43North's $1 Million Investment Opportunity
Now in its seventh year, the competition offers eight new startups a chance to secure up to $1 million in funding and land a spot in 43North’s next cohort. I have joined the team to help select this year’s companies, and we are currently accepting startup applications for $500k to $1m in investment until July 19th! Investing in founders with deep domain expertise and early traction for their high-growth startup!
Being born and raised in Buffalo, NY, I have always loved my hometown city. If you are curious about why, I recommend you check out “The Incredible History of Buffalo, NY In 5 Minutes”, which I shared in the Huffington Post a few years ago.
Scott Wayman of Kangarootime, after winning 43North in 2017
In 2014, Buffalo started 43North, investing $5M per year to attract and retain high-growth companies in Buffalo, NY. Fast forward to 2017, and after meeting Scott Wayman, the founder of Kangarootime, at a Founder Institute event in Silicon Valley, I recommended the company to 43North. Kangarootime ran with it and crushed it. First, securing an initial $500k investment from 43North, and then subsequently more follow on funding. They have since grown a significant presence in Western New York and continuing to build a great company!
Then in 2018, one of my Founder Institute New York portfolio companies, Teddy Mozart, received a large purchase order from QVC. A massive break, but they needed help financing the inventory to fill the QVC order. Carlton, the founder, told me he found Kickfurther, which secures inventory funding via their marketplace of investors. Through Kickfurther, Teddy Mozart managed to get the funds needed to fill the QVC order in less than 72 hours! I told this story while helping to deliberate the final investment decision in 2018, and I like to think it helped play a role in Kickfurther joining the 43N portfolio that year!
Now in its seventh year, the competition offers eight new startups a chance to secure up to $1 million in funding and land a spot in 43North’s next cohort. I have joined the team to help select this year’s companies, and we are currently accepting startup applications for $500k to $1m in investment until July 19th! Investing in founders with deep domain expertise and early traction for their high-growth startup!
If you or someone you know might be a good fit, visit 43 North to apply, or feel free to text me at +1 (646) 907-6669 if you would like to connect directly about the opportunity!
Jack Greco Helps Build A Unicorn Company In Buffalo, With ACV Auctions
From growing up on a dairy farm, to a successful entrepreneur with hundreds of employees, meet our next guest, Jack Greco. Greco co-founded ACV Auctions, an online auction dealer platform, which was last valued at $1.5B.
Jack Greco | ACV Auctions
From growing up on a dairy farm, to a successful entrepreneur with hundreds of employees, meet our next guest, Jack Greco. Greco co-founded ACV Auctions, an online auction dealer platform, which was last valued at $1.5B. He never thought that he would be the person to co-found Buffalo’s first unicorn startup in 2014. The great part is the story behind his success. He later reveals to Kevin that he has been fired from every job before he became a founder, and what kicked him in gear, was learning that he had a baby on the way. Every success story is different, and I think this is great for our audience to hear, and prove to you, never give up, or think that you are not worth something because you got fired! Pick your feet up and move on!
As of 2018, Greco left ACV Auctions and is now an angel investor. To date, he has invested in over 50 companies and is trying his hardest to maintain a quality work-life balance for his son.
Topics Discussed:
A little background on Jack Greco
Unicorn Start-Up
Angel investing in 50 companies
Working with others
Covid effects on the world
Work-life balance
Mental Health
Having a coach is so important
Buffalo Bridge
Quote of the Episode:
“This [ACV Auctions] is a great learning experience, and it will shape who I am going to be as an investor, a mentor, executive, father, for the rest of my life.” - Jack Greco
The Greatest Piece of Advice:
Checkout the podcast’s back channel, The A-List where you can listen to exclusive audio clips containing the single greatest piece of advice our guests have ever learned!
Links & show notes from this episode:
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Thank you for listening!
Thank you so much for listening and applying these useful tips and strategies to your life! If you have a chance, please drop by and leave a review for the show on iTunes by clicking here. Also, who should I interview next? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments. Do you enjoy this podcast? If so, please leave a short review in the comments below. It keeps me going! 🤗