Shows
A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for FoundersHe invested in 30 early-stage startups. Here's what he looks for in the founders he backs. | Gopi Rangan, Founder of Sure VenturesGopi Rangan has invested in 29 early-stage startups from scratch. He shares a simple but powerful approach to picking the right VCs, structuring your pitch (long-term vision + short-term plan + fuzzy mid-term path), and proving you are the sort of founder every pre-seed investor craves. If you’re raising a pre-seed or seed, Gopi’s tips will make your process faster, more targeted, and a lot less painful.___Why You Should Listen1. The 2-minute test for "real" pre-seed investors – Spot VCs who truly lead early rounds vs. those who waste y...2025-04-1735 min
Silicon Valley LifeInsider Insights with Venture Capitalist, Gopi RanganSilicon Valley Life with Naeem Zafar and Meena Meyyappan, Episode 01
In this episode of Silicon Valley Life, Naeem Zafar and Meena Meyyappan speak with Gopi Rangan, founding partner at Sure Ventures and host of the podcast The Sure Shot Entrepreneur. Sure Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based early-stage venture capital firm investing in rapidly growing technology companies. The firm invests with a mission to enable peace of mind for all individuals and businesses. The main areas of focus are insurance, aging, care, mental health, wealth management, and related sectors.
Tune in to the episode for these...2024-04-0939 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurBe Ready to Answer Hard QuestionsKfir Kachlon, the Co-founder and General Partner at 91 Ventures, shares his journey from being a lawyer to investing in deep tech startups. Kfir explains why he likes debating hard questions with founding teams. In addition, he points out key things founders need to do when pitching for the investor to see their startup as a great investment.In this episode, you’ll learn:5:24 The product may change, but the character and abilities of the founding team is something you can bank on.7:04 How mentorship makes accelerator programs all worth it.11:34 How to...2022-06-2820 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurFinancial Technology Will Create a Better TomorrowJake Gibson, the Founding Partner at Better Tomorrow Ventures, gives a refreshing view of how FinTech is going to touch every part of the world. Jake discusses how the market downturn has impacted startups and gives a FinTech VC’s point of view on key Web3 trends.In this episode, you’ll learn:1:32 It's way too early to say anything like ‘FinTech is overdone’ or ‘FinTech is dead’. 13:50 Does a playbook exist for raising startup capital in the current market downturn?19:48 Web 3: many entrepreneurs following the hype; investors looking for impact23:27 Wh...2022-06-1429 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurChoose Investors Who CareMaryanna Saenko, Co-founder and Partner at Future Ventures, talks about what attracts caring investors to venture capital. Maryanna shares examples of her successful investments in deep tech and gives useful tips to help technical founders convince the investor in the first meeting.In this episode, you’ll learn:4:13 How can caring venture capitalists help in creating a more verdant future that is more equitable for all?11:28 Why you should understand your investor’s fund term/investment timeline13:45 Bring your technical team to the first meeting24:06 Tips for increasing transparency within the venture capital indu...2022-05-3129 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurStick It Out and Execute, Don’t Fail EasilyAyush Jain, a Senior Associate at Revolution’s Rise of The Rest seed fund, shares his career journey from engineering to product management to investing in entrepreneurs that are outside the traditional tech hubs. Ayush highlights some important trends that are disrupting the healthcare industry. He also explains why the “failing fast” mantra that people ascribe to entrepreneurship can be misleading.In this episode, you’ll learn:5:13 How Revolution is making capital more accessible outside of San Francisco, Boston and New York8:57 Perseverance stems from conviction in a problem you're solving.17:04 What maj...2022-05-1723 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurWhat’s Your North Star?Gale Wilkinson, founder and managing partner at Vitalize Venture Capital, shares her wisdom on building startups with entrepreneurs. Gale talks about investing in the future of work and future of learning technologies, and highlights the questions she asks founders to understand their north star.In this episode, you’ll learn:4:44 What investors are looking for when they ask “Why did you pick this business?” 