Ohad Kotler

Before joining Fiska, most of our customers relied on payment providers that charged high fixed fees. Many were surprised—and even a little skeptical—when they discovered we don’t charge these fees. Instead, we operate on a true revenue-sharing model: we only make money when our customers do. With fixed fees, scaling payments can feel limiting. Our partnership model gives our SaaS partners the freedom to adjust their payment strategies, such as scaling payments, without worrying about fixed costs. It’s a smoother, more flexible way to increase revenue without relying on frequent subscription hikes. You can read more about our partnership model in our latest blog: https://lnkd.in/eafxvSBq

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Klarna firing their SaaS providers is just the beginning. Executives have been weighing the build v. buy decision for software and IT infrastructure for years. Now, no-code and low-code, better AI and accountability mechanisms like economic bonding and restaking make it possible to build something better than what one can buy. Interested to see where this goes. What do you think of Klarna ripping out Salesforce and Workday in favor of internal tools? #ITinfrastructure #techstack #buildvbuy #saas

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Funding your marketplace: Equity vs. Debt 💵 In Niklas H.’s Marketplace Bootcamp lesson on financing your marketplace, he breaks down the key differences between debt and equity and when it makes sense to use each. For most early-stage marketplace founders, debt isn’t a viable option. Why? Debt lenders only care about one thing: whether you can pay them back—with interest. They don’t share in the upside of your business, so if your marketplace looks risky, they'll charge higher interest rates. This makes it challenging for early-stage founders to secure debt without taking on significant personal risk—like mortgaging their house. Understanding these funding dynamics can help you navigate your marketplace journey with confidence. What funding strategies have you explored for your marketplace?

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#𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁: Insights on Conscious Leadership with Ruby Yeh. A serial entrepreneur and mentor with expertise in scaling VC-backed startups, building alliances, empowering leaders, and producing transformative tech and personal growth initiatives. We delved into the concept of 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽—leading with empathy, mindfulness, and purpose. She appreciated our focus on not just our 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀’ 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀, connecting it beautifully to the principles of conscious leadership. 𝘉𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 and a reminder that 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀. #Leadership #ConsciousLeadership #EmployeeWellbeing #PowerMeet

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𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲, 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀. Recently, I had the privilege of meeting Zulum Elumogo at my favorite coffee shop in East London. If you haven’t been to Zealand, stop by and tell them Xavier sent you! Zulum and I connected at the Renaissance Conference a few months ago and realized that we lived walking distance to each other. I had no idea how much wisdom lived just a short walk away!  He is the Managing Director at TC & Friends, a creative agency working with brands like Zara Home, Paul Smith, and Macallan. Oh… and he’s also a part of Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list. However, not because of accolades, but because of the 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 he’s making. 🎨His redemptive purpose? Helping creatives—artists, designers, writers—build sustainable businesses that allow them to thrive. He understands something most people miss: the creative world isn’t like traditional business. It’s complex, messy, and hard to monetize. But Zulum is committed to equipping creatives to navigate the business side of things so they can make a living doing what they were uniquely designed to do…without compromising their craft. 💡Our conversation left me thinking: How many brilliant creatives have struggled or burned out because no one taught them how to build income streams that align with their purpose? Zulum’s work doesn’t just help individuals—it creates a ripple effect, renewing industries, uplifting communities, and unleashing art that enriches all of us. It’s a powerful reminder that our work—whatever it may be—can be about transformation. Not just ticking boxes or chasing revenue but pursuing something deeper that makes others better, too. 📣So here’s my challenge to you: How are you showing up in the spaces you’ve been called to? Are you pursuing success for its own sake, or are you striving for something redemptive… something that lasts? Drop a comment below. I’d love to hear how you’re using your gifts to make an impact. Let’s inspire each other. 👇

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London, UK based growth investor Copilot Capital recently launched a fund 💸 $200M fund seeded by an investment division of The Friedkin Group. 💡 Investing up to $40M in European software start-ups looking to scale and help founders drive further growth and profitability, with a specific focus on go-to-market strategy, internationalisation, acquisitions, and data & AI. 🌍 #Europe 📈 Alongside the fund’s launch, Copilot Capital has made its first investment into Danish-based Relesys, an all-in-one employee app for frontline workers in the retail industry. 💭 “There are 60,000 SaaS companies across Europe. Our goal is to identify businesses with market-leading products and proven revenue models and equip them with the capital and expertise to scale into software champions.” - John Messer, Copilot Capital’s co-founder 🗞️by Tech Funding News https://lnkd.in/dSjYtXgY 👏 For the #AudaciousInvestors unleashing innovation and empowering tomorrow🚀 John I Charlie I Charlie I Dave I Alba I Kitarack I Zerxis I Kemar I Zarosh I Hannah I Team Copilot … #growthcapital #pe #funds #startups #entrepreneurs #uk #funding #tech #entrepreneurship #technology #innovation #venture #london

