Daily Markup #822: Christine Tsai reflects on how 2023 has led to brilliant business and technology adaptations globally

Ching Yee Ho

September 4, 2023 · 2 min read

Challenging times: the mother of innovation & opportunities

With a team of partners around the world who spot emerging trends, identify market opportunities, and find high-potential entrepreneurs who are solving big problems, we’re able to glean both global and hyperlocal perspectives. Christine (CEO & Founding Partner, 500 Global) shares her learnings and highlights a few opportunities for the rest of the year and into 2024.
On banking: The banking situation for the tech ecosystem appears to have stabilized after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). Based on observations from 500 Global’s portfolio and fellow investors, prudent strategies in the current environment include diversification of banking relationships and enhancing internal expertise in managing financials and forecasting needs for liquidity.
On venture funding: We saw a marked shift in investor sentiment away from growth and leaning into profitability – notably companies with strong fundamentals and positive unit economics.
On growth and talent: Founders are revisiting their scrappy roots, focusing on product-market fit (PMF), and embracing innovative approaches to achieve sustainable growth. We’re also witnessing a surge in demand for “growth hackers” and adaptations in growth strategies.
On valuations and investment strategies: There’s been a recalibration of valuation expectations, ultimately driving a more balanced and informed investment approach. This presents an excellent opportunity for investors to discover hidden gems and promising ventures that offer substantial potential for growth.
On AI Innovation: AI has been dominating the headlines and headspaces of founders and investors. 500 Global’s portfolio has leveraged AI to enhance their core offering, launch new products and features, enhance their customer experience, increase productivity and cost efficiencies, and more.
Great companies are founded in adversity: “500 Global was launched just a couple years after the 2008 global financial crisis and backed companies that were founded during or shortly after, like Credit Karma, Talkdesk, Twilio, Sendgrid, and more,” shares Christine.
Read the full blog post here.