6:08 How the virtual experience trend is driving innovation11:37 Themes that influence how we think about the future of work16:39 Benefits of angel networks to investors and fou...2022-05-0321 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurImprove Society Using Risk and InsuranceJoan Schmit, professor of risk and insurance at the Wisconsin School of Business, talks about risk management in business. As the program lead of Creative Destruction Lab-Wisconsin Risk Stream (CDL Risk), Professor Schmit discusses the objectives of the program, and gives examples of how connecting mentors and entrepreneurs through it is helping to improve society.In this episode, you’ll learn:7:55 What’s the role of startups and founders in shaping the future of risk management?13:01 Benefits of CDL Risk mentorship to entrepreneurs focused on risk and insurance17:56 How can you part...2022-04-1932 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurSuccessful Founders Are Naive Fast LearnersSchwark Satyavolu, a General Partner at Trinity Ventures, shares lessons from his many years of experience as a founder, operator, technology executive, and now an investor. Schwark talks about unwillingly getting into FinTech when he was building Yodlee, and how he got into investing in crypto startups. He also gives an interesting explanation as to why he likes investing in naive fast learners.In this episode, you’ll learn:1:52 The 2000 bubble burst forced me to (unwillingly) get into FinTech - Schwark6:19 A similar thing that happened to FinTech is happening to crypto....2022-04-0528 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurLearn to Look for VCs With Founder MentalityWinter Mead, the founder and CEO of Coolwater Capital, tells us about Coolwater, a new organization that’s changing the way venture capital investors build new firms. Winter takes us behind the scenes to show us how venture capital works and how LPs think about the industry.In this episode, you’ll learn:3:25 Why supporting emerging managers is critical to the growth of the venture capital ecosystem8:53 How limited partners choose VCs19:05 Why the venture capital ecosystem needs more innovation.Non-profit organization that Winter is passionate about: First Graduate2022-03-2228 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurIs Decentralized Finance Really Getting Decentralized?Andy Kangpan, a Principal at Two Sigma Ventures, shares his experience supporting founders building enterprise software, cybersecurity, and crypto startups. Andy talks about the growth of decentralized finance (DeFi) and gives real-life risk management tips for entrepreneurs and investors wishing to venture into DeFi. In this episode, you’ll learn:4:15 Risk-taking for venture capital investors means thoughtfully making calculated bets on ideas that have a clear path to sustainability.8:30 Ideas for finding unique insights into quickly growing nascent spaces12:13 Decentralized finance represents a big paradigm shift, but are we there yet?2022-03-0823 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurInvesting in Product-Led GrowthPaige Doherty, a founding partner at Behind Genius Ventures, shares her lessons from setting up her VC firm and writing her book ‘Seed to Venture’ about the venture process. Paige elaborates on her investment discipline and why she likes investing early in the future of work and future of play startups.In this episode, you’ll learn:3:15 Entrepreneurs who are customer centric and who have a high build velocity are able to make proper shifts when things change rapidly.5:24 Seed to Venture: A book about the world of venture, what it is, why it mat...2022-03-0125 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurChoose Investors Who Solve ProblemsJonathan Heiliger, General Partner at Vertex Ventures, talks about how the startup ecosystem has changed, and explains why founders DO/DON’T need to be in Silicon Valley. Jonathan also sheds light on the problem of matchmaking. He proposes solutions for ensuring that founders meet and partner with investors who are fit for them.In this episode, you’ll learn:4:27 A lot has changed in the startup ecosystem but Silicon Valley hasn’t lost its culture of supporting people.16:05 What founders should expect when they work with investors and partners who run a concen...2022-02-2229 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurForm Relationships with Investors Before Raising CapitalMark Suster, General Partner at Upfront Ventures, talks about how he transitioned from being an entrepreneur to investing in startups. Mark elaborates his Lines and Dots technique for evaluating founders. He also points out some fundraising mistakes to avoid, especially when the capital market is undergoing correction.In this episode, you’ll learn:6:27 Entrepreneurs need different kinds of help at different stages of their company.10:47 Cadence, ability to hire talent, and ability to ship code are tell-tale signs of a successful founder.15:03 Taking fundraising as part of your day job, and al...2022-02-1530 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurFounders With Long-term Vision Are Not Distracted by Public Market VolatilityMichael Cardamone, CEO and managing partner at Forum Ventures (formerly Acceleprise), demystifies the effects of public market volatility on startups. Michael gives his perspectives on the recent market downturn, and his advice for founders building B2B SaaS