Podcasts about vcs

Donara Jaghinyan – Transformation and Integration Leader Donara joins us to pull back the curtain on why integrations break—and what it actually takes to make them work. With deep experience across healthcare, SaaS, professional services, and financial services in both public and PE-backed environments, Donara has led diligence, post-close integration, TSA execution, and enterprise system implementations. This episode tackles the hard truths about carve-outs, TSA management, day-one readiness, and the cross-functional dependencies that most teams miss until it's too late. If you've ever wondered why integration timelines slip or costs balloon, this conversation delivers the answers. Things you will learn: Why TSAs aren't contracts, they're projects with hard deadlines, cost escalations, and integration dependencies that functional teams consistently underestimate The hidden complexity of carve-outs and how scope, vendor negotiations, and people gaps create surprises even with solid diligence How Integration Management Offices (IMOs) orchestrate cross-functional dependencies that functional leads can't see  _____________

Is it possible to build a Web3 game that's actually fun—and not just hype? Kam Punia, founder and CEO of Pixion Games, joins us to break down exactly how he's doing it with Fableborne. In a world full of bots, overfunded flops, and quick token grabs, Kam shares the gritty reality of building something that lasts.From killing 5 games before getting to one that truly clicks, to building a 400,000-strong player community without spending a cent, Kam reveals how Pixion is changing the rules of Web3 gaming. We talk community building, real KPIs, what VCs got wrong, and how his team is turning power (literally) into progress.If you're into gaming, Web3, or just love stories of underdogs doing things the right way, this episode is a must-listen.⏱️ Key Learnings with Timestamps[00:02:00] Kam's background and entry into the gaming industry.[00:03:00] The vision behind Pixion Games and Fableborne.[00:05:00] The three-stage playtesting process and why five games were killed.[00:06:00] How Fableborne mixes base building and ARPG mechanics.[00:09:00] Why most Web3 games failed: chasing tokens, not gameplay.[00:11:00] Misaligned incentives between VCs and builders in 2021–2022.[00:16:00] Lessons from launching Yu-Gi-Oh! in Europe: community-first strategies.[00:19:00] Building real community: no NFTs, no token talk for 2 years.[00:22:00] What makes the Power token different in Fableborne's ecosystem.[00:27:00] The #1 mistake Web3 game studios make.[00:30:00] When we'll see a “Silksong” level hit in Web3—and why it's close.[00:33:00] Fableborne's 2026 global launch plan and broader ecosystem goals.[00:35:00] What Kam would do differently if starting again.[00:36:00] Key metrics and roadmap for Pixion in 2026.[00:37:00] Kam's final ask: builders, partners, and talent—get in touch.

Discover why disciplined due diligence beats FOMO, how to wield AI without losing human insight, why “cash is king” again, and what the rise of lean micro-unicorns means for VCs, family offices, and startups.   In this episode of the Registered Investment Advisor Podcast, Seth Greene interviews Daniel Nikic, Global Investment Specialist and Founder of COHRES, who explains why disciplined due diligence beats FOMO, how AI should augment human insight, and why “cash is king” again. He shares how COHRES tailors research for VCs, family offices, and startups, forecasts durable trends in AI, energy, healthcare, and data, and explores the rise of lean micro-unicorns. Nikic also details the operational pivots behind scaling a boutique firm toward AI-enabled analysis while aligning execution with investor priorities.   Key Takeaways: → How the most expensive errors are chasing hype, skipping time-horizon work, and forgetting that once capital leaves your account, there's no guarantee it returns. → Why ChatGPT-level answers aren't enough for funds. → How big brands will stay big and emerging funds with DPI will struggle to raise. → Why direct on-call collaboration provides guidance when speed matters. → How having a global perspective allows for tailored insights to what each investor treats as a green flag or a deal breaker.   Daniel Nikic is a global investment research expert and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience advising investors, high-net-worth individuals, enterprises, and entrepreneurs. Raised in Canada and now based in Croatia, Daniel specializes in global markets, focusing on the U.S., European, and Middle Eastern financial landscapes. As the founder of COHRES, Daniel has analyzed over 15,000 companies across sectors like AI, software, and data. He delivers high-quality market research, financial management, due diligence, and AI data auditing to empower clients to make strategic, informed decisions. Known for his collaborative approach, Daniel builds long-term relationships rooted in trust and shared success. Daniel is also passionate about mentoring early-stage entrepreneurs, guiding them on market strategies, innovation, and business growth. His expertise in global markets and emerging trends makes him a trusted advisor in the financial sector.   Connect With Daniel:   Website: https://www.danielnikic.com/ https://cohres.com/ X: https://x.com/DNikic87 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Daniel-Nikic/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-nikic/   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textWe chart how Ben Wolff scaled from short-term rentals to design-led outdoor resorts, sold into a public REIT, built a content-first marketing firm, and now launches a wellness agritourism brand near Miami called Baya. Clear tactics on funding, pricing, direct bookings and the partners that make it work.• founder-level partners who own execution and upside• debt and equity strategies across banks, CPACE, USDA and VCs• influencer barbell strategy and content-first marketing• 80 to 85% direct bookings as the North Star• manual revenue management beyond algorithm defaults• Onera's sale, expansion and Wimberley performance• Oasi's offer, ROAS mindset and client profile• Baya concept blending farm, wellness and jungle design• light, health-forward F&B and sleep technology• daily routines, AI workflows and energy management• singles and doubles until capital markets openSubscribe to Ben Wolff's newsletter via LinkedIn or Ben's instagram @IAm BenWolff. Onera Fredericksburg and Wimberly Property Websites Oasi Marketing & Advertising WebsiteNewbook - www.newbook.cloudInterested in learning more about Newbook? Book a software demonstration with one of their market consultants today and don't forget to mention you came from the Outdoor Hospitality Podcast to receive 15% off your Newbook subscription and your first month free. This offer is for Newbook Signature subscriptions only.This podcast is powered by Sage Outdoor Advisory the industry leaders in feasibility studies and appraisals. We work hard to bring you the best insights from top experts in this space- FREE OF CHARGE, all we ask is that you consider leaving us a positive review so we can keep the momentum growing. To leave a review go to the podcast home page and scroll down past some of the first episodes - we appreciate you!

Market shifts predicted by VCs include 2026's planning agents transforming project mgmt. Edge TPU proliferation enables personal AI sovereignty. Funding prioritizes AI carbon accounting solutions.Get the top 40+ AI Models for $20 at AI Box: ⁠⁠https://aibox.aiAI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferJoin my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustleSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Leading firms predict 2026 AI breakthroughs in protein folding for biotech revolution. Regulatory AI auditors emerge as must-have enterprise tools. VCs back compute leasing disrupting cloud giants.Get the top 40+ AI Models for $20 at AI Box: ⁠⁠https://aibox.aiAI Chat YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JaedenSchaferJoin my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustleSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we sit down with Rajeev Ranka from Incubate Fund, a Japanese Venture Capital firm managing over $1.5 Billion in AUM, to understand the bold decisions behind building generational companies.Rajeev breaks down the Japanese Way of investing which involves thinking in 100 year cycles. He shares why they backed Captain Fresh during the first month of the COVID lockdown and the massive decision to kill a profitable domestic arm to build a global giant.We also dive into why he believes Quick Commerce will eventually be bigger than E-Commerce, the untapped potential of Middle India, and what it takes to get a Day Zero investment from a Japanese VC.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comWe talk about:- How a Japanese VC views the Indian startup ecosystem.- The Japanese Way: Why they plan for 100 year timelines.- The Captain Fresh Pivot: Moving from a domestic player to global seafood exporter.- Why Yulu dominates 90% of the last mile delivery market.- The Middle India opportunity that most VCs are ignoring.- Red Flags & Green Flags: How to pitch Incubate Fund.Connect with Rajeev:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeevrankaIncubate Fund Asia: https://incubatefund.in/SMBC Asia Rising Fund - https://www.smbc-asiarising.vc/VC10X links:Prashant Choubey - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabSubscribe to VC10X newsletter - https://vc10x.beehiiv.comSubscribe on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@VC10X Subscribe on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc10x-investing-venture-capital-asset-management-private/id1632806986Subscribe on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7F7KEhXNhTx1bKTBFgzv3k?si=WgQ4ozMiQJ-6nowj6wBgqQVC10X website - https://vc10x.comFor sponsorship queries reach out to prashantchoubey3@gmail.com#VentureCapital #StartupIndia #IncubateFund #JapaneseInvestment #CaptainFresh #QuickCommerce #Yulu #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast

Space startups today look a lot like the internet in 1995 – early, chaotic, and packed with upside for the founders brave enough to build in the void. With VCs going all in on space, Techstars betting big on the category, and an entire industry quietly taking over venture capital, this is a moment founders can't ignore.In this episode of Demo Day, Techstars Space Managing Director Gabriel Schlumberger breaks down why “SPACE IS THE FUTURE” is more than a catchy thumbnail – it's an actual investing thesis. Gabriel explains how launch costs, new business models, and a surge of satellites are turning space into one of the most important frontier markets for startups and venture capital.Gabriel shares his journey from Pixar, Blue Sky, and Disney to becoming a founder himself, building an FDA‑regulated glasses startup for kids in the middle of a global pandemic, and then stepping into his role at Techstars Space. That experience across creative studios, corporate innovation, and true zero‑to‑one startup chaos shapes how he now evaluates founders and why he's so bullish on space companies.You'll learn:Why space today feels like the internet did in 1995, and what that means for startup timing and upside.How Techstars is betting big on space through its accelerator with NASA JPL and the U.S. Space Force.The trait Gabriel calls “pathological curiosity” and why it separates the best founders and VCs.What actually happens inside Techstars: mentor weeks, “give first” culture, and how a few teams get picked from hundreds of applicants.A real founder story: running a hardware and medical device startup through COVID, fundraising, manufacturing, and brutal unknowns.Whether you're a founder thinking about space, a SaaS builder curious about frontier markets, or an investor trying to understand the industry quietly taking over VC, this episode is a masterclass in how the next decade of startups will be built.

In this episode of the Grownlearn Podcast, host Zorina Dimitrova (Investment Matchmaker & Strategic Growth Advisor) talks to Bryan Clayton, CEO & co-founder of GreenPal—a marketplace that connects homeowners with local lawn care professionals. LinkedIn +1 Bryan shares the real story behind building GreenPal after coming from the landscaping industry—how he learned the skills needed to build and scale a tech platform, why he chose bootstrapping over venture capital, and how relentless customer feedback became “free R&D” that shaped the product and the business model. You'll learn: How Bryan went from mowing lawns to building a tech company Bootstrapping lessons (and why many VC-funded competitors failed) How to scale with small, achievable goals and nonstop iteration Why customer support + customer obsession can become your growth engine AI's impact on operations—and what doesn't change in real-world services What it takes to build a focused marketplace in a massive, fragmented industry If you're a founder, operator, or business owner building a marketplace, scaling a service business, or trying to grow sustainably without hype—this episode is for you. About Grownlearn: We connect premium opportunities with aligned capital and provide strategic growth advisory to help businesses optimize value and scale across Europe & the U.S.

