Presto Ventures

LAUNCHUB is a leading early-stage venture capital fund focused on investing in startups in South-Eastern (SEE) and Central-Eastern (CEE) Europe. Since 2012, we’ve been involved in the region and its diaspora, helping exceptional teams create the next generation of game-changing companies. We are currently investing out of our third fund, with a size of €74M, dedicated towards ambitious early-stage founders. Our focus🎯 Pre-seed and seed investing with tickets up to 2.5M EUR. 🧑 Founders solving large-scale problems with a global vision, in any industry. Our value-add💵 We get you prepared to score top-tier VCs for your next financing. 🏢 Access to a global network of clients, advisors, and co-investors. 🤝 Hands-on strategic guidance and mentorship. We are well-known for helping our companies raise large next stage investments rounds. → In fact, 75% of our portfolio companies raise follow-on funding by exceptional VCs from our co-investors network, raising over $450m of capital in total. Check out our co-investors here. FAQ ‣ Which countries do you invest in? We invest in founders with origin from South Eastern Europe, also known as the Balkans, and the broader Central Eastern European region, building companies anywhere around the world. ‣ What is your investment process? Our investment process is designed to be transparent and efficient, with a focus on supporting founders. It typically takes 2-3 weeks and includes: Initial analysis: After our initial conversation, we evaluate the market, opportunity, and the fundraising materials shared by the founder. Q&A: We work asynchronously, creating a shared document with our questions and collaborate with the founder on their answers. In-person meeting: We meet with the founder in-person to discuss their idea in-depth, get to know the team, and brainstorm together on plans for reaching the next funding round objectives. Group discussion: We hold a group meeting with you and our broader investment team to discuss and make a final decision on the investment. 💡 During this process, we also like to thinker with your product and speak to few of your clients to understand their pain points and usage experience. ‣ Are you investing in bridge and subsequent rounds? We tend to look at each subsequent round as a seperate investment decision so our participation is not guaranteed. However, we are committed to support our amazing portfolio companies through all stages of growth, including bridge rounds and subsequent funding rounds, up until Series B. ‣ What are your criteria for evaluating potential deals? When evaluating potential deals, we place a strong emphasis on the team, market, and vision. Specifically, we look for: an ambitious and talanted team proven to execute founder competitive advantage and path to a clear moat a big market or one with potential to grow or emerge ‣ How do you approach board governance and involvement with portfolio companies? As a hands-on investor, we are committed to supporting our portfolio companies in any way we can, including through introductions to customers, guidance on day-to-day operations, and assistance with raising new rounds of funding. In terms of board governance, we typically take a board seat if we are a significant contributor to the total round size or an observer seat otherwise. This allows us to stay informed and actively participate in helping founders make the best decisions for the company's long-term success.

We are an early-stage venture capital firm investing in companies that jumpstart new industries in the emerging markets of Europe. Investment thesis Infrastructure for innovation We invest in startups that build the infrastructure for innovation and jumpstart new industries by breaking vicious cycles. The root of all evil Vicious cycles are endemic in emerging ecosystems - they are the byproduct of systemic deficiencies and make it difficult or even impossible for the emerging ecosystem to grow and develop. Example of such a vicious cycle at work in Central and Eastern Europe: the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is slowed down by the lack of the charging infrastructure; conversely, the charging infrastructure is not being built because of the lack of the EVs to use it. Because of their systemic origin, breaking such vicious cycles is a capital-intensive and a long-term endeavor - the kind of task a VC fund is both qualified and responsible to assume. On a high note - the root of all evil is where the promise of venture returns lies. A (technological) leap of faith Emerging ecosystems are strong enough to leapfrog existing technologies and adopt the solutions of the future. It happened in the past (see LTE adoption in Africa/India leapfrogging classical landlines) giving birth to a breed of companies that created their own markets. These startups are the backbone of the future ecosystem populated by dependent/client third parties. Opportunities A brave new world B2C - The rising billions In 2000, 6% of the world population was connected to the internet. In 2010, online adoption increased to 23% or 2 billion people connected. In 2020, more than 66% of all people will have online access. That’s an additional 3 billion people that will get access to the internet, raising the total number of connected population to 5.5 billion. B2B - The unicorn of one It is now possible to start a company valued at $1BN from your garage, with no assets and basically no employees. And this company may serve the giants of the corporate world. Fortune 500 companies already acknowledged that innovations come from small companies agile enough to disrupt industries. Today, the business development and strategy VPs turned into innovation scouters actively seeking emerging technologies and valuable teams to acquire or hire. Let’s talk money How we do it Our philosophy Our philosophy is quite straightforward: we invest at the earliest stages in companies whose founders have skin in the game, are coachable and address big markets. If the opportunity is real, we prefer to be the first institutional investor in such startups. Geography Our firm recruits regionally (in CEE) and invests locally (in Romania) to take advantage of country’s great technical talent, low labor costs, low operating costs and high-speed Internet access. Equity Because of our active engagement with our companies, we typically will take a correspondingly substantial equity ownership position (5% to 15%) in our investments and will join as a member of the company’s board of directors (Series A). Accelerator Stage At the Accelerator stage - we invest anywhere between €50,000 and €200,000 in exchange for 5% to 15% common stock. Series A At the Seed stage - our sweet spot is €500,000 but, if the opportunity is real, we can invest up to €4,500,000 in one company. Timing We are fast to say NO – won’t waste your time. Saying YES takes a bit longer: 4 to 6 weeks on average, but that depends on you too.