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Fundraising is a full-time job. It’s complex, time-consuming, and requires constant effort. 💬 “I’ve always admired startup founders who can simultaneously do both — build the product and raise a new round. I believe it’s more innate than learned,” says Oleksii Yermolenko 🇺🇦, our fund’s co-founder and partner. Still, there’s a way to make fundraising easier. Oleksii Yermolenko shared a few tips — swipe the carousel ➡️ Check out the full story on our blog 👉 https://bit.ly/3YnioY6  #startups #startupadvice #tips #fundraising #F1V

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Changing our pricing is never an easy decision. We discussed our new pricing plan extensively and came up with multiple versions. As early-stage startup founders, we won't know which pricing model is best for us unless we experiment with them in production. So I put some of our thoughts into this blog. Check out the story behind this pricing change: https://lnkd.in/gRPmJgZM

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As a global company working remotely, building strong teams is a topic dear to us. In the latest episode of our podcast, Daria Rudnik and Emre Ok dive deeper into the strategies that foster strong connections, no matter the distance. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/defRwR3P #remotework #leadership #teambuilding

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VCLink's Daily Round Report Part 2: 9. Aleš Rechtorík and Jan Saidl's Zerops, a PaaS startup, secures $500k in a pre-seed round from Presto Ventures and Gi21 Capital. https://lnkd.in/dYFrt2q4 10. Rajesh Jayachandran, MD PhD's NXI Therapeutics AG, a biotech company, raises CHF 3.5M in pre-seed funding from Kickfund. JFG Life Sciences Foundation, BaseLaunch, and Venture Kick also participated in the round. https://lnkd.in/d7bNxdfM 11. Vitalii D.'s Dynamiq, an AI startup, secures a pre-seed investment led by TA Ventures. Geek Ventures, u.ventures, and Diaspora Ventures also participated in the round. https://lnkd.in/dfPVcuWu 12. Dr. Micha Schildmann's forward earth, an AI-powered environmental software company, secures €3.2 million in funding led by Speedinvest. Revent, Lucid Capital, the European Union, Anna Alex, and Benedikt Franke also participated in the round. https://lnkd.in/gMakh2iY 13. Pankaj Bhargava's āshibio, a biotech company developing therapies for bone and connective tissue disorders, raises $40M in seed and Series A financing from MPM BioImpact. Agent Capital, YK Bioventures, and Mirae Asset Venture Investment also participated in the round. https://lnkd.in/dn4KHJN8 14. POP, a fintech startup, raises $2.4M in seed funding from India Quotient. https://lnkd.in/dRBv952b 15. Saurabh Mishra's OrbitShift.AI, an AI-powered sales intelligence startup, raises $7M in a seed-funding round led by Peak XV Partners' Surge and Stellaris Venture Partners. https://lnkd.in/dwWR3Hy4 16. LAfricaMobile, a Senegalese cloud communication startup, raises $4.6M in a Series A round led by Janngo Capital. French footballers Aurélien Tchouaméni and Jules Koundé, Expensya founders Karim Jouni and Jihed Othmani, SouthBridge Investments, and Ciwara Capital also participated in the round. https://lnkd.in/dE9mFJTT

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As a founder, one of my priorities for Q3 is further improving our hiring process at Empact Partners. As we are bringing more and new SaaS parners aboard, we need to hire niche specialists — fast. We are strong believers in specialization. While it's certainly possible to train & properly ("deeply") onboard media consultants & content writers, it's always a big plus when the person already has experience and/or background in a given niche. Our plan for Q3 is to work on the following: 1️⃣ Headhunting. Sounds easier than done. We are already quite good at this, but there's a lot to be done to make this process more scalable internally. 2️⃣ Networking. We are planning to systematically build relationships with professional SaaS writers & marketers, both freelance and working in-house in various industries. Keen to connect & collab with us? Reach out! 3️⃣ Operations. We are testing running automated video interviews to faster qualify inbound candidates and mini writing assignments (faster & more effective than large ones). Open to opportunities and/or want to work with us? My DMs are open.