Matt MacInnis is the chief product officer and former longtime COO at Rippling, a unified workforce management platform valued at over $16 billion.We discuss:1. Why “extraordinary results demand extraordinary efforts”2. Why you should deliberately understaff projects, and how to know when you've gone too far3. Matt's transition from COO to CPO and what surprised him about leading product4. The “high alpha, low beta” framework for evaluating people, processes, and products5. When founders should quit their startups (hint: much earlier than VCs want you to)6. How to fight entropy in your organization through relentless energy and intensity—Brought to you by:Google Gemini—Your everyday AI assistant: https://ai.dev/Datadog—Now home to Eppo, the leading experimentation and feature flagging platform: https://www.datadoghq.com/lennyGoFundMe Giving Funds—Make year-end giving easy: http://gofundme.com/lenny—Transcript: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/10-contrarian-leadership-truths—My biggest takeaways (for paid newsletter subscribers): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/i/181916584/my-biggest-takeaways-from-this-conversation—Where to find Matt MacInnis:• X: https://x.com/stanine• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/macinnis• Email: macinnis@rippling.com—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to Matt MacInnis and Rippling(04:38) The importance of extraordinary efforts(08:37) The challenges and rewards of relentless effort(10:11) Your job as a leader is to preserve intensity(12:39) You learn far more from success than failure(16:34) Transitioning to chief product officer(19:54) Fixing product management at Rippling(25:27) The “high alpha, low beta” framework(28:55) The PQL framework(35:16) Hiring frameworks and team dynamics(36:52) A helpful interview tactic(40:00) Leading as a COO vs. a CPO(42:34) The reality of product-market fit(46:38) The problem with venture capital(49:29) When founders should quit their startups(41:48) The immutable market(54:13) Lessons from Notion's success(57:43) Investment strategies and narrative violations(01:00:42) The power of compounding, power law, and entropy(01:07:02) Maintaining intensity and fighting entropy(01:11:33) The importance of feedback and escalations(01:14:31) Rippling's vision and success(01:17:48) AI's impact on SaaS and business software(01:23:42) AI corner(01:26:23) Final thoughts and lightning round—Referenced:• Rippling: https://www.rippling.com• Sunil Raman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunilraman• Dan Gill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dangill• Carvana: https://www.carvana.com• Brian Chesky's new playbook: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/brian-cheskys-contrarian-approach• Parker Conrad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parkerconrad• Inkling: https://www.inkling.com• Akshay Kothari on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akothari• Notion: https://www.notion.com• Conway's law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway%27s_law• Seeking Alpha: https://seekingalpha.com• Dennis Rodman's website: https://dennisrodman.com• Dancing pickle emoji: https://slackmojis.com/emojis/456-dancing_pickle• Pickle Rick: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickle_Rick• SPOTAK: The Six Traits I Look for When I'm Hiring: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/spotak-six-traits-look-m-181335267.html• Geoff Lewis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geofflewis1• Zenefits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TriNet_Zenefits• New banking records prove Deel paid thief who stole trade secrets from Rippling: https://www.rippling.com/blog/new-banking-records-prove-deel-paid-thief-who-stole-trade-secrets-from-rippling• Workday: https://www.workday.com• Matic robots: https://maticrobots.com• Wall-E: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0910970• Conviction: https://www.conviction.com• Mike Vernal on X: https://x.com/mvernal• Sarah Guo on X: https://x.com/saranormous• No Priors: https://linktr.ee/nopriors• Gemini: https://gemini.google.com• ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com• Claude: https://claude.ai• Bryan Schreier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanschreier• Heated Rivalry on HBO Max: https://www.hbomax.com/shows/heated-rivalry/50cd4e99-04ee-427b-a3b4-da721ed05d9c• Fellow coffee maker: https://fellowproducts.com/products/aiden-precision-coffee-maker—Recommended books:• Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space: https://www.amazon.com/Pale-Blue-Dot-Vision-Future/dp/0345376595• Conscious Business: How to Build Value Through Values: https://www.amazon.com/Conscious-Business-Build-through-Values/dp/1622032020• Thinking in Systems: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Systems-Donella-H-Meadows/dp/1603580557• The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done: https://www.amazon.com/Effective-Executive-Definitive-Harperbusiness-Essentials/dp/0060833459—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com

Durante todo o mês de dezembro, vcs ouviram histórias sobre algumas das maiores religiões do mundo e outras amplamente praticadas no Brasil. Vcs conheceram alguns aspectos do protestantismo (evangélicos), judaísmo, islamismo, hinduísmo, budismo, espiritismo, além das religiões afro-brasileiras candomblé e umbanda. Hoje, no dia de Natal, eu encerro esse especial sobre religiões com um livro que faz uma releitura luminosa e terna da história do Natal para os cristãos: "Holy night and Little Star", ou "A Noite Santa e a Pequena Estrela", escrito por Mitali Perkins, ilustrado por Khoa Le e ainda não publicado no Brasil, por isso eu traduzi e adaptei especialmente pra esse episodio. De acordo com maior parte dos historiadores, a festividade do Natal originalmente era destinada a celebrar o nascimento anual do Deus Sol no solstício de inverno, mas foi ressignificada pela Igreja Católica no século III para estimular a conversão dos povos pagãos sob o domínio do Império Romano e então passou-se a comemorar o nascimento de Jesus de Nazaré. Embora tradicionalmente seja um dia santificado cristão (sendo o cristianismo a maior religião do mundo), o Natal é amplamente comemorado por muitos não cristãos e alguns de seus costumes populares e temas comemorativos têm origens pré-cristãs ou seculares. A Pequena Estrela gosta do seu lugar habitual no céu noturno sobre Belém. Todas as noites, ela cintila acima das colinas e espera que nada mude. Mas uma noite, o Criador reúne a galáxia! A Noite Santa está chegando, e o Criador quer que os planetas, a Lua e as estrelas participem. Enquanto o Criador distribui tarefas, a Pequena Estrela hesita, pois cada nova função parece muito difícil ou assustadora. Mas quando o Criador finalmente a chama para brilhar, a Pequena Estrela descobre que está pronta e capaz de receber a Criança e se junta às outras estrelas e planetas na celebração.Para acompanhar a história juntamente com as ilustrações do livro, compre o livro aqui: https://amzn.to/3XUkopHSe vc gostou desse especial sobre as religiões, deixe seu comentário aqui no Spotify, compartilhe com seus amigos e me siga nas redes sociais:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bookswelove_livrosqueamamos/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Independente da sua crença, ou ainda se vc é ateu ou agnóstico, eu desejo a vc e sua família um Feliz Natal, com muito amor, paz e momentos felizes. Com menos presentes, e mais presença!

Alex Chepurnoy is a cryptographer & researcher who famously wrote a Bitcoin client in Haskell in only 3600 lines of code. He is currently working on Ergo, a proof of work blockchain which improves upon Bitcoin's design in order to achieve smart contracts and DeFi. How does it work? Let's find out! Time stamps: 00:01:11 Introducing Alex Chepurnoy 00:01:51 Alex's Bitcoin Discovery & Early Development 00:02:37 Namecoin, SmartContract.com, and Cardano Involvement 00:05:15 Satoshi Theories & Code Analysis 00:07:00 Rewriting Bitcoin & Distributed Systems Perspective 00:08:39 Consensus Protocols & Altcoin Proliferation 00:10:20 Bitcoin's Early Appeal & Peer-to-Peer Motivation 00:14:08 Bitcoin's Revolutionary Monetary Model 00:15:45 Staying in Crypto: Problems to Solve 00:17:19 Bitcoin as Digital Gold & Smart Contracts 00:21:29 Ethereum vs. Bitcoin: Contractual Capabilities 00:23:02 Ergo's Approach: Contracts & Protocol Upgrades 00:26:56 Namecoin's History & Technical Innovations 00:31:10 Merged Mining & Sidechain Politics 00:34:35 Early Bitcoin Contributions & BTC Scala Client 00:38:49 Conference Presentations & ZeroJoin 00:41:49 Demurrage, Storage Rent, and Bitcoin Upgrades 00:45:01 NFTs, Inscriptions, and Bitcoin Community Divisions 00:50:10 Hard Forks, Immutability, and Ethereum Classic 00:55:17 Markets, Transaction Fees, and Bitcoin's Security Budget 00:57:59 Lightning Network Limitations & Off-Chain Cash 01:01:58 Challenging Bitcoin's Scaling & Off-Chain Solutions 01:06:38 Ergo's Protocol Design & Civil War Lessons 01:08:25 Ergo's Innovations for Bitcoin 01:15:38 Quantum Resistance & Hard Fork Challenges 01:19:51 Consensus Cleanup & Upgrade Difficulties 01:23:10 Community Proposals & Development Gridlock 01:25:07 Alex's Tech Stack & Personal Devices 01:31:07 Satoshi's Identity & Coding Style 01:38:34 NXT, Bitcoin 2.0, and Ethereum's Success 01:45:35 Proof of Work vs. Proof of Stake 01:50:44 Philosophy of Proof of Work & Fair Distribution 01:53:09 VCs, Token Dumps, and Proof of Work Revival 01:54:16 Proof of Stake Attacks & Network Resilience 01:59:20 Ergo's Network Parameters & Smart Contracts 02:21:17 Privacy Features: Mixers & Stealth Addresses 02:28:40 Monetary Policy, Emission, and Pre-mine 02:34:09 Monero vs. Zcash: Community & Funding 02:48:03 Bridging Blockchains & Rosen Bridge 02:51:04 Peer-to-Peer Finance & Smart Contract Design 02:53:57 Future Vision: Interconnected PoW Blockchains 02:56:41 Double Merged Mining Sidechains 03:17:45 Community Resources & Getting Involved 03:20:11 Conclusion & Final Thoughts

In the inaugural VC10X LP Roundtable, we bring together experienced allocators Matt Curtolo & Anurag Chandra to unpack the state of venture capital as we close out 2025 and look ahead to 2026.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comTopics covered:- How the recent Fed rate cut does and does not change venture capital- Why DPI pressure has become the dominant LP concern- Venture vs private credit and when the comparison actually matters- Fundraising realities and why it now takes 18 to 30 months to raise a fund- The changing role of secondaries, continuation funds, and engineered liquidity- Why M&A, not IPOs, has historically driven most venture exits- AI as a structural opportunity or capital concentration risk- Generalist vs specialist funds and what real differentiation actually looks like- Why some LPs are staying committed to venture despite short term underperformance- The biggest mistakes allocators made in past cycles and what they won't repeatTimestamps:(00:00) - Preview(01:08) - Introduction to the LP Roundtable(03:15) - The impact of the macro interest rate environment on venture capital.(03:55) - The limited direct effect of interest rates on early-stage innovation.(06:00) - How interest rates negatively impact SaaS company valuations and exits.(09:35) - How "higher for longer" interest rates are changing LP expectations for returns.(11:13) - The LP perspective: Balancing DPI, MOIC, and IRR in venture investing.(14:09) - The role of the exit environment and secondaries in meeting DPI pressure.(16:38) - The risks of LPs over-focusing on short-term DPI.(18:44) - The emergence of the secondary market for later-stage companies.(20:30) - Future outlook for the M&A and IPO markets as exit paths.(21:02) - Why M&A is the historical bread and butter of venture exits, not IPOs.(23:37) - Underestimating the potential scale of venture-backed exits in the new tech era.(27:35) - How early-stage funds can engineer liquidity through secondary sales.(29:24) - Gross vs. Net Returns: The difference between a good investor and a good fund manager.(30:50) - Why is it so difficult to raise a VC fund today?(31:45) - The fundraising bifurcation: Brand names vs. emerging managers.(35:10) - Career risk and structural barriers for LPs investing in smaller funds.(38:01) - Why institutions often prefer to invest in Fund III and beyond.(40:38) - How can fund managers differentiate themselves? Generalist vs. specialist.(41:46) - Differentiating as a "hustle fund" with a functional specialty (e.g., go-to-market).(45:25) - It's not about being different, it's about being better: The importance of GP-thesis fit.(48:08) - VCs should "take their own medicine" when pitching to LPs.(49:17) - Outlook for 2026: Will the venture market get easier for funds and startups?(50:05) - An optimistic outlook for 2026 driven by technological acceleration.(55:18) - The growing importance of global and emerging markets in venture capital.(55:45) - A closer look at India's booming IPO market and its contrast with the US.(57:15) - Conclusion and final thoughts.---Links to connect:Matt Curtolo - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-curtolo-caiaAnurag Chandra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anchandraPrashant Choubey - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabSubscribe to VC10X newsletter - https://vc10x.beehiiv.comSubscribe on YouTube - https://youtube.com/@vc10x Subscribe on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc10x-investing-venture-capital-asset-management-private/id1632806986Subscribe on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7F7KEhXNhTx1bKTBFgzv3k?si=WgQ4ozMiQJ-6nowj6wBgqQVC10X website - https://vc10x.comFor sponsorship queries, reach out to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe for weekly conversations on venture, private markets, and investing.