By co-investing Mozaic Investors is increasing the chances for each stakeholder to gain from being part of the syndicate. Investors gain by diminishing the high risk related with investing in new ventures and by increasing their portfolio diversity by being exposed to high reward opportunities. Startups gain from the opportunity to raise money in underserved markets where venture capital is limited and in very early stages of the company. They also gain from the vast network of experts and successful entrepreneurs that are part of the syndicate thus increasing the potential on the investment with the smart money. Mozaic is a response to a couple of important problems that the startup ecosystem in Moldova and in the region is facing. The Investors Perspective. Lack of startup investing knowledge: Investors, especially in Eastern Europe, are not used to invest high-risk capital with the awareness that they can lose everything invested and the understanding that they have to keep the founders motivated enough because they are the ones developing the products thus investors should take only a small share of equity. High-risk investing alone: Not having a validation process for the startups usually leads to risky bets that investors take. The limited deals they are exposed to, contribute to decisions when they chose only from what they can evaluate. Not knowing other investors that can share the risk with them decrease the performance of their investments, thus not incentivizing the investors to keep investing. Lack of legal framework: The high cost of legal work regarding an investment makes investors to restraining investing in startups. Unclear rules, unprivileged legislation for investors are not something that an investor can change alone. There should be a common action and suggestions made to the legislative body. Lack of startups deal flow: Diversifying the portfolio require an increasing number of investible startups to choose from. An individual investor has no time and means to know all the startups there are in the ecosystem that are looking for investment thus exposing himself only to the direct approaches. The Startups Perspective. Lack of venture capital: By venture capital we are referring to alternative financing when startups are raising capital from private investors where no other financial institution are ready to finance the initial ideas and startups. Traditional financial institutions usually require more financial data, guarants or other indicators that a newly formed entity simply do not have. Thus founders are unable to support the developing teams and launch the products. A venture capital is not a loan and investors are aware that they can lose it. Also the founders are not tied to reimburse it the in case of failure, thus incentivising more founders to work on more ambition and rewarding projects not putting themself and their families in debt. Founders not owning the company: By investing the most of the money or all the money in the startup traditionally is expected the investor to have the majority of the social capital and voting rights on the matters regarding the activity of the company. This fact is not helping the founder to feel that he is in charge of the company thus he is losing motivation and is not engaged enough to achieve the company’s goal. Lack of smart capital: By accessing the capital from investors, founders also gain the access to investors that are experienced entrepreneurs and connected people that can advice or introduce the founders to potential clients. Ethical money: By promoting the highest standards of ethics throughout the investment cycle, the investors must act with integrity and respect while dealing fairly and objectively with the founders. The ambition is to help early stage companies become industry-defining and sustainable businesses. The Ecosystem Perspective. Not fully functional ecosystem: By covering to a good degree the other components of the startup ecosystem like Infrastructure (coworking, prototyping facilities) and Knowledge (know-how, conferences, events) there is a lack in continuity and sinergy in startup creation process. Not having the Capital and Legal components of the startup ecosystem makes the other components unproductive. Startups looking to other countries or even moving to pursue their goals. High levels of uncertainty: Startup world is known by having a high dose of uncertainty, but by adding to this the fact that founders do not know how they will finance their startups or the next steps in scaling, they have anxieties that keep them from starting in the first place.