companies on how to manage market volatility. He also gives more details about how he looks at opportunities when he invests in startups.In this episode, you’ll learn:4:15 What benefits does a founder gain from working with a sector-dedicated accelerator over a generalist accelerator?11:50 Key things for startup founders to do to weather market downturn21:48 Ho...2022-02-0828 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurCompetition is IrrelevantMatt Harris, Partner at Bain Capital Ventures, talks of how he wanted to become a big fish in a small pond when he started investing in fintech. How has that turned out for him two decades later? Matt elaborates his practical approach when evaluating new investments, and gives tips for managing a startup’s expenses to ensure sustainability.In this episode, you'll learn:[3:36] Great investors are optimistic and empathetic when listening to founders’ stories.[6:35] Pros and cons of investing across stages in a single sector[25:41] Why should founders be careful about what...2022-02-0135 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurEntrepreneurship is a Viable Career PathVikrant Shaurya, the CEO and founder of bestsellingbook.com, shares his unusual entrepreneurial journey. Vikrant narrates how he got early believers to support him in building his first company after dropping out of college. He talks of how he has used the lessons he learned from his initial entrepreneurial failure to build a world-renowned publishing company.In this episode, you’ll learn:[1:44] I dropped out of engineering college the day I read Rich Dad Poor Dad. - Vikrant Shaurya[7:30] Explore your potential when young and don’t fear to fail.[22:15] As an ent...2022-01-2526 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurSell to Investors AuthenticallyNuno Gonçalves Pedro, founder and managing partner at Chamaeleon, talks about founding his new VC firm and how they’re using technology to manage investment processes. Nuno reiterates the importance of entrepreneurs spending more time to know investors before meeting them. He also shares useful dialogue tips for founders to continually improve how they communicate with investors.In this episode, you’ll learn:[5:31] How due diligence in a technology-augmented VC firm looks like[15:58] Know more about whoever you are meeting with on the investor’s side.[19:48] Stop talking only about your pro...2022-01-1826 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurBring Fresh Ideas to Improve HealthcareSam Toole, Principal at Primary Venture Partners, talks about opportunities for building healthcare solutions, and how building a healthcare business is different from other businesses. Sam also highlights common mistakes that founders make when engaging with pre-partner level investors.In this episode, you’ll learn:[6:02] Regulatory and infrastructure changes that are accelerating opportunities for tech-focused founders focused on healthcare[10:53] What does your impatience to solve the problem mean to investors?[15:22] How to ensure that your relationships with pre-partner level venture capital investors result in good outcomes for your startup.No...2022-01-1121 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurCreate Net New Value from NothingChris Wake, Founder of Atypical Ventures, talks about investing in engineers with empathy. Chris shares his unconventional ways of finding technical founders, and gives examples of startups reimagining and transforming the world through scientific innovations.In this episode, you’ll learn:[6:55] Empathy unlocks technical entrepreneurs’ potential to build innovations that are truly transformative.[13:14] It’s okay to create new value from nerdy adventures: Chris Wake’s personal story[17:33] What layer of the problem space are you tackling, and why is it the right place for you to be?Non-profit organiza...2022-01-0427 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurDo You Have Unlimited Ambition?Zain Jaffer, Partner at Blue Field Capital, shares his journey through entrepreneurship and how he switched to investments. Zain talks about how being a former founder helps him to support the founders he backs as they scale their companies. He also highlights the need for founders and investors to focus beyond first-world problems and solve for real impact.In this episode, you’ll learn:[4:24] Distinct advantages and challenges of working with investors who were once founders[11:14] Long-term returns are more attractive to VCs; so chase your ambition.