Specter Monitor is a data-driven newsletter for investors interested in learning about the latest market trends, signals, and opportunities. Our audience includes some of the most legendary VC investors in the world. Weโ€™ll work hard to bring you actionable insights into whatโ€™s happening in todayโ€™s markets while celebrating data-driven wins and predictions. โœจ


New from Specter: The Hottest Startups of May ๐Ÿ”ฅ

Each month, we use the 'Hot Signals' feature within Specter, to highlight the companies and talent attracting the most interest from VC firms.


๐Ÿ”ฎ Talents of the Week

Specter tracks real-time top talents movements across the world to detect actionable investment opportunities before anyone else.

๐Ÿช„ Predicted:

Alexander Valys (US, 2021): Co-Founder & CTO at Xcimer.

Featured by Specter on: 2022 - Week 25.

Advantage on Latest Funding Round: 711 Days.

Description: Xcimer Energy is an inertial fusion company offering laser-driven fusion to provide cheap, abundant, and carbon-free energy.

Prev. Experience: Software Engineer @ Facebook, Director of Engineering @ AliveCor Inc., Vice President @ Innoven Energy, Software Engineering Consultant @ AliveCor Inc, Chief Technology Officer @ PilotFish Technology, Graduate Student @ Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Total Funding: $117.8M / $100M Latest Series A on 06-2024.

Notable Investors: Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Emerson Collective, Gigascale Capital, Hedosophia, Lowercarbon Capital, Prelude Ventures, Starlight Ventures.


๐Ÿ‘ป Opportunity:

Amnon Noni Israel (US, 2024): Co-Founder at Crater Studios.

Featured by Specter on: 2024 - Week 18.

Prev. Experience: Head of Product - Content Ecosystem & Creator Marketplaces @ Epic Games, Product Management Leader, Horizon/Metaverse @ Facebook, Principal Product Manager, AR/VR @ Apple, Lead Product Manager @ Blizzard Entertainment, Co-Founder & Head of Product @ Funnster.

Total Funding: N/A.

Notable Investors: N/A.

*Please note: To preserve the exclusivity of our premium solutions, Talent Signals in this public newsletter are delayed by at least 1 month. Specter clients enjoy a six-month lead over any other database, gaining early access to thousands of new talent signals each week. Reach out today to secure your competitive advantage! โšก

๐ŸŽฑ Strategic Signals

Inspired by Michael Lewisโ€™ Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game - Strategic Intelligence is a stealth engine that tracks online and social behaviour of corporate insiders and leading investors.

๐Ÿช„ Predicted:

Frore Systems (US, 2018) - Featured by Specter on: 2024 - Week 03.

Advantage on Latest Funding Round: 126 Days.

Description: Frore Systems is a developer of thermal technology for consumer devices.

Total Funding: $180M / $80M Latest Series C on 05-2024.

Notable Investors: Alumni Ventures, Clear Ventures, Fidelity, Mayfield Fund, MVP Ventures, Prosperity7 Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, StepStone Group, Ethos Family Office, Addition, Lee Fixel.


๐Ÿ‘ป Opportunity:

EyeTell (US, 2023) - Featured by Specter on: 2024 - Week 21.

Description: EyeTell, founded by YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley, is an AI startup revolutionizing content creation by generating text, images, music, audio, and video to create engaging short-form video content.

Total Funding: Unknown - Latest Seed Round on 11-2023.

Notable Investors: A* Capital, SV Angel.

Signal: Increased VC Interest in 06/2024.


๐Ÿ’ Cherry-Picked Companies

Specter tracks the alternative data performance of millions of companies and, on a monthly basis, flags the ones who are likely to increase in valuation.

๐Ÿช„ Predicted:

Gameto (US, 2020) - Specter Rank: 5744๐Ÿ“ˆ

Description: Gameto is a biotechnology company whose mission is to redefine female reproductive health by developing therapies that improve lives.

Total Funding: $73M/ $33M Latest Series B on 05-2024.

Notable Investors: FJ Labs; Insight Partners; Lux Capital; RA Capital Management; TA Ventures.

6 Months Growth: Web: 12.12%; Team: -3.33%; Social: 9.9%.


๐Ÿ‘ป Opportunity:

BuildOps (US, 2018) - Specter Rank: 231๐Ÿ“ˆ

Description: BuildOps enables subcontractors to run their entire business on one software solution that manages their invoicing & billing, scheduling, estimates, proposals, payments, workflows, custom forms, financial reporting, and more.

Total Funding: $98.8M / $50M Latest Venture Round on 05-2023.

Notable Investors: Sequoia Capital; Founders Fund; Next47; StepStone Group; Global Founders Capital.

6 Months Growth: Web: 123.74%; Team: 16.81%; Social: 11.1%.