Anthony Danon on Building Rerail and Scaling Startups
Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
Release Date: 03/13/2025
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Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
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Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
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Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
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Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
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Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
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Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
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Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
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Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
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Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
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Lifeselfmastery's podcast I Startups I Venture Capital
was the Head of Growth at . Topmate.io is a fast-growing online platform that connects freelancers and clients, he used to lead the growth strategy and execution for the company. rifa.ai founder. IIT bombay In this episode, Shubham Khoker, former Head of Growth at Topmate and founder of Rifa AI, shares his unconventional journey from UPSC preparation to the startup world, insights from scaling Topmate in India and the US, lessons from failed experiments, and the evolution of the creator economy. He discusses the future of AI in growth and operations, the difference between growth sales and...
info_outlineAnthony Danon is the GP of Rerail - Pre-seed / seed angel fund investing in founders that look to utilize fintech. He was earlier a partner at Speedinvest and an investor at Anthemis
In this episode, Anthony Danon, General Partner at Rerail, shares his journey from an unpaid internship at Anthemis to building Rerail, a $24M solo GP fund focused on fintech-powered businesses. Anthony discusses his early days of investing in fintech at Anthemis and Speedinvest, the decision to co-found Coco Fund with Carmen, and why he eventually launched Rerail. He explains his “Everything is Fintech” thesis, the value of founder obsession, and how he leverages his global network for deal flow, due diligence, and much more!
Timestamps
[00:01:45] – How Anthony started in VC through an unpaid internship at Anthemis in 2014.
[00:04:30] – Early experience at Anthemis and how it shaped his understanding of fintech investing.
[00:06:12] – Transition to Speedinvest and the shift to leading fintech seed investments in the UK.
[00:09:10] – Building Coco Fund with Carmen and the decision to leave Speedinvest.
[00:11:20] – Launching Rerail as a solo GP fund and focusing on fintech-powered companies.
[00:14:00] – Explanation of the “Everything is Fintech” thesis.
[00:16:30] – Three categories of fintech opportunities: Core fintech, fintech-powered, and fintech in regulated markets.
[00:19:00] – Raising a $24M fund and targeting 25–30 investments.
[00:21:10] – How Anthony analyzes deals and founder traits he looks for.
[00:23:15] – Focus on founder obsession, unique insights, and clarity of vision.
[00:25:30] – How he leverages his network of founders and operators for deal flow.
[00:28:45] – Role of distribution and partnerships in helping portfolio companies grow.
[00:31:20] – Co-investment strategy and working with other funds.
[00:33:45] – Challenges and benefits of investing globally.
[00:35:55] – Exciting fintech markets – mentions of India, LatAm, and Africa.
[00:38:10] – Why Revolut succeeded in Europe but no equivalent exists in the US.
[00:40:25] – How AI is shaping the future of fintech.
[00:42:30] – Role of AI in digitizing intermediated markets like insurance and lending.
[00:44:50] – How Anthony approaches early-stage investments in new markets.
[00:47:10] – Importance of having a structured framework for exits and riding winners.
[00:49:30] – Advice to first-time fintech founders on raising capital.
[00:51:45] – Lessons from building Coco Fund and Rerail.
Anthony’s Links
LDN– https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-danon-3409099b
Website – https://www.rerail.vc/
My Links
Podcast: https://lifeselfmastery.com/itunes
Newsletter: https://partner-grow.beehiiv.com/subscribe
YouTube: youtube.com/lifeselfmastery
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rohitmal
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit857/
Agency: https://bit.ly/41YuNnx