Andy Cohen, Vice President of Corporate Development at F5 Andy has built a career that proves M&A is fundamentally about relationships, not just transactions. With 30 years of experience and 60 deals closed across high-growth tech companies including Citrix, Acquia, and F5, Andy has cultivated the kind of reputation where every CEO he's worked with will take his call tomorrow. In this conversation, he reveals why zero-sum thinking kills deals, how to convince people to sell without convincing them to sell, and why walking away on principle matters more than closing at any cost.  Things you will learn:  Why reputation is your most valuable M&A asset The shift from zero-sum to win-enough thinking Learn Andy's approach to using due diligence as the foundation for integration strategy, cultural fit assessment, and long-term value creation.  _____________

For the holiday break we are resurfacing some of our best episodes so far. Here is the best episode of season 3.Kyle left his job as a hacker at the NSA to launch Huntress. He bootstrapped for 3 years and burned all his savings. One of his co-founders quit. He got into an accelerator program, but had to sleep in his car for 16 weeks because he couldn't afford a hotel.Finally, 3 years in he'd hit $1.5M ARR. So he pitched 60 VCs for a Series A—and got 60 'no's. He was forced to raise a small, $1M inside round. But then things changed:2018: $1.5M ARR2019: $5M ARR2020: $10M ARR2021: $20M ARR2022: $40M ARR2023: $70M ARR2024: $100M+ ARRHuntress is valued at $2B.The investors who backed his $1M bridge are up 140x. Now every VC wants to invest—and Kyle's the one saying 'no'.Why you should listen: How to know whether you should keep going or quit.What it takes to get through the first few years at a bootstrapped startup.Why revenue expansion is a huge lever for fast-growth (Huntress has 140% net revenue retention).How starting a startup can impact your personal life and relationships.How to work with partners to sell to long tail SMB customers.Keywordsentrepreneurship, cybersecurity, product market fit, startup journey, military experience, SMB market, funding challenges, automation, human expertise, business growthTimestamps:(00:00:00) Intro(00:2:01) Working at the NSA(00:6:14) A big win in counter cyber terrorism(00:10:00) What gave way to Huntress(00:14:22) Pitching to a startup accelerator(00:16:29) Adopting curiosity(00:21:04) Getting ahead of cyber criminals(00:26:00) Starting to grow(00:32:50) Cult or conviction(00:35:00) It takes grit(00:39:50) Learning from people's lessons(00:42:20) Cockroaches and underdogs(00:46:10) Three strikes, I'm out(00:52:56) Having a military background(00:56:17) One piece of adviceSend me a message to let me know what you think!

In this episode of Indian Business Podcast, I speak with Manav Garg, Founder of Together Fund, the VC backing some of India's fastest-growing AI startups, including Emergent, which scaled to $15M ARR in just 90 days.In this conversation, we discuss- Why most AI startups are being built on negative gross marginsWhy apps will fade and agents will own usersThe mental models VCs use to spot hard, non-obvious problems earlyWhy India might be the most underrated AI market globallyIf you're building, investing, or trying to make sense of where AI is really headed, this conversation will change how you think.⭐️ Think School's flagship Communication course with live doubt sessions: https://thethinkschool.com/sp/communication-masterclass/

The Downside of VC Funding Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture capital can enable a startup to reach the next level through funding. There are downsides to VC funding. Here's a list: The founders' ownership goes down by 20-25% on each fundraising round. The VC model promotes growth over all other strategies. Taking VC money means taking the VC's business model, which is to give the Limited Partner a return in 3 to 7 years. VCs will want the founders to take a minimal salary so as to apply as much capital as possible to growing the business. The VC is concerned primarily with paying back the Limited Partners in their fund. This means the VC is less likely to support initiatives that are impact-related or others that are important to the founder. Some VCs provide funding but little else, such as coaching or a network. The VC will bring their view of how to grow the business, which may not align with the founder's vision. VCs take board seats, which come with a certain level of control. For some startups, angel money may be a better option. Consider these points before taking VC funding. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Ready to churn less and win more?

Thank you to this week's sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, financial support, and a strong community. Apply here.***

Send us a textUnlock Proven Strategies for a Lucrative Business Exit—Subscribe to The Deep Wealth Podcast TodayHave Questions About Growing Profits And Maximizing Your Business Exit? Submit Them Here, and We'll Answer Them on the Podcast!“Calm down, it's OK, you've got this. You can do it, it will be OK.”- Sherwood NeissExclusive Insights from This Week's EpisodesWhat if the fastest path to raising capital has nothing to do with VCs, banks, or traditional gatekeepers? Sherwood “Woodie” Neiss helped write the law that unlocked billions in previously inaccessible funding, and in this explosive conversation he exposes the hidden playbook founders can use right now to raise capital directly from their communities.02:15 How Woodie went from Wall Street to Silicon Valley11:00 Why your customers may be your most powerful investors13:30 The fight to modernize 1933 securities laws22:00 The shock rise of healthcare and biotech in crowdfunding24:15 How investors become strategic partners28:00 The step-by-step of working with Crowdfund Capital Advisors31:00 What the algorithm revealed about VC follow-on rounds35:00 The Crowdfundomics equation explained42:00 Simple actions founders can take in the next 90 days43:00 Why today's capital markets are shifting faster than everClick here for full show notes, transcript, and resources:https://podcast.deepwealth.com/499Essential Resources to Maximize Your Business ExitLearn More About Deep Wealth MasteryFREE Deep Wealth eBook on Why You Suck At Selling Your Business And What You Can Do AboutUnlock Your Lucrative Exit and Secure Your Legacy

In today's episode, Tyler and Sterling sit down with Spenser Skates, Founder and CEO of Amplitude Analytics, the digital Analytics platform that helps thousand of businesses find ways to grow and improve.Spenser shares how he got his first investors, how to have the best relationships with VCs, his mindset around product and employees, and everything he's learned from over a decade growing his company, taking it public, and beyond!Chapters:(00:00:00) Intro(00:09:36) Why Eric Vishria from Benchmark is the top investor of this generation(00:17:05) How great investors actually help massively(00:25:45) how do you stay motivated during the second decade?(00:33:57) how does Spenser judge whether he's successful as a ceo?(00:40:16) why he's more vocal on x(00:45:00) who is his favorite operator?(00:47:25) recap--Subscribe for more startup content!Check out Amplitude: https://amplitude.com/ This podcast was brought to you by PELION. Learn more about them here: https://pelionvc.com/

Origins host Beezer Clarkson,  LP at Sapphire Partners and co-founder of OpenLP, and Nick Chirls, GP at Asylum Ventures, dig into their recent conversation with Micah Rosenbloom, Managing Partner at Founder Collective. They discuss the EQ and self-awareness required to switch from operator to investor, how to separate signal from noise in venture cycles, and how the speed of iteration is now such that a window of one or two days can change the entire calculus of an investment.Learn more about Sapphire Partners: sapphireventures.com/sapphire-partnersLearn more about OpenLP: openlp.vcLearn more about Asylum Ventures: asylum.vcLearn more about Founder Collective: foundercollective.comFor a monthly roundup of the latest venture insights, including the newest Origins episodes, subscribe to the OpenLP newsletter – delivered straight to your inbox: subscribe.openlp.vcCHAPTERS:0:00 Welcome to Origins0:34 How Involved Should Operators Be With Their CEOs?2:16 VCs and Trends Are Seven Years Too Late3:19 Repeat Portfolio Companies: Courageous Or Insane?5:42 How Do VCs Handle the Speed of Iteration?

In this episode, host Zorina Dimitrova talks with Ivan Radovic, creator of the Trust 360 leadership model and a key figure in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill response. Ivan shares powerful lessons on trust, crisis leadership, and what it takes to guide today's multigenerational teams. You'll hear how trust transforms performance, why vulnerability matters in leadership, and how to lead millennials with clarity and confidence. Ivan also explains why “corporate experience” is replacing traditional culture and how leaders can build teams that communicate honestly and act decisively. Topics: • Gulf Oil Spill leadership lessons • Trust 360 and trust-based leadership • Leading millennials and multigenerational teams • Crisis decision-making and agility • Building psychological safety • Modern organizational transformation Perfect for leaders, founders, and anyone navigating change in today's workplace. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Explore Strategic Growth & Investment-Ready Opportunities with GrowNLearn GrowNLearn, led by Zorina Dimitrova, connects select VCs, Family Offices, and Strategic Investors with precisely matched, high-growth ventures across Europe and the U.S. We also support founders with strategic growth advisory—helping you transform your business model, increase valuation, and prepare for investment or exit.

