Something Ventured -- Silicon Valley Podcast

Winter Mead is the author of How to Raise a Venture Capital Fund: The Essential Guide on Fundraising and Understanding Limited Partners.  He is also founder of Coolwater Capital, a new model that helps launch, build, and scale emerging fund managers

While there are a lot of investors (known in the parlance as “LPs”), and certainly a lot of funds – the set of people who sit at the intersection of these two is much smaller. So Winter has an unusual perspective and point of view to share.

Winter shares his journey from Harvard and Hall Capital to Sapphire Ventures and ultimately to founding Coolwater. He explains the complex and often overlooked challenges new fund managers face in securing funding, managing portfolios, and building effective business strategies. With insights on the evolving venture ecosystem, the role of emerging managers in fueling innovation, and the rising focus on sectors like AI, climate tech, and longevity, Winter offers a compelling look at how Coolwater helps guide and co-build alongside new managers.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of venture capital and the critical role of emerging fund managers in driving technological innovation.

https://www.coolwatercap.com/

https://8bitcapital.com/

https://somethingventured.us/

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Max Altman and Ben Braverman were both pretty close to Silicon Valley royalty before they started Saga Ventures.  Max had built Alt Capital with his brothers Sam and Jack.  Ben had helped Ryan Peterson build Flexport as its Chief Revenue Officer.  

Recently, they came together with a third partner (Thomson Nguyen, who does not appear in this episode) to form Saga Ventures.

In this episode, Max and Ben talk about building their new fund, discussing its structure, goals, and the nature of VC partnerships.  We continue with a look at the Silicon Valley Ecosystem: There is a focus on people, the interconnected nature of Silicon Valley, and how certain patterns of behavior and community dynamics influence the startup and venture capital space.

We finish by covering a range of other topics: 

- How venture capital lost its way

- The rise of VC podcasting

- Billionaire VCs fighting over politics

Join us as Max Altman and Ben Braverman discuss building Saga Ventures.

https://www.sagavc.com/ 

https://8bitcapital.com/

https://somethingventured.us/

Direct download: max_altman_and_ben_braverman_to_upload_-_101124_3.47_PM.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EST

If you don’t already know about Alexis Gay, you’re about to. Alexis is the creator and star of her solo comedy show, “Unprofessional”. Recently, her show was a hit at the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and she's now touring the show for audiences across the United States. 

Alexis previously worked in the tech industry running Business Operations and Creator Partnerships at Patreon.   Outside of work, she started creating videos featuring dead-on takes on tech culture -- and everyday life.   These soon went viral, racking up more than 24 million views across social media. Her sharp insights into startup life and its absurdities resonated far and wide, transforming her into a favorite amongst both tech insiders and comedy fans alike.

From viral videos to her successful podcast, Alexis has kept audiences hooked. She’s been profiled by Fast Company, Nightline, Business Insider, SFGate, and CNBC.  And now, she's stepping onto the stage as a standup comedian.

Now comes her debut solo show, “Unprofessional”.  It has received numerous four-star reviews and played to sold out audiences. Chortle, the leading UK comedy publication, called it “an entertaining and – ironically/appropriately – professional hour set in a world that’s rarely covered in stand-up.”

Whether you're a startup founder or someone who's never heard of venture capital, her observations land with a sharp, comedic edge. Catch her live and see why she's bound to be way bigger than…John Mulaney. 

Alexis Gay “Unprofessional https://www.alexis.gay/

Something Ventured Podcast https://somethingventured.us/

Direct download: Alexis_Gay_edited_-_10224_2.39_PM.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 5:43pm EST

In this episode of Something Ventured, I talk to Adeyemi “Ade” Ajao, co-founder of Base10 Partners, one of the largest Black-led venture capital firms in the world.

Ade shares his journey from growing up in Nigeria and Spain to building multiple successful companies, including Tuenti, which was sold to Telefonica. He also discusses his transition into venture capital, his mission to empower underrepresented founders, and the impact of Base10’s Advancement Initiative, which partners with top universities to support a diverse new generation of entrepreneurs.

