Podcast appearances and mentions of mac venture capital

What makes a great founder? How do VCs really decide who to back?In this episode of Demo Day, host Sean Goldfaden sits down with Marlon Nichols, Managing Partner at MaC Venture Capital, to explore what separates good founders from great ones, the mindset of successful venture capitalists, and the hidden power of community-driven events like CultureHouse and LA Tech Week.Marlon breaks down the qualities he looks for when investing—including “repeat exceptionalism,” founder resilience, domain expertise, salesmanship, and more. Plus, he opens up about navigating blind spots, evolving Mac's investment strategy, and what it takes to succeed in today's fast-moving startup landscape.Whether you're a startup founder, aspiring VC, or someone looking to break into tech, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice.Topics covered include:1. How VCs really evaluate early-stage startups2. Why repeat exceptionalism matters more than a resume3. Common blind spots that derail even top-tier founders4. The evolution of LA's tech and venture ecosystem5. How to build relationships with LPs as a first-time fund manager6. Why CultureHouse has become a cornerstone of LA Tech Week7. Marlon's advice for the next generation of builders and investors

Michael Palank has been General Partner at MaC Venture Capital since its inception in January 2019. At MaC, Michael focuses on seed-stage consumer and enterprise startup investing across a number of sectors. Prior, he was General Partner at M Ventures, a Los Angeles and Bay Area based early-stage venture fund.Michael was a member of the founding team of MACRO Media, a disruptive media company founded by Charles D. King and focused on the multicultural market where he led digital strategy and operations. Michael has six and a half years experience working both inside and alongside early-stage startups in the media and technology sector.GUEST: Michael Palank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpalank/ Website: https://macventurecapital.com/team/michael-palank/ -HOST: Tanaka Tava Website: ⁠⁠https://www.tanakatava.com/⁠⁠ Podcast: ⁠⁠Listen to Podcast⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@iconicconver⁠⁠... Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tavamultimediagroup/⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tanaka.mindset⁠

When I learned that MaC Venture Capital just raised $150 million for its third fund since 2020, I immediately reached out for an interview with Marlon Nichols, the firm's co-founder and managing general partner. Marlon previously co-founded Cross Culture Ventures, which merged with M Ventures in 2019 to form MaC VC. In this interview, we talked about his path from enterprise software into venture capital, the concept of cultural investing, and MaC VC's focus on diverse founders. He also explained what types of startups the new fund is open to and discussed some of the criteria he uses to assess the strengths of founding teams (and their ideas). Runtime: 45:44 Links Marlon Nichols Contact Marlon MaC Venture Capital Exclusive: MaC VC raises $150 million for its third fund in four years (Fortune) The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers, Ben Horowitz Secrets of Sand Hill Road: Venture Capital and How to Get It, Scott Kupor Subscribe

It's not every day you get to hear space industry perspectives from a former Hollywood talent agent turned investor. Today we're joined by Mike Palank, General Partner at MaC Venture Capital, who shares his career path and insights into the world of VC. Mike, with a background in the entertainment industry, including working at WME as a talent agent, with Will Smith and co-founding MaC Venture Capital, brings a unique perspective on identifying talent and investing in innovative startups.MaC Venture Capital, founded in 2019, focuses on early-stage investments, emphasizing diversity and unique backgrounds among its partners and portfolio. Our conversation delves into Mike's strategic vision and track record. We also explore:The transition from talent agent to venture capitalist and the skills that overlapKey investment areas within aerospace, defense, and diverse tech sectorsThe importance of diversity in the venture capital industry and how it impacts investment decisionsWhat's next in space investingAnd much more... • Chapters •00:00 - Intro01:56 - Mike's background07:23 - From talent agency to VC11:07 - Spotting talent13:33 - MaC's structure, investment thesis, and thoughts about space26:00 - How to get up to speed on new industries and the state of startups in the current market as an investor33:07 - Notable investments44:02 - Common founder mistakes51:24 - Mike's view on diversity in the space industry57:22 - Hyped and overhyped sectors in the market • Show notes •MaC Venture Capital website — https://macventurecapital.com/Mike's socials — https://twitter.com/mpalank101Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload's socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspacePathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes • About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We're also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world.Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we're a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing five media properties across multiple platforms:1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com)3) Polaris, our weekly policy briefing, publishes weekly on Tuesdays4) Payload Research, our weekly research and analysis piece,  comes out on WednesdaysYou can sign up for all of our publications here: https://payloadspace.com/subscribe/