Is the $400 billion currently being poured into AI infrastructure a visionary bet or a massive bubble waiting to burst? Vijay Rajendran explains why we are seeing the biggest investment in fixed capital since the railroads, and what could cause it all to come crashing down. In this interview, Vijay and Sean discuss the new velocity of fundraising, where startups hit $100M ARR in months, and the rise of "seed-strapping" (raising once, then profiting). They also debate why VCs are obsessed with "founder pedigree," the structural reasons why European startups struggle to scale compared to the US, and the geopolitical shocks (food and fuel prices) that could abruptly end the AI party. Check out the company: https://gai.ventures

In this episode, we sit down with Maxim and Pavel from FinSight Ventures to explore their unique "secondary-first" investment strategy, which allows them to capture equity in giants like Anthropic, SpaceX, Stripe, and Palantir. We dive deep into their newly launched $50M Generative AI Index Fund, a novel product bringing index investing logic to private markets. Maxim and Pavel also break down their distinct approaches for different geographies—operating as a "fund of funds" in India while pursuing "local monopolies" and super-apps in emerging markets like Uzbekistan. Tune in to understand why they believe AI-native startups will beat incumbents and how they find alpha in inefficient markets globally.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comIn this episode, we cover:- Why the "middle" is missing in private market investing.- How to buy secondaries from early employees and liquidity-seeking funds.- The "Fund of Funds" strategy for penetrating the Indian market.- Why AI-native startups have a long-term advantage over incumbents.Companies & Concepts Mentioned:Portfolio Highlights: Zoom, SpaceX, Anthropic, Palantir, Stripe, Razorpay, Medibuddy.Concepts: Secondary Markets, Index Funds, Super Apps, Fund of Funds, DPI (Distributed to Paid-In Capital).Links -FinSight Ventures - https://www.finsightvc.com/Maxim - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazarovmaxim/Pavel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavelgurianov/Website: https://VC10X.comLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabTimestamps:(00:00) - Finsight's unique value proposition in securing competitive deals.(00:23) - Finsight's secondary-first strategy for its growth stage portfolio.(00:41) - Adapting investment strategies to find alpha in different markets.(01:30) - Episode introduction and sponsor message.(03:12) - Finsight's core investment thesis across diverse global markets.(04:46) - The logic behind Finsight's $50 million generative AI index fund.(06:10) - How the growth of secondary markets enables an index fund strategy.(07:28) - Securing allocations in category-defining companies like Anthropic and SpaceX.(09:09) - Who sells in the secondary market: employees vs. VCs.(10:15) - How Finsight sources secondary deals from individual employees.(12:00) - Finsight's specific investment angle and focus in the Indian market.(15:05) - Comparing the US secondary approach vs. the India fund-of-funds model.(16:49) - The philosophy of finding alpha by understanding a fund's strengths and weaknesses.(18:10) - Key trends in enterprise AI adoption and the shift to sustainable revenue.(22:09) - How to judge the stickiness and sustainability of an AI startup's revenue.(24:03) - Using gross margin as an indicator of a product's ROI.(25:17) - The conviction behind investing in Uzum, Uzbekistan's first unicorn.(27:40) - Insights into building a global VC firm with diverse strategies.(30:59) - Evaluating Anthropic in the competitive landscape of large language models.(34:36) - The biggest misconceptions about Finsight's global investment strategy.(38:21) - Start of the Rapid Fire Round.For sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.#VentureCapital #GenerativeAI #SecondaryMarket #Investing #SpaceX #Anthropic #IndiaStartupEcosystem #PrivateEquity #TechInvesting

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with global venture capitalist Alex Lazarow, founder of Fluent Ventures, to unpack the future of early-stage investing as AI, globalization, and shifting economic forces reshape the startup landscape. Alex brings a rare perspective shaped by 20+ markets across Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, plus experience backing seven unicorns, from Chime to breakout fintechs worldwide.Alex shares insights from his unconventional path from academia-curious economist to McKinsey consultant, impact investor at Omidyar Network, partner at global firm Cathay Innovation, and now solo GP building a research-driven, globally distributed early-stage fund. He dives into why the best startup ideas no longer come from one geography, why AI has permanently rewritten the cost structure of company building, and how proven business models are being successfully reinvented in emerging markets and then exported back to the U.S.He also breaks down why small businesses may become more powerful than ever, the rise of “camel startups,” and what founders everywhere must understand about raising capital in a world where early traction matters more than ever.Whether you are a founder, operator, or investor navigating the next era of innovation, this conversation reveals how global patterns, AI tailwinds, and disciplined research can uncover tomorrow's winners.From Winnipeg to Wall Street: Early Career Lessons (00:01:17)* Alex reflects on growing up in Winnipeg and navigating a multicultural family background.* How early roles at RBC M&A and the Bank of Canada shaped his analytical lens.* Why he pursued economics, consulting, and academia before landing in venture.* The value of testing career hypotheses instead of blindly following one path.Building a Global Perspective Through McKinsey (00:06:42)* Alex describes working in 20 markets, from Tunisia during the revolution to Indonesia and Brazil.* Why exposure to varied cultures and economies sharpened his ability to spot emerging global patterns.* The framework he used to choose projects: people, content, geography.Entering Venture Through Impact Investing (00:08:05)* Joining Omidyar Network to explore fintech innovation and financial inclusion.* Early exposure to global mobile banking and super-app models.* The origin story behind investing in Chime.* Why mission-driven investing shaped his lifelong global investment thesis.Scaling Globally at Cathay Innovation (00:13:14)* Transitioning into a traditional VC role after Omidyar.* Helping scale Cathay from a $287M fund to nearly $1B.* Why he eventually left to build a more focused, research-driven early-stage fund.The Fluent Ventures Thesis: Proven Models, Global Arbitrage (00:16:45)* Fluent backs founders who take validated business models and execute them in new geographies or industries.* Investing between pre-seed and Series A with a tightly defined “10 business model portfolio.”* Why their TAM is intentionally much smaller, only 200–500 companies worth meeting each quarter.* Leveraging a network of 50 unicorn founders and global VCs to discover breakout teams early.Why AI Is Reshaping Early-Stage Investing (00:23:01)* AI has dramatically reduced the cost of building early products.* Increasingly, startups raise capital after launching revenue not before.* The new risk: foundational AI models may “eat” many SaaS products.* What types of companies will survive AI disruption.The Camel Startup & The Great Diffusion (00:28:14)* The “camel startup” concept: resilient, capital-efficient companies built outside Silicon Valley norms.* How software (and now AI) lets small companies “rent scale” once only available to big enterprises.* Why the next decade will favor startups that focus on durability, not blitzscaling.Why Silicon Valley Still Matters, Even for Global Founders (00:32:47)* Alex encourages founders to build in their home markets but visit Silicon Valley to raise capital and absorb cutting-edge ideas.* How one founder raised SF-level valuations while building in the Midwest.* The “global arbitrage” advantage: raise capital where it's abundant, build where costs are low.Where Global Markets Are Leading Innovation (00:35:41)* Why Japan is 5–10 years ahead in generational small-business transitions.Examples of B2B marketplace models thriving in India and now being imported to the U.S.* How construction marketplaces, industrial marketplaces, and embedded fintech platforms are spreading across continents.About Alex LazarowAlex Lazarow is the founder and Managing Partner of Fluent Ventures, an early-stage global venture fund investing in proven business models across fintech, commerce enablement, and digital health. A veteran global investor, Alex has backed seven unicorns, authored the award-winning book Out-Innovate, and previously invested at Omidyar Network and Cathay Innovation. He has worked in more than 20 countries and teaches entrepreneurship at Middlebury Institute.Connect with Alex Lazarow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexandrelazarowVisit the Fluent Ventures website: https://www.fluent.vc/Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com

HSBC Innovations is the global bank's financing arm for American and European startups, especially in the healthcare and life sciences industries. The bank's semi-annual Venture Healthcare Reports document trends in the investment market.Key Tech's Andy Rogers welcomes the report's author, HSBC Innovation Managing Director Jon Norris in Episode 43 of the MedTech Speed to Data podcast.Need to know·       Four core market segments — HSBC Innovation's Venture Healthcare Reports cover investments and exits in Biopharma, Dx/Tools, Med Device, and Healthtech.·       Sourcing investment data — Norris enriches Pitchbook data with additional structure and analyses, making the report more relevant to these market segments.·       Sourcing exit data — Norris supplements media and industry publications with market research and conversations with industry leaders.·       An investment data tapestry — The reports provide “an honest picture of what's going on in the market” so investors and innovators alike “can make targeted smart decisions.”The nitty-grittyAndy and Norris discuss the investment market's recent history before exploring drivers of today's investment headwinds.“2021 was a record-setting year,” Norris recalls. “Every record that could be set for deals and dollars was set across all the sectors.” Things changed in 2022 as new BioTech IPOs struggled, prompting investment reprioritizations.“VCs had done all these… frothy valuations,” Norris says. “They had to go back and look at their own portfolios and say, does this company have enough capital? How do you want to put money to work?”Investments rebounded in 2024, but not the number of deals. Investors poured money into their existing portfolios to boost their exit chances, resulting in today's nine-figure megadeals.“Basically, they're smooshing two rounds together and extending the investors coming in to support that round,” Norris says.Headwinds stiffened in 2025 as tariffs, a more litigious competitive space, and other factors amplified business uncertainty.Norris attributes this progression to the psychology of venture capital. “When you think about what makes these folks tick,” Norris explains, “they want to continue to raise new venture funds because they get paid management fees. But in order to raise their new venture funds, they have to show their investors that they've actually gotten returns.”That means reaching an acquisition or IPO. “They're very focused on getting to exit right now. That's why they're so focused on their existing portfolio. And because of that, they haven't been doing as many new investments.”New investments still happen, of course, but the criteria have changed. “While the dollars are actually up in some of these sectors, especially Med Device,” Norris says, “you're seeing that being put to work on later-stage deals because they'd rather get a shorter time to exit.”Data that made the difference:Norris' insights from the HSBC Venture Healthcare Report let him advise startups fighting today's investment headwinds.Adopt a megaround mentality. “Series B has been extremely difficult,” Norris says. “[Raising] sub two million, that's one thing. But if you're looking to raise five million, it's almost better to raise twelve.”Find investors outside the mainstream. “Traditional venture investors don't want to write small checks.” Norris sees angel groups, innovation centers, and other small investors funding these early rounds.Explore acquisition exits, but be careful. “On the device side, most of the corporates have been pretty darn active,” Norris says. However, some litigate to block emerging competition, especially in the Dx/Tools sector. Norris' recommends researching potential acquirers before taking meetings.Download the HSBC Venture Healthcare Report for Norris' complete analysis, and watch the video below for insights into the Medical Device and Dx/Tools sectors, AI's role in MedTech, and more.

