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Sure Shot Entrepreneur Newsletter

Venture Forward, Endeavor, PAXAFE: The Sure Shot Entrepreneur Newsletter

Published about 1 month ago • 2 min read

Hello Reader,

For decades, VC-backed businesses have been the engines of job creation and innovation worldwide. Yet, breaking into the industry as an investor has remained a challenging feat. My own two-decade journey serves as an example of the power of a non-traditional path. As the entrepreneurial landscape diversifies and startup opportunities explode, a new breed of VCs is emerging, ready to shape the future.

In our new podcast episode, I'll speak with Maryam Haque, a trailblazer who leads an organization dedicated to empowering new venture capital investors to build their own firms and make their mark on the industry.

– Gopi Rangan, Host of the The Sure Shot Entrepreneur podcast​

Startup Corner: PAXAFE

Foodbev’s Startup of the Month spotlight shines on PAXAFE, a company redefining supply chain visibility through AI-powered predictive intelligence.

Recognized for its groundbreaking work in logistics and risk management, PAXAFE is transforming how perishable goods are monitored and protected in transit. Its B2B SaaS platform, CONTXT, contextualizes active and passive visibility data to quantify risk, predict delays, and prevent product loss.

By turning fragmented data into actionable insight, PAXAFE helps shippers and service providers operate smarter, reduce waste, and improve sustainability. As global logistics face increasing complexity, the company’s approach to operationalizing visibility is not just timely, it’s essential.

New Podcast: Make the positive power of Venture Capital reach all communities

​My guest in episode 175 is Maryam Haque, Founding Executive Director of Venture Forward, an organization on a mission to make the venture capital ecosystem more diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

Maryam brings a thoughtful, data-driven lens to how VC can be a positive force for progress, going beyond funding startups to building communities and enabling opportunity. Drawing on her experience at the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) and her work leading Venture Forward, she shares how education, research, and advocacy are helping redefine who gets to participate in venture.

Maryam also discusses the role of mentorship, representation, and storytelling in shaping the next generation of fund managers and founders. Her insights remind us that capital alone doesn’t change the world; people with purpose do.

Connected Insights: Global impact from home

​In episode 161, Allen Taylor, Managing Partner at Endeavor Catalyst, was my guest. Allen shares how global thinking can start right where you are. Having backed entrepreneurs in over 40 markets, he emphasizes that innovation is borderless, and thriving ecosystems depend on local champions who can connect their communities to the world.

Allen talks about the importance of fostering trust-based networks that transcend geography and capital flow, and how mission-driven investors can amplify impact by supporting companies that build where they live but think globally from day one.

Like Maryam Haque in episode 175, Allen believes the future of venture lies in connection and inclusion; in creating bridges between capital, talent, and communities for long-term, global good.

Community Involvement: PBS

Beyond her leadership at Venture Forward, Maryam Haque is a strong advocate for expanding access to education and opportunity. She sees these values embodied in PBS (Public Broadcasting Service). In her opinion, PBS stands out as a nonprofit model for impact at scale, bringing learning, culture, and storytelling into millions of homes. PBS represents the same ideals that drive her work in venture capital: equity, knowledge, and community empowerment.

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Sure Shot Entrepreneur Newsletter

Gopi Rangan

Enable Peace of Mind for all. We believe in mission-driven entrepreneurs at the earliest stages before the rest of the world realizes the impact of their visionary ideas. This newsletter pairs well with our podcast that shares all the funders and founders' knowledge to startup and scale your ideas. All the best, Gopi

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