In this episode we speak with Marlon Nichols, co-founder of MaC Ventures Capital, who discusses his diverse career path from starting as an early employee at an enterprise software company, moving into consulting, and ultimately venturing into the world of venture capital. He explains the founding and growth of MaC Ventures Capital, sharing insights into their investment thesis, sector focus, and the types of companies they seek to partner with. Marlon also provides invaluable advice for new fund managers and entrepreneurs, touching on the current fundraising landscape, strategies for success, and the importance of aligning with a firm's culture and team dynamics   MaC Ventures Capital is a seed-stage venture firm that invests primarily in North America, with a focus on California. While the firm does not have a specific sector focus, it considers itself a generalist firm run by sector experts. Marlon explains that the common thread among their investments is a focus on popular culture and future trends. The firm seeks to identify emerging behaviors and trends early on and invest in companies that align with these shifts. This approach allows MaC Ventures Capital to invest in a wide range of sectors, including fintech, B2B SaaS, digital health, and space and defense.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.  Founder Bio: Marlon Nichols is the co-founder and managing general partner at MaC Venture Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm that invests in visionary founders building the future that the world wants to see. Marlon has an extensive background in technology, private equity, media and entertainment. His unique eye for global and cultural trends, along with shifts in consumer behavior, has helped him uplift and accelerate entrepreneurs and companies that are on the verge of their breakthrough moment. Some of his current and previous portfolio companies include Blavity, Faze Clan, FINESSE, Gimlet Media, LIT Videobooks, Mansa, MongoDB, Pipe, PureStream, Ryff, Solo Funds, Spill, Thrive Market, Wonderschool and others. Thanks to his background as a professional athlete, Marlon utilizes sports leadership philosophy when working closely with CEOs to build the ventures of tomorrow. His diverse network of media and entertainment industry leaders, tech entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 executives and sports professionals helps him develop strategic partnerships and promote brand expansions for his portfolio companies.Marlon serves on the board of directors for the Kauffman Fellows program, where he has been instrumental in growing the representation of underrepresented minorities. He also serves on the advisory board for Los Angeles Mayor's office's PledgeLA. Marlon has been honored on the LA500 in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and ranked among top early stage investors on Business Insider's Seed 100 for three consecutive years. He was also named Pitchbook's 25 Black Founders and VCs to Watch for the last six years. Marlon has been featured in Axios, CNBC, Cheddar, The Information, Crunchbase News, Fortune, Yahoo! Finance and more. Prior to MaC Venture Capital, Marlon was co-founder of Cross Culture Ventures. He eventually enacted the merger with Adrian Fenty's M Ventures that resulted in MaC Venture Capital as it stands today. Prior to Cross Culture Ventures, he served as an Investment Director at Intel Capital and earned hands-on experience as an operator himself. Marlon earned his Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from Northeastern University and an MBA from the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University, where he was also adjunct faculty in entrepreneurship and venture capital.   Time Stamps:   02:57 Marlon's journey from early operator to VC founder 08:55 Venture capital as a path to diversity and strategic engagement 12:14 MaC ventures Capital investment thesis and strategies 16:25 Fundraising challenges and advice for new founders 21:04 Strategies for First-Time fund managers targeting LPs 23:25 Fundraising realities for new VC managers 26:18 The multifaceted role of a founding general partner 28:56 Strategies for startups targeting successful exits 31:42 Evaluating seed stage investments 34:03 Venture capital's shift to sustainable investment strategies 38:25 The impact of AI on business 41:40 What is coming up in 2024 and how to get in contact with MaC Ventures Capital team   Resources   Company website: https://MaCventurecapital.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MaCventurecap/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MaC-venture-capital/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaCVentureCap

Learn how Marlon Nichols, founding partner at MaC Venture Capital, is reimagining VC to be more equitable and empowering. Hear how MaC VC is investing in the future the world wants by backing startups focused on the 99% - not just the 1%. Marlon shares his vision for a more diverse portfolio and examples of MaC's investments in marginalized founders.-----------Sign up for a free 30-day trial of the SNS Global Report - The world's most reliable source of advanced information at the intersection of technology and the economy for 25 years. https://www.stratnews.com/subscribe/------------Sign up for updates about the Future in Review conference at http://www.futureinreview.com------------Subscribe to Future in Review Podcast:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/future-in-review-podcast-w-berit-anderson/id1650665335Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9tZWRpYS5yc3MuY29tL2Z1dHVyZWlucmV2aWV3L2ZlZWQueG1sSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1aZsFcVINhGAe2FvaDif0e?si=f8add49fa10040c8

Adrian Fenty has a fascinating perspective as founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital and former mayor of Washington, DC. In this episode, Adrian dives into the intersections of government and technology, including:   * Why governments should be run more like tech companies * Why governments are critical for real change (including insights from his massive educational reform in Washington, DC) * How VC is both art and science  

Michael Palank has been General Partner at MaC Venture Capital since its inception in January 2019. Michael focuses on seed-stage consumer and enterprise startup investing across a number of sectors, including aerospace.

Marlon Nichols is the founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm that invests in visionary founders building the future that the world wants to see. Prior to MaC Venture Capital, Marlon was founder of Cross Culture Ventures and served as Investment Director at Intel Capital. Some of his current and previous portfolio companies include Blavity, Gimlet Media, LISNR, Mayvenn, MongoDB, PlayVS, Pipe, Thrive Market and Wonderschool, among others. Follow Black Tech Green Money: @blacktechgreenmoney, @btgmpodcast Follow Will Lucas on Instagram: @willlucas Learn more at AfroTech.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human-centered automation technology refers to the use of technology that is designed to work in harmony with human capabilities, rather than replacing them. This type of technology can be particularly useful in supply chain and retail operations, where a balance must be struck between efficiency and maintaining a human touch. In today's episode, Charu Thomas, Founder, and CEO of Ox talks about human-centered automation technology. 00:10- About Charu Thomas Charu Thomas is Founder and CEO at Ox, the world's first Human Centered Automation company.  Human-Centered Automation is wearable technology that directs frontline operators through software intelligence.  Ox currently powers billions of dollars of revenue for Fortune 500 enterprise customers across Supply Chain, 3PL and Retail.  To date, Ox has raised $16M in venture funding from world-class investors such as MaC Venture Capital, BBG Ventures, & Steve Case's Revolution.  They are the youngest team to raise venture capital in Arkansas' history. Over the past 24 months, Ox has grown from 4 to 40 full-time employees.  Ox has been showcased by leading publications like The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Business Insider, and Forbes. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tbcy/support