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100k organizations use Delighted. We can say that as of...a few hours ago. From the day I started at Delighted, this team has had one core focus: Building a product that our customers absolutely loved. This seems obvious, but the journey to get there involved decisions that constantly offered to distract that focus. Instead of adding more, we often had to subtract. Instead of taking a few big alluring contracts, we focused on enabling tens of thousands of smaller ones. We had to be opinionated. Making decisions not just for customers, but for our customer's customers. Example: The survey taker experience is generally really, really bad. Why not take the opportunity to change that tune? The best part is giving these exceptional products - CX and Surveys - to everyone. For $0, you can use all our product has to offer. Delighted has a place for you whether you're a small ice cream shop in Rhode Island, or the NBA (Yes, both are businesses that use Delighted!) With this mindset, we can give more away for less, because we know we're building relationships that will grow. And last. And last they have. 10+ years. 100k customers. Here's to the next 100k.

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Following up from my previous post... I want to share what a 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹-𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 my new startup building framework has been.  𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹, because I was super productive and built out an entire (and glad to say revenue generating) startup in 21 days. 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲, because I wasn’t able to reach 1,000 users in 21 days. Which was my goal. But, I learned a bunch of lessons and have some pretty awesome stories to tell. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼 / 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 Just a refresher, the challenge forces me to reach certain user growth milestones for my startup. 100 users in 7 days, 1,000 users in 21 days, and 10,000 in 42. I also livestreamed my work. And open sourced it. https://lnkd.in/eVFAjSRt https://lnkd.in/e5U-S_6h 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲 (𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁) 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 My first attempt at this challenge was Project Belvedere. A networking and recruiting service for college students. The service would provide students with, instructions on how to get an internship, resume & linkedin reviews, and controversially an alumni contact list, to connect with alumni for job opportunities. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 Day 1 - Sent out mass email to first and second years (220 students).  Day 3 - Received warning email with Dean.  Day 5 - Got my first paying customer (greatest dopamine rush I’ve ever felt). Day 6 - Met with Dean.  Day 12 - Cease and Desist from school.  Day 12 - Met current co-founder on stream.  Day 15 - Meeting with multiple Deans (had my Mark Zuckerberg moment).  https://lnkd.in/eNDn7FEk  Day 19 - Another meeting w Dean, this time approved for TED talk style presentation to school.  Day 21 - Challenge milestone not met, ended Project Belvedere with 38 users. If you’re curious about more details, I made a video that goes over everything. https://lnkd.in/e_8rKVqe 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 The most important takeaways are the lessons learned and mistakes I made: • I've realized how incredibly supportive the people around me can be when I take leaps of faith. I think doing unique things draws people in and inspires them. • In the earliest stages of a startup, working alone is the only and most optimal way. • Being bold and disrupting means getting both positive and negative attention. • General population is intolerant of entrepreneurial mindset. • This lifestyle is intellectually connecting and fulfilling to others. But isolated. • Streaming publicly keeps me locked in and daily accountability. • It’s impossible to lose with this mindset, this work ethic, this framework. I made a website for fun to see how much I was streaming. Turns out I stream around ~30% of my waking hours, and averaging 36 hours per week streaming. https://lnkd.in/eSjVN7gR P.S. I’ve changed the challenge from 100 Users in 7 Days → $100 in 10 Days

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𝗜𝗳 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸—𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵. 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 > Everything Else The right team is a game-changer. Research shows that startups with a strong, cohesive team are 2.9x more likely to grow faster. At Sveston, our team didn’t just work on tasks—they believed in our mission. When people share your vision, you’re not just building a company; you’re building a legacy. 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 In a survey, 42% of failed startups pointed to a lack of market need as the reason they couldn’t succeed. Don’t just build products; solve real problems. Sveston’s foundation was built on listening. Every product iteration was guided by feedback from our customers, who helped shape our direction with what mattered to them most. 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 In today’s competitive landscape, only 1 in 5 consumers will return if they don’t feel they’ve received quality. Sveston didn’t become Pakistan’s largest wristwatch brand by cutting corners; we focused on consistency and reliability. When you prioritize quality, you’re not just selling a product—you’re creating trust, and trust is the foundation of customer loyalty. 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 Did you know that 65% of a company’s revenue comes from repeat customers? One-off campaigns create buzz, but real growth is sustained by building long-term relationships. At Sveston, we focused on customer engagement over one-time outreach, fostering loyalty that drives consistent revenue. Relationships last far beyond a single marketing push. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 Bootstrapping can be the ultimate teacher. Around 77% of successful startups were bootstrapped at some point, which fosters discipline and a lean approach. With Sveston, we learned to grow within our means, proving that you don’t need millions in funding to build something impactful. Bootstrapping can make you hyper-focused on value and resourceful growth. 𝗣𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 Not every idea scales—knowing when to pivot is key. With DawaWala, we onboarded 50% of Karachi’s pharmacies but hit a roadblock with scaling due to tight margins and regulatory hurdles. Studies show that 30% of startups succeed because they pivot at the right time. Stepping back wasn’t a failure; it was a strategic move that allowed us to focus on projects with clearer growth paths. If I were to build again, I’d stay focused on value, team, and growth through genuine relationships. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱? 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆.