[15:29] What’s the relationship betw...2021-12-2830 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurAvoid ‘Me-too’ Startup IdeasDan Rosen, Founder and General Partner at Commerce Ventures, talks about the evolution of fintech over the last two decades. Dan shares real-life examples of innovative fintech entrepreneurs building solutions that touch customers and businesses in a meaningful way, and his thoughts on whether or not now is still a good time to start a company in the fintech space.In this episode, you’ll learn:[4:57] Why many of the early investments in FinTech were in enablers and infrastructure[9:27] Having domain expertise is good, but passionate outsiders are doing equally great in modern Fin...2021-12-1424 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurDo Business with GratitudeHeather Hartnett, General Partner and CEO of Human Ventures, shares how she identifies ‘futurists’ to back them until the market sees their value. Heather talks about supporting early-stage entrepreneurs through ‘Humans in the Wild’ (the firm’s business incubator) and explains how valuation affects a startup’s future.In this episode, you’ll learn:[3:40] Why VCs like to invest in ‘futurists’[9:29] How ‘Humans in the Wild’ helps early-stage founders to transform raw ideas into the next big idea[13:48] Why should founders be mindful of which firms they choose to come into their earliest rounds...2021-12-0724 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurInvesting in Pre-revenue StartupsCharles Hudson, Managing Partner and Founder of Precursor Ventures, talks about how he founded Precursor Ventures and why he is unafraid to back unproven first-time entrepreneurs. Charles gives useful tips for founders embarking on finding product-market fit, and shares his thoughts on bridge funding.In this episode, you’ll learn:[3:57] Starting early in venture capital as an undergraduate; what you enjoy, and what you miss[8:49] Why Precursor is unafraid to back unproven, first-time entrepreneurs[11:50] $1m pre-seed funding can quickly vanish due to lack of clarity on the product-market fit.[16:26] Ho...2021-11-3021 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurConstruction Technology Will Solve the Global Housing CrisisJulieta Moradei, Partner at Hometeam Ventures, talks about their vision "to close the housing gap" through investing in ambitious founders developing revolutionary technology for the construction industry. Julieta shares an inspiring story of how they created Hometeam Ventures from a non-profit, about being a first-time fund manager, and authentic examples of startups making phenomenal innovations to improve the construction life cycle.In this episode, you’ll learn:[6:01] How working with an AEC-based non-profit inspired our unique journey into venture capital[10:07] Why is the construction and housing industry hungry for innovation?[14:15] Your pe...2021-11-2332 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurBeware of Regulations in FintechLucas Timberlake, a Partner at Fintech Ventures Fund, talks about investing in game-changing fintech and insurtech startups. Lucas explains why he looks for founders who are coachable and knowledgeable about the regulatory requirements for their business and shares an unconventional pitch story about one of his recent investments.In this episode, you’ll learn:[2:53] Fintech Ventures Fund’s unique equity-plus-debt approach to supporting early-stage startups[8:21] A unique ‘on-the-go’ pitch story where an entrepreneur pitched in the middle of a street[11:28] Investors look for a well-thought-out idea, not just a well-baked pitch.[16...2021-11-1625 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurGood Corporate VCs Think StrategicallyPatrick Eggen, Founding General Partner at Counterpart Ventures, talks about the different facets of corporate venture capital (CVC), where it has a real edge in the startup world, and why entrepreneurs should work with CVC investors. Patrick debunks some myths around CVC and shares his observations on how CVC and venture capital has evolved over the last decade.In this episode, you’ll learn:[2:33] The advantages of being early in corporate venture capital[14:23] Myths about corporate venture capital[19:28] What founders need to know before meeting a corporate venture capital investor...2021-11-0933 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurPut On Your Risk Hat With Debt InvestorsJacob Haar, Founder and Managing Partner at Community Investment Management, talks about debt capital and its social impact on financial inclusion. Jacob shares CIM’s inspiring mission of improving inequality through innovation lending, clarifies how equity and debt investors view startup investment opportunities differently, and gives founders useful tips for approaching venture debt investors.In this episode, you’ll learn:[1:21] How international development experience inspired Jacob to become a credit capital investor and the type of companies he invests in.[8:43] When is the right time for a founder to talk to a credit inves...2021-11-0230 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurAlways Be LearningAlexa von Tobel, founder and managing partner at Inspired Capital, shares how she built her first startup LearnVest at 23 and later co-founded Inspired Capital to improve access to startup capital. Alexa looks for tenacious and highly committed founders with an ‘always be learning’ attitude.In this episode, you’ll learn:[3:55] Did dropping out of Harvard Business School to start a company in the middle of a global financial crisis pay off?