Episodes
Alexa Binns, a seasoned investor and marketer, takes us through her remarkable journey from non-profit roots to establishing herself as a venture capital investor, overseeing her family office alongside her three sisters. Drawing from her dual roles as an angel investor and limited partner, Alexa provides invaluable insights for founders and venture capitalists alike, enriching the conversation with her wealth of experience and perspective.
Published 04/30/24
Published 04/30/24
Vijay Reddy, partner at Mayfield, talks about the latest innovations and trends shaping the artificial intelligence (AI) landscape. He shares his venture capital journey and describes Mayfield's unique focus on cognitive plumbing and Cognition-as-a-Service (CaaS), unraveling what these concepts entail. Vijay also offers practical advice for startup founders keen on tapping into the myriad opportunities within the realm of AI.
Published 04/16/24
Philip Edmundson, founder of Corvus Insurance (recently acquired by Travelers), shares the captivating journey of Corvus, from its inception to its recent acquisition. He discusses the company's unique approach to cyber risk and its mission to revolutionize commercial insurance with advanced data science and an AI-driven approach. Philip also discusses opportunities for innovation in insurance, and gives insights into crucial startup matters such as early team building and selecting the right...
Published 04/02/24
Tommy Leep, founding partner at Jetstream, shares insights on climate tech investing and nurturing startups for a sustainable future. He delves into climate tech trends, opportunities for startups, and challenges that early-stage investors face (such as greenwashing). Tommy also advises founders on articulating their vision, avoiding the "founders' curse of knowledge" and the importance of sales skills.
Published 03/19/24
Eric Sippel of Sippel Farb Family Office delves into the intricacies of investing in emerging managers. Eric outlines his meticulous emerging manager selection criteria, emphasizing his preference for specialists over generalists. He highlights key challenges of identifying good VCs as a Limited Partner (LP), and offers insights into the shifting venture capital landscape. In addition, he discusses the importance of supporting underrepresented venture capitalists for enhanced portfolio returns.
Published 03/05/24
Mikey Kailis, Principal at Counterpart Ventures, as he shares his extraordinary journey from the sun-kissed shores of Perth, Western Australia, to the heart of Silicon Valley's venture capital scene. Mikey discusses how Counterpart Ventures is pioneering a new era of corporate venture capital (CVC) in and outside the Bay Area, and shares his views on the sector’s future.
Published 02/20/24
Aakar Vachhani, Managing Partner at Fairview Capital Partners, explores the crucial role of limited partners (LPs) in the venture capital ecosystem. He delves into the distinctive characteristics of venture capital as an asset class and sheds light on Fairview's role as a fund of funds, culture, investment strategy, areas of focus, and bullish stance on emerging managers. Additionally, he shares insights on trending topics that could influence the future of the venture capital industry.
Published 02/06/24
Lorenzo Thione, Managing Director at Gaingels, shares his journey from Italy to the U.S. and the pivotal life event inspiring his advocacy for inclusive venture capital representation. He delves into Gaingels' investment philosophy, emphasizing its focus on supporting diverse founders and investors. Lorenzo also offers insights for today's founders, spotlighting game-changing technologies like artificial intelligence.
Published 01/23/24
Anne Dwane, a Partner at Village Global, shares her commitment to supporting amazing entrepreneurs working on big ideas. Leveraging her background as an entrepreneur-turned-investor, Anne underscores the significance of establishing networks early and explores the feasibility of launching a company during economic downturns. Moreover, she sheds light on the dynamic role of venture capitalists, particularly within a VC industry confronted by distinctive challenges.
Published 01/09/24
Patrick Mork, founder and CEO of LEAP, shares his career journey and underscores the pivotal role of coaching in nurturing founder success. Drawing from his extensive leadership and coaching experience, Patrick imparts valuable advice to founders and leaders, addressing the intricacies of entrepreneurship and leadership. Topics covered include professional development, navigating career maneuvers, building a purpose-driven business, and prioritizing company culture. He also offers insights on...
Published 12/19/23
Justin Dyer, Chief Investment Officer at AWM Capital, shares insights into AWM's venture strategies and human-centered approach to athlete wealth management. He talks about the critical role of networks in VC and gives useful tips for choosing the right limited partner.
Published 12/05/23
Steve Pretre, partner at World Innovation Lab (WiL), takes us on an extraordinary journey from his upbringing in Silicon Valley to becoming a key player in the insurtech and venture capital worlds. He shares the thrilling journey of starting Metromile and leading it through the IPO stage, highlighting some of the biggest challenges of starting an insurtech startup. Steve also dispels the skepticism about corporate venture capital firms (CVCs).
