First Degree

We invest in remarkable people reshaping work.

At First Degree, it’s never just about funding—it’s about empowering founders with the right people, partnerships, and resources to spark real change.

If you’re building the future of work, let’s talk.

www.firstdegree.capital

Founder & General Partner

Deckmatch

Deckmatch is an AI-powered investment platform designed to streamline private market workflows by automating the analysis of pitch decks and integrating them into CRM systems. 

Co-founded in 2023 by Leo Gasteen and Dr. Walid Mustapha, Deckmatch recently raised $3.1 million in seed funding to expand its operations, including opening a new office in Palo Alto. 

The platform uses REST APIs for automated data processing and features AlphaLens, an AI search engine that focuses on product-level competition rather than just company metrics, offering unique insights for investors. 

Here to support Walid, Leo and the rest of the team of Deckmatch⏤wherever we can.

Learn more on www.deckmatch.com.

Investor

WhiteBridge.ai

Whitebridge.ai is an AI-powered digital identity research tool that compiles, verifies, and analyzes publicly available data to create comprehensive reports on individuals. 

These reports provide insights into a person's professional and educational background, interactions, and any data breaches they may have been involved in. 

The platform is useful for various users, including recruiters and privacy-conscious individuals, by transforming scattered online data into coherent narratives. 

Whitebridge.ai offers paid services with a money-back guarantee and complies with GDPR to protect user privacy. 

Here to support the team from WhiteBridge.ai -- Paulius Taraskevicius (CEO), Tomas Martunas (COO), Irmantas Motiejunas (CTO) and Justas Burauskas (CMO).

Learn more at www.whitebridge.ai.

✊ GodmodeHQ.com ✊

Here to help Mert and his team, wherever I can, with the right introductions.

lablab.ai

Lablab.ai is a community-driven platform focused on advancing artificial intelligence through hackathons and collaborative events. 

It provides opportunities for AI professionals and enthusiasts to innovate using cutting-edge technologies without predefined problems, fostering creativity and innovation. 

Participants can join hackathons both online and in-person, working solo or in teams, with guidance from expert mentors and the chance to win prizes. Lablab.ai also offers resources like a GitHub starter kit for building AI applications, promoting an open-source approach to AI development. 

Here to support Simon, Pawel and the rest of the team, wherever we can. 

Discover more on www.lablab.ai.

New Native

New Native is a prominent AI platform that aggregates cutting-edge AI technologies, enabling businesses and users to develop and scale AI solutions.  

It recently won the Best New Tech Startup award in AI at The Europas. 

The company has launched a $100 million venture capital fund to support AI startups, particularly in Saudi Arabia, through its GAIA accelerator program. New Native also operates lablab.ai, a large community for AI developers, facilitating rapid testing and deployment of AI technologies. 

Here to support Simon, Pawel and the rest of the team, wherever we can. 

Discover more on www.newnative.ai.

Sarona Ventures

I am happy to have joined TechShield, a great initiative (and opportunity) by Sarona Ventures.

2hearts

Proud to be a member of the 2Hearts community.

Community member

Agga Capital

Investor (private)

Fortis

Cooking up something new. Stay tuned!🧑🏼‍🍳🪄

I’ve spent 25 years building companies and scaling teams, and one thing’s clear: the right people changes everything.

At First Degree, we back founders who are rethinking how we work. By connecting them with an unmatched network of VCs, operating partners, and industry experts, we make sure they have more than just funding—they have the relationships that fuel growth and open doors.

We understand the journey because we’ve walked it ourselves. Founders, operators, and partners in the trenches, ready to make a difference. 

If you’re shaping the future of work, let’s make it happen together.
www.firstdegree.capital

We’ve been building quietly. Now it’s live(ish).

The new First Degree website is here.
Not a pitch. Not a landing page.
A working tool—for the founders, partners, and operators we back across Europe and beyond.

We’ve spent the last 12 months doing the work.
In one of the most uncertain global markets, we kept going.
800+ conversations later, we’re proud of what we’ve built.

We’ve partnered with founders and friends across
Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, London, Stockholm, Brussels, and Barcelona—
from Istanbul to Tel Aviv, and all the way to New York, Boston, Miami, and San Francisco.

At First Degree, we don’t lead.
We follow the right people early, co-invest with conviction, and move fast.
No theatre. No ego. Just momentum.

What’s inside?

→ The 99 Problems Playbook – honest insights from real scars
→ The Products We Love – tools we use, built by great founders (some we’re proud to back)
→ Access to Our Network – not just names, but people who actually show up

We’re still refining it. Still adding visuals.
But the foundation is there.

Huge thanks to everyone who’s helped shape this so far.
And to Lovable for building it with care, clarity, and speed. Less than two days. 😳

📬 www.firstdegree.capital

Please go test it.
Click around.
Tell us what lands—and what doesn’t.
We’re building this for you.

#firstdegree #futureofwork #foundersfirst #earlystage #venturecapital #startups #ai #productivity #operators #buildinginpublic #communitydriven #99problems #accessmatters

Kaan Anit 🫧

25 years of building, scaling, and exiting. Now backing the next generation of founders reinventing how we work — with capital, unfair access, and real support. Follow for what’s next. Reach out if you’re building.

“First Degree didn’t start with a fund. It started with a belief.”

We didn’t raise a big round and hire a team.
There was no press release.
No blueprint.

Just me, my laptop, and a simple belief:
We can help founders grow faster — if we show up early and bring the right people.