Adrian Fenty, managing general partner at MaC Venture Capital, discusses his journey from being D.C. mayor to becoming a venture capitalist. He highlights the similarities between politics and venture capital and shares insights on MaC's unique approach to investment opportunities.In this episode, you'll learn:2:01 Lessons about business from a former politician10:39 Why ‘hire great people' is universal advice across industries15:09 Networks are unbeatable when it comes to looking for amazing people to work with.18:30 Lessons from failure can produce value in future endeavors.22:26 Importance of diversity in the VC ecosystem, including the participation of minorities and womenAbout Guest SpeakerAdrian Fenty is a managing general partner at Mac Venture Capital. Prior to founding MaC, Adrian was co-founder and Managing Partner at M. Ventures and Special Advisor to Andreessen Horowitz. He began his tech career as a consultant to Rosetta Stone, EverFi and several software startups.Fenty is a former two-term city Council member and Mayor in his hometown, Washington DC.About MaC Venture CapitalMaC Venture Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on finding ideas, technology, and products that can become infectious. The firm invests in technology companies that benefit from shifts in cultural trends and behaviors in an increasingly diverse global marketplace. MaC VC is the result of the merger between successful LosAngeles and Bay Area-based Seed funds, Cross Culture Ventures, and M Ventures.Portfolio companies include: Fursure, Preveta, Archetype, Starfish Space, WARP, Spartan Radar, Spill, Blaze, UTVATE among others.Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode. Follow Us:  Twitter | Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook

Adrian Fenty is the founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital. Prior to MaC, Adrian was co-founder and Managing Partner at M. Ventures and Special Advisor to Andreessen Horowitz. He began his tech career as a consultant to Rosetta Stone, EverFi and several software startups. Fenty is a former two-term city Councilmember and Mayor in his hometown, Washington DC. On this episode Adrian shares the best advice he received from Marc Andreessen, how to lead change, what he's uncovered about great entrepreneurs!  Checkout my NEW DAILY PODCAST- MOMENTUM MINUTES! Momentum Minutes is a short daily podcast that's going to add a little inspiration to your morning by sharing lessons on leadership, business and self mastery. Checkout my Ultimate Year End Review + 2023 Jumpstart Presentation!  You Unleashed is an online personal development course created by Sean DeLaney after spending years working with and interviewing high achievers.The online course that helps you ‘Unleash your potential'! You Unleashed teaches you the MINDSETS, ROUTINES and BEHAVIORS you need to unleash your potential and discover what you're capable of. You know you're capable of more and want to bring out that untapped potential inside of you. We teach you how. Enroll Today for only $99!- Click Here Subscribe to my Momentum Monday Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere TikTok YouTube Twitter Instagram 

Nuestra invitada dejó la universidad, lanzó su empresa y levantó millones de dólares para innovar en una industria muy tradicional y regulada: la salud.Conversamos con Tamara Chayo, CEO y fundadora de MEDU Protection, una startup que creó un material durable para fabricar indumentaria de protección médica que pueda ser reutilizada hasta 50 veces sin perder su efectividad, mientras los equipos tradicionales son desechos casi a diario.Hablamos sobre el problema de los desechos médicos y cómo navegar y vender en un mercado altamente regulado por instituciones como la FDA y la COFEPRIS. También, hablamos de su experiencia emprendiendo tan joven tras dejar la universidad y ser seleccionada en la Thiel Fellowship.A la fecha, MEDU ha levantado más de 4 millones de dólares de fondos como MAC Venture Capital y Halcyon Capital.La manera más sencilla de ayudarnos es dejando una reseña en Apple Podcasts: https://ratethispodcast.com/startupeableEste episodio es presentada por:• Talently Hire te conecta en 72 horas con desarrolladores de software con al menos 3 años de experiencia. Conoce más en https://talently.tech/hire/• Collective Academy, la neo-universidad de negocios que está re-evolucionando el aprendizaje para líderes en Latinoamérica, presenta su nueva oferta de la mano de los practitioners más top de cada industria, y en combinación con experiencias para impulsar tu diversidad cognitiva en comunidad.Notas del episodio: https://startupeable.com/medu/Síguenos en:• Página Web: https://startupeable.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startupeable/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/startupeable • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupeable/ • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Startupeable

Marlon Nichols gives top tips for people who want to become a venture capitalist and describes what a cultural investing thesis means for MaC Venture Capital. Guests - Marlon NicholsWebsite - https://macventurecapital.com/Follow Us!LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/coefficient-labsInstagram: www.instagram.com/demodaypodcast/Facebook: www.facebook.com/coefficientlabs/Twitter: https://twitter.com/coefficientlabsContact Information:social@coefficientlabs.com

What do Hollywood and the space industry have in common? Talent. Investment. Los Angeles. And Mike Palank, General Partner at MaC Venture Capital. With ten years of experience rubbing shoulders with Hollywood's royalty, Mike chose to pivot and invest in another set of stars. As a firm supporter of new ideas and innovative tech, a space fan and Sci-Fi geek, Mike shares his love of space and his experiences as a venture capital investor, helping space startups make the best decisions with advice not commonly shared.

There are a few – very few –non-traditional paths into venture capital.  Adrian Fenty may have one of the most unusual ones.  Adrian was the Mayor of Washington D.C., winning that post at the age of 35 (making him Washington D.C.'s youngest mayor ever). In this episode we discuss his path to becoming mayor of a major city and his refreshing style for governing in that office.  But being mayor of a major US city was just the beginning. Adrian became a special advisor to the venture firm Andreessen Horowitz, where he had the chance to observe its founders in action. Today, Adrian is a Managing Director of the venture firm he founded, MaC Venture Capital. https://macventurecapital.com/ www.somethingventured.com