Published 11/21/23
Miles Dieffenbach, Director of Investments at Carnegie Mellon University Endowment, offers valuable insights, personal anecdotes, and perspectives on the fundamentals of venture capital. He covers topics such as GP commit, navigating the denominator effect, and the broader economic trends that impact the venture capital industry.
Published 11/07/23
Aram Verdiyan, Partner at Accolade Partners, offers a comprehensive exploration of the LP landscape and the strategies that drive success in the world of venture capital. Aram emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships with VCs and sheds light on how general partners (GPs) think. He also discusses his views on returns generation, comparing concentrated and diversified investments.
Published 10/24/23
Theresa Blissing, founder of Accelerating Insurance and the Asia InsurTech Podcast, delves into the transformative potential of emerging technologies in the insurance sector. She offers valuable insights for founders aiming for success in the insurance industry, irrespective of their operational geography. Additionally, she sheds light on noteworthy trends, opportunities, and challenges facing insurtech startups, with a particular focus on the dynamic landscape in Asia.
Published 10/10/23
Chris Douvos, founder of Ahoy Capital, discusses venture capital investing as a limited partner (LP). He explores how venture capital fits in an investor's portfolio, shares his investment philosophy, and reveals how he identifies nonconformist VC investors, especially emerging managers. Chris also reflects on recent VC landscape changes and offers insights to better the industry's future and its potential impact.
Published 09/26/23
Priya Ramachandran, founder and managing partner at Foster Ventures, recounts her remarkable odyssey from the tech world in India to her venture capital journey in the heart of Silicon Valley. She candidly discusses her evolution as a VC, starting as an angel investor, and passionately elaborates on the core values and principles that underpin the foundation of Foster Ventures. Priya also expresses her enthusiasm for the imminent surge of innovation poised to emerge from the dynamic...
Published 09/12/23
Eric Ver Ploeg, founding partner of Tunitas Ventures, talks about how his seed-stage venture firm is helping entrepreneurs raise the best possible Series A. He shares his inspiring career journey into venture capital and expounds on the three key things he looks for in a potential investment. Additionally, he offers insights into the transformative shifts within the venture capital landscape, shedding light on the evolution of his personal viewpoints.
Published 08/29/23
Scott Barclay, Managing Director at Insight Partners, delves into the potential of software to revolutionize healthcare's flawed systems. He explores the dynamics of VC firms operating across various stages in the ecosystem, weighing the pros and cons of seed-stage investments for larger firms. Additionally, Scott shares insights on why now is an opportune time to embark on AI endeavors.
Published 08/15/23
Oren Zeev, Founding Partner at Zeev Ventures, shares his one-man VC experience, and lessons from investing in so many successful companies. Oren reveals the secrets behind his renowned Silicon Valley builder-investor approach. He also gives his perspectives on the dynamic role of a VC in supporting founders, as well as his thoughts on trends shaping the venture capital industry.
Published 08/01/23
David York, a founder and managing director of Top Tier Capital Partners, provides invaluable insights into the intricacies of fund of funds (FOF). Delving into the dynamic nature of FOFs within the venture capital ecosystem, he sheds light on three distinct methods of investing in venture capital. Furthermore, David offers a comprehensive overview of his meticulous evaluation process for VC firms, highlighting the formidable challenges that investors encounter when selecting the most...
Published 07/18/23
Ruth Foxe Blader, a Partner at Anthemis Group, discusses her international focus on investing in FinTech and InsurTech startups. She emphasizes the need for investors to see beyond founders' storytelling and communication skills, and instead evaluate their potential to execute their mission. Ruth also highlights emerging generative AI trends and her outlook on the future of financial services.
Published 07/04/23
Charles Moldow, a general partner at Foundation Capital, shares his remarkable journey from being a Wall Street analyst to becoming an entrepreneur and eventually transitioning into his current role as an investor over two decades ago. His captivating anecdotes leave you eager for more, whether he's recounting stories about his father's wisdom on the internet or recalling a memorable encounter with an exceptional entrepreneur. Charles also delves into the exciting market trends within...
Published 06/20/23
Munjal Shah, the co-founder and CEO of Hippocratic AI, highlights how a personal health event propelled him into the healthcare industry. He elucidates the potential of AI technologies to offer intelligent, secure, and cost-effective solutions for the significant challenges encountered by traditional industries. Furthermore, Munjal delves into the pivotal role that startups play in shaping the future of AI.
Published 06/06/23