Produced by Foundersuite (for startups: www.foundersuite.com) and Fundingstack (for emerging manager VCs: www.fundingstack.com), "How I Raised It" goes behind the scenes with startup founders and investors who have raised capital. This episode is with with David Alvo of Impacta.vc, a seed fund investing in purpose-driven startups in LATAM. Learn more at https://www.impacta.vc/ In this episode we go deep into the LATAM startup and VC scene. David shares his thoughts on which country produces the best startups, and the differences between Mexican, Columbian, Argentinian and Chilean founders, why LATAM is a great place to invest in startups (hint: lower valuations), what it takes for LATAM startups to raise capital in the USA, his process for raising Fund I and II and how the LP composition has changed, and much more. How I Raised It is produced by Foundersuite, makers of software to raise capital and manage investor relations. Foundersuite's customers have raised over $21 Billion since 2016. If you are a startup, create a free account at www.foundersuite.com. If you are a VC, venture studio or investment banker, check out our new platform, www.fundingstack.com

What makes an early-stage startup truly fundable — and why do so many founders miss the mark?In today's episode, I sit down with Ian Levine, Managing Director of Launchpad Venture Group, one of the most active and respected angel investment networks in the United States.Ian has spent 15+ years investing in and syndicating early-stage deals and has helped grow more than 150 companies across New England and New York. Before Launchpad, he built and exited SaaS companies and held executive leadership roles at Bowne & Co., Merrill Corporation, and Iron Mountain. His combination of operator instincts and investor discipline gives him a rare, practical lens into what actually helps founders win.We dig into:• How Launchpad evaluates startups and why capital efficiency matters more than ever• The biggest mistakes founders make when pitching investors• Why distribution — not product — is the real scaling bottleneck• How angel groups fill a critical funding gap missed by VCs• What the Boston startup ecosystem gets right• Ian's personal journey across startups, corporate leadership, and now operating one of the most influential angel groups in the country• What he's working toward in the next chapter of his careerIf you're a founder, investor, operator, or someone growing a team, Ian's insights will reframe how you think about raising money and building a durable company.⸻Guest LinksLaunchpad Venture GroupWebsite: https://www.launchpadventuregroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/launchpad-venture-group/Ian LevineLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilevine/Company: https://www.launchpadventuregroup.com/⸻Host & PodcastChris BrodheadPodcast: What Are You Working Towards?Website: https://working-towards.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbrodhead/Download the free storytelling guide:How to Tell the Best Version of Your Business Storyhttps://working-towards.com/

In this episode, we sit down with Caitlyn Krebs, Co-founder and CEO of Nalu Bio, to discuss how her company is leveraging generative AI to revolutionize drug discovery. Caitlyn shares how they are creating novel chemical entities five times faster than traditional methods to tackle massive unmet needs like endometriosis and post-surgical pain.We also dive deep into the business of biotech: the looming $250 billion "Patent Cliff" facing big pharma, the reality of the fundraising "rollercoaster," and why bringing innovation back to the US is critical for the industry's future.If you are interested in the intersection of AI and biology, the future of pain management, or the grit required to build a life sciences startup, you won't want to miss this conversation.⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comKey Topics Covered:- The Next GLP-1? Why the endocannabinoid system is the largest regulator in the human body.- AI in Biotech: How Nalu Bio uses "digital twins" and virtual patients to de-risk drug development.- The $250B Opportunity: Understanding the massive patent cliff approaching the pharma industry.- Women's Health: Solving endometriosis with non-hormonal, non-opioid therapeutics.- Founder Resilience: Caitlyn's story of a lead investor walking away at the final document stage and how she bounced back.- Building Moats: How to protect IP and technology in a competitive market.Connect with Caitlyn & Nalu Bio:* Website: https://nalubio.com* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlynkrebs* Email: caitlyn@nalubio.comVC10X website - https://VC10X.comDon't forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and turn on notifications for more deep dives into the future of technology and healthcare!#Biotech #AI #DrugDiscovery #Endometriosis #Startup #NaluBio #HealthTech #Entrepreneurship #GLP1 #Pharma

Produced by Foundersuite (for startups: www.foundersuite.com) and Fundingstack (for emerging manager VCs: www.fundingstack.com), "How I Raised It" goes behind the scenes with startup founders and investors who have raised capital. This episode is with with Naveen Verma of EnCharge AI, a startup developing energy efficient analog in-memory-computing AI chips. In addition to being CEO, Naveen is a Professor at Princeton and so we discuss his journey from academia and research to leading a startup to an over-subscribed $100 M Series B. Learn more about EnCharge at https://www.enchargeai.com/ EnCharge most recently raised over $100 million in Series B funding. The round was led by Tiger Global and included participation from Maverick Silicon, Capital TEN, SIP Global Partners, Zero Infinity Partners, CTBC VC, Vanderbilt University, Morgan Creek Digital, and others. Previous investors participating in the Series B round include RTX Ventures, Anzu Partners, Scout Ventures, AlleyCorp, ACVC, and S5V. The round also included strategic investors including Samsung Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Samsung, HH-CTBC, a partnership between Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) and CTBC VC, In-Q-Tel (IQT), the not-for-profit strategic investor advancing technologies for the U.S. national security community and America's allies; RTX Ventures, the venture capital arm of RTX, a leading manufacturer of aerospace and defense systems and technology solutions; and Constellation Technology Ventures, the venture capital arm of Constellation, the nation's largest producer of clean, emissions-free, reliable energy. How I Raised It is produced by Foundersuite, makers of software to raise capital and manage investor relations. Foundersuite's customers have raised over $21 Billion since 2016. If you are a startup, create a free account at www.foundersuite.com. If you are a VC, venture studio or investment banker, check out our new platform, www.fundingstack.com a startup developing proprietary analog in-memory-computing AI chips

Navigating the Future of Digital Connections with Jane KubryakIn this episode, host Josh Elledge interviews Jane Kubryak, venture capitalist and startup scout at Social Discovery Group, to explore the future of digital connection platforms, AI companions, and the shifting venture capital landscape. Jane shares her global journey from Russia to Montenegro, her role in scouting high-potential founders, and the unique market insights she's gained working with one of the largest digital-connection companies in the world. Her perspective offers invaluable guidance for founders navigating today's polarized funding environment and for investors looking to discover overlooked innovation.How Startup Founders Can Stand Out in a Polarized VC MarketJane explains that today's startup world is split between massively funded companies with elite networks and talented early-stage founders struggling for visibility. She emphasizes that traction—not hype—is what truly captures investor attention, and encourages founders to differentiate themselves through strategic storytelling, early user engagement, and clarity around the market problem they solve. For companies working in digital connection, AI companions, or mental health–focused tech, Jane notes that the strongest teams pair innovation with empathy, creating solutions that meet emotional as well as functional needs.She also highlights that many founders underestimate the importance of community and consistent visibility. Because attention is the scarcest resource in modern venture building, Jane recommends actively nurturing relationships with scouts, VCs, and accelerators, while leveraging newsletters, podcasts, and LinkedIn to stay top of mind. With Social Discovery Group's resources, she helps founders accelerate momentum once they demonstrate early traction, ensuring that promising teams don't get lost in the noise of the funding landscape.Finally, Jane encourages overlooked founders—especially those in Eastern Europe and emerging markets—to remain persistent despite systemic biases. She reminds listeners that SDG and other strategic investors actively seek founders who bring global perspectives, emotional intelligence, and long-term resilience. By focusing on authentic traction, crafting a compelling narrative, and leaning into ecosystems that champion under-the-radar founders, entrepreneurs can meaningfully improve their fundraising outcomes.About Jane KubryakJane Kubryak is a venture capitalist, startup scout, and ecosystem builder at Social Discovery Group, where she identifies and supports promising startups in digital connection, AI companions, and emerging social technologies. She also leads a growing founder-focused community through her writing and industry insights. Connect with Jane on LinkedIn.About Social Discovery GroupSocial Discovery Group is a global leader in digital connection platforms, AI-driven social technology, and online dating innovation. Through SDG Lab Venture Studio, the company invests in early-stage founders building the next generation of digital companionship, social engagement, and human-connection tools.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeJane Kubryak on LinkedInSocial Discovery Group (SDG Lab Venture Studio) WebsiteKey Episode HighlightsHow AI companions are...

In this episode of VC Talks, we sit down with Timothy Chen, Founder of Essence VC, to unpack his core perspectives on investing in AI startups—and why, despite rapid advances in models and tools, the founder matters more than ever at the earliest stage. Drawing from his frontline experience in early-stage venture capital, Timothy reflects on the structural shifts in the AI investment landscape before and after 2022. As foundation models and cloud infrastructure become increasingly commoditized, where does true differentiation come from? He also speaks candidly about which layers of today's AI value chain are likely to capture lasting value, and the seemingly compelling narratives that may look impressive on the surface but, in reality, lack defensible technical moats—clear red flags he watches for when evaluating young teams. The conversation also looks ahead to a disruption the venture world is just beginning to confront: when AI agents can already run diligence, analyze markets, and even take part in negotiations, how does the role of a venture capitalist evolve? Timothy shares his rethinking of where enduring VC value will lie, offering a key insight—while AI can dramatically amplify efficiency, it cannot replace human judgment or the ability to build long-term trust. If you're thinking about how to become a more effective early-stage investor in the AI era, or want to understand how top VCs quickly identify the people and teams truly worth backing for the long run, this episode offers a compelling, first-hand perspective. 在這一集 VC Talks 中，我們邀請到 Essence VC 創辦人 Timothy Chen，深入解析他在投資 AI 新創時的關鍵判斷視角，以及為什麼相較於AI模型與工具，「創辦人」的因素，卻反而比以往任何時候都更為關鍵。 Timothy 從早期創投的第一線觀察出發，回顧 2022 年前後 AI 投資生態的結構性轉變：當基礎模型與雲端資源逐漸商品化，真正的差異化該如何被定義？節目中，他也坦率談到，在今日的 AI 產業鏈中，價值究竟會沉澱在哪一層，以及哪些看似華麗、實際上可能缺乏技術護城河的行銷語言，是他在評估早期團隊時最重視的警訊。 另外，我們也試著思考未來創投圈即將面對的衝擊：當 AI agents 已能執行盡職調查、分析市場，甚至參與談判後，創投的角色究竟又會如何演變？ Timothy 分享他對未來創投專業價值所在的重新想像，也拋出一個關鍵觀點——雖然AI技術可以放大效率，但無法取代人類的判斷與建立長期信任的能力。 如果你正在思考如何在 AI 世代成為極具影響力的早期投資者，或想理解早期創投如何快速辨識，甚麼是「值得長期下注的人與團隊」，這一集將提供極具啟發性的第一手視角。

Send us a textComedy can tell the truth about tech faster than a slide deck—and Jason Yeager proves it. We sit down with the creator behind MyTechCEO  to unpack how satire, timing, and taste can outperform dry explainers, win brand partnerships, and build a loyal audience without resorting to shock value. If you've wondered how to make complex ideas irresistible to watch and easy to share, this conversation lays out a practical path.Jason breaks down the engine behind rapid growth: a smart blend of evergreen jokes and trend-driven content that lands while the market is paying attention. We talk through why AWS, Microsoft, and crypto brands back a satirical format, what they're buying beyond impressions, and how a distinct voice carves space in a crowded feed. We also dig into the AI hype cycle. Jason's take is clear: AI won't replace creators with taste. As machine-made sludge rises, audiences will seek real, human judgment. Use AI to raise quality, speed edits, and spot patterns—then let your taste make the final call.We go deeper on credibility: how to avoid becoming a meme page, why negative bait erodes trust, and how careful idea selection builds staying power with founders and VCs. Jason shares how his operator background shapes content strategy, how audience reactions reveal the psychology of tech (especially around AGI anxiety), and how to evolve a media brand into products without leaning on weak “shill” tactics. For builders, we map a playbook for using AI-native and no-code tools to go from idea to prototype faster, while keeping narrative sharp and audience-first.If you care about creator strategy, startup storytelling, and the future of media in the AI age, you'll leave with tactics you can use today. Follow Jason at MyTechCEO and European Kid on Instagram, then subscribe to the show, share with a founder friend, and drop a review so more curious builders can find us.This episode was recorded in the official podcast booth at Crypto Content Creator Campus (CCCC) at the Carlos Lopes Pavillion (Lisbon) on November 15, 2025. Check the video footage, read the blog article and show notes here: https://webdrie.net/from-satire-to-strategy-how-my-tech-ceo-scales-with-timing-trends-and-taste-with-jason-yeager/..........................................................................