Sign up for my Daily Fintech or Daily Digital Banking Newsletters here. Check out my latest podcast episode below: This podcast episode is sponsored by Contis, the European leader in Banking-as-a-Service. Contis is proud to deliver process-pay, a brand-new standalone processing solution ready to cater for any organisations card processing needs. To find out more visiting www.contis.com today! NEWS HIGHLIGHT Ryan Breslow, the founder of Bolt, is back as CEO of Love. Love is still in its early stages, but in August it raised $7.5 million at a $180 million valuation from MaC Venture Capital and Human Capital. Breslow is running a new funding round, raising another $10 million, this time at a $300 million plus valuation. Link here. #Payments PayQuicker launched Payouts OS. PayQuicker's API connects to more than ten payout partners, enabling payouts in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 currencies. Link here #FinTechInnovation Front launched an API platform. The firm allows emerging FinTech companies access to a unique network of 250+ global integrations with brokerages and exchanges. Link here DIGITAL BANKING NEWS #BankingIndustry Kuda incurred a loss of over ₦6 billion in 2021. Kuda MFB, a neobank operating under the Nigerian microfinance bank licence, has recorded losses for the past two years. Link here. #Partnerships Goldman partnered with Modern Treasury. The partners say they will help joint customers seamlessly embed and scale domestic and international payments into their products. Link here #BankingInnovation Zengin-Net, will make its system available to operators of mobile payment services. The expansion of eligibility to participate in the Zengin-Net system comes amid the spreading use of payment apps such as PayPay. Link here Paysend launched an instant payment service. Paysend's Open Payment Network orchestrates the end-to-end pymnt flow including payment initiation, processing, FX and settlement. Link here

This week's Espresso covers updates from R2, Auronix, Efinti, and more!Outline of this episode:[00:28] - R2 closes $15M Series A round[00:58] - Auronix receives $14.5M investment from Alloy Capital [01:26] - MEDU closes $4M seed round[01:53] - Plurall receives $20M in debt capital from Fasanara Capital[02:21] - Qanlex closes $3M seed round[02:50] - Efinti raises $1M in an investment round[03:12] - This week's new How to be the difference and Crossing Borders episodes[03:33] - Featured article on How to Recruit the Best LATAM Software Engineers by Gino FerrandResources & people mentioned:Companies & Startups: R2, PayU, Auronix, MEDU, Plurall, Qanlex, Efinti, Ontop, Leasy.VCs, Accelerators, Institutions: Gradient Ventures, General Catalyst, 166 2nd, Magma Partners, Femsa Ventures, Alloy Capital, MaC Venture Capital, Fasanara Capital, Carao Ventures, The LegalTech Fund, Preface Ventures, FJ Labs, J Ventures, Inversiones Andamas.People: Johanna Molina, Paul Lynskey, Julian Torres, Nathan Lustig, Gregorio Gilardini, Gino Ferrand.

Justin Gordon (justingordon212) talks with Marlon Nichols (@MarlonCNichols), the founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm that invests in visionary founders building the future that the world wants to see, and helping entrepreneurs bring the future into focus to find their breakthrough moment. MaC Venture Capital is the result of the merger between successful Los Angeles and Bay Area based Seed funds, Cross Culture Ventures and M Ventures. They are focused on finding ideas, technology, and products that can become infectious, investing in technology companies that benefit from shifts in cultural trends and behaviors in an increasingly diverse global marketplace. They recently raised their $203M Fund II.Marlon is a Kauffman Fellow who also serves on the Board of Directors. Prior to MaC Venture Capital, Marlon was founder of Cross Culture Ventures and served as Investment Director at Intel Capital. Marlon has an extensive background in technology, private equity, media and entertainment. His unique eye for global and cultural trends, along with shifts in consumer behavior, has helped him uplift and accelerate entrepreneurs and companies that are on the verge of their breakthrough moment. Some of his current and previous portfolio companies include Blavity, Gimlet Media, LISNR, Mayvenn, MongoDB, PlayVS, Pipe, Thrive Market and Wonderschool, among others.Marlon was recently honored as a member of the 2022 class of the LA500 list and as a top early stage investor on Insider's 2022 Seed 100 list. Additionally, he is the recipient of MVMT50's SXSW 2018 Innovator of the Year award, Digital Diversity's Innovation & Inclusion Change Agent award and was a TechWeek 100 winner. He was named Pitchbook's 25 Black Founders and VCs to Watch in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and one of Silicon Republic's 26 VC professionals spearheading change. Marlon has been featured on TechCrunch, Fortune, Cheddar, MSNBC, Blavity and NBC, and is adjunct faculty in entrepreneurship and venture capital at the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University.Website: MaC Venture CapitalLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marloncnichols/Twitter: @MarlonCNicholsMarlon on the Just Go Grind Podcast in March 2021: Episode #285 on JGGShow Notes: What enabled MaC Venture Capital to double their first raise, closing a $203M Fund II The value of a strong reserves strategy MaC Venture Capital's investment in Pipe, which transforms recurring revenue into up-front capital for growth without dilution or restrictive debt The story behind MaC Venture Capital's investment in Truebill, now Rocket Money (check out Co-Founder Haroon Mokhtarzada's episode on the Just Go Grind podcast) What makes a stellar founder How they ended up investing in Mahmee and what makes their founder Melissa Hanna such an investable founder Where Marlon is excited to invest next How Marlon educates himself on new geographies and markets Marlon's perspective on investing in the current market downturn More about the show:The Vitalize Podcast, a show by Vitalize Venture Capital (a seed-stage venture capital firm and pre-seed 400+ member angel community open to everyone), dives deep into the world of startup investing and the future of work.Hosted by Justin Gordon, the Director of Marketing at Vitalize Venture Capital, The Vitalize Podcast includes two main series. The Angel Investing series features interviews with a variety of angel investors and VCs around the world. The goal? To help develop the next generation of amazing investors. The Future of Work series takes a look at the founders and investors shaping the new world of work, including insights from our team here at Vitalize Venture Capital. More about us:Vitalize Venture Capital was formed in 2017 as a $16M seed-stage venture fund and now includes both a fund as well as an angel investing community investing in the future of work. Vitalize has offices in Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.The Vitalize Team:Gale - https://twitter.com/galeforceVCCaroline - https://twitter.com/carolinecasson_Justin - https://twitter.com/justingordon212Vitalize Angels, our angel investing community open to everyone:https://vitalize.vc/vitalizeangels/

