2023: The Fall of Unicorns, Global VC Slowdown, Email Marketing 101 • TechCrunch

If you repeat a word or phrase too many times, it can sometimes lose its meaning due to a phenomenon called semantic repetition.

That’s what happened with “Unicorn,” like sneakers that flow in the rain but are too comfortable to part with.

In fact, most of the startups in CB Insights’ Unicorn Index are on the bubble and “actually hovering around $1 billion,” reports Rebecca Szkutak.

“How many of these will remain unicorns this calendar year?” Of the 35 investors she surveyed, she found, “the majority felt the herd was covered.”

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“It’s not just that they still command ‘unicorn status,’ it’s not just about whether or not they can be funded at any price,” said Harley Miller, founder and managing partner of Left Lane Capital.

By all accounts, the IPO window is nailed down. Any startup hoping to weather this downturn will need to raise more capital.

I’m sure the hunt is on to find another legendary animal like ‘ARRmadillo’ that represents the success of a startup in a down market. You can get that for free.

My biggest hope: Investors and founders use this era of austerity as an opportunity to create not just wealth, but value.

Thank you very much for reading

Walter Thompson
Editorial Manager, TechCrunch+
@your main actor

Teach Yourself Growth Marketing: How to Start an Email Marketing Campaign

In the third article in a five-part series, growth marketing expert Jonathan Martinez (formerly of Uber, Postmates, and Chime) explains how to create and optimize email campaigns that “drive consumers through your funnel and drive conversions.”

Martinez shares the basics of segmenting customers and predicting where they’ll be released on the funnel you’re building. Startups that win back these users can come up with a higher ARR, and every little bit counts.

“It’s important to spread the user segments as much as possible because we need to make sure we’re sending the right message to the right users.”

Putting numbers on the global venture slowdown

According to CB Insights’ State of Ventures report, VC funding will decrease by 35% by 2022. Although the estimated deal count hasn’t declined commensurately, “Global venture funding fell 19% more than a quarter in Q4 2022,” reports Anna Heim.

“How long things will take to improve is anyone’s guess, so we look forward to more information as the year progresses,” she wrote.

Dear Sophie: What are some quick options for hiring someone when time is running out?

Dear Sophie,

I am a very early stage startup founder. My co-founder and I are considering bringing on a third co-founder who was recently laid off. She is currently in the US where her H-1B grace period will soon expire.

What are the fastest, least risky immigration options we should consider? What is happening when the USCIS application fees can be added?

– Cautious co-founder

Pitch Deck Teardown: Screentale’s $1M Seed Deck

Visual collaboration tool Screental says it has more than 40,000 people on its waiting list, but that hasn’t stopped its founders from raising €1 million.

Co-founders Ise Kural and Furkan Bayraktar shared their pitch with TC+ — click to learn why their value proposition, vision and product plans resonated with investors:

• Cover slide
• Problem Slide Part 1
• Problem slide part 2
• Solution Slide Part 1
• Solution Slide Part 2
• Value proposition slide
• User credentials slide
• Drag slide
• Income slider
• Retaining slide
• User profile slide
• Growth forecast slide
• Vision slide
• Question slide
• Contact slide
• Appendices cover slide
• Appendix 1: Why Now?
• Appendix 2: Competitive landscape
• Appendix 3: Production and Development Model