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Tales from the hard side.

Honest conversations with the founders manufacturing the physical future.

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Investing in Disruptive Hard Tech for People & Planet

Hosted by Raquel Lourenço, this live episode of Tales From the Hard Side features Rafiq Ahmed, Mitul Patel, and Manuela Zoninshein as they explore the future of disruptive hard tech for people and the...

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The Hardtech Podcast | Backing Hardtech: A VC’s Perspective with Dipalo Ventures

Tales from the Hard Side: Episode 12 | Featuring Salvador Dueñas and Tina Hrabak

In the field

The Dipalo network, documented in real time.

We’re still thinking about the night. ⚙️🌱✨ Grateful to everyone who joined us for our Q1 Happy Hour — an evening filled with meaningful conversations around climate, capital, and hardtech here in Chicago. A special thank you to our incredible speakers: 🎙️ Molly Koehler (J.P. Morgan) 🎙️ Mackenzie Siren (Chicago Climate Connect) 🎙️ Manuela Zoninsein (Kadeya) 🎙️ Rafiq Ahmed (Dipalo Ventures) And to our partners who made it all possible: J.P. Morgan, Bombay Eats, and mHUB 🤝 Our fireside chat — Chicago Rising: Capital, Climate & Hard Tech Manufacturing — was honest, thoughtful, and necessary. A few reflections we’re taking with us: ✨ Chicago already has what it needs — talent, manufacturing, and customers ✨ Hardtech matters — the future will be built in atoms, not just bits ✨ Community isn’t a “nice to have” — it’s infrastructure ✨ Capital exists, but access and connectivity remain the real gaps ✨ Building trust — across founders, investors, and institutions — is critical And maybe most importantly — Chicago doesn’t need more noise. It needs more alignment. We left the room feeling optimistic, but also clear: the next chapter will be written by those willing to show up early, collaborate deeply, and back bold ideas from day one. A special moment for us — celebrating Monika’s 5-year anniversary at Dipalo Ventures 🎉 Her work in building community and supporting founders is felt across everything we do. This is just the beginning 🚀 If you’re building, investing, or just curious — let’s connect. #ChicagoTech #Hardtech #ClimateTech #VentureCapital #StartupCommunity Chicago
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Chicago’s hardtech moment is here. ⚙️🌱 Join us on March 24 for our Q1 Happy Hour featuring networking, elevator pitches, and a fireside chat: Chicago Rising: Capital, Climate & Hardtech Manufacturing 🎤 Mackenzie Siren — Chicago Climate Connect 🎤 Manuela Zoninsein — Kadeya 🎤 Rafiq Ahmed — Dipalo Ventures Moderated/ Sponsored by J.P. Morgan. In partnership with mHUB and Bombay Eats 🍷 Drinks 🤝 Great people ⚡ Big ideas Register here (link in bio): https://luma.com/dwwhtd8o #ChicagoStartups #ClimateTech #Hardtech #ChicagoEvents #VentureCapital
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Chicago has been busy the past two weeks 🌆 From climate innovation to hardtech and investor gatherings, it’s been great to see the Chicago startup ecosystem come together. Highlights included: 🌱 Chicago Climate Connect 🌍 Aspen Ideas: Climate Launch — The Heartland’s Power Play ⚙️ mHUB HardTech Summit 🤝 Chicagoland Angel Investor Gathering 💡 The Raise Investor Matchmaking + LongJump Lunch 🍽 Chicago:Blend Fellow & Alumni Dinner Meanwhile, Rafiq is in Miami this week for iGlobal + SuperReturn connecting with LPs and partners. And we’re excited to be back with our Dipalo Ventures Quarterly Happy Hour🍸 📍 March 24 — mHUB 🤝 Sponsored by J.P. Morgan 🔗 https://luma.com/dwwhtd8o Looking forward to seeing founders, investors, and friends from the ecosystem there! #ChicagoStartups #ChicagoTech #HardTech #ClimateTech #VentureCapital MidwestInnovation