Media is one of the few industries that impact the lives of every person. Publications frame our values; they curate our tastes and inform our thinking. Yet despite the powerful role that media plays in everyday life, the industry, in Africa, is more reliant on grants and personal funding than investments. This scarcity of funding options has doomed many papers and platforms—leading to an unprecedented shuttering of media outlets in the wake of COVID-19 and further illuminating the ever-widening gap in providing relevant and reliable information that meets the needs of Africa's young and upwardly mobile, digital-first population. Where legacy publications have failed, new media start-ups like Big Cabal Media are stepping in to fill the void. Its dynamic publications from Zikoko to TechCabal are chronicling the lives of ordinary Nigerians as well as the tools they're building to shape the future of Nigeria's business and economy. In March 2022, Big Cabal Media raised $2.3 million to build on this vision from leading investors including MaC Venture Capital, backers of household names like U.S.-based media darling Blavity. In this episode of Afro-Catalyst, we speak to Big Cabal CEO Tomiwa Aladekomo about creating highly content for African youth and his ambitious plan to document Africa's coming golden age. Note: TechCabal, one of BCM's brands, is hiring a new Editor-in-Chief! Learn more and join them today here.

One of nine startup entrepreneurs will soon find themselves on a 30-minute pitch call with some of the most powerful investors in the space sector, including Tess Hatch, Seraphim Capital, Toyota Ventures, and the former mayor of Washington D.C., now at MaC Venture Capital. To earn this phone call, they must beat out the other eight competitors in this year's Startup Space pitch competition taking place on Tuesday, March 22 at the SATELLITE 2022 conference. On this episode of On Orbit, we're joined by competition organizer Rafferty Jackson of Jack Industries to talk about the impact Startup Space has made in its six years of existence, helping cultivate fast-growing companies such as Astroscale, LeoLabs, Ursa, Orbit Fab, and dozens more. Rafferty has been a Startup Space judge since its very first year and she has assembled an impressive line-up of competitors and judges participating in this year's event. During this interview, Rafferty and I detail the range of technologies and people that will take the stage at SATELLITE 2022 to convey their potential during a brief, but grueling five-minute pitch. Rafferty and host Jeffrey Hill also discuss how she came into the space industry from a successful career as an executive at Beats by Dr. Dre, during which she helped push forward the company's business partnership with Apple. She now helps startups overcome the challenges shared by most new entrants in the space sector — the uber-technical nature of their products and the difficulty in communicating the need for these products in the market. Rafferty shares some tips that have helped her clients succeed in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Marlon Nichols is the founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm that invests in visionary founders building the future that the world wants to see.Marlon is a Kauffman Fellow who also serves on the Board of Directors. Prior to MaC Venture Capital, Marlon was founder of Cross Culture Ventures and served as Investment Director at Intel Capital. Marlon has an extensive background in technology, private equity, media and entertainment. His unique eye for global and cultural trends, along with shifts in consumer behavior, has helped him uplift and accelerate entrepreneurs and companies that are on the verge of their breakthrough moment. Some of his current and previous portfolio companies include Blavity, Gimlet Media, LISNR, Mayvenn, MongoDB, PlayVS, Pipe, Thrive Market and Wonderschool, among others.Marlon is the recipient of MVMT50's SXSW 2018 Innovator of the Year award, Digital Diversity's Innovation & Inclusion Change Agent award and was a TechWeek 100 winner. He was named Pitchbook's 25 Black Founders and VCs to Watch in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and one of Silicon Republic's 26 VC professionals spearheading change. He's been featured on TechCrunch, Fortune, Cheddar, MSNBC, Blavity and NBC, and is adjunct faculty in entrepreneurship and venture capital at the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University.https://macventurecapital.com

Marlon Nichols, a VC with Mac Venture Capital is on the main stage helping us understand startup funding rounds, and their impacts on the cap table, a spreadsheet or table that shows the equity capitalization for a company. Cap tables include all the equity in a company, like common and preferred shares, and more. Marlon is THE person to give this talk, he's a seed-stage venture capitalist that invests in visionary founders building the future that the world wants to see. Some of his current and previous portfolio companies include Blavity (which owns AfroTech), Gimlet Media, LISNR, Mayvenn, MongoDB, PlayVS, and more. This talk was presented at AfroTech 2017, held in San Francisco, CA. Follow Will Lucas on Instagram at @willlucas Learn more about other Black tech disruptors and innovators at AfroTech.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

In Episode 20 of Venture Games, my guest Marlon Nichols, Managing General Partner at MaC Venture Capital, discusses his firm's thesis of investing in culture and companies impacting culture; his investment in PlayVs; his investment in Faze Clan; and some of his thoughts on diversity in the VC/startup ecosystem.

