Idea factory

2022-06-13 17:29:14 ​#StartupNews #Digest

Weekly Digest: New Unicorns, Deals, and Acquisitions

Cybersecurity Startup from Israel Became a New Unicorn

According to Reuters, Perimeter 81 made a leap in its valuation compared to the previous round in August 2020, when it was valued at $200 million.

In the latest series C funding led by B Capital, the startup has scored $100 million which increased its valuation up to $1 billion and made it a new unicorn. The total of raised investments is $165 million. ION Crossover Ventures and Insight Partners also participated in the round.

Perimeter 81 offers secure network solutions on its cloud platform. The four-year-old company, which is not yet profitable, claims it has more than doubled its annual regular revenue compared to last year and is on track to generate tens of millions of dollars this year.

The new capital will be invested in product development to help the company provide one-size-fits-all solutions for corporate network security.

The Tel Aviv-headquartered company, which initially focused on medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 5,000 employees, has quickly become a leading player in offering zero-trust network access.

The reason is companies are investing more to meet the demands of remote work during the pandemic, as traditional security devices such as local firewalls become less relevant.

Perimeter 81 now has offices in New York and Los Angeles. The company claims to serve about 2,400 global customers from various industries, including IT company Ingram Micro and telemedicine firm Hims & Hers, with more than half of its revenue coming from the United States.

British Startup Netomnia Raised $386M

The startup of the fiber optic network Netomnia Ltd raised $385 million in the round led by DigitalBridge Investment Management.

According to the startup's founder and CEO Jeremy Chelo, additional funding came from previous investors Soho Square Capital LLP and Advencap Ltd, bringing Netomnia's total funding to £418 million, including £73 million of debt.

Jeremy Chelo has experience in fundraising for fiber-optic startups. Previously, he led the development of the London-based network startup Community Fiber. In 2020 it was sold to the private investment company Warburg Pincus LLC and DTCP, the venture arm of Deutsche Telekom AG.

The co-founder of Chelot and Community Fiber, Callum Dick, used the money from this deal to launch Netomnia, as well as the new Internet provider YouFibre. He says that Chelo is aimed to build fiber optic lines to a million homes across the UK over the next two years in a number of areas.

"The goal is simple: Netomnia wants to become the third national operator in the UK," Chelo said in an interview. This will mean competition with the dominant British network company, the former state monopoly BT Group Plc".

Warren Buffet’s Company Acquires Alleghany for $11,6B

The acquisition will strengthen Berkshire's position in the insurance business, which Warren Buffett called one of the "four giants" of his company, bringing most of its value.

Warren Buffett is sure that Berkshire will be the perfect permanent home for Alleghany. He believes that for 85 years, the Kirby family has created a business that is in many ways similar to Berkshire Hathaway.

The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022. Although it was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, it is subject to approval by Alleghany shareholders and various regulatory authorities.

In addition, Alleghany now has a 25-day period during which the company can look for a better deal with another potential buyer.

The main activity of Alleghany is reinsurance and insurance of property and accidents. Alleghany's property and accident insurance subsidiaries include Transatlantic Holdings, Inc. (TransRe), a leading global reinsurance company; RSUI Group, Inc. and Capspeciality, Inc., an underwriter of special accident insurance and sureties.

Which piece of news do you find the most interesting one? Comment below Open / Comment

2022-06-13 12:01:29 Idea Factory pinned «#Voting #WeeklyContest The voting is over and we’re ready to announce the finalists According to your votes and reviews from @IF_vote_bot and chat, we have 4 top candidates: MELA NFT TICKETING by Kahsu Abera @Amourkese Socio by Ritwik Dimri @Ritwikop104…» Open / Comment

2022-06-13 10:34:08 #Voting #WeeklyContest

The voting is over and we’re ready to announce the finalists

According to your votes and reviews from @IF_vote_bot and chat, we have 4 top candidates:

MELA NFT TICKETING by Kahsu Abera @Amourkese

Socio by Ritwik Dimri @Ritwikop104

WaveX by Akinpelu Victor @Skillpayy

Energizer by Hemang @donouknow

Good job, guys!

Today at 17:00 UTC our expert is going live to review each of the ideas and pick a winner

Join us to see who wins!

And meanwhile make your guesses who will be this week winner Open / Comment

2022-06-12 18:53:06 #WeeklyContest #Expertise #StartupHunters

The last review of this week startups

Our financial analyst Nikita looked into the idea of Dispatch Cruise by Sanyaolu Ibrahim @ibrozimal

Disclaimer: The idea is written in a quite confusing language, and the video does not provide a deeper understanding. Therefore, this analysis is based the overall understanding of the dispatch cruise.

Briefly about the idea

Ibrahim and his team
propose to create a software platform that will speed up the delivery of goods in Nigeria by attracting private carriers or large courier companies.

General impression

Although the concept is difficult to catch, it looks promising and accelerates the development of entire regions with proper positioning and promotion.

Possible difficulties

1. Maintaining quality. The self-organization of private carriers can lead to the fact that the level of delivery and customer service will suffer.

