In the fast-paced world of startups, a new era is upon us—a return to the "grinder" CEO. This is not the passive figurehead basking in the glory of on-camera media interviews, guided Ayahuasca trips and unicorn valuations - while letting teams handle the dirty work. No, this is the CEO who rolls up their sleeves, digs into the trenches, and hustles harder than anyone else on the team.

In the ongoing conversation about artificial intelligence, there's a prevailing narrative that AI will either replace humans or fundamentally change the nature of work and society. However, this perspective overlooks a crucial point: intelligence, in its purest and most valuable form, can never be truly artificial.

For managers just now looking to tap into the Middle East LP stream, the path is tricky. An increasing “in-region” focus has Middle East investors requiring that fund managers “give back” to the region. With institutions like PIF, Mubadala, QIA as well as family offices such as Olayan, DAMAC and others being inundated with opportunities, fund managers without existing relationships face an almost impossible battle obtaining introductory meetings, let alone getting mindshare or capital commitments.

WestRiver Group Managing Director, Anthony Bontrager, participated in the AIM Summit Dubai 2023 Edition Emerging Markets panel, alongside notable Middle Eastern investors whose insights and thought-leadership explored the complexities and opportunities around investment in an ever-changing global economic environment.

In the fourth episode of this summer's Investor's View series, Sports Loft welcomes Anthony Bontrager, managing director of WestRiver Group.

Over the course of our conversation Anthony explains what he's looking for when founders approach WestRiver for funding, what he and the group can offer once a deal is done, and how entrepreneurs should be operating in the current economic landscape.

The idea of an AI singularity has intrigued society for decades - painting a picture of a future where artificial intelligence surpasses that of humans and ushers in a new era of transformative technological advancements. And in the process, creating arguably one of the most powerful forces humanity has ever seen.

By its very nature, knowledge is contextual, and any one person’s or organization’s knowledge is limited to their level of involvement and interaction with other elements of their unique eco-system.

As early-stage investors (and former founders ourselves), we know first-hand how difficult it can be to launch a successful startup. Which is why we have always been keen supporters of the incubator or studio model as a means to help entrepreneurs think through some of the difficult questions that invariably get missed at the earliest, most formative stages of a company.

The last few years in the private equity markets culminated in what I call "Moral Hazard at Scale." However, as the Great Reset begins in 2023, there are some encouraging signs that reality and rationality are starting to take hold in the market. This has me very bullish and why I believe now is the time to be investing in private capital markets. Those with conviction and patience should be handsomely rewarded.

This week on Finding PROOF, hosts Jennifer Schretter and Thanasis Delistathis sit down with Anthony Bontrager, Managing Director at West River Group, a firm that invests in seed and early-stage companies in the US Pacific Northwest.

Over the past two quarters, industry participants and research analysts alike have all put forward their wisdom on what the venture capital landscape will look like in the coming months and year. Set against a backdrop of a public market correction, increasing inflation, rising interest rates and political unrest, it would be easy to sound the horns of Armageddon and “let slip the dogs of war.”

The Tagboard thesis: the days of bulky, hardware-based systems must give way to more agile, cloud-based systems that support today’s distributed workforce.

PTO Exchange’s message to the market is simple, give employees a new way to realize the value of this earned compensation without the need for borrowing, and in exchange reduce the growing balance sheet liability on the part of corporations.

Platforms like Qorus have progressed from “nice-to-have” to a “must-have” and those that have incorporated these solutions are leapfrogging the competition, closing more deals faster and enjoying increased profitability.

Many believe that being strong, aggressive, and strategic are the key skills needed to master this event. But ask any athlete or coach, and to a person they will tell you that teamwork is the key factor that separates the winners from the losers.

Effective Burn management is a mind-set, a critical piece of your culture, a key genome to your organizational DNA.

Today’s startup environment is faced with numerous challenges for entrepreneur and investor alike. My interview with Joe Wallin and Michael Schneider of The Law of Startups attempts to highlight some of the key focus areas for entrepreneurs and what investors need to be prepared to address as their portfolio companies grow.

As carriers look to replace declining voice and data revenues, the concept of mobile bloatware is once again making an appearance. At a time when switching costs are virtually non-existent, can carriers and brands afford to irritate their customers?

Your personal brand can be defined through 3 key elements – your niche (your professional focus or passion), your voice (how you communicate and express yourself) and your story (what made you the person you are) - each of which has its own set of three defining attributes. Defining your brand takes both a dispassionate self-assessment and trust in those who know you well in order to dig under the surface to identify and assimilate your defining attributes into a cohesive personal brand.