I feel the need to reintroduce myself

It's been a while...

Author

Chaymae Samir
September 08, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

Hey — It’s Chaymae.

Once again, super happy to have you onboard.

Here’s a little bit about my story…

Back in 2019, I moved to the UK with $1,000 and started a consumer brand just before COVID hit. A few years later, we’d grown a profitable multi-million dollar bootstrapped company, online customers putting us out of stock more than we’d like, and 800 retail partners across the world.

But I realised one thing…

Less than 3% of VC funding goes to diverse founders yet we are the most resilient and fundable. We often overcome unique challenges to get where we are. 

In addition, talent is equally distributed around the world. Capital and opportunity aren’t. I see so much untapped potential in markets outside of the US and Europe that present massive opportunities for those building and investing.

But early startup success is often propelled by who you know — whether advisors, potential customers or strategic partners. Founders from outside of the tech/VC/finance/elite university world are less likely to have connections to these influential networks. 

So, what can I do to help?

I launched THIRD, after all the third culture kids building cool sh*t around the world. 

We help founders get unbiased access to capital, connect with advisors, get feedback from the world’s best entrepreneurs, and scale for the future.

Because funding should be about what you've built, not who you know or where you come from.

In six months, our media arm achieved what legacy media hasn’t achieved in years.

  • 100M+ views organically

  • 500K+ cross-platform followers

  • worked with 100+ founders and family offices to tell their stories

  • 86% engagement rate

Now, we’re getting closer to taking down Shark Tank.

And most importantly giving underrepresented entrepreneurs a platform to tell the world about their stories and get funded in the process.

And we’re only getting started. 

We're betting that the next generation of founders won't come from Silicon Valley. They'll come from everywhere. And they’re as likely to be self-taught creators turned founders as they are engineers or MBAs.

If you’ve made it this far, here’s how I can help:

  • Connect with angels and investors: $100B in collective value sits in our network. You or any founders you know can join the companies that tapped into it here.

  • If you’re interested in investing, you can get weekly deal-flow featuring global startups here. We've worked with founders from Y Combinator, 500 Global, Alibaba Ventures, Mubadala and more.

  • Apply here to get funding from my THIRD Ventures, my VC fund.

Now I want to hear about you — what’s your story? I’m interested in learning more about who you are and what has brought you here.

Thanks so much for being here,

— Chaymae Samir