Other topics include: 

  • Sci-Fi Inspiration: Adi and his brother are avid readers of science fiction, which shaped their belief in the power of human imagination and technology.
  • Global Entrepreneurship: Adi reflects on the scarcity mindset found in some parts of the world, like Spain and Mexico, and contrasts it with the abundance mindset in Silicon Valley, where entrepreneurs help each other succeed.
  • Technological Evolution: The conversation touches on how social networking emerged due to advancements in technology, and the broader impact of automation on traditional industries.
  • Philosophy on Venture Capital: Adi shares how Base10 gives back by donating 50% of their carry to fund scholarships for underrepresented students in STEM, and emphasizes the importance of mission-driven work.

Base 10

8-Bit Capital

Direct download: Ade_Ajao_2_edited_-_91724_2.49_PM.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 6:06pm EST

Nick Sturiale reflects on a career working in venture capital, in which he invested early in companies such as Splunk, Bill.com, and Reputation.com. Nick shares insights from his extensive career, which spans roles at Ignition Partners, Icon Ventures, Seven Rosen Funds, and the Carlyle Group, among others. He reflects on the evolution of the venture capital landscape, the challenges of finding product-market fit, and the critical role of timing and luck in a startup's success.

Nick also delves into the complexities of being a CEO as a company grows, discussing the shift from being a hands-on founder to potentially needing to bring in a new leader with different skills. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs through active listening and the pitfalls that entrepreneurs and VCs alike must navigate. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of the venture capital world and the nuanced journey of building successful startups. (I had an AI write that last sentence.  Also:  AI has a long way to go.)

Ignition Partners

Something Ventured

8-Bit Capital

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Category:general -- posted at: 3:41pm EST

Eric Paley is a General Partner at Founder Collective, one of the great seed-stage venture capital brands - and one of the relatively few venture firms led by startup founders. As the name suggests, Founder Collective is a "founder stage" venture capital fund that focuses on providing the first professional round of capital to “entrepreneurs with compelling business concepts”. Eric himself also founded several companies before becoming a VC.  Founder Collective's investments include:  Coupang, Cruise, Kaggle, Pill Pak, The Trade Desk, Uber and Venmo. 

In this episode we discuss the importance of Founder-led VC firms, and the evolution of seed VC firms - which barely existed when he started, and now number in the hundreds.We also discuss:

·      * Why the unique name "Collective"

·      * Fuzzy VC math

·      * VC 'revisionist history"     

·      *  What's next for Founder Collective

Please subscribe to Something Ventured!

Eric Paley on X (Twitter) 

Founder Collective

Something Ventured

8-Bit Capital

Direct download: Eric_Paley_edited__To_Upload_-_71524_1.07_PM.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 5:57pm EST

Homebrew is one of the great venture firm names.  It hearkens back to the 1970s era computer hobbyist group that included people like Steve Jobs.  Hunter Walk and Satya Patel are the partners who founded and built Homebrew (the venture capital firm).

Nevertheless, if you say “Hunter and Satya” in Silicon Valley, people will know exactly who you are talking about. 

Hunter Walk came to homebrew with experience as a product leader at YouTube and Google.  Meanwhile, Satya Patel's background was as a seasoned investor at Battery Ventures and product leader at Twitter.

In this episode we discuss the power of partnerships in Silicon Valley.  In particular we talk about the power of the 2 -person partnership (see also:  Andreessen Horowitz), why the alchemy has to be right, and why some don’t make it.

We also discuss the evolution of Homebrew from a firm backed by outside capital (from Limited Partners or “LPs”) to one in which the two founders deploy their own capital.

Finally, we cover Hunter and Satya’s newest fund:  Screendoor.  Screendoor has a mission of supporting underrepresented General Partners of emerging venture capital funds by providing capital, access and mentorship.

Homebrew https://homebrew.co/

Screendoor https://www.screendoor.co/

Something Ventured https://somethingventured.us/

Direct download: Hunter_and_Satya__Edited_to_Upload_March_2024_-_31524_11.10_AM.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 2:19pm EST

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