help the next generation of entrepreneurs and early-stage companies to leverage technology and disrupt industries across Australia and New Zealand.
We knew this was easier said than done. We understood the risks and the rewards, and we had come to grips with the fact that this would not be a sprint, but a marathon filled with its own highs and lows.
To make this work for us, it was all about exploiting marginal gains for us. Incremental improvements formed the bedrock for the fund. For us, we focused on doing small but effecting things to push us in the right direction; slowly but surely. We'll continue to do this indefinitely to help us build our network, fundraise, and much more.
As we continue to raise our funds and collaborate with so many amazing people, our focus remains on building long-lasting relationships with our portfolio companies, limited partners, advisors, strategic partners, and mentors. We're in this for the long haul and expect to make a significant impact on the world through investing, technology and innovation.
We have a long but exciting road ahead of us!
Stay tuned.
—
Barry Winata | Founder & Managing Partner | Twitter
News
For Founders
Y-combinator launches its co-founder matching tool to better streamline the co-founder search process. Alternatively, you can go directly here to their startup school.
Industry
Transport | United Airlines looking to buy a fleet of electric aircraft — is the world ready for electric planes?
Crypto-Finance | ICYMI - The B-Word inaugural keynote address with Cathie Woods (ARK Invest), Elon Musk, and Jack Dorsey discussing the future of Bitcoin and its potential mass adoption by institutions and corporations.
Retail-Delivery-Logistics | Interesting analysis by Sacra on the next wave of super fast last-mile delivery companies taking on the online bodega — expect deliveries under 15 minutes!!!
Construction | Brokrete is becoming the "Shopify of construction" — raised $3M seed
Trends
VC Funding | Global venture funding hits all-time high for H1 2021 — $288B invested!
Partner With Us
If you're an accredited investor, and excited about what we're doing to ignite early-stage investing and create long-lasting impact then join us. Complete our investor interest form and someone will reach out!
Pitch Us
If you're working on something that is tech-enabled and going to create waves in the industry, then we want to hear about it.
Opportunities
MAP21 VELOCITY applications are now open:
10-week online program
Tailored workshops
Mentorships
Pre-accelerator program
Supported by the University of Melbourne
University of Auckland's Velocity $100K challenge:
Entries close 12p noon, Monday 2nd August
15 qualifying teams
$100K grand final prize (seed capital)
Only one founding member must be from the University of Auckland to apply
Y-combinator W22 Applications now open:
Applications close by 8p PT on September 8 2021
Applicants must have at least 10% equity in the startup
3-month program
Open to everyone
About
Steamworks Ventures is an early-stage investment venture capital fund, focused on supporting founders and companies who are using technology to innovate and disrupt industries by creating inflection points in the market.
