Flying high

work in progress

• Drones. Last week we talked about how 3D printing turned into an industry. What about another hobby - drones? Check this Zipline vision for the future after running 500k flights, mostly in Africa. In the Baltics, Latvia is the stronghold of technology, even Aerones started with a drone! FIXAR is a full-stack developer of autonomous VTOL drones with best-in-class economic efficiency. After a merger, UAV Factory in Latvia became EDGE Autonomy (which supplied drones to Ukraine and recently got on fire..). Another Latvian firm - Atlas Dynamics - also are actively helping out Ukraine in the war. In LT, we know Thrust, working in the aerial inspection field, and Unmanned Defense Systems... There surely must be more?
• Stay healthy. Some new initiatives are Perthera AI (individualised cancer treatment) with US/LT operations,  WeDip (acute temperature exposure guide), and immersive VR therapy platform - Zen Shapes, founded by Ulvia, who is also the founder and CEO of Tokitus. In a recent piece, A16Z outlines several paths to how large health tech players create cashflow magic.
• Fundraising. Starwatcher introduced the feed. Ventury app to build your funnel in the Baltics. And here 50 teams to pitch at Techchill in Riga.
• Cards. One can add a business card to Apple wallet - Eimantas challenging the Doup?
• Mantas Mikuckas at Pralauzk Viena Salta (in LT) - from the questions you get an impression of what people know about tech startups these days (not too much).

Aiming for impact?
Meet the sharpest minds, creating an impact across countries and societies.

GovTech Leaders 2023 will bring together leaders from the government and technology from around the globe to R E I M A G I N E the future of an innovative public sector.

Secure your place – register for free at www.govtechleaders.lt. Mark the calendar - 9^th  May, 2023, at Kablys+Kultūra event space, Vilnius.

rounds and capital

• Atrandi Biosciences (Droplet Genomics) closes a EUR 4.5 m funding round led by Vsquared Ventures and joined by Practica Capital and Metaplanet. Startup will provide researchers around the world with the tools and support to accelerate scientific discovery and innovation, from individualized treatment for cancer patients to new and effective therapies for a wide range of other diseases.
• Teachers Lead Tech closed EUR 150k angel round as the startup is aiming at the US market. In LT, the program already reached 80k kids and has received multiple awards.
• Ventury.app lists FIRSTPICK deals (some include angels joining) for a batch of startups
  
  Three Cubes 255k
  Samphire Neuroscience 200k
  AMLYZE 200k
  Softloans 100k
  StackFlows 100k
  Ama Care 100k
  Psylink 100k
  beesure_ 80k
  Tractorparts 80k
  Furnisystems 80k
  MBito 50k
  
• Orion Ventures joined a financing round for EyeVi Technologies, an Estonian AI-powered platform for geospatial data production.  A bridge round perhaps.

roleplay

founder's guide

• What startups going through now - The Real Competition is Water
• You Are Not Too Old (To Pivot Into AI). And listen to Tobi (Shopify)

• Deciding to leave your (executive) job
• Seed round data room template from Creandum.

further insight

• How dire US life expectancy/mortality situation has got and what drives it?  
• Chatbot convinces Belgian to commit suicide
• OpenAI, whether they intended to or not, suddenly found itself a consumer tech company (Stratechery). And how chatbots will dismantle the internet built for search & aggregation.

three questions, previously

• Milda Jasaite, Senior Director of Corporate Development, Vinted
• Darius Zakaitis, Founder & CEO, Tech Zity
• Roman Novacek, Partner, Presto Ventures
• Lina Zakarauskaite, Principal, Stride.VC
• Justinas Pasys, Managing Director, LitBAN
• Magnus Hambleton, Investor, byFounders
• Povilas Poderskis, Development Director, Darnu Group, ex-COO Nord Security
• Gytenis Galkis, Venture Partner, Superhero Capital
• Daniel Kratkovski and Dominykas Milašius, co-founders, Delta Biosciences
• Kasparas Aleknavicius - Co-Founder and CPO, Loctax
• Andrius Milinavičius, General Partner, Baltic Sandbox Ventures
• Laura Korsakova, Founder and CEO, Psylink
• Paulius Uziela, Investment Manager, Coinvest Capital

some great thoughts are coming in - help us cover interesting stuff.