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Entrepreneurship is a tough but incredibly rewarding path! A big thanks to Outward VC for highlighting the story behind Capsa AI and my own journey. Excited for what’s ahead! Check out the post below 👇 #Entrepreneurship #PrivateEquity #AI #CapsaAI #StartupJourney

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Every year, at Fullscript, we run a two day company-wide hackathon (2024 starts today). During the hackathon we transform ideas into shipped projects, showcasing our commitment to building the tools to power whole person health. Most importantly we inspire each other and make new friends. Here's a snippet from my North Start Email this time last year: Hackathons are generally a time in which we get inspired, we build culture,  we have a lot of fun, and then go back to our day jobs. We go back to the plan we set at the start of the year and iterate on throughout. THIS WEEK… I can guarantee we will get inspired, we will build culture and we will have fun, but we won’t be going back to the same exact plan. We are the leaders in the market, we have a world-class team, we have a base of customers who love our company, and technology (AI/ML and diagnostics) has unlocked an opportunity to exponentially accelerate the value we can create for them. I believe this hackathon is going to showcase the potential in front of us and shape our future. I think it will showcase the best minds in whole person medicine solving really important problems together. I think it will remind us what we can do if we execute with urgency and focus. I think it will showcase a path to helping a lot of people get better, while strengthening our position as the market leader. For our Hack Week the leadership team is spending a day and a half making sure we have resources allocated in areas that we think will accelerate the most value for our customers and ensure we enable some of the things that inspire us at the end of this week. We recognize the urgency and critical importance of investing aggressively during a time when competition has these tools at their disposal and the agility to use them. We refuse to sit back and allow others to take the opportunity that is right in front of us, the opportunity that we have all worked so hard for. “Wanting to help people get better” and “wanting to be the best” coexist here at Fullscript. That’s the formula that makes us great. I can’t wait to see that formula in action this week. I am filled with excitement and anticipation. Here's to another epic event filled with groundbreaking ideas and transformative projects! #Innovation #FullscriptHackathon #AI #Teamwork #Leadership

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As a startup, what are the biggest risks from your employees POV? Here's our insights. In a round table session at Upstream Festival we discussed how Steward Ownership de-risks joining a startup from the employee point of view. We had a blast in diving in what it actually means to be Steward Owned! Steward Ownership offers your employees - Clear, purpose-driven goals that attract motivated employees. - Employee incentive schemes that provide long-term benefits compared to traditional startups We looked at the difference in tackling employee risks between a traditional startup setup and a startup that embraced Steward Ownership (SO). Here's what came up. 1. The startup has a too small base and fails - with SO, the base of investors, stewards, believers has to be large to even get started. 2. The startup changes its mission (the reason lots of employees started working there in the first place) - with SO, the mission is locked in, changing is simply impossible. The road might change, but we are getting to Rome. 3. The startup is hijacked by a (new) investor, changing the culture and goals - with SO, ownership and control are separated. 4. The renumeration of employees changes drastically - with SO, it's clear how well you will do in X years if the company is doing well. Thanks to Jaime Ascencio Ming-Faraz Khan Omar Mustafa Yiran Wang Tessa de Flines Eric Dijkhuis Ayushman Talwar for discussing your cases! Do you have anything to add? Thanks to Lars Crama, Leonie Timmermans and Femke de Jonge for bringing us together! How to get started with Steward Ownership? 1. Read up: https://lnkd.in/eMPPt4te https://lnkd.in/ecf6pqDA 2. Understand the choices you have to make: https://lnkd.in/eXZHUXqs 3. Reach out to wonderful people that could help you on your way -> ask a question below, or DM me, Neil Smyth or others active in the space - happy to help!

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