Welcome to our VC! We are based in Baku. Azerbaijan and focus on investing in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Turkiye, and Eastern Europe. We believe that good founders can be found anywhere and are committed to supporting and empowering entrepreneurial talent in the region. Our team is made up of experienced investors and industry experts who are passionate about helping startups succeed. We provide not only financial support, but also strategic guidance and resources to help our portfolio companies grow and scale. We are excited to work with founders who are driven, innovative, and committed to making a positive impact in the world. If you are a founder looking for a supportive and collaborative partner, we would love to hear from you. Thank you for considering us as you embark on your entrepreneurial journey. When evaluating founders, there are several key factors to consider. One of the most important is scalability, or the ability of the company to grow and expand over time. This includes not only the size of the market opportunity but also the ability of the founders to adapt and innovate as the market changes. Another important factor is endurability, or the ability of the founders and their team to sustain the business over the long term. This includes not only financial stability but also the ability to withstand setbacks and challenges as they arise. Vision is also crucial in evaluating founders. This includes not only the long-term goals and direction of the company, but also the ability of the founders to clearly communicate their vision and inspire others to follow their lead. In addition to these key factors, we also consider the size and potential of the market, the competence and experience of the team, and the speed at which the business is able to achieve key milestones. By carefully evaluating these factors, we can make informed decisions about which founders and companies have the greatest potential for success.

The fund partners have been friends for 10+ years and back in the day started what over years has grown to one of the largest tech founder communities in Eastern Europe. Today our wider community comprises over 350 active founders from around the world, including founders of the fast-growing & established tech unicorns (like Hopin, Miro, UiPath, Intercom, and others), as well as founders of several renowned global VC funds. In 2010, when we were making our first steps as entrepreneurs and future executives, we yearned for ways of sharing knowledge and supporting each other. Three of us settled in a big apartment on Shmitovsky 16 (S16) and opened our doors for regular meetings with like-minded entrepreneurs. That move turned out to be instrumental. We learned through each other, motivated and supported each other, and built lifelong friendships. Our small gatherings grew into a tribe of hundreds of like-minded people. We are certain that this community is the common denominator behind our success. Even though the majority of tribe members are very successful entrepreneurs and executives, the community is united by shared values rather than any kind of material KPIs. These values are: Community, not individual Trust Transparency Intrinsic motivation to help Pay forward Beginner mindset People succeed, not ideas The community has long outgrown its founders and small gatherings at Shmit 16 and evolved into many initiatives driven by different people. Twice a year we help organize the legendary closed business event - Founders for Founders. Our members organize a camp at Burning Man. We try our best to spread our knowledge to a wider audience through our Telegram channel. Whatever we do, s16vc stands for preservation and adherence to our values. And s16vc, being the only commercial endeavor, is no exception. We invest in people who share these values and take money from like-minded LPs, making our tribe stronger with every founder we back and every investor we bring inside the community.

Partner for transitioning towards the growth stage. Our portfolio is formed by startups and Founders who share key values with us. Empower Sharing experience with Founders is a no-brainer. We enjoy cooperation with future leaders who are ready to shift their innovative businesses to the next level and still, stay open-minded toward ideas from outside. We believe in talents, who are capable to inspire and pursue their vision to others. Scale During collaboration we ensure that we share aligned vision, that great businesses are not only build on the disrupting idea but also are result of global ambitions, constant process streamlining and accommodation of fast growth. Your success is our success. Trust We aim to facilitate growth through continuous support, right connections and genuine partnership. We are persuaded that the biggest added value is created when Founder and Investor share core values of transparency and realizing that we both stand at the same side.