Paul Anthony Claxton’s Post

If you like the premise of my content and what I write about in my newsletter, subscribe to my weekly releases. I share all things Venture Capital and Artificial Intelligence. I first started working in investor relations in 2018, and furthered into my first role at a VC firm in 2019. I launched Q1 Velocity Venture Capital with Alex Akpata in early 2023 and we are doing some amazing things together! On the AI front, I began working in AI affiliated technologies where I oversaw and reported on how such technologies (drones and IED robotics) were effected, deployed and used on the battlefield over Al Anbar Province (a 50,000 mile square radius of combat theater) when I ran a command operations intelligence center under a General in the Marine Corps, reporting to higher agencies like headquarters of United States Marine Corps and The Pentagon. #ai #artificialintelligence #vc #venturecapital #venturecapitalist #marines #marinecorps #usmarine

🚀 Venture Capital and Artificial Intelligence Weekly Summary! 🚀 Hey LinkedIn Community! This week, I'm diving into the parallels between transitioning from the Marine Corps and founders securing investment. Both journeys are filled with similarities. Here's some of the things I have discussed: Leaving the military, Veterans face the "now what?" moment, losing the structured support they once had. Similarly, founders, after securing investment, often struggle without the necessary operational infrastructure. Success in both realms requires building strong personal and business foundations. I know founders who are full-time raising capital; this is not the way to do it. Too much focus on only raising capital can make you vulnerable to the “wrong” investors. Yes, there are predatory investors out there. I talk about this. Exiting off of the similarities between veterans and founders, I venture into really the key areas founders should be focusing to make themselves more investment worthy 1. Technology and Systems: The backbone of modern businesses. 2. Networking/Partnerships: Relationships drive success. 3. Business Development/Marketing/Sales: Marketing supports sales; PR builds brand relationships. 4. Finance/Legal: Essential for managing money and ensuring stability. 5. HR/Manpower/Administrative Operations: Important for legal and operational stability. 6. Innovation/R&D: Continuously improve to stay ahead. 7. Supply Chain: Vital for both physical and digital products. 8. Investors and Customers: Both seek ROI; focus on pitching to customers. Stay tuned for more insights next week! 🌟 Connect with me and find out more at www.paulclaxton.io #ai #artificialintelligence #vc #venturecapital #startups #entrepreneurship #emergingtech #datainsights #aiblogs #vcblogs #venturecapitalist #investing #fomo #valuations

Happy Independence Day …Vegas Life #4thofjuly #independenceday

DO'S AND DON'TS OF COLD EMAILING VENTURE CAPITALISTS FOR EARLY STAGE FOUNDERS Bullet points to get an investor's attention via cold email if you are early stage: Don't send a long pitch that is like 5 paragraphs long. Just 1-2 lines to grab the VC's attention for each of the 4 bullet points below. DO'S 1. Major blue-chip customers 2. MoM (Month Over Month) Growth – If you are early stage, it is about that month-to-month growth 3. The stability of your margins against the growth (margin stability) Pipeline blue-chip prospects 4. The serious problem you are solving that is going to improve lives and advance society in some way (ESG and/or SDG) and make your company be the gamechange for the next 15-20 years at least Additional Advice: - Look for VC firms that have a strong online presence. A firm that lacks online exposure might have a weak brand and may not have the resources to support your endeavors adequately. - Most VC firms that are not publicly registered with the SEC (e.g., sub $100 million) will not list their investment thesis publicly. You need to gather information online from their presence to infer what their thesis might be. - If they have deployed capital, they may list companies they've invested in, but many may not due to confidentiality reasons. Therefore, be investigative and conduct thorough research on their team. Don't press too hard for the $$$. Instead, focus on how they can help you attain strategic partners and customers and how they can support your pipeline and internal operations with resources. It's a 7 to 10-year relationship, and once the capital is deployed, it goes fast. It's all about the resource support, not just the money. This is why many say some VCs are ineffective because they just deploy capital and barely support. Be patient and don't rush; if it's a good deal, they won't go anywhere, and if you have a good product, waiting for deployment won't harm you but will allow time to ensure things are executed properly. Using other investors as a prop at the early stage is most likely an ineffective strategy. So don't name-drop but lean on your own merits. If they ask about investors, then you can mention them. -Look for firms that have a professionally solid and diverse team and set of advisors DONT'S Oh, and don't even mention signing an NDA. #venturecapitalist #VC #earlystagestartups #startups #venturecapital

