S8E14 - Mandeep Singh, Angel Investor & ex-Founder @ Trouva (acq by Made.com).

Happy Wednesday from James Pringle, Hector Mason and the Riding Unicorns team!

Mandeep Singh is an angel investor and co-founder and former CEO of Trouva, a marketplace for independent boutiques that was acquired by Made.com.

Mandeep takes us through his journey from founding Trouva, navigating its growth, and the eventual exit, to his current role as an active angel investor with a portfolio of over 80 companies.

In this episode, we dive into:

• The story behind Trouva’s evolution, including the pivots and lessons learned from building both B2B and consumer propositions

• The challenges of building a marketplace, balancing stakeholders, and achieving product-market fit

• Reflections on fundraising, scaling, and navigating acquisitions

• Mandeep’s approach to angel investing, what he looks for in founders, and his perspective on valuation at the earliest stages

• Lessons on resilience, grit, and determination, drawn from his entrepreneurial journey

Mandeep also shares unique insights into the European startup ecosystem, including the challenges of scaling marketplaces and the capital landscape for ambitious founders.

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Have a great Wednesday,

The Riding Unicorns team