99 Startups Monthly Newsletter - January 2025
As we close the past year and our investment period at 99 Startups Fund I, we wanted to share some highlights and reflections from this remarkable journey.
We kicked off the year with a strong focus on our acceleration program during the first five months, where we invested in and collaborated closely with 3 super early-stage startups (pre-product). This period allowed us to work hands-on with passionate founders, helping them refine their business models and start acquiring their first users.
Following the acceleration program, the rest of the year was dedicated to managing the fund and evaluating new investment opportunities. Our team analyzed over 450 startups in 2024 (including 155 from the acceleration program), and made 9 new investments, bringing our portfolio to 38 investments and 35 active companies today.
In addition to our fund activities, we also mentored several founders, sharing insights and guidance to help them navigate the challenges of scaling their businesses.
Looking ahead, we are excited to announce that in the coming months, we will be raising a second, larger fund. If you're interested in learning more or participating, please reach out to alex@99startups.com.
We are incredibly proud of the progress we've made and the relationships we've built along the way. Thank you for being part of this journey with us. We look forward to continuing to support innovative startups and making a lasting impact in the ecosystem.
News about our portfolio companies:
Kunzapp, the winning startup of MAS Pitch.
Great companies we have recently reviewed:
Ternadia: AI assistant to automate manual tasks in blue-collar recruitment.
Ruka AI: Autonomous agents providing financial efficiency to the mid-market.
MagicPay: Sending and receiving money with a text or a tap.
Recommendations of the month:
The Voltage Effect: How to Make Good Ideas Great and Great Ideas Scale - John A. List - John dives into the concept of Voltage in the world of startups and relates it with translating an idea into widespread impact, something must first-time founders struggle with.
Welcome Jensen Huang | B2G w/ Bill Gurley & Brad Gerstner - The rapid evolution of AI spearheaded by Nvidia takes center stage. Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO, emphasizes Nvidia's distinctive approach, which focuses on a holistic understanding of AI development while tackling challenges in data curation, model training, and inference.