Social Leverage Letter | Issue #32

Gotrade Raises $15.5M, Talent Wars, Closing Larry David, and the Gerontocracy

Author

Pete Weishaupt
April 10, 2022

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“If bitcoin is going to replace gold, the question is, why is it so undervalued? Bitcoin is always the most honest market in the world, the most efficient market and it was the canary in the coal mine.” 

~ Peter Thiel

UPFRONT

Portfolio company Gotrade (Fund III) raises a $15.5 million Series A.

Gotrade allows users in over 170 countries to invest in fractional shares of US equities. The additional funding will be used to create local market versions of the app throughout all markets in Southeast Asia.

Portfolio Company Gotrade (Fund III) Raises $15.5 million Series A — Social Leverage

I’m excited to announce the $15.5M Series A raise by Social Leverage ( Fund III ) portfolio company Gotrade. The Gotrade app, which allows users in over 170 countries to invest in fractional shares of US equities, was founded in 2019 by Rohit Mulani, Norman Wanto and David Grant. The company annou

https://www.socialleverage.com/blog/2022/4/5/portfolio-company-gotrade-fund-iii-raises-155-million-series-a

READING

Winning the talent wars

There’s a full-on talent war across the US workforce. Almost half of those employees who left during the pandemic aren’t coming back.  

Why it matters: In a recent McKinsey survey, 44 percent of workers who left a job without another in hand said they have little to no interest in returning to a traditional job. Rather than leaving for a similar job elsewhere, most workers are leaving to take on very different roles.

  • Cultural factors can make a company more attractive.

  • Workers want more flexibility and community.

  • People analytics is key to identifying attrition problems.

Shortlist: How to make your workplace sticky, and other tips from the talent wars

This week, we look at measures companies can take to keep employees from walking out the door. Plus, we look at how organizations can get the Internet of Things right, and a McKinsey talent expert on why a 20-hour workweek isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds.

https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/email/shortlist/173/2022-04-08b.html

Record funding for semiconductor startups

Despite a chip shortage, dealmaking and VC in semiconductors is robust. Last year saw over $6.4 billion in funding and the space continues to make headlines in 2022.

Why it matters: Renewed investment interest and optimized chip design could relieve pressure on the tight supply chain. Last years investment activity is more than double from 2020:

  • 54 M&A deals in the space last year.

  • 17 VC-backed semiconductor acquisitions.

  • Two $1 billion-plus VC-backed deals.

Chips shortage results in record VC funding to semiconductor startups

An unprecedented amount of venture capital in 2021 went into the semiconductor space, Crunchbase data shows.

https://news.crunchbase.com/news/semiconductor-shortage-vc-funding-startups-sambanova-nvidia-nuvia/

From our blog

The Pomodoro Technique is an effective way to train your brain to achieve a flow state. 

Learning to Learn? Try the Pomodoro Technique — Social Leverage

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. — Winston Churchill Engineering professor Barbara Oakley sat down with the Big Think to discuss learning. Learning to learn better is what she teaches. One of the most effective techniques she knows of was created by an

https://www.socialleverage.com/blog/2022/4/6/learning-to-learn-try-the-pomodoro-technique

LISTENING:

Howard and Sina Nader, head of partnerships at FTX, discuss the crypto landscape, how to communicate more value to more people, and what it’s like to pitch Larry David. The Big Idea: We’re in the dial-up modem days of crypto. 96 percent of the world still hasn’t onboarded crypto/web3. And that’s a whole lot of runway ahead. 

Sina Nader of FTX on Crypto, the Compounding Power of Social Leverage and Closing Larry David (EP.196)

Listen to this episode from Panic with Friends - Howard Lindzon on Spotify. I haven’t met today’s guest in person, yet I consider him a brother. He’s a master of business development. He’s a master at brand. Sina has seen inside the belly of the beast as Robinhood’s first head of crypto during a period of hyper growth where millions are signing up and you have to hold on just to stay alive. Prior to that, he co-founded one of the earliest crypto fund of funds. But he started his career on the dark side with Morgan Stanley, and later Credit Suisse. Now Sina is performing magic in the fast-paced world of crypto on behalf of FTX. He got his BA from UC Berkeley and an MBA from USC. Needless to say, Sina will be a regular on Panic with Friends.  Guest - Sina Nader, Head of Partnerships at FTX.US  howardlindzon.com, FTX.US  Twitter: @howardlindzon, @PanicwFriends, @FTX_US, @SinaNader33, @knutjensen  linkedin.com/in/sinanader  #fintech #invest #investment #venturecapital #stockmarket #finance  Show Notes: (00:48) – Intro (05:39) – Welcome Sina (07:42) – Crypto Fund of Funds (12:17) – 96 percent of the world still isn't in Crypto (14:37) – Bitcoin as a seat at the table (Carl Icahn) (16:45) – Genesis of a Super Bowl Commercial (22:51) – Pitching Larry David (25:20) – A "spreadsheet in the sky" (38:04) – Connecting with SBF (41:54) – Keeping the momentum going (50:37) – The importance of compliance and regulation (55:45) – Wrapping it up (56:38) – Closing thoughts 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6qbvQpdGRiduR53WmFppy0?si=uOp6Tt3uTzyBNkJSV0Kodw

BONUS!

Yeah, this never gets old: "I got ten forks right here, baby!"

WATCHING:

Peter Thiel had a few scathing remarks for bitcoin deniers at Bitcoin 2022 in Miami. And he named some names. 

“Enemy No. 1,” Thiel said, “is the sociopathic grandpa from Omaha.”

WHAT WE'RE READING

Here's what caught our eye over the past week.

JOB BOARD

Explore openings at our portfolio companies: 

Social Leverage Job Board

Search job openings across the Social Leverage network.

https://jobs.socialleverage.com/companies

Featured Jobs:

Senior Category Manager, Avocados - ProducePay

ProducePay is transforming the fresh produce industry by giving more power to farmers through a transparent marketplace, flexible financing, and better market insights.We are seeking a dynamic Senior Category Manager who will become an important member...

https://apply.workable.com/producepay/j/E681B9AA93/#content

Customer Support Manager

Seattle, WA or Remote

https://boards.greenhouse.io/logixboard/jobs/4438786004#content

Director of Business Development

New York, New York, United States

https://boards.greenhouse.io/nayya/jobs/4436456004#content

Job Listing - Stocktwits About

We are looking for passionate people to join our team.

https://stocktwits.com/about/job-listing/?gh_jid=6051385002

Check out all of our portfolio companies at Social Leverage.

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Affiliate Disclosure: Social Leverage Group, LLC ("SLG"), Social Leverage Capital Fund I, LP ("SLC"), Social Leverage Capital Fund II, LP ("SLCII"), Social Leverage Capital Fund III, LP ("SLCIII") and Social Leverage Capital Fund IV, LP ("SLCIV") are all distinct entities from Social Leverage, LLC ("SL"). Social Leverage is not a registered investment advisor. SLC, SLCII, SLCIII, SLCIV, SLG and SL have used the logo and branding of Social Leverage with the permission of Social Leverage Group, LLC.