Since then, we’ve backed founders who are reshaping how we work.
Invested with conviction.
Built trust through action.

Now the fund is growing.
The team is growing.
And the belief is stronger than ever.

Start small.
Move fast.
Show up early.
That’s First Degree.

#firstdegree #venturecapital #founderjourney #startwithbelief #vcbuilding #futureofwork #seedstage

No alternative text description for this image

Where are you from?
A question I get a lot.

When I say the Netherlands (or Holland), people kind of know.
But when I say Amsterdam — hell yeah, everyone lights up.
Smiles. Stories. Curiosity.

And honestly? I get it.
Here’s why I love Amsterdam — not just as a place to live, but as a founder and investor:

🌍 Global mindset, local roots
Everyone speaks English. But they think international. You can scale from here — and still bike home in time for dinner.

🚲 Small city, big energy
You can walk into a coffee shop and bump into 3 other founders, a VC, and someone who just IPO’d — all in 10 minutes.

💡 Startup ecosystem that punches above its weight
From Booking to Adyen to Miro, this city has a knack for building unicorns — and we’re just getting started.

🎯 Focus, no fluff
The Dutch are direct. Meetings are short. People don’t pitch hype — they build value. That suits me just fine.

🌱 Quality of life matters
You can raise a family, run a company, and stay sane. That balance is rare. And precious.

If you’re building something global and want a grounded place to start (or invest), come visit. There’s magic here.

And if you’re already in Amsterdam — you know what I’m talking about. ❤️

All credits to ChatGPT and Claude for making this video snapshot. 

#Amsterdam #StartupLife #FounderLife #VC #FutureOfWork #FirstDegree

Spotify was down this morning.

For 90 minutes, I sat in silence.
No deep focus beats. No founder hype playlists. No “get in the zone” loops.

Just me.
And my thoughts.
Terrible company, by the way. Wouldn’t recommend.

Turns out, it wasn’t burnout.
Or lack of motivation.
My productivity partner just needed a reboot.

Welcome back, Spotify.
Next time, maybe text me?

#spotifydown #productivitypartner #founderlife #firstdegreeproblems

Ben een beetje fan. Niet alleen vanwege de kleuren. 😉💜

Wat een inzet. 
Wat een team. 
Wat een ontlading.

Van harte Go Ahead Eagles… 
Dikke beker…
Dik verdiend.

#teamspirit #knvbbeker #goaheadeagles #paarskracht

You’re not just in the room. You are the room.

This is why First Degree works.
Not because of hype.
Because of people like you.

We’re building a community of operators, angels, experts, and founders who show up, share, and help shape what’s next.

This isn’t a newsletter.
It’s a network that moves the needle.

If you’ve built, scaled, backed, or solved something hard —
pull up a chair.

The room’s open.

(Link in comments)

#firstdegree #founders #earlystage #vc #futureofwork #community

Embedding AI into your culture doesn’t require a strategy doc.
Just a simple habit.

Saw this at Demodesk (all credits to Veronika): 

	•	1 hour a week to automate something
	•	Share what you did (or broke)
	•	Celebrate the best experiments

That’s it.
No AI task force. No waiting for “alignment.”
Just showing up, trying stuff, and learning as a team.

We’re borrowing this at First Degree.
You should too.

#aiworkflow #futureofwork #earlystage #founderhacks #executionovereverything #firstdegree

Founder & CEO at demodesk.com | 🤖 AI sales agents that use conversations to automate CRM admin, coach sellers & eliminate blind spots.

AI > humans?

💥 “Before asking for more headcount and resources, teams must demonstrate why they can’t get it done with AI.”

This quote from Shopify’s CEO went viral — and for good reason.

It’s a tough pill to swallow for many.

But… I agree.

AI is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s the new baseline for productivity.

And if we don’t actively push our teams to explore what’s possible, we risk falling behind.

That’s why we launched an internal initiative at Demodesk called:
 🕰️ Automate My Job (Just Kidding… Kind Of)

👋 first degree community...

In case you are in Paris, you might want to attend this. 👀 ⤵️

#fullenrich #gtm #growthchallenges #alwaysbelearning

We’re getting together in Paris.

FullEnrich is bringing together clients, partners, and friends for a laid-back evening at the Hexa (eFounders) office.

No slides.
No speeches.

Just real conversations with people facing the same Go-To-Market, RevOps, Lead Gen, and Growth challenges.

It’s all about:

→ Sharing what’s working
→ Swapping ideas
→ Creating meaningful connections

Drinks, food, and good company.

Let us know if you’ll be around 🍷

Here’s the link to register:
https://lu.ma/8c1tvyq2

I read newsletters on Sundays.
But I collect them all week.

I’ve always loved the signal in newsletters.
But my inbox?
Too much noise.

That’s why I use @meco_app.
It gives newsletters their own space — outside my inbox.
No clutter. No distractions. Just reading.

Every Sunday, I take a moment to slow down and catch up.
a16z, Lenny, EUVC, FishmanAF, Product Hunt, Mostly Metrics, simple.ai, Zapier — it’s all there.
Insights from operators, investors, analysts, and builders.
Sharp thinking. Real opinions.
No threads. No fluff.

The screenshots? Just a selection.
The full list is long. And curated.

Want it?
Hit me in the comments. I’ll send it.

—

What’s your favorite newsletter?
Always curious to discover new ones.

#Newsletters #StartupInsights #FutureOfWork #AI #VentureCapital #SundayReading #ProductivityTools #Founders #BuilderCulture #MecoApp

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