What happens when AI, blockchain, and decentralized identity merge into a single system for human + machine knowledge? In this Grownlearn episode, host Zorina Dimitrova sits down with Billy Luedtke (ex-EY, ConsenSys, MetaMask) — now founder & CEO of Intuition Systems, the first blockchain network purpose-built for information finance. Billy breaks down: • Why decentralized information is the next frontier beyond DeFi • How Intuition's decentralized knowledge graph lets humans and AI trust the same data • Why tokenized information, decentralized search, and identity will reshape society • What lessons from Ethereum's early days shaped his vision • How Intuition gives users ownership & monetization rights over their data • Why centralized AI + search could lead to a dystopian future — and how we prevent it If you're building in Web3, AI, DeFi, decentralized identity, or data infrastructure, this episode gives a rare look into the architecture and philosophy behind one of the most ambitious projects in the Web3 space. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In this episode we talk about venture capital (VC) firms. Many startups want to raise funding from VCs, but how do VC fund make decisions? How do they think about companies? What goes on behind the scenes after you pitch at VC? We are here to help! In this episode we answer questions including:What steps do VC firms follow to make an investment?What happens when VC partners disagree on an investment?What exactly are VC firms looking for?What are VCs measured by?All of these questions were submitted by listeners just like you. You can submit questions for us to answer on our website TheStartupHelpdesk.com or on X/Twitter @thestartuphd - we'd love to hear from you!Your hosts:Sean Byrnes: General Partner, Near Horizon www.nearhorizon.vcAsh Rust: Managing Partner, Sterling Road www.sterlingroad.comNic Meliones: CEO, Navi www.heynavi.comReminder: this is not legal advice or investment advice.Q1: What steps do VC firms follow to make an investment?The top of the funnel is massive. It includes founders reaching out cold via email, warm intros from fellow founders, and meetings at conferences. The "email filter" is usually the first point of contact.From there, the process typically looks like this:First MeetingMeet the TeamTeam DecisionDiligenceThe funnel narrows at every stage, filtering out 99% of companies. The "golden ticket" is a warm intro from a proven founder. That being said, if you lack a network, you must not shy away from cold outreach – but your pitch must be exceptional to survive the filter.Q2: What happens when VC partners disagree on an investment?Understanding the decision process is key. Do they need consensus, or can a single partner push a deal through? During your first meetings, do your own diligence to ask how the firm makes decisions.You need at least one partner who is obsessed with what you are doing. Treat your lead partner as your internal co-conspirator. Once you leave the room, they have to go to bat for you against skeptics. Don't just pitch your product; pitch the arguments they will need to use to convince their partners to say "yes."Q3: What exactly are VC firms looking for?VCs work on behalf of Limited Partners (LPs) to produce returns that beat the market. Because of the Power Law, one win must pay for all the losses in the portfolio.Therefore, VCs want companies that can grow fast for a long time. They are looking for:A Massive MarketCompetitive Advantage (Defensibility/Tech)High VelocityIn short, they need proof that the startup has the capacity to achieve escape velocity. This includes a stellar team, strong product engagement, and an acceleration of product adoption.Q4: What are VCs measured by?Ultimately, it comes down to DPI (Distributed to Paid-In Capital). This is actual cash returned to investors. When a VC has good numbers on this, it's all they talk about.Before DPI, LPs look at interim metrics:MOIC (Multiple on Invested Capital): Paper gains on the money invested.IRR (Internal Rate of Return): A measure of the speed of growth of investments.However, for a VC to actually get paid, they need DPI. They need to return the fund multiple times over. Liquidity matters.The Golden Rule: Every single check a VC writes must have the theoretical potential to return the entire fund on its own.

This Week In Startups is made possible by:LinkedIn Ads - http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartupsVanta - https://www.vanta.com/twistPilot - https://pilot.com/twistToday's show: Did you know there's actually a shortage of US bricklayers? It's TRUE! So feel free to marvel at Monumental's brick-laying robots. They're not putting anyone out of work, but filling a much-needed gap.Join Alex and Monumental founder/CEO Salar al Khafaji for a deep-dive on how the startup is making construction robots play nice together by maintaining separate “zones” of operation, why Salar thinks startups need to focus on truly complex, real-world problems to truly blossom, and the secrets of fundraising in Europe.PLUS Alex chats with Seasats CEO Mike Flanigan about designing the next generation of autonomous marine crafts. (That is to say, ocean drones.) From their home base in San Diego, the company is trying to get completely independent of all Chinese parts. Find out how it's going, how they're overcoming the “wildly negative” ROI on maritime tech, and why we have so few defenses against tiny, agile drones.All that AND Jason takes some of YOUR Founder Questions.Timestamps:(03:23) How Monumental determined what kinds of robots construction sites need the most(06:49) How maintaining “zones” ensure that the robots all play nice with one another(07:52) There's a shortage of bricklayers, so Monumental's NOT taking anyone's job(9:16) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit.(13:21) Why startups need to tackle large-scale, complex, real-world problems to really grow(15:44) Why Monumental is building in The Netherlands, and running pilots in the UK(19:07) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(20:44) Why construction is unique among applications for automation and robots(26:01) Salar argues that fundraising in Europe is not as hard as you may have heard(27:55) We don't just need housing, we need BEAUTIFUL housing(31:11) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year. (33:25) How the Scout autonomous boat challenge inspired Seasats(35:28) Trying to make drones into an “iPhone Style” project(37:39) Why Seasats is focused on endurance and staying power more than launches(39:15) The complexities of working with fuel cells(42:27) The importance of beautiful design even when working on government technology(45:51) Why they're building Seasats in beautiful San Diego, CA(47:29) The challenge of getting entirely free from Chinese components(53:52) “The Power of Small Things Has Changed”(55:18) The “wildly negative” ROI on most humanoid robotics companies also applies to maritime tech(59:09) Why there are so few defense nets against people with tiny but agile drones(01:02:32) FOUNDER Q's: Is a founder working 24/7 a red flag?(01:10:11) How bad is it to use VC money to pay off credit cards?(01:12:49) A look at Cursor's unique recruitment strategy.(01:19:57) Should young VCs go to startup conferences?Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com/Check out the TWIST500: https://twist500.comSubscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp*Follow Lon:X: https://x.com/lons*Follow Alex:X: https://x.com/alexLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm/*Thank you to our partners:(9:16) LinkedIn Ads: Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. Launch your first campaign and get $250 FREE when you spend at least $250. Go to http://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups to claim your credit.(19:07) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist(31:11) Pilot - Visit https://www.pilot.com/twist and get $1,200 off your first year.

Your VCs have hidden value beyond capital. Most founders never ask for it.D'Arcy Martin has been Head of Platform at Outward VC for six years. She's watched hundreds of funding rounds close. And there's one pattern she sees: founders who treat VCs like a bank account versus founders who extract every ounce of value.The difference? They ask.In today's episode, I'm joined by D'Arcy Martin, who sits at the intersection of founders, LPs, and portfolio companies at Outward VC. Her job is connecting dots most founders don't even know exist. LP introductions that become your biggest clients. Portfolio partnerships that unlock new markets. Co-investor networks that solve your hardest problems.But here's the thing: if you don't ask, you don't get.The hidden benefits we unpack:Why you should reference-check your VCs before signing (and how to do it)What value adds beyond capital: sector expertise, LP networks, portfolio ecosystemsWhy VCs are startups too (and what their fundraising journey means for you)How to build your dream funding round (and which specialisms to prioritise)Why some founders get way more attention than othersThe "Christmas list" strategy: What to ask for right nowD'Arcy shares the story of one founder who sat down for a catch-up, shared they were selling to similar customers as another portfolio company, and D'Arcy connected them. Today they're doing a joint partnership and it's one of their first enterprise clients in the US.

OpenAds CEO and co-founder Steven Liss joins Eric Franchi and Joe Zappa to share which AI plays are likely to endure, how SMBs, brands, and agencies are reacting to the company's AI-native ad platform pitch, what brilliant questions VCs are asking adtech founders these days, and how OpenAds is using AI to run a more efficient startup. Plus, Steven tells the guys what the adtech equivalents of fracking and Tinder are.

This week, we're continuing our Conference Conversations series from last month's conference with a panel called "Building to Scale: Founders on Building Defensible Companies in the AI Economy."   In this panel, Conor Healy from the Yamaha Music Innovation Fund sits down with Stanley Vergilis from Tone3000, Mauhan Zonoozy from The Vinyl Bar in Shibuya,, and Jessica Powell from AudioShake . The conversation gets real about what it actually takes to build defensible moats, how to fundraise from VCs to angel investors, and the mistakes founders make along the way.    Whether you're building a startup, thinking about taking the leap, or just want to understand what's happening in the music tech startup world, this panel is packed with insights you won't want to miss.   The Music Tectonics podcast goes beneath the surface of the music industry to explore how technology is changing the way business gets done. Visit musictectonics.com to find shownotes and a transcript for this episode, and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Let us know what you think!  Get Dmitri's Rock Paper Scanner newsletter.

How do you take a healthcare innovation from lab to market—without losing your shot at impact? In this episode of CPO PLAYBOOK, Sasha Schrode, CEO of FEMSelect, shares her founder journey from licensing IP out of the University of Pennsylvania to raising venture capital, securing FDA approval, and selling her first company. Now leading FEMSelect, Sasha reveals the hard-won lessons from navigating regulatory hurdles, reimbursement pathways, and clinical validation. She also explains how a personal cancer diagnosis in her 30s reshaped her purpose—and why falling in love with the problem, not the solution, is what separates great CEOs from the rest. You'll learn: • Why less than 1% of healthcare innovation reaches patients • The 3 filters every founder must apply before building a company • How to test product-market fit with real clinicians • How to think like an investor—and what VCs get wrong • Why the most successful CEOs start as learners Chapters 00:00 The Journey from Diagnosis to Innovation 13:18 Understanding Market Viability and Clinical Need 22:43 The Iteration Process in Med Tech 24:20 Insights on Raising Capital and Exiting 27:24 Common Mistakes in Commercialization 32:00 First Steps for Aspiring Innovators This is your masterclass on building medtech with purpose, discipline, and market-ready strategy. — Subscribe to CPO PLAYBOOK for more conversations at the intersection of leadership, innovation, and capital strategy: https://www.cpoplaybook.com/newsletter Need support scaling leadership or culture? Let's talk: https://www.cpoplaybook.com/contact-us

