First Stop: Singapore

Kicking off this roadshow was a 20-hour marathon of flights from Norway over to Singapore, where Strategy Tools Founder Christian Rangen ran a Fund Manager! Simulation Workshop for the brilliant GPs (VC, PE fund managers) on the 2X Ignite GP Sprint program – one of the world’s leading GP Accelerators for emerging fund managers with a gender focus.

Field Notes from the Ground

by Christian Rangen

What happens if you take 16 real-life GPs (VC, PE fund managers), match them with real-life family offices and fund-of-funds, then take them through a full 2-day Fund Manager! Sim?

Answer: lighting fast, hyper intelligent decision-making, leading to fast-growing funds with global impact, smart gender-lens and outliner financial performance.

The 2-day simulation was a part of the 3-day, in person event hosted in Singapore last week. The first in-person session in the 6-month 2X Ignite GP Sprint, probably the world’s leading 6-month GP Accelerator for emerging fund managers with gender focus.

A true pleasure to work with these awesome fund managers over the full GP Sprint, and congrats on the 56X return in Singapore. Big thanks to Marijn Wiersma, Elena Haba, Alyanna Carrion, Natalia Au and the entire 2X Global team!

Next Up: A Red-eye to Dubai

Right after closing the curtains on the workshop in Singapore, it was a race to the airport to jump on a red-eye flight to Dubai. Upon landing, Chris met up with Strategy Tools colleague Henrik Amstutz who flew in from Norway, as well as ST Partner Rick Rasmussen, who made the journey over from the US. The three of them facilitated a 3-day Fund Management Masterclass for the Dubai Future District Fund, a program sponsored by Amazon Web Services and Knowledge Fund Establishment.

Field Notes from the Ground

by Christian Rangen

Imagine taking 40 people from across the thriving MENA VC ecosystem; all with years of experience in running startups, leading venture builders or building venture funds; now put them into a high-intensity, highly competitive VC Masterclass, with 8 GP teams competing to outperform the market.

Now, imagine this happening over three days, over a weekend, with people working non-stop for days, juggling fund setups, legal challenges, capital formation, portfolio outcomes, value creation, portfolio growth, exit routes and much, much, much more. The first fund just clocked a 30X on the fund, and we are still only in ‘year 6’.

Working with all these talents from across the MENA VC ecosystem has truly been a privilege. Having run Fund Manager! simulation and VC Masterclasses around the world, across ecosystems, I was impressed with the technical skills, the pace, the collaboration I’ve witnessed here.

Looking ahead, like every growing ecosystem, we need more growth funds, more scale ups, more exit options, more successfully exited founders becoming investors, more regulatory support and a long-term lens on scaling the VC ecosystem in the region.

In the meantime: North Carolina, USA

While all this was going on, 10 Strategy Tools partners from 10 countries across the globe joined hands with Professor Tony O’Driscoll to give the graduate students from Duke University – The Fuqua School of Business a weekend of corporate strategy on steroids. in the Transform! Strategy Simulation – completely digital.

Field Notes from the Ground

by Javier Sevilla, Founder of NováreQ

Diving into the heart of disruption and transformation, over 70 graduate students from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business recently undertook a groundbreaking challenge. Picture this: three simultaneous sessions, each with more than 5 teams, converging in a digital space. The mission? To navigate the mobility industry, connecting with experienced facilitators spanning Europe, North America, Asia, MENA, and Latam.

This immersive experience unfolded over a weekend, mirroring the intensity of real-world corporate dynamics. The challenge was clear: transform a company facing disruption, a scenario ripe for strategic innovation and business metamorphosis.

As these teams delved into the uncertain terrain of the mobility industry, they met with fierce competition, weaving together threads of strategy, innovation, leadership, and finance (all required ingredients to lead a successful business transformation)

The outcomes were nothing short of remarkable. Some companies not only executed clear transformations, strategically diversifying revenue streams and profits beyond their original core business, but also achieved a market cap doubling the anticipated $50 billion mark.

The sessions were marked by dramatic moments, including hostile takeovers and mergers—a testament to the natural evolution of mature industries. Throughout the journey, emotions ran high, from smiles of success to moments of frustration and doubt, all contributing to profound and enduring learnings.

This experience stands as a beacon, showcasing the ability of aspiring business leaders to thrive in the face of uncertainty and disruption. It’s a testament to the interconnectedness of strategy, innovation, and leadership, a triumphant saga in the continuous evolution of business ecosystems.