🚀 Exciting News! 🚀 I want to announce that Q1 Velocity Venture Capital, where I serve as one of the Founding Managing Partners, has joined NVIDIA'S VC Inception Alliance. NVIDIA, a global leader in high-end GPU manufacturing and a pioneer in GPU-accelerated computing, has been at the forefront of innovation across various markets. This collaboration marks an important milestone in our journey to drive technological advancements and empower the next generation of AI startups. Through this partnership, Q1 Velocity Venture Capital will leverage NVIDIA's cutting-edge technology and expertise to provide phenomenal support to early-stage AI startups. By combining our resources and positioning, we aim to accelerate innovation, scale transformative ideas, and build the future of AI together. This opportunity is especially meaningful to me, given my dedication to advancing innovation and supporting the growth of startups. For more about my journey and passion for advancing AI technology, visit my personal website at paulclaxton.io. Stay tuned for more updates! #AI #NVIDIA #Q1Velocity #Innovation #Startups #VentureCapital #GPUs #TechPartnership #ArtificialIntelligence #VentureCapitalist #VC

Venture Capital and Artificial Intelligence: Weekly Insights & Ideas from Paul Claxton Each week, I summarize 3-5 key insights for the LinkedIn community. Here are this week's highlights: 1. FOMO has 🔃 😶🌫️ created some of the FAKEST deals of the MO’FO century and causing many investors and founders to lose 😅😂🤣 FOMO is all about Founders and Investors thinking they got the MO’FO deal of the century. 9.999 times out of 10 this is the illusion that creates such poor industry statistics like the 90 percent failure rate of startups. And everyone loses. 2. I talk about underrepresented founders and what that REALLY means. For example, I’m black and a veteran but me being black and a veteran won’t solve anyone’s problems; making decisions with gender and ethnicity as a primary driver won’t solve our problems in the world. 3. The consulting industry gets a VERY bad review, but I discuss the growing need for consultants in an industry that is demanding highly modernized thinking. #VentureCapital #ArtificialIntelligence #WeeklyInsights #PaulClaxton #FOMO #StartupFailure #UnderrepresentedFounders #ConsultingIndustry #ModernThinking #LinkedInCommunity

🚀 Enjoy Last Week’s Insightful Takeaways from Venture Capital and Artificial Intelligence. Summary of what I discussed 1. You Can't Patent Relevance: Exploring the dual-edged sword of patents in AI. While patents can protect innovations, their impact in a rapidly evolving field like AI might stifle rather than stimulate progress. Remember, the real competitive advantage lies not in patents but in how effectively AI is deployed and the data it processes. 2. Waste Not, Want Not: Why "Wood" You Waste: Highlighting the role of sustainable materials like wood in modern industries, from tech devices to architecture. As the IoT and AI technologies advance, transitioning to biodegradable materials and energy-efficient designs is imperative for reducing environmental impacts and aligning with consumer expectations for sustainability. 3. AI Capitals Around the World: As a globe-trotter, here is my insight to the bustling hubs of AI innovation across the ten largest countries. From Moscow to San Francisco, these cities are at the forefront of AI research and development, shaping the future of technology. Stay tuned for more insights and don't forget to check out the exciting upcoming episodes of my podcast, Explainable AI, featuring Serg Masís and Rohan Hall. Interested in AI, venture capital, or sustainability? Reach out or follow my updates for more! #AIForGood #ArtificialIntelligence #VentureCapital #Sustainability #Innovation #TechInsights #VC #AI