From losing his $25,000 life savings on his first startup investment to democratizing venture capital for everyday investors, Gerry Hays shares proven strategies for making early-stage investing accessible through VentureStaking while teaching founders outside traditional tech hubs how to raise capital and build sustainable businesses. In this episode of the DealQuest Podcast, host Corey Kupfer sits down with Gerry Hays, founder and CEO of Doriot and Senior Lecturer at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. Gerry has made 75+ startup investments, taught venture capital for 20 years, and built multiple companies from zero to exit, including HomeYeah.com and Charlie Biggs Food Company. His current mission focuses on expanding venture capital access beyond coastal hubs through innovative funding models. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: In this episode, you'll discover how to participate in early-stage startup investing with as little as $10 through the VentureStaking model, why the right to invest later in winning companies proves more valuable than over-investing today, and how collapsing startup costs are fundamentally changing capital requirements for founders. Gerry shares strategies for avoiding what he calls "the fool's tax" when making your first investments, the critical importance of backing founders over ideas, and why venture investing resembles poker more than roulette. You'll also learn about building venture ecosystems within universities where students and alumni can collaborate on funding and growth, navigating the decision between raising capital versus bootstrapping your business, and the difference between venture-appropriate businesses versus lifestyle companies. The conversation explores tokenization's potential to create an ownership economy, why cultivation mindset beats consumption thinking for long-term wealth building, and what freedom from scarcity truly means in both dealmaking and life. GERRY'S JOURNEY: Gerry's path into venture capital came through painful education. After leaving law practice after just six months, he made his first investment at age 27, putting his entire life savings of $25,000 into a hazardous waste processing technology. He knew the space intimately from running lobbying for Indiana's Department of Environmental Management. The technology made sense. The market opportunity was clear. But the founder couldn't execute, and Gerry lost everything. That lesson kept him away from startup investing for a decade. Instead, he became a founder himself, launching HomeYeah.com during the dot-com boom. He acquired a small Indianapolis company with 25 lawn signs and built it into the 11th largest real estate company in Indianapolis by transactions, growing from zero to $1.8 million in revenue in just 20 to 24 months. The company sold to Help-U-Sell Real Estate in 2003, but not before Gerry experienced the challenge of raising capital outside traditional tech hubs. After the HomeYeah.com exit, Indiana University invited him to teach a new venture capital course. He's been there since 2004, creating what he calls a bridge between academic theory and real-world startup practice. Meanwhile, he co-founded Charlie Biggs Food Company, scaling it from zero to $10 million in revenue with distribution in over 1,000 retail locations before exiting through a private equity deal. FIRST INVESTMENT LESSONS: That initial $25,000 loss taught Gerry what he calls "avoiding the fool's tax." The fundamental insight was simple but profound. When you invest, you're really investing in founders more than ideas. He was simply a bad picker of founders at that point. The technology expertise didn't matter. Market knowledge didn't matter. What mattered was identifying founders who could execute through inevitable obstacles and pivots. This lesson shaped everything that followed. Gerry wouldn't touch startup investing again for ten years after that loss. When he did return, his approach centered on cultivating relationships with founders over time, watching how they respond to challenges, and building diversified portfolios that acknowledge most investments will fail. VENTURESTAKING MODEL: The VentureStaking approach emerged from Gerry's years of teaching and investing. The model allows investors to participate with as little as $10 in early-stage founders. Instead of writing large checks for immediate equity, venture stakers provide small grants to founders just getting started. If those founders break out and raise a real equity round, the stakers get invited to invest at 10 times their initial stake. The math works elegantly. Out of 25 investments of $10 each totaling $250, you might only see three worth backing in a real round. But when winners emerge, you've earned the right to participate in meaningful equity rounds without the traditional barriers to entry. This democratizes access while maintaining sophisticated portfolio construction principles. Gerry likens venture investing to poker rather than roulette. You play many hands with small amounts. You fold most of them. But when you spot real winners, you bet heavy. This is cultivation versus consumption, a long-term wealth-building game that Warren Buffett exemplifies, having created 99% of his wealth after age 65. THE COLLAPSING COST OF STARTING: One of the most profound shifts Gerry identifies is how startup costs have collapsed. What required $5 million to build ten years ago can now be created in a day for $50 thanks to AI agents, no-code platforms, and cloud services. This changes everything about capital requirements and who can be a founder. This trend combines with tokenization to create what Gerry calls an ownership economy. Instead of owning a few stocks generating passive income, people could hold tokens in 150 companies, each generating small amounts of passive income without traditional barriers to entry. The infrastructure for this future is being built now through blockchain technology and regulatory evolution. UNIVERSITY VENTURE ECOSYSTEMS: Gerry's work brings the VentureStaking model to universities, creating ecosystems where students, alumni, and faculty can participate in funding and building the next generation of startups. Indiana University has 70,000 students and 800,000 alumni. Imagine creating an arena where students pitch ideas, alumni back them with small stakes, and the community participates in the upside when founders succeed. Shared information, shared risk, shared prosperity. This approach captures innovation traditional VCs miss entirely. Founders outside coastal hubs gain access to capital. Alumni gain access to investment opportunities typically reserved for accredited investors with six-figure minimums. Students learn by doing rather than just studying theory. The model scales to any university willing to build the infrastructure. KEY INSIGHTS: Geographic location shouldn't determine access to capital. Gerry experienced this firsthand with HomeYeah.com in Indianapolis. He wasn't in California. He didn't have the right connections. That challenge drives his current work at Doriot, focused on democratizing venture capital for founders and investors outside traditional hubs. The Sam Altman example illustrates how network effects compound. Altman invested $15,000 in Stripe in 2009, now worth $650 million. That wealth creates access to more deals. Those deals create more wealth. The rich get richer not because they're smarter but because they have access. VentureStaking aims to expand that access. Contracts matter, but people matter just as much. Gerry's experience shows that when something seems too easy, like tenants responding unusually quickly to lease documents without redlines for 10-15 year commitments, it raises red flags. You can have perfect legal documents but still face challenges if you're working with the wrong people. THE SHARK TANK STORY: Gerry shares his Shark Tank experience where his former student pitched a business and received a $250,000 offer from Mark Cuban for 35% equity. Gerry advised him that existing SAFEs would push him below 50% ownership. The founder turned down Cuban's offer. That "no" to Mark Cuban kicked off Season 4 of Shark Tank and generated publicity that proved more valuable than the deal itself. The company continued growing without the investment. CULTIVATION VERSUS CONSUMPTION: One of Gerry's most powerful insights addresses how society trains people for consumption rather than cultivation. We've made sports betting legal. Prediction markets are booming. We're training young people about fast-moving money and dopamine hits. But venture investing is a cultivation game. You're dropping seeds into the ground and watching what the universe brings back. He gave a student $5,000 who wanted to build something in the travel industry. The founder pivoted to AI and Shopify and just raised $8 million at a $55 million valuation. That $5,000 investment is now worth over $200,000. The bet wasn't on the idea. It was on a founder who wouldn't quit. That's something you discover by playing the game, getting yourself into wealth-building activities where you're patient, watching, and learning. FREEDOM FROM SCARCITY: When asked about freedom, Gerry's answer cut to something fundamental. Being free from a scarcity mindset is profoundly important. Everything around us reinforces scarcity. But when you let go of that and realize how abundant things really are, it changes how you see opportunities. You can afford to be patient. You can take calculated risks. You can help others succeed knowing there's enough to go around. This mindset applies to venture capital, to dealmaking, to entrepreneurship, and to life. When you operate from abundance rather than scarcity, you see opportunities differently. Capital formation is evolving. The question is whether that evolution will democratize opportunity or concentrate it further. Gerry's betting on democratization. Perfect for investors curious about venture capital but feeling locked out of traditional opportunities, founders outside coastal tech hubs seeking capital, university administrators exploring venture ecosystem development, and anyone interested in how capital formation is evolving to become more accessible while maintaining sophisticated portfolio construction principles. FOR MORE ON THIS EPISODE: https://www.coreykupfer.com/blog/gerryhays FOR MORE ON GERRY HAYS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerryhays/ https://doriot.com FOR MORE ON COREY KUPFERhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker. He has more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker. He is deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is also the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Get deal-ready with the DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer, where like-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders converge, share insights and challenges, and success stories. Equip yourself with the tools, resources, and support necessary to navigate the complex yet rewarding world of dealmaking. Dive into the world of deal-driven growth today! Episode Highlights with Timestamps [00:00] - Introduction to Gerry Hays and the VentureStaking model [02:15] - Growing up around real estate and finding it boring initially [04:30] - The $25,000 first investment loss and avoiding the fool's tax [07:45] - Launching HomeYeah.com during the dot-com boom and growing to $1.8 million [10:20] - Capital raising challenges outside traditional tech hubs [12:30] - Selling HomeYeah.com to Help-U-Sell Real Estate in 2003 [14:15] - Teaching venture capital at Indiana University since 2004 [16:45] - Building Charlie Biggs Food Company from zero to $10 million in revenue [19:30] - The VentureStaking model explained with $10 minimum investments [22:15] - Why venture investing is poker, not roulette [25:00] - The collapsing cost of starting companies from millions to dollars [27:30] - Tokenization and the ownership economy vision [30:45] - The $5,000 investment now worth $200,000 after founder pivoted to AI [33:20] - Sam Altman's $15,000 Stripe investment now worth $650 million [36:00] - Building venture ecosystems within universities [39:15] - The Shark Tank story where student turned down Mark Cuban [42:00] - Cultivation versus consumption mindset for wealth building [44:30] - Warren Buffett creating 99% of wealth after age 65 [46:45] - Freedom from scarcity mindset in dealmaking and life Guest Bio Gerry Hays is the founder and CEO of Doriot, a platform focused on democratizing venture capital by expanding access for entrepreneurs outside traditional coastal hubs. He is also a Senior Lecturer at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, where he has taught Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Finance since 2004. Gerry began his career in politics and law before founding HomeYeah.com, an online real estate platform that grew from zero to $1.8 million in revenue in 20-24 months and became the 11th largest real estate company in Indianapolis by transactions. The company was acquired by the private equity firm behind Help-U-Sell Real Estate in 2003. He co-founded Charlie Biggs Food Company, growing it to over $10 million in annual revenue with distribution in over 1,000 retail locations before exiting through a private equity deal. He also co-founded Apparel Media Group, later acquired by Custom Ink. An active investor, Gerry has backed 75+ early-stage companies, several of which have raised over $20 million or achieved profitability. He has been investing in Bitcoin and Bitcoin Layer 2 infrastructure since 2013. Gerry is the author of The First-Time Founders Equity Bible and has led student venture immersion trips to Asia for over a decade. Host Bio Corey Kupfer is an expert strategist, negotiator, and dealmaker with more than 35 years of professional deal-making and negotiating experience. Corey is a successful entrepreneur, attorney, consultant, author, and professional speaker deeply passionate about deal-driven growth. He is the creator and host of the DealQuest Podcast. Show Description Do you want your business to grow faster? The DealQuest Podcast with Corey Kupfer reveals how successful entrepreneurs and business leaders use strategic deals to accelerate growth. From large mergers and acquisitions to capital raising, joint ventures, strategic alliances, real estate deals, and more, this show discusses the full spectrum of deal-driven growth strategies. Get the confidence to pursue deals that will help your company scale faster. Related Episodes Episode 350 - Tom Dillon on Fractional CFOs and Alternative Funding Sources: Learn how fractional CFO services help companies explore diverse funding options beyond traditional venture capital. Episode 351 - Solocast on Deal Structures Beyond M&A and Capital Raising: Explore joint ventures, strategic alliances, licensing agreements, and other creative partnership models that expand growth options. Episode 89 - Sherisse Hawkins on the Capital Raising Journey: Discover the practical realities of securing investment as a founder and navigating the funding landscape. Episode 85 - Nick Adams on Seed Stage Venture Capital Funds: Understand how traditional VCs evaluate early-stage deals and what metrics matter most to institutional investors. Episode 175 - Natasha Miller on Developing Strategic Partnerships: Master the concepts of shared risk, shared resources, and creative collaboration structures that bring communities together. Episode 185 - Maximilian Rast on How to Raise Capital for Your Company: Build the fundamentals of capital raising that apply across venture, real estate, and business growth strategies. Social Media Follow DealQuest Podcast:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreykupfer/Website: https://www.coreykupfer.com/ Follow Gerry Hays: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerryhays/ Company: https://doriot.com Twitter: @gerryhays Keywords/Tags venture capital democratization, VentureStaking model, early stage investing, startup funding alternatives, university venture ecosystems, tokenization investing, accredited investor alternatives, cultivation mindset wealth building, venture capital accessibility, startup investment diversification, capital raising strategies, founder backing strategies, angel investing, entrepreneurship education, blockchain tokenization, ownership economy, portfolio diversification, founder selection strategies, dealmaking strategies

