Bilal Zuberi’s Post

Lately at FUNDNEXUS, I’ve been talking with founders at every stage, from napkin ideas to working prototypes. One thing I keep noticing: many early-stage projects start with something that feels exciting, but the real opportunity comes when that excitement meets a problem people genuinely want solved. Here are a few ways to check early if your idea actually matters: • Talk first: ask people about the last time they faced the problem. Stories reveal more than guesses. • Run tiny tests: a simple page, 10 honest calls, or a 3-question survey will save you months. • Pick one clear problem: solving one thing well beats half-solving five. • Ask for a commitment: preorder, small payment, or even booking a demo, interest is cheap, commitment is real. • Do it manually first: run the service yourself to see what really matters before building. • Make the “aha” quick: if value doesn’t show up on first use, people rarely come back. • Watch behavior, not hype: 10 daily users who care > 1,000 signups who vanish. • Referrals matter: if users naturally tell others, you’re onto something. Early traction isn’t about scale, it’s about proof. A handful of people paying, coming back, and telling friends is worth more than a big waitlist. Founders, what’s one small test that taught you the most about your idea? #Founders #StartupLife #FounderCommunity #LetsDiscuss #VentureCapital #Investors #ProductMarketFit #Traction

Why don't VC's and investors ask founders "Is your app resilient to US-East-1 being down?" Sounds like a lot people at VC's don't really know the tech they are investing in

🤫 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥? It’s rarely about your tech. It’s about your 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. “Brilliant tech — but I’m not sure they know how to get there.” “Feels too academic.” “The market fit’s lost in the jargon.” This is the gap between a 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 and a 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭. We fix that. Quietly. Precisely. Globally. #PhoenixVCS #CapitalFormation #DeepTech #LifeSciences #StartupFunding #InvestorInsights

Nobody likes to talk about failure, especially in tech. But sharing mistakes openly is the secret sauce for viral growth—personally and for projects. When my team’s last app crashed, we wrote a post dissecting every step. The response stunned us. Entrepreneurs, engineers, even investors joined the conversation—offering help, advice, and new connections. By turning setbacks into learning moments, we built trust far faster than we ever could with “success stories.”

Our team at Bits & Pretzels 2025! 🥨 Sophie Marquet recently represented Sesamers at Bits & Pretzels in Munich, and what an experience it was! The energy of the startup ecosystem was incredible - complete with authentic Bavarian atmosphere. Key takeaway for founders heading to major industry events: - The real challenge isn't finding the event - it's finding the right connections once you're there. With thousands of attendees, meaningful networking requires strategy, not just showing up. Our advice for maximizing events like this: - Reach out to key contacts weeks in advance - tables and key meetings book up fast - Use event platforms as a starting point, but don't rely on them alone - Double down: platform intro + LinkedIn connection = actual conversations - For investor speed rounds: keep your pitch crisp, natural, and human - Events like Bits & Pretzels remind us why building the right network matters. It's not just about being in the room - it's about connecting with people who move your business forward. Thank you for the great conversations! goodBytz Emqopter Multiverse Computing Quests Inc askLio RESTLOS Industrieverwertungen & Service #BitsAndPretzels #StartupEcosystem #NetworkingStrategy #Sesamers

#BuildingConvictionInDeeptech Lately, I’ve had a lot of questions as I dive deeper into the world of venture investing. This curiosity led me to speak with some incredibly seasoned investors, one of them being Mandeep M Singh, a veteran with over four decades of experience across corporates and investments. Our conversation revolved around his new fund and my curiosity about deeptech investing. From what I’ve understood, deeptech demands immense patience, especially in the 0 to 1 journey. Given my current financial position, I sought his advice on whether it made sense for me to participate in a VC fund that has a longer gestation period. His advice was simple yet profound, “Maybe start by investing in 1–10 deeptech funds first.” To do that effectively, he emphasized, one must back GPs who’ve spent at least 8-10 years investing in deeptech and truly understand its nuances. That perspective stayed with me. It came from someone who has seen decades of cycles, how founders evolve, and how conviction compounds over time. He also highlighted that most failures in deeptech occur, where patience, follow-on capital, and conviction truly matter. It’s risky, yes, but also where the biggest opportunities lie. When I asked if now is the right time to invest in deeptech, his answer made me smile, “Five years ago was the right time. Today is the right time. And five years from now will still be the right time.” His suggestion was to start small, maybe as an angel investor for the next five years, to build real conviction before transitioning into a VC role. This conversation reminded me that conviction is deeply personal. You start when you’re ready but having the right mentor makes the journey that much more meaningful. With so many emerging deeptech-focused funds in India, conversations with mentors like Mandeep Singh are invaluable. Massive respect for leaders like him who continue to shape and strengthen India’s deeptech ecosystem. #deeptech

Venture is practical. Yet it’s not well practiced. Neither is it well covered in theory. That’s why so many drop out halfway. And so many advise against joining it. But to me, venture is a craft — one that’s part theory, part practice, and all judgment. It’s also one that’s never too late to learn, or to apply. If I had to start all over again - I would: 1️⃣ Work at Silicon Badia (and suffer Erass Majdoubeh, again). 2️⃣ Read my bloody newsletter. (Yes — there’s a bloody angle to apply what you read, bloodily.) 3️⃣ Read — and challenge — every Pitch Deck Teardown on TechCrunch. (Link in comments) #vc #venturecapital #enterpreneurship

Founders don’t need pitch polish. They need capital mechanics. Capital Readiness Is a Skill, Not a Slide Deck After seeing several of our companies and catching up with them this week, we have a pretty amazing pipeline of founders with traction, validated products, and data that prove capital readiness isn’t a slogan. It’s a skill. These portco’s are awesome. At the University City Science Center , we’re building an capital model built around structure. Defined terms. Clean governance. Optional yield mechanics for revenue-stage companies. Nothing theoretical, just founders ready for disciplined capital. Right now, we’re connecting with investors, strategics, and operator groups who want to shape new capital models that fit where early-stage healthtech is actually headed. If that’s you, drop us a note and DM me. We’ll show you the deal flow and the companies executing. #HealthTech #CapitalReadiness

Over the past few months, I’ve been building something I deeply believe in: a platform that bridges financial institutions and social organizations, creating a more connected and purpose-driven financial ecosystem. In this video, I walk through the beta version of PathForward, showing how users can engage with tools that align financial growth with social impact. Our mission is simple — to make doing good and doing well part of the same process. We’re still early, but the foundation is here. Excited to keep refining, learning, and partnering with others who see the potential in aligning finance, technology, and community impact. #PathForward #Fintech #Startup #ImpactInvestment #Innovation #BetaLaunch

Some classic, if unpopular, lessons for startup leaders. "You're Lighting Money on Fire and Calling it Growth" is one we still see driving the tech industry. Naturally, it's followed quickly by "You Become Mediocre at Everything" as all that wasted spending erodes strategic clarity and undermines the need to prioritize. Pretty soon you're chasing silver bullets and can't even remember what your zone of genius was. Which lesson resonates most with you?