QED Investors

Excited to share insights from QED Partner Amias Gerety's latest blog post with Prateek Joshi at Moxxie Ventures, "AI agents have brains, but where are their wallets?" As AI agents become increasingly capable of performing complex tasks—like making purchases and managing subscriptions—the limitations of our current financial infrastructure are becoming more evident. Existing systems were designed with human interaction in mind, which poses significant challenges for autonomous AI transactions. From establishing trust to managing dynamic workflows, we need innovative solutions that support AI agents' unique requirements. This is not just about adapting our systems; it's about creating entirely new frameworks that can differentiate between good and bad bots, ensure verification and offer programmable payment logic. This represents a huge opportunity for startups in the fintech space. By addressing these gaps, we can pave the way for a future where AI agents seamlessly engage in commerce, reshaping our digital economy. https://lnkd.in/enNKtGkt #QEDInvestors #Fintech #VentureCapital #Entrepreneurship

To coincide with World Mental Health Day, QED's VP of Administration and Talent, Maryalice Giroux Viljoen, shares resources that can help you connect with a therapist. This is a topic incredibly near and dear to our hearts. We lost one of our beloved investment professional to substance use disorder in 2019. We've seen firsthand the impact of mental wellness in the venture and entrepreneur ecosystem, and we are committed to shedding a light on available resources and support wherever we can.

Congratulations to QED Managing Partner Nigel Morris, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer Frank Rotman, Partners Matthew Risley and Laura Bock and EIR Fernando Gonzalez on being named to Washingtonian Magazine's 2024 Tech Titans list. #QEDInvestors #Fintech #VentureCapital #Entrepreneurship

Congratulations to QED portfolio company Footprint and to Cascading AI (YC S23) on being named to Business Insider's list of the most promising fintech startups transforming how we bank, invest, work and pay. Eli Wachs 👣 Lukas Haffer Laura Bock Adams Conrad

A big thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2024 edition of the London Trek, co-hosted by Key Capital and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of Saudi Arabia. It was wonderful to spend time with our VC peers investing in Africa and the Middle East and it was a pleasure getting to know so many incredible fintech companies. A special thanks to the official delegation from the ministry -- Eng. Mohammed AlRobayan, Deputy Minister of Technology, MCIT, and Eng. Mohamed Alariefy, Assistant Deputy Minister, MCIT -- and to regional VCs who joined QED's Head of Middle East and Africa Gbenga Ajayi at our London office. We hope to continue to build on these special relationships in the coming months and years. #QEDInvestors #fintech #VentureCapital #Entrepreneurship

Banking 🤝 Fintech As Partner, Head of UK & Europe, Yusuf Ozdalga perfectly stated in his recent article, at QED, we take pride in being able to speak both “bank” and “fintech”. That's why we are excited to announce Fontes by QED's investment into Plumery led by Ben Goldin. Like QED, Plumery is bilingual – speaking both “fintech” and “bank” at a native level proficiency. The company enables banks to implement new digital banking applications in a faster, cheaper and less disruptive manner. A true partner to banks, Plumery sits on top of core banking platforms, enabling them to launch digital customer interfaces that are state of the art in a manner that feels more like an evolution and not a revolution from the bank’s implementation perspective. Plumery's implementation layer serves as a bridge that enables big banks to quickly launch the types of customer experiences that the modern user nowadays takes for granted. We're excited to welcome Plumery to the QED portfolio and join Ben on his journey to combine the best both of these worlds have to offer under one roof. Learn more about why we invested in Plumery at the link below. https://lnkd.in/dnXABWAZ

This month, the QED team will participate in Shatterproof’s Rise Up Against Addiction Walk on October 19, 2024, in D.C.    Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization that's dedicated to improving outcomes for Americans impacted by addiction. The Shatterproof Walk is an opportunity for people to come together without the shame or judgment of addiction stigma.    We will join the Shatterproof community to walk to end addiction stigma and support those impacted by substance use disorder.   In 2021, QED partnered with Operation Lighthouse and Shatterproof to roll out a mental health initiative aimed at tackling addiction and eliminating the stigma of talking about substance abuse. The curriculum, Just Five, is offered by Shatterproof and educates individuals on the most important concepts and facts regarding addiction in just five minutes per lesson.     If you’d like to support the efforts of the QED Team, you can register or donate here: https://lnkd.in/eZQY6X6E