The different level of training of drivers casts doubt on the high quality of such service. The ability of a courier to deliver an order quickly and efficiently, the ability to politely and correctly negotiate with a client is the key to business success.

Therefore, Dispatch Cruise suggests developing a quality standard, as well as actively developing social networks where businesses can clearly communicate their ideas and values.

2. Why you are needed. The main problem for this idea is the rationale for why Dispatch Cruise is necessary for business in Nigeria.

A proven history of high-quality deliveries, a large set of regular customers, a transparent courier control system — all this creates the basis for organizing potential customers around the idea, as well as for future scaling to other regions of the world.

3. Pricing in the delivery market. Ibrahim and his team say that the service will be able to arrange delivery for business by private delivery companies as well as large companies.

However, the question arises how small taxis will be able to compete with large businesses on prices. I would like to know more about the pricing system for one delivery.

4. Specific cargo. Private carriers are not able to deliver large shipments to cold storage or fulfill other complex orders. I would also like to know how Dispatch Cruise handles such market demands and how it approaches solving special cases.

Positive aspects

1. Convenience. Creating a unified system for business that will allow you to deliver goods to any point quickly and without problems is the basis of a comfortable life in any country.

Thus, Dispatch Cruise participates in improving the life of an entire country, and the convenience of the service is potentially the hallmark of the idea.

2. Scalability. If you prepare the "shell" of the business and make it more understandable to the outside world, you can easily scale the idea with additional investments in other countries of the continent.

We believe that the format of the online platform is the most convenient for such an idea.

3. Loyal audience. Dispatch Cruise potentially works with the most solvent agents in their country. Thus, winning their loyalty will be a great advantage for the business in the future.

It will be possible to test various other ideas and ideas on such an audience, which will fruitfully affect the development of the whole idea as a whole.

Conclusion

The idea seems interesting, but its implementation is associated with solving a number of marketing and content tasks. We wish Sanyaol Ibrahim great success on his way! Open / Comment

2022-06-12 16:40:22 ​#Books

Top 5 Books on Time Management

Time management is the art of prioritizing things in such a way that makes you productive.

Particularly, when doing a business, you have to manage your time wisely. Otherwise, you won’t catch up with the competitors who act faster and smarter. Therefore, we’ve collected 5 great reads to help you:

Procrastination: First Aid — Tanya van Essen and Henri Schouwenburg

A tendency to put things off is not always procrastination. Sometimes you choose to watch a series when it would be good to do important work, and that's fine.

But if you chronically do everything at the last moment and experience discomfort because of this, it makes sense to sort out the problem — start with this guidance of Dutch psychologists to make your days more productive.

The Pomodoro Technique: The Acclaimed Time-Management System That Has Transformed How We Work — Francesco Cirillo

The author is the founder of the world famous methodology on "tomato" productivity. In his book, Cirillo tells us in details how to focus on challenging tasks, cope with procrastination, systematize our activities, and meet deadline without stress and exhaustion.

The ONE Thing — Gary W. Keller and Jay Papasan

To achieve great success, you need to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Keller and Papasan teach to prioritize things, debunk myths around of our willpower, and encourage us to take responsibility for our lives into our own hands.

The authors of "The One Thing" not only instruct the reader, but also prevent them from the main thieves of productivity, among which, by the way, there is no procrastination.

Making Work Visible: Exposing Time Theft to Optimize Work & Flow — Dominica DeGrandis

The author is one of the world's leading Kanban experts. She believes that the productivity of work can be increased with the help of visualization techniques.

In her book, she tells us how to identify the main time thieves, optimize the workflow, and influence the decision of the authorities. Especially, if you work in the IT industry, this is a must.

HBR Guide to Being More Productive (HBR Guide Series)

This is a great collection of articles that covers all facets of productivity. It tells us not only about planning the day, but also the ability to focus and teaches to search for motivation and the art of saying no to unnecessary work.

There are a total of 34 articles in six sections, where in addition to the chapters "Inventory", "Day Planning", "Focus", "Motivation" and "Trips", there is an equally important one "Rest".

Which book have you read or would like to? Comment below Open / Comment

2022-06-12 13:27:02 #WeeklyContest #Voting

The Voting Ends Tonight at 19:00 UTC

Take a chance to try yourself as a venture expert and vote for the idea you like!

How to do it? Just go to our @IF_vote_bot and select the option you need. Here you can vote for a candidate, make a review, and see mid-term results.

By the way, your points and reviews are converted into points you can exchange further for valuable prizes!

If you want to increase your chances of victory, ask our bot for a referral link to share it on your social media and invite friends.

Good luck to everyone! Open / Comment

2022-06-11 19:58:28 #StartupHunters #Expertise #WeeklyContest

A new review of your ideas

Leon Rebelsky, financial expert and experienced entrepreneur, has analyzed the idea of MELA መላ NFT ticketing by Kahsu Abera @Amourkese!

In the video, Leon identified the key strengths and weaknesses of the startups, as well as provided valuable recommendations on its improvement.

