Kaan Anit's Linkedin Analytics

Speaking to more than 10,000 founders... Founders don’t struggle because of ideas. They get stuck because of people problems. Too slow to hire. Too hard to fundraise. Too many priorities. Too few real conversations. It’s not about ambition. It’s about not having the time. Not having the resources. Not having the right people. We mapped the 99 challenges most founders face: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eCCdVPty Now we’re building the community that helps solve them. Not background. Backbone. The ones who’ve built. The ones who open doors, not just give advice. The ones who help founders grow faster — because they’ve done it before. 🚪 Make intros 🧭 Share clarity ⚡ Create real impact 👇 Join us https://lnkd.in/exxzPPp8 #founders #earlystage #venturecapital #changethewaywework #backersofbravebeginnings #firstdegree

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

In case you’re inter to get some insights on AI co workers and where it might be going… Got to watch (or listen) to this long Reid from Reid Hoffman ⤵️👀🎧

👋 first degree community... In case you are in Paris, you might want to attend this. 👀 ⤵️ #fullenrich #gtm #growthchallenges #alwaysbelearning

Must-read for every founder. Onboarding isn’t just a feature — it’s a feeling. This playbook shows how to scale that feeling without losing the magic. Well done, and thank you for sharing this. All credits to Gaurav and also for First Round Capital 👀⤵️

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

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

Visiting New York City. Probably the number one city for many things. Including venture capital. But this time, I’m not here to take meetings. Just having a great time off—with my daughter. Still, I couldn’t help myself. Out of curiosity, I searched “venture capital” on Google Maps. Just to see who’s here. Yeah, so many big names I’ve seen: Bessemer Venture Partners and Union Square Ventures, Sequoia Capital, First Round Capital, Founders Fund, Index Ventures, Insight Partners, Greycroft, FirstMark Capital, FJ Labs… Let’s just say… NYC doesn’t disappoint. #nyc #venturecapital #dadlife #curiosity #firstdegree #futureofwork

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

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

We had our board meeting yesterday. And my biggest shareholder gave me one clear goal for May: “Ask. Listen. Then talk. 5 times a day. Every day.” Apparently, that’ll make our next board meeting much more pleasant. She got the idea from a post Benjamin shared (link in comments). And let’s just say—she didn’t send it for fun. So this month, I’m running a new play: Less noise. More signal. Less talking. More listening. Ask. Listen. Then talk. (In that order.) To founders. To investors. To partner VCs. I’m all ears. Got something worth building? Let’s talk. Oh—and my biggest shareholder? That’s my wife. And let’s be honest… she’s usually right. #FirstDegree #AskListenTalk #FounderLife #VC #MarriedToMyBoss

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

A shirt started it all. In February, I listened to Dario Amodei from Anthropic. It felt like hearing Einstein or Oppenheimer. Fast forward to this week. In Soho, New York — I’m wearing my Backer of Brave Beginnings shirt. It sparked a conversation with a complete stranger. Smart. Curious. Grounded. Turned out to be Guy Burnet — one of the scientists in the movie Oppenheimer. Not a real one. But brilliant in his own way. Would’ve never met him otherwise. Wear what you stand for. You never know who you’ll meet. What’s the boldest shirt you own? #FutureOfWork #BackerOfBraveBeginnings #VentureCapital #FirstDegree

Backers of Brave Beginnings. That’s what my shirt said today. Walking through my old street in Soho NYC. Someone stopped me. “So what do you do? You’re a VC?” A few words on a shirt. That’s all it took. Not a pitch. Not a deck. Not a big story. Just a reminder: Say it simple. Say it clear. We back brave beginnings. That’s it. #firstdegree #venturecapital #founders

28 years ago, it was Queen’s Day. The streets of the Netherlands were buzzing, but I had other plans. I packed my bags and flew to New York — chasing something I couldn’t yet put into words. My first Queen’s Day in New York was in 1998 at Felix. Today, Queen’s Day has become King’s Day. And I’m back — walking these streets with my daughter by my side. Same city. Different season of life. Time flies. But the feeling of adventure? It stays with you — especially when you get to pass it on. So today we’re back at Felix… What about you? Where did your adventure start — and who would you take back with you? #KingsDay #NewYorkCity #FelixNYC #FullCircle #FamilyMoments #Gratitude

End of Q1. Prep for Q2. Our first board meeting of the new quarter. Just me and my wife. Location: the beach. Minutes: not taken. She’s not on the cap table. But she owns the majority. Of my attention. My energy. My sanity. Every Q1 recap I showed her got the same response: “Sounds intense. Want some fruit?” She doesn’t read investor updates. She reads me. And while I’m pitching the future of work to the world, She’s been living it for years. No buzzwords. No bullshit. Just brutal honesty, soft landings, and long walks. Q2 goal: remember who really keeps the lights on. Welcome to the life of the solo GP. #Q2 #founders #firstdegree #boardmeeting #startuplife #venturecapital #futureofwork #relationshipsfirst #founderlife #fundlife #worklifebalance

“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

Late 90s, New York. No investors. No safety nets. Just hustle, hope — and a little magic. I worked in great restaurants where every shift felt like a movie. Met incredible people who changed the way I saw the world. And once a week, dancing next to Whitney Houston in a packed club. Moments you can’t plan — only live. Cash was king. Dreams were currency. And friendships? They were the real equity. If life back then had a name, it would be called bootstrapping. Building from scratch. Starting with nothing but ambition and trust in yourself. Now, nearly 30 years later… New York has changed. The world has changed. I’ve changed. But the spirit — that same bootstrap spirit — is still here. This week, I’m back in New York. Walking the same streets, but this time with my daughter by my side. Sharing with her the city that once made me dream bigger than I ever thought possible. Some things change. Some things stay the same. And some things — like the magic of New York — are timeless. New York — you’re still magical. And I’m grateful to be back, full circle. #FullCircle #NewYork #Bootstrapping #Gratitude #NeverForgetWhereYouStarted

It started here. New York City, 1997. Park Avenue South. L’Express. My first job. Not glamorous. Not planned. But it changed everything. I learned to show up. Work hard. Trust the process. Today, I walked by. Same doors. Same tables. Same feeling: Gratitude. Which job changed the course of your life? #MemoryLane #NewYorkCity #FirstJob #Gratitude #CareerJourney

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