Name: Marlon Nichols Current Title: Managing Partner, MaC Venture Capital   About Marlon: Marlon Nichols is a founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital (formerly known as Cross Culture Ventures), which finds the entrepreneurs who are building the future for the rest of America. He's a former Kauffman Fellow and Investment Director at Intel Capital, with an extensive background in technology, private equity, media, and entertainment. Marlon's unique eye for global trends and shifts in consumer behavior has helped him capture many high-potential investments, which include Gimlet Media, MongoDB, Thrive Market, Fair, LISNR, Mayvenn, Blavity, Pipe, Wonderschool, and other companies that reflect overlooked markets.   He serves on the board of directors for Ajua, Blavity, Finesse, Kauffman Fellows Program, LISNR, Ryff, Sote and Wonderschool. Marlon is the recipient of MVMT50's SXSW 2018 Innovator of the Year award, a 2018 nominee of the ADCOLOR in Tech award, Digital Diversity's Innovation & Inclusion Change Agent award, was named Pitchbook's 25 Black Founders and VCs to Watch in 2018 and 2019, was a TechWeek 100 winner and was named one of Silicon Republic's 26 VC professionals spearheading change. He's been featured on TechCrunch, Fortune, Blavity, and NBC, and is adjunct faculty in entrepreneurship and venture capital at the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University.   DURING THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSSED: Understanding how venture capital works and the different types Which types of businesses should pursue venture capital funding When is the right time for a business to consider raising venture financing The role of a venture partner in a business What happens at the end of a companies life cycle What to expect after receiving funding and business expectations Tips for qualifying investors to make sure they are a right fit to invest in your business Are you a business owner looking to get more clients and exposure? Does your business provide professional services that would be beneficial for a business owner starting their business? If so, submit your business to be listed in our directory, The Connect!  You may submit your business at:  https://blacktobusiness.com/theconnect/   For complete show notes and resources mentioned for this episode go to: blacktobusiness.com/73   Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Today, we're talking with Adrian Fenty, the founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital and the former major of Washington DC. We cover everything from investing in the future, changing the landscape of education, the importance of local political involvement and the future that we hope to build.To listen to more episodes and to stay connected, follow along athttps://www.buildthefuturepodcast.com/https://twitter.com/camwieseDon't forget to leave a review and subscribe.Have a great week and until next time, go build!

Adrian Fenty is currently a founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital, a former advisor at Andreessen Horowitz, and served as the Mayor of Washington, D.C. from 2007-2011. During his tenure as Mayor, he took on special interests and teachers' unions, fought for accountability in government and greater opportunities for children while also overseeing a dramatic reduction in violent crime. His courage reshaped the direction of the city and is much needed in our nation today. Fenty provides his innovative approach regarding education and school systems as well as his thoughts on public housing and city revitalization. In this episode, you will truly feel Fenty's passion for politics and reform, and his #RisingTide moment is a national inspiration.

   Adrian Fenty is currently a founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital, a former advisor at Andreessen Horowitz, and served as the Mayor of Washington, D.C. from 2007-2011. During his tenure as Mayor, he took on special interests and the teachers' unions, fought for accountability in government and greater opportunities for children while also overseeing a dramatic reduction in violent crime. His courage reshaped the direction of the city and is much needed in our nation today.    In this episode, he discusses his bold, CEO-like approach as Mayor, why he fought to bring performance metrics into government, and how education reform can break the cycle of poverty in the United States. He also shares the companies and innovation that excite him the most as an investor and why he's focused on bringing greater diversity to private equity.

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, we hear an “Ask Me Anything” session from our 2020 Summit, where the Established Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Jen Consalvo, talked with Marlon Nichols, who is a founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital. Marlon is a former Kauffman Fellow and Investment Director at Intel Capital, with an extensive background in technology, private equity, media and entertainment. His unique eye for global trends and shifts in consumer behavior has helped him capture many high-potential investments, which include Gimlet Media, MongoDB and many other companies that reflect overlooked markets. Marlon was also recently featured in an LA Times full spread article on the front page of the business section (https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-06-05/black-latinx-and-female-entrepreneurs-are-still-ignored-by-most-venture-capitalists) and he is als an investor in SoLo funds, which is also one of our Established Ventures portfolio companies. We also want all of our listeners to know that the 2021 Startup of the Year Application is open! The top 100 startups will come together for additional opportunities to connect, showcase, and potentially take home the title of Startup of the Year at our annual Summit. You can see if your startup fits our criteria and apply today at: soty.link/apply We also want to let our listeners know about some of our partner deadlines that are coming up. The DoD SBIR/STTR 2021.2 deadline is June 17th and you can apply at the following link: https://rt.cto.mil/rtl-small-business-resources/sbir-sttr/ The Greater Colorado Pitch Series Application deadline is June 18th and you can find the info for the event at the following link: https://airtable.com/shrtwoOvOBMHrjiaV Lastly, the SBA Growth Accelerator and SBIR Catalyst Prizes deadline is July 2nd and you can apply at the following link: https://www.sbir.gov/accelerators We also continue to spread the word about companies and services that can really add value to startup founders. One of those companies is TaxTaker, which offers an easy to use tech solution that helps startups claim R&D tax credits and earn back tens of thousands of dollars or more every year. They're on a mission to help startups and founders fuel their growth efforts so they can continue doing what they do best - building awesome companies and changing the world. Get started now for free at TaxTaker.com/SOTY. Finmark is another company that can help startups. Finmark is financial planning software for startups for revenue forecasting, cash projections, and runway. It is one of those few products that we truly believe in and I think that it will help a lot of our community members, so please go check out Finmark and signing up for 30-day free trial at est.us/finmark Lastly, we invite you all to join our community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to to elevate your startup by going to: est.us/join Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at www.est.us Checkout Startup of the Year at www.startupofyear.com Subscribe to the Startup of the Year Daily Deal Flow: www.startupofyear.com/daily-dealflow Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: www.podcast.startupofyear.com Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: soty.link/ESTYouTube *** Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their company to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. The program includes a number of in-person and virtual events, including our annual South By Southwest startup pitch event and competition. All of which culminate at our annual Startup of the Year Summit, where the Startup of the Year winner is announced, along with an opportunity at a potential investment. Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Connect with us on Twitter - @EstablishedUs and Facebook - facebook.com/established.us/.