People Freaking Out About New Stuff A quick skim of the top news headlines makes it abundantly clear that there are a lot of very vocal and powerful people that want to shut down all technological progress. And it isn’t just a few people here and there….it’s a movement! (Pauses to look at the headlines. Sees article about the Longshoremen. Continues writing.) So, buckle up because we're about to take a wild ride through the annals of history to prove that the headlines just represent the “same backwards attitude focused on different new stuff.” The OG Tech-Haters: Luddites Even though we could go back farther in history to find famous technology deniers, about 200 years some of the most active OG tech-haters that history has ever seen decided to take matters into their own hands. The Luddite movement, far from being a simple case of machine-breaking, was a complex socio-economic rebellion that unfolded in the early 19th century England. Named after the possibly mythical Ned Ludd, the Luddites were skilled artisans – primarily textile workers – who found their livelihoods threatened by the rapid industrialization of their craft. The Industrial Revolution brought mechanized looms and other automated machinery that could produce textiles faster and cheaper than human hands. This technological shift wasn't just about efficiency. It fundamentally altered the social fabric of manufacturing communities. Skilled craftsmen who had spent years perfecting their trade suddenly found themselves obsolete, replaced by machines operated by unskilled workers. The Luddites' resistance wasn't merely about destroying machines; it was a fight for their way of life. They saw the new technology as a threat not just to their jobs, but to the quality of goods produced, fair wages, and the entire structure of their communities. Their actions included: 1. Organized raids on factories, destroying machinery worth thousands of pounds. 2. Sending threatening letters to factory owners and government officials. 3. Holding secret midnight meetings to plan their activities. The British government's response was severe. They made machine-breaking a capital crime and deployed thousands of soldiers to quell the uprising. And in 1813, seventeen men were executed for Luddite activities. While the Luddites ultimately failed to stop industrialization, their movement left a lasting impact. It sparked debates about workers' rights and the social implications of technological change that continue to this day. But the Luddite movement wasn’t the only one to emerge from society in the past 200 years. There have been MANY rooftop shouters about MANY new technologies. And guess what they have in common? Failure. Take for example the complete hatred by technology deniers for computers. Let's call this “The Computers Will Eat Your Soul” movement. (To read the rest click on the link below. LinkedIn limits the word count!) https://lnkd.in/e4EjQmce

Join us in congratulating Craig Battin and Michael Sachse for bringing Airship out of stealth today and raising a $4 million pre-seed round. Airship was built to simplify the process of selling HVAC systems. As a point-of-sale solution for HVAC, plumbing and electrical companies, Airship plugs into existing field service management systems. The software helps to create lead scores and expected values, incorporates OEM, state, utility and retailer rebates, facilitates data collection within the home, and provides a comprehensive manager dashboard to users. We are proud to have led Airship's pre-seed round with participation from Silence, Four Acres Capital, Lorimer Ventures and Twine Ventures. Welcome to the QED portfolio, Airship! And thank you to TechCrunch and Rebecca Szkutak for breaking the news. https://lnkd.in/eVp9VaXX

Price Controls: Guaranteed Adverse Consequences It doesn’t take a PhD in Economics to be confused by the economic policies that are being thrown around by both political parties. It's as-if none of our candidates understand the physics of how Economics work. The only explanation is that they believe that voters don't understand it either. One idea being proposed in many variations is the enactment of policies that put price controls in place to help provide relief to struggling consumers. Various forms of price controls have been tested throughout history and studied extensively so what’s amazing is that the price control policies that are being endorsed by our Presidential candidates are almost guaranteed to create punishing unintended consequences. PRICE CONTROLS In their basic form, price controls are government-mandated limits on the prices of goods or services. While they're often implemented with the goal of protecting consumers and providing relief to escalating prices on specific goods or services, they almost always backfire. WHY PRICE CONTROLS SEEM APPEALING Affordability: The primary argument for price controls is to keep essential goods and services affordable for consumers. Fairness: They aim to prevent price gouging during emergencies or for vital products. Short-term relief: In times of crisis they can provide immediate financial relief to consumers. EXAMPLES OF HOW PRICE CONTROLS BACKFIRE Example 1: Shortages - Rent Control in New York City Imagine New York City implements strict rent control, capping apartment rents at $1,000 per month. - Initially, this seems great for tenants who can now afford to live in the city. - However, at this price, demand for apartments skyrockets while the supply remains limited. - Landlords, unable to charge market rates, stop investing in new buildings or renovations. - Over time, the housing supply shrinks, leading to severe shortages and long waiting lists for apartments. Result: While some lucky tenants benefit, many others can't find housing at all. Example 2: Price Ceiling on Milk (Reduced Quality) Suppose the government sets a maximum price of $2 per gallon for milk. - At first, consumers are happy about the low milk prices. - However, dairy farmers, unable to cover their costs at this price, look for ways to cut corners. - They might switch to lower-quality feed for cows or reduce quality control measures. - Some may exit the dairy business altogether, reducing competition. Result: Consumers end up with lower-quality milk or difficulty finding milk at all. (To see the rest of the post click on the link below. LinkedIn limits the word count!) https://lnkd.in/eSy3KDUQ