Why subscribe?

I’m Ivan 👋

I write a newsletter about where venture capital flows, so you can surf the next wave.

Each week I break down the biggest shifts in AI and venture capital, share deep-dive market reports, and distill tactical lessons from building and investing — from my vantage point as a venture capitalist, ex-Facebook operator, and founder.

A bit more on me…

My background is economics and information systems, but I fell into startups through pure curiosity and stubbornness.

I worked at Facebook (Meta) and Bloomreach on sales and product. Later I co-founded and scaled a business to ~10K MRR, enough to get real scar tissue, but also enough to know how hard the founder grind is.

Today I’m a Partner at JME Ventures, a ~€150M AUM early-stage venture capital fund. I’ve invested in AI and SaaS startups like HappyRobot, Pensero, Rauda and many others. Startup Riders is where I process all of that, connecting dots from vc, operators, and founders.

I’m also an eternal tinkerer. I’ve hacked on AI side projects (like Startup Pitch Deck) and constantly test tools and frameworks I share back with readers.

Why Startup Riders?

When I started Startup Riders, there wasn’t a place that connected the dots between where money flows and how great founders build.

Most VC writing felt distant.
Most startup content felt shallow.

I wanted something sharper — founder-first, insight-heavy, and grounded in reality.
So I built the one I wished existed.

What you’ll find inside

1. Weekly Signal Drop → A clear recap of what’s moving in venture and startups: funding maps, market shifts, and standout founder moves.

2. Market Research Drops → Deep dives into emerging themes shaping the next wave — AI, voice, agents, new SaaS categories — with data and context that matter.

3. Founder & VC Playbooks → Tactical essays on raising, building, and growing — lessons from my vantage point as a VC, ex-Facebook operator, and founder.

Who makes it happen

It’s mostly me behind the keyboard — researching, curating, and writing each drop.
But Startup Riders is also shaped by the founders I meet, the investors I work with, and the conversations around the newsletter.

Some content is free, some is part of Startup Riders Pro (paid tier).

Startup Riders Pro costs $100/year for full access—but if you just want to ride the free wave, that’s cool too!

Chat soon!

Cheers,

Ivan