Check it out to watch the whole analysis!

And if you like Kahsu’s idea, you can go to @IF_vote_bot to support him with your vote or review Open / Comment

2022-06-11 14:50:38 ​#Advice

5 Simple Tips for Startup Beginners

Just do it

Even having a brilliant idea combined with a deep understanding of the subject, many people never start their own business. Or they give up what they started halfway.

Often the reason is excessive slowness, fear of leaving a familiar and stable job, or just mere laziness. If you have generated a great idea that is going to work – gain strength and take the plunge.

Yes, making a life-changing decision is harder than sticking to a usual strategy. But it's worth it.

Make partnerships

One of the common stereotypes around entrepreneurship is that the business owner is a "lone wolf" who copes with all the problems on their own.

But the reality is far from this. You cannot be an expert in everything, and sometimes it is your co-founder who makes the idea happen. If your partner is as interested in the common cause as you are, they can make a significant contribution to achieve your goals.

Stay focused

It seems obvious, but sometimes it's easier said than done. You’re likely to be tempted to take up a dozen new activities at once. But to succeed, you need to concentrate on one single thing.

It is impossible to sell laptops and laundry detergent equally well. There are many reasons why entrepreneurs give up — they tend to look at how far they still have to go, instead of focusing on how much they’ve gone through. A series of small wins can eventually lead to great success.

Do what you know. And know what you are doing

You should not start any business just because it promises profit. Instead, you need to do what you personally like. Otherwise, the first difficulties will make you give it up.

A business built around your strengths and abilities will have a better chance of success. It is important not only to create a profitable business, but also to be happy in the process of its management and enjoy its growth day by day.

Don't be afraid to make a mistake

After all, only those who do nothing are not mistaken. You will never know what the result of your efforts will be until you do what you have planned. And it's usually scary only at the very beginning.

Excuses are much easier to find than motivation to act. But, as experience shows, people usually regret the lost opportunities, not the mistakes made. Moreover, the willingness to take risks is a necessary trait for an entrepreneur.

Which tip do you find the most valuable? What advice would you give novice entrepreneurs? Comment below Open / Comment

2022-06-10 20:13:55 #Expertise #StartupHunters #WeeklyContest

Fresh review of this week ideas from our financial analyst

Today we’re going to analyze the idea of Sonar by Temibiyi @Temimay!

Briefly about the idea

The creation of technologies based on a sonar mechanism that will reduce the number of plane crashes among helicopter equipment.

General impression

The idea looks interesting and progressive, but niche-limited. Therefore, you will need to think about drawing attention to it.

Possible difficulties

1. Causes of disasters. Internet sources say that helicopter crashes and other accidents of this kind of lethal vehicles because of poor visibility are not the main causes.

Among the main "culprits" of disasters are the poor training of the helicopter crew, technical malfunctions and obsolescence of equipment, loss of control and others.

Moreover, technical experts warn that most of the disasters associated with the deterioration of meteorological conditions could have been avoided if the pilot had decided to cancel the flight.

We suggest that the authors of the idea think through the marketing issue more deeply so that sonars are in demand from aircraft design bureaus around the world.

2. Existing devices. Now, many modern helicopters are equipped with autopilots and other systems for automatic terrain assessment and positioning of the helicopter in space.

The authors of I.Sonar will need to think about how their device will fundamentally differ from existing mechanisms.

3. The narrowness of the market. The development of technologies for helicopters can become a capital-intensive idea. However, its monetization will be difficult due to the narrowness of the solution being developed.

Temibiyi and his team are invited to develop a preliminary development plan and, probably, use the available developments of other designers to reduce the cost of creating their own device.

This way it will be possible to achieve the payback of the project and the overall profitability of the idea.

Positive aspects

1. Relevance. The global helicopter industry is still receiving sad reports of new crashes due to poor visibility. Therefore, Temibiyi's solution will be able to help reduce the number of victims and make helicopter transport safer and more convenient.

2. The ability to create your own autopilot. The development and creation of a sonar-based device will help Temibiyi and his team create a whole complex of devices and sensors that can be combined into a complete autopilot.

With proper positioning and lobbying in the future, I.Sonar will be able to become part of helicopter factories.

Conclusion

The idea seems interesting, but its implementation is connected with the search for cheap solutions for research, improvements and other processes in the development of I.Sonar and a verified marketing campaign.

We wish Temibiyi great success on his venture path! Open / Comment

2022-06-10 14:00:05 #InterviewIF

New Interview with an Idea Factory’s participant

We had a nice talk with Sadiq Tukur about his medtech startup A-Medix!

Key takeaways:

The startup is aimed to provide complex medical care online.

Right now we don’t have competitors in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, there is only a web-developer and marketing specialist in the team.

Sadiq is looking for brilliant IT specialists.

My next step is to develop a medical app that will meet customers’ needs,

Sadiq’s team has already designed a catchy logo. If you want to see it, go to our chat https://t.me/ideafactorychat Open / Comment