Produced by Foundersuite (www.foundersuite.com), "How I Raised It" goes behind the scenes with startup founders who have raised capital. This episode is with Donnel Baird of Blocpower.io, a Brooklyn-based climate technology startup that is making American cities greener, smarter, and healthier by retrofitting older buildings with more efficient energy systems. In this episode, Donnel talks about how he got started by "greening" some barber shops in Harlem and then landed a government contract, getting past 200 "no's" when raising early capital, pitching Ben Horowitz and Mitch Kapor for his pre-seed round, understanding the "Silicon Valley Archetype" of what VCs are looking for and how to close the gap if you are different from that archetypes, tips for Black founders, and much more. The Company recently raised a $63 million Series A round ($55 million debt, $8 million equity). The round was led by American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact, AccelR8 and The Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, with participation from Kapor Capital, Elemental Excelerator, CityRock Venture Partners, The Schmidt Family Foundation and Salesforce Ventures. Other investors in the Company include Kapor Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, MaC Venture Capital, Exelon, New York Ventures of the Empire State Development Corporation, Echoing Green, and The Schmidt Family Foundation. How I Raised It is produced by Foundersuite, makers of software to raise capital and manage investor relations. Foundersuite's customers have raised over $3 Billion since 2016. Create a free account at https:/www.foundersuite.com/

Marlon Nichols is a founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital (formerly known as Cross Culture Ventures), which finds the entrepreneurs who are building the future for the rest of America. A career started in consulting eventually led to venture because as a VC, one has skin in the game for the length of that investment. It offers the ability to directly shape the nature of the companies, supports more diverse entrepreneurs and identifies opportunities to address traditionally underserved communities through entrepreneurialism. Slowly, there are signs of increased focus on diversity in the venture capital space with many groups reporting on their diversity numbers. “A nerve has been struck, and people are digging in and seeing the value; not only the social value but the economic value of diversity.” Coining the term, “cultural investing,” it seeks to identify global behavioral shifts with potential staying power. Pop culture is the driving force, so it is used as a key indicator in predicting where major cultural movements are heading. ————————————————————————— To learn more about this episode, including podcast transcripts and show notes, visit *salt.org/talks* ( http://salt.org/talks ) Moderated by Anthony Scaramucci.

Charlie O'Donnell, Founder & General Partner of Brooklyn Bridge Ventures Charlie O'Donnell has been an active member of the NYC startup community for over 15 years, with a reputation of being the most accessible early stage investor in New York. After being hired as the first analyst at Union Square Ventures and helping to open First Round Capital's first NYC office, he founded Brooklyn Bridge Ventures in 2012. Brooklyn Bridge Ventures has made over 60 investments since it was founded, making it one of the most active funds investing in pre-seed and seed rounds in the city. It often leads or co-leads, investing in a wide variety of startups founded by a diverse pool of founders including The Wing, Petal, Clubhouse, Hungryroot, Canary, goTenna and Imagen, among others. The fund was the first to be launched in Brooklyn--where he was born and raised. Danny Brown, Partner at MaC Venture Capital Danny Brown is Partner at MaC Venture Capital, an LA-based early stage fund focused on technology companies leveraging shifts in cultural trends and consumer behavior in an increasingly diverse global marketplace. Additionally, he is the current Chief of Staff at Atom Factory, where he focuses on leveraging their unique position at the intersection of tech, music, media, and various other industries to the benefit of their portfolio, as well as the surrounding ecosystem. Gyan Kapur, Managing Director at Bayes Ventures and Co-Managing Partner at RTP Seed (RTP Ventures) | B2B Investor Gyan joined RTP Ventures in early 2020 and became co-Managing Partner of RTP Seed, RTP Ventures' fund dedicated to investing in seed and pre-seed stage companies, later in 2020. Prior to joining RTP Seed, Gyan ran Bayes Ventures, an early stage fund with a similar focus. Prior to Bayes Ventures, Gyan was a Vice President at Activate Venture Partners (first investor in Medidata, a $6bb exit) and an active angel investor. Gyan graduated from the MBA program at the Wharton School of Business. Before Wharton, Gyan worked for Gather Health, a chronic disease management startup, and Citigroup where he built and scaled businesses in foreign exchange derivatives, focusing on complex products. Megan Ananian, Investor, Seedinvest Megan joined the Seedinvest team in 2019 after receiving her MBA at Yale School of Management. SeedInvest is an early-stage fund as well as an investment platform connecting founders with a community of over 375k investors. They've invested $200M+ into over 200 companies through Reg CF, Reg D, and Reg A. https://entre.link/EntrepreneurShow --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Marlon Nichols is Managing General Partner at MaC Venture Capital – a West Coast VC investing in technology companies that create infectious products benefiting from shifts in cultural trends & behaviours in an increasingly diverse global marketplace. Marlon's also on the Board of Directors of Kauffman Fellows, is an Adjunct Professor at Cornell, and was previously Director of Investments at Intel Capital.   We discussed:   The challenges facing BAME VCs & BAME entrepreneurs trying to raise funding for their funds & their startups Why it is a financial as well as a moral imperative to invest in diversity: “even if you're not a decent human being - at least be a selfish & fiduciary human being” The risk that startups who raise too much capital too early will lose focus & struggle to gain traction   For more insights into MaC Ventures head over to https://macventurecapital.com & for advice on recruiting exceptional talent to scale your software venture check out https://alpinasearch.com

This episode of #Imalittlebuzzed we speak to Marlon Nichols, a man who finds entrepreneurs who have the potential to create the future of industry in America and makes their dreams a reality. Marlon is the founding managing partner of MaC Venture Capital and an investor in high-potential companies like Gimlet Media, MongoDB, Thrive Market, Fair, LISNR, Mayvenn, Blavity, and Wonderschool. He is also the recipient of the SXSW 2018 Innovator of the Year Award, named one of Pitchbook's 25 Black Founders and VCs to Watch in 2018 and 2019, and a former Kaufmann Fellow and Investment Director at Intel Capital. Tune in to find out what you can do to be the kind of entrepreneur that Marlon looks for.