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🇸🇦 WAM Saudi – Day 1 AI-driven manufacturing, smart logistics, and deep-tech solutions front and center — aligned with Vision 2030. Rafiq judged the Disruptor startup pitch competition by River Venture Studio alongside Anant Mani and Abdullah Mohammad. Two startups advanced to tomorrow’s Supernova Pitch Competition: • Impressora — sustainable homes using natural waste as cement • Enlightened Machines — next-gen robotics platform Closed the evening with ecosystem leaders: Dr. Viveka Kalidasan, Marek Nemeth, Daniel Denes, Vladimir Dosa, Sumana Mandal, Halli Bedevi, Rajkaran Singh, and Rezwan Shafique. On to Day 2. 🔥 #WAMSaudi #Industry50 #DeepTech #AdvancedManufacturing #DipaloVentures
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As Saudi Arabia accelerates Vision 2030, advanced manufacturing, AI, smart logistics, and next-gen industrial systems are at the center of the Kingdom’s transformation. 🇸🇦 At #WAMSaudi2026, global leaders across energy, robotics, digital twins, and industrial innovation will convene to shape what Industry 5.0 looks like in practice. Our Managing Partner, Rafiq Ahmed, will be speaking on Monday, Feb 16 — sharing insights on investing in hard tech and physical AI. 🔗 Read the article: https://lnkd.in/dPYTNETy 📝 Register for free full conference access: https://lnkd.in/gTATYqst #DipaloVentures #Industry50 #AdvancedManufacturing #WAMSaudi2026 #Vision2030 #HardTech
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New year, new ways of building 🤍🤝🏻 Spent the day workshopping with the MP Consulting, LLC team at their new office—working through the hashtag#DipaloVenturesResidency strategy and aligning on how we collaborate across product, engineering, and execution. These sessions are where ideas get sharpened, and teams get stronger. More of this energy, more teamwork, more thoughtful building ahead.
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This week = community, chaos, and good energy ✨🥂 VIP holiday vibes 🎄, LongJump Q4, podcast recordings 🎙️, Meet the PortCos lunches, and nonstop catching up with old friends + making new ones 🤝. Watching founders become investors and ecosystem partners become founders? Chef’s kiss 🚀 Sprinkled in: heated West Loop parking debates 🚗😂, recording #TalesFromTheHardSide hosted by Raquel Lourenço featuring Rafiq Ahmed, Mitul Patel, and Manuela Zoninsein 🎧, amazing food 🍽️, and planning the next VC Karaoke night 🎤 (iykyk). If you missed it — don’t stress. More fun nights, great people, and meaningful convos coming up 🥂✨ 🎧 Latest episode here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gSbEs2DT Grateful. Energized. Ready for more 🤍
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🚀 The future of industry is being rebuilt — and it’s happening in hard tech. At Dipalo Ventures, we back the technologies powering the next industrial transformation: ⚡ Energy — distributed systems, renewables, next-gen storage 🌱 Climate — waste-to-value, industrial decarbonization, water resilience 🤖 Physical AI — robotics, smart devices, industrial intelligence These are the sectors where real value is being created: capital-intensive, defensible, and built for long-term impact. Because investing in hard tech isn’t just about supporting innovation — it’s about shaping the infrastructure of the next decade. You choose what future your capital accelerates. We’re choosing energy, climate, and physical AI. 🎙️ Want to go deeper? Join our Live Podcast Recording + Q&A where we break down the core of our investment thesis. 🔗 Link in bio to register @manuelasweb @mendicantraf @kadeya.club #HardTech #IndustrialRevolution #VCFund #EnergyTransition #ClimateTech #PhysicalAI #DeepTech #AdvancedManufacturing #DisruptiveInnovation #DipaloVentures
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Dispatches

Essays, updates, and news from the firm.

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