In this powerful episode of The Mike Litton Experience, Mike sits down with Christine Healy, founder of Healy Pre-IPO, global dealmaker, former Wall Street analyst, and one of the most innovative voices democratizing access to the world's fastest-growing private tech companies. Christine's story spans three continents—from an expat upbringing in London, to the University of Chicago, to the “bright lights” of Wall Street, and ultimately to breaking barriers inside Silicon Valley and Hong Kong. After years of navigating private equity, venture capital, and global dealmaking, Christine built a boutique firm that gives everyday investors access to companies like SpaceX, Stripe, OpenAI, and more—opportunities historically reserved for billionaires, VCs, and insiders. In this episode, viewers will learn:• Why the biggest companies in the world stay private for so long• What pre-IPO investing actually is (in plain English)• How Christine broke into elite dealmaking without privilege• Her journey from banking burnout to becoming a global entrepreneur• What everyday investors need to know before entering private markets• The mindset and risk-management behind starting your own company• How access, fairness, and financial empowerment drive her mission Christine is not just changing the financial industry—she's redefining who gets a seat at the table. If you enjoy inspirational stories, disruptive innovation, and real financial insight, this is an episode you do not want to miss. Subscribe to our channel so you never miss an episode. We're growing fast—and your support helps us continue creating high-impact conversations like this one. Like, comment, and share to help us break the next milestone! Connect with Christine:Email: Christine@Healypre-IPO.comWebsite: https://www.HealypreIPO.com

Ever wanted to sit at the table in The Pitch Room and ask the VCs your burning question? Three listeners got the chance on our new segment, The Hot Mic, a live listener Q&A where you get to ask the investors anything.In this episode, our VCs answer: • Should I start a venture fund? • What do you look for in a pitch? • What's the one company you regret passing on?Submit your questions for the next listener Q&A at pitch.show/hotmic. And get ready… because the Season 14 Finale drops next week. Subscribe to our email newsletter: insider.pitch.show Learn more about The Pitch Fund: thepitch.fund Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we're joined by Mamdouh Medhat, VP and Senior Researcher at Dimensional Fund Advisors, for an exceptionally deep, exceptionally nerdy exploration of factor investing—focusing on profitability, value, defensive equity, and the persistent misunderstandings that surround them. Mamdouh walks us through his retrospective paper (co-authored with Robert Novy-Marx) on the profitability premium, why profitability subsumes a wide range of quality metrics, and why it dramatically clarifies how we should think about defensive/low-volatility strategies. He also explains the role of profitability in value's US underperformance since 2007, why price-to-book remains a remarkably effective valuation metric, and how Dimensional incorporates these insights into portfolio construction. In the second half of the conversation, we shift to private markets. Mamdouh unpacks Dimensional's research on buyouts, venture capital, private credit, and private real estate—revealing what percentage of the global investable universe these funds actually represent, how to benchmark them properly, how much dispersion exists across managers, how fair-value accounting changed the game post-2007, and why many perceived diversification benefits are actually just return smoothing. Key Points From This Episode: (0:04) Intro to Mamdouh Medhat and why his research fits the Rational Reminder "nerdy happy place." (1:32) The story behind Mamdouh's retrospective paper with Robert Novy-Marx and the impact of the original profitability research on academia and practice. (5:36) Three things the paper examines: quality investing, defensive/low-risk strategies, and value—unified through profitability. (6:55) Why none of the 15 major academic and practitioner quality metrics add explanatory power beyond profitability. (8:18) How spanning tests show profitability explains quality, but quality does not explain profitability. (12:24) Quality measures largely load on profitability—they're noisier versions of the same thing. (13:14) The link between quality metrics and fundamental momentum, especially for QMJ and quarterly ROE. (15:18) Practical implications: profitability is a parsimonious, more efficient way to capture the "quality" dimension. (16:30) Defensive equity through the profitability lens—why high profitability predicts low volatility. (18:58) Why long-only low-volatility strategies produce zero five-factor alpha—and why a simple high-profitability/low-investment portfolio plus T-bills beats them. (22:14) Alternative value metrics (EBITDA/EV, intangible-adjusted book-to-market, etc.) don't outperform price-to-book when profitability is accounted for. (24:57) Many "improved" value metrics simply rotate in profitability exposure, not better value information. (26:17) Roughly half of US value's post-2007 underperformance is explained by its negative correlation with profitability. (28:42) Industry tilts (e.g., energy/financials vs. tech/healthcare) drive much of value's volatility—not its long-term return. (30:33) The theoretical case for combining clean valuation (price-to-book) with clean expected cash flow (profitability). (33:36) Academic implications: models must jointly explain value and profitability—and their negative correlation. (35:09) Practitioner implications: parsimony—use clear valuation and cash-flow measures, limit excessive complexity. (36:53) How Dimensional measures profitability: operating profitability (revenue – COGS – SG&A – interest) scaled by book equity. (41:09) Why tilting toward or away from countries based on aggregate characteristics rarely adds value—premiums come from stocks, not countries. (42:57) Industry-level tilts show similar patterns—industry momentum exists but is impractical due to massive turnover. (46:15) How Dimensional handles country and industry weights: sort within countries, then apply sector caps. (48:27) Private markets: private funds make up roughly 10% of the global investable universe—not 25–100% as sometimes claimed. (50:53) Benchmark choice for private funds is crucial—S&P 500 is not appropriate for buyouts or VCs. (52:00) Using KSPME (public-market equivalent), buyouts and VCs match small-cap value/growth benchmarks; private credit matches high yield; private real estate underperforms listed real estate. (55:50) Factor exposures post-2007 explain 70–80% of private-fund return variation due to fair-value accounting. (1:00:48) Wide dispersion in private-fund performance—top 5% double or triple capital; bottom 5% lose half. (1:03:49) Little evidence of manager persistence—manager selection must rely on due diligence, not past vintages. (1:08:24) No strong time trend in private-fund outperformance, but correlations with public markets have increased. (1:09:13) Many diversification benefits historically attributed to private assets were actually illiquidity-driven smoothing. (1:12:25) Rising demand and democratization likely reduce expected returns in private markets—exclusivity is fading.   Links From Today's Episode: Meet with PWL Capital: https://calendly.com/d/3vm-t2j-h3p Rational Reminder on iTunes — https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-rational-reminder-podcast/id1426530582.  Rational Reminder on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rationalreminder/ Rational Reminder on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/ Benjamin Felix — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Benjamin on X — https://x.com/benjaminwfelix Benjamin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwfelix/ Cameron Passmore — https://pwlcapital.com/our-team/ Cameron on X — https://x.com/CameronPassmore Cameron on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronpassmore/ Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Hardware is… easy now?! That's what Matt Truebe said when he pitched three devices and a plan to help families with food allergies and asthma. He has tons of experience, but between telehealth and hardware, is this business just too complicated for the VCs? This is The Pitch for Above Health. Featuring investors Cyan Banister, Charles Hudson, Immad Akhund, Monique Woodard, and Rohit Gupta. ... Watch Matt's pitch uncut on Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our email newsletter: insider.pitch.show Learn more about The Pitch Fund: thepitch.fund *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Above Health is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today's show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today's episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the Scouting For Growth podcast, Sabine VdL talks to Stephen Brittain, co-founder of InsurTech Gateway, a pioneering venture builder focused on bringing early-stage startups into the heart of the insurance world – a regulated industry that typically moves at glacial speed. Over the past decade, Stephen has helped launch and scale ventures inside one of the most regulated, risk-averse business sectors on the planet: the insurance space. He has been the spark for innovation inside large insurance corporates and the strategic partner for founders who wanted to navigate the labyrinth of regulation, procurement and distribution at scale. In other words: he has been solving the archetypal “how to innovate inside a large enterprise” question while keeping the spirit of a startup alive. KEY TAKEAWAYS I was a product /service designer, and I found myself – through building bigger and bigger products – coming up against risk, and I saw risk as a constraint. I knew that if I could only understand risk better that I might be able to do bigger and bolder and better projects. That's how I outgrew product design and moved into insurance. InsurTech Gateway's original intention was to find amazing founders and fast-track them into market with enough creative energy to survive, adapt and evolve in an environment where your first idea had to be your fixed idea. Today we give founders greater agility to learn and evolve, because no one ever knows what to do when they first start, it's a learning journey. The upside, the enthusiasm, the opportunity framing of entrepreneurialism and venturing gets everybody started, rallies people together. But, an a bad day, the downside view is actually the long-term sustainability of any new category. VCs and insurers have never sat round the table together. BEST MOMENTS  ‘The opportunity was not to make insurance sexy, it was to look at the secret powers of insurance to create mutual models to work at scale, to unlock lending and put trust into ecosystems that didn't exist before.'  ‘One of the biggest challenges in InsurTech is; to get a successful outcome from something that looked great on day 1 but didn't evolve into the opportunity.' ‘Pattern recognition has never been higher and the cost to entry and experimentation has never been lower. We recognise what works and what doesn't much better, but can we validate it with an insurer and get them onside? I think we still need to work out the connectivity.' ‘If you can work with innovators, and you understand risk, and you can help unlock that innovation, you can make it sustainable.' ABOUT THE GUESTS Stephen Brittain is the Co-Founder of InsurTech Gateway, the world's first authorised venture builder and fund focused on insurtech. A true pioneer at the intersection of innovation, investment, and impact, Stephen has spent the past decade turning bold ideas into scalable ventures that redefine how insurance and technology collide. ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers, accelerated over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner. Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Facebook  TikTok Email Website This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Joyce and Laura are done with clunky finance tools. So they built Investrio, an AI bookkeeper for solopreneurs. With only 25 paying customers in a market where QuickBooks reigns supreme, will the VCs make an early bet? This is The Pitch for Investrio. Featuring investors Charles Hudson, Elizabeth Yin, Jesse Middleton, and Dawn Dobras. ... Watch Joyce's pitch uncut on Patreon (@ThePitch) Subscribe to our email newsletter: insider.pitch.show Learn more about The Pitch Fund: thepitch.fund *Disclaimer: No offer to invest in Investrio is being made to or solicited from the listening audience on today's show. The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors on today's episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the business presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reid Hoffman, Stacy Brown-Philpot, and Aileen Lee are three of the most successful, legendary leaders and investors in Silicon Valley. (The term “unicorn” for a startup valued at a billion dollars? Well, Aileen coined that.) This power trio sat down with journalist Van Jones live onstage at the 2025 Masters of Scale Summit, October 8 in San Francisco, to share candid snapshots of the investor's mindset during this time of rapid change. Learn why VCs have dramatically shifted the way they invest in entrepreneurs this year, how companies can stand out in the crowded AI space, their personal green lights or red flags, and how players on all sides can adapt.Visit the Rapid Response website here: https://www.rapidresponseshow.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.