Marlon Nichols, Founder & Managing Partner, MaC Venture Capital Key Takeaways: 1. Companies that can thrive in this environment: health tech space, remote work, collaboration, government/reg tech. 2. Companies will have to make hard changes, but need to keep an eye on how the business is performing and whether you are still achieving the short term goals you set out to accomplish. 3. Diverse founders are historically underfunded, but once funded, tend to outperform non-diverse teams by 30% on average. Investors should continue to find ways to source and support diverse teams much like the efforts of the 'Launch with GS' team.

Join Atento Capital for the fifth episode of our podcast, Be Atento. In this episode we talk with Marlon Nichols, founder and Managing Partner of MaC Venture Capital. Marlon has extensive experience in the venture capital space and has invested in unicorns such as Fair; had numerous exits including Gimlet (Acq. Spotify) and Skurt (Acq. Fair); and has other high flying companies including PlayVS, Firefly, Faze Clan, and Lisnr in his portfolio. Tune in to hear Marlon's thoughts on how COVID-19 will impact the adoption of remote working and learning, his thesis behind investing in cultural trends, and some of the most common characteristics he sees in successful founders.To learn more about Atento Capital, check out our website: https://www.atentocapital.com/Subscribe to the Be Atento Podcast anywhere podcasts can be found, if you need help, check us out on Podfollow: https://podfollow.com/1499376646 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Aly DeNardo was Atrium's employee #1 and chief of staff to Justin Kan before becoming a Venture Capitalist herself. She joins Rachel Sipperley today from San Francisco to share insight for businesses and startups on navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and along with how she built a team from 0-100 in a year, and her best advice for getting funded in the current startup environment.What you will learn in this episode: How Covid19 will impact startups businesses and portfolios in next 18 monthsHow VC's are changing their focus for funding in coming months The best way to preserve cash and extend runway for startups and importance of communication with all audiencesWays to implement cultural exercises to engage your team and grow your brandTangible Tips:  Ways to implement control in your life so you have capacity to show up for yourself so you can show up for those around youKnow what you don't know, manage expectations, and over communicate Hold yourself, and those around you, to an incredibly high standard Resources:Airtable is free tool that can replace expensive ones to organize your life and to doshttps://airtable.com/The letter Mac Ventures shared with their entire portfolio company https://macventurecapital.com/in-the-news/guidelines-for-managing-through-this-pandemic-and-economic-downturn/Aly's blog post on time management: The Perfect Week Exercisehttps://www.alden.work/etc/the-perfect-week-exerciseThe Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, Charles Duhigg: Explains how habits are formed, how we keep to them, and the science behind building habitshttps://www.amazon.com/Power-Habit-What-Life-Business/dp/081298160XMore About AlysonAlyson DeNardo is a VC, Advisor, Founder, and Operator. She is currently a Partner at MaC Venture Capital and M Ventures. She is also the founder of Alden, an organizational and operational consulting firm for early-stage companies and large corporations. Prior to jumping into the Venture Capital world, she served as Employee #1 at Atrium, building out internal operations and hiring the first 100 employees in the first year.Ms. DeNardo graduated early from both High School and College and came to San Francisco at 20 to work for the co-founder of Twitch, Justin Kan and became a Venture Capital Partner at 22. In 2019, She was named among the greats in Bam's 99 Women That Forbes Missed. Aly is an active investor with a specific focus on female and underrepresented founders, an avid writer, speaker, and opinion holder on just about everything.You Can Follow and Connect with Alyson Here:IG/Twitter: www.instagram.com/alysondenardowww.twitter.com/alysondenardoContact: https://www.alden.work/contactAlden.Work Newsletter (https://www.alden.work/newsletter)

In 2018, Los Angeles announced that ⅔ of all cannabis retail licenses would be set aside for Black and brown folks disproportionately targeted by the War on Drugs. And like many in South LA who qualified, a young woman from the Jungles saw it as a chance to gain economic parity and generational wealth for her family. But if you're lucky enough to get a license, where do you get the resources, financing, and construction knowledge to start a $1.5MM cannabis dispensary? The short answer is you don't. Making under the poverty line and knowing she couldn't do this alone, Aja Allen set out to find a trusted partner to help make this opportunity a reality.Three years, numerous delays, and Millions later, with the help of a local black-owned startup, Aja finally opened Sixty Four & Hope (La Cienega above the 10Fwy). A dispensary concept explicitly created to build generational wealth for social equity licensees. Aja is the first LGBTQ owner in LA, and one of 21 social equity licensees to open newly "essential" Sixty Four & Hope dispensaries, all at no upfront cost to the licensee."I want Sixty Four & Hope to be a platform to help people from my neighborhood identify and develop their talents. I want to empower them to be their best selves. I'm ready to get this business up and running so that I'm able to be a pillar in my community," said Aja standing in the middle of the bright and cheery store with its inclusive lineup of LGBTQ, Black, Latinx, and APPI-owned brands. Aja can't believe her day has come, and she didn't spend a dime. Sixty Four & Hope is determined to live their ideals—driving economic parity for people of color. This, coupled with a respect for the plant and culture, opened the door to diverse collaborations that strive for authenticity— Angela Rye, Live Nation's new Cannabis Nation, Alien Labs, and Ball Family Farms. And prominent Black investors, Troy Carter and Marlon Nichols of MaC Venture Capital and Julius “J” Erving III, Executive VP at Sony Music Entertainment, who see their support as a well-spent investment in communities of color.