[11:23] How Alexa's entrepreneurial experience fueled her desire to make capital more accessible to founders[13:57] How can entrepreneurs hone their brand narrat...2021-10-2627 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurAppetite for Disruption: Alternative ProteinsGautam Godhwani, Managing Partner at Good Startup, talks about the shift in consumer demand from animal protein to alternative protein. Gautam gives examples of startups that are changing the way food is consumed and shares insightful tips for entrepreneurs seeking to disrupt this sector.In this episode, we discuss:[3:33] Articulating the WHY behind your startup helps investors support you effectively[9:13] Focus on impact: the mission behind Good Startup[16:28] How is innovation different in industry-based sectors compared to software-focused sectors?[19:29] Three key areas most investors will want to cover in...2021-10-1928 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurKeep the Deck Clear and ConciseDavid Forsberg, Founder and Managing Partner at Ascent Energy Ventures, talks about automation trends in the energy sector. David shares his perspective of how venture capital fits in the broader set of asset classes, what's holding back entrepreneurship and investments within the energy sector, and offers some advice for founders who are fundraising.In this episode, you’ll learn:[6:16] Why do many traditional Silicon Valley players stay away from the energy industry?[8:23] Why automation cannot succeed without robust data collection[12:36] How can founders approach investors when grappling with complicated information?...2021-10-1224 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurBalance Commitment to the Vision with Attention to Customers' NeedsIn this week's episode, Nick Moran, the Founder and General Partner at New Stack Ventures, shares his insights into his firm’s focus: investing in outsiders. Nick gives authentic examples, explains what he looks for in founders and why it’s different from other Silicon Valley venture capital firms.In this episode, you will learn:[2:23] Getting into venture capital as an outsider[6:05] Why having creative insights is more important than building the standard Silicon Valley profile to attract investors[10:07] Is commitment to the problem combined with flexibility to customers’ needs the sure-s...2021-10-0528 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurAmbitious Midwest U.S. Founders are UnderratedVictor Gutwein, an investor and Managing Partner at M25, shares insightful stories and authentic examples of how startups evolve in the Midwest. He also reflects on opportunities for both founders and investors as the startup ecosystem there develops.In this episode, you'll learn:[6:56] Why is it challenging for founders in the Midwest to find real risk-seeking capital?[11:44] How does a conservative mindset influence founders to sacrifice hypergrowth for modest profits?[16:23] Midwest startups should capitalize on the natural advantage of being closer to customers than coastal startups.[25:02] Why is managing...2021-09-2830 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurShow your assumptionsGalym Imanbayev is a partner at Lightspeed - a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm focused on the consumer, enterprise, and health sectors. Galym has extensive investing and research experience across health sectors. He shares relatable stories about working with founders through the early to late stages of the unique, non-linear trajectory of health innovations.In this episode, we discuss:[6:52] Why is it important to focus on opportunities in non-traditional areas in 2021 and beyond?[8:32] How is building a company in healthcare different from other sectors?[18:54] How can an entrepreneur position themselves to...2021-09-2132 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurTechnology redefining the future of workAllison Baum Gates is a General Partner at SemperVirens - a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm investing in workforce technology, health tech, and fintech. Allison is particularly obsessed with the Future of Work. She shares relatable insights on how companies can evolve with workforce changes post-pandemic. She also debunks one of the myths of raising VC funding: that you can raise funding in the first meeting.Highlights[1:07] Can you protect your career from technology disruption?[8:47] VC myth deconstruction: The number one myth is that you can raise money on a first meeting.2021-09-1429 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurJust be yourselfBen Metcalfe is the founder of Monochrome Capital - a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage software and AI-driven startups. Ben, a passionate technology geek, shares lessons from his unconventional but insightful career journey - from building websites in the mid-90s as a teenager, getting his first job as a software engineer at 18 without a college degree, and co-founding world-famous companies like WP Engine. Ben believes in enabling founders to fulfill their dreams regardless of their background, demographic, or location.Highlights[01:31] Self-taught BBC software engineer lands and shines in Silicon Valley2021-09-0727 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurPrioritize cash, team and momentum in that orderMark Fernandes is a managing partner at Sierra ventures - a Silicon Valley based venture capital firm focused on early-stage emerging technology companies. Mark invests in cloud infrastructure, security software, digital health, and data & analytics. He shares relatable lessons from his professional journey from software engineering to investment banking to startup investing. He also offers insights into his philosophy for startup success - prioritize cash, team, and momentum.Highlights[3:34] Lessons from my first venture deal: It’s better to be lucky than good, but it’s good to be prepared.[6:55] Why investors like to h...2021-08-3130 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurIt’s about people not spreadsheetsMatthew Jones is a managing director at Anthemis, a London-based venture capital firm focused on insurance and risk related technologies. Matthew shares Anthemis’ thesis-driven insurtech investment approach, and the things that excite him the most in the first call with founders. He also shares authentic stories showing why it’s difficult to uncover impactful opportunities if the team lacks someone with a deep understanding of the industry.Highlights:[3:20] Why many venture capital investors would look at you as if you had two heads when you mentioned insurance in 2014.[8:45] Two kids in a garage writing soft...2021-08-2428 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurDon’t wait for the perfect timeKatie Shea is the co-founder and managing partner at Divergent Capital - a venture capital firm that invests in cutting-edge technologies and scientific innovations. Katie grew up in a family where everyone around her ran businesses. While in college, she co-founded a manufacturing company, which she bootstrapped to millions of dollars in annual revenue and profitability before selling it in 2013. She shares her inspiring journey as an entrepreneur, operator & investor, giving relatable insights into how she’s able to capture value in sectors and geographies many investors shy away from.Highlights[1:13] How it’s like to g...2021-08-1728 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurDon’t have it all buttoned upTim McLoughlin is a partner at Cofounders Capital - an early stage venture capital firm investing in B2B software startups in and around North Carolina. Tim gathered extensive entrepreneurial experience from founding and running startups. He is passionate about helping disciplined and tenacious founders to build dream companies. He has actively contributed to the growth of the NC startup ecosystem, serving on the board of the Council for Entrepreneurial Development and as a member of the NC Idea Grant Selection Committee.Highlights[4:42] How is an investor able to empathize with entrepreneurs?[11:30] First...2021-08-1027 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurNo is not a no. You can convert to a yes.Kush Shrivastava is an active angel investor who has been in Silicon Valley for more than a decade. He's worked at large companies, built several companies from the ground up, and invested in many startups. While candidly sharing how he makes investments, he gives authentic stories including some failure stories often not talked about.Highlights:[4:17] From building my first company at 13 years old to Google[6:40] There’s too much data. Is this a problem or an opportunity?[9:18] Diversification: the best part of investing through syndicates and networks[15:16] Invite investors to...2021-08-0331 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurLook where others are not lookingRamneek Gupta is the founder of PruVen Capital, a Palo Alto-based multi-stage venture capital firm that supports leading entrepreneurs from garage to IPO. Ramneek is keen on achieving both strategic and financial returns for the startups in which he invests. He shares relatable insights for entrepreneurial success based on his experience investing in the fintech, insurtech, health tech, real estate tech, and enterprise IT areas.Highlights[1:24] Why strategic and financial returns need to be synergistic[9:45] Three questions I consider when evaluating an opportunity[14:21] Investment decision making: The PruVen way[20:05...2021-07-2724 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurFocus on one user, one use case, and one solutionSatya Patel is the founder and partner at Homebrew - a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that invests in startups with big-impact. Satya has a strong operating background spanning product innovation and leadership at Google and Twitter. Now, he prides himself in being a hands-on early-stage investor. He works side by side with founders to build excellent teams, products, and the companies that they envision.Critical to entrepreneurial success is having a very narrow near-term focus of where to start, a broad long-term vision, and unique insights illuminating the path to getting there.Many startups don’t end up...2021-07-2029 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurSay what your company does in 30 secondsSunil Nagaraj is the founder and managing partner at Ubiquity ventures, a Silicon Valley-based seed-stage venture capital firm that invests in smart hardware and machine intelligence startups. Sunil talks about how real-world physical problems are transformed into software solutions. He looks for founders with a combination of deep technical knowledge and precise contact with the first prospective customer.Clear product-market fit and go-to-market strategy show the viability of a business idea.Convert any physical problems into software problems for quicker and less expensive solutions.Investors lose interest when you take too much time to explain the context. Instead...2021-07-1333 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurConvert investors from non-believers to believersMika Salmi is a managing partner at the European venture capital firm Lakestar. He has been a serial entrepreneur, a successful angel investor, and now a venture capital investor. Mika invests in early-stage startups in media, gaming, and consumer sectors. He’s known for building or bringing to market globally recognized brands, talent and products.Tailoring your pitch to each venture capital investor significantly influences the success of the fundraising process.The number of investors who were former entrepreneurs is growing, thus the development of a more founder-friendly startup industry.Difficult times for startups often carry important lessons for...2021-07-0631 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurBe persuasive to convince investors, customers and employeesHans Morris is the founder and managing partner at NYCA Partners, a fintech focused venture capital firm in New York and Silicon Valley. As one of the early fintech leaders, Hans had a successful 27-year career leading at different financial services companies including at Visa as President, General Atlantic, CitiGroup, and Salomon Smith Barney. He shares deep insights about venture capital in fintech.It’s much easier to experiment fintech ideas now due to the extensive development of the fintech infrastructure.Highly successful startup founders have shown the capability to understand the exact circumstances of the customer before ap...2021-06-2929 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurStart with your childhood story not your resumeArjan Schutte is the founder and managing partner at Core Innovation Capital, a venture capital firm that helps entrepreneurs build disruptive, high-growth FinTech businesses. Arjan shares insights on solving public sector problems using marketplace solutions. He is keen on ideas that can create social impact alongside providing competitive financial returns.Good intentions don’t automatically translate into meaningful impact.Solve one problem that you have the best chance of solving.An entrepreneur’s early-life story and the cocurricular activities they engaged in are incredibly telling of their character.Non-profit: Compton Community Development Corporation
2021-06-2232 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurGreat entrepreneurs are students of venture capitalKate Beardsley is a founding partner at Hannah Grey, a Denver-based venture capital firm that focuses on the intersection of technology and human behavior. She narrates her in-depth experience on the operation side of venture capital funds before becoming an investor. Kate also exemplifies why founders should prepare to meet and engage the investor meaningfully at the start of the funding process.Rushing through the startup funding process can be a red flag for some investors.Engage the investor with questions about their business objectives to make the relationship a two-way street.Openness and readiness to receive feedback i...2021-06-1528 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurGet everyone on the investment team excited about your businessAshley Paston is a Principal at New York-based Bain Capital Ventures and focuses on FinTech. She looks for founders who can zoom in and out of a pain point, offer a unique solution, and explain how to build a successful company out of the idea. She gives insightful perspectives on FinTech trends and opportunities.Connecting with more members on the investment team means more support for the entrepreneur throughout the investment process.A founder who knows the company’s current/expected performance by precise numbers inspires confidence.Focusing on customer delight is the breeding ground for incremental FinTech in...2021-06-0829 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurShow empathy for your customersJocelyn Goldfein is a managing director at Zetta Venture Partners, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that invests in AI-first startups. Jocelyn led engineering teams while at Facebook and VMware during their high-growth years before becoming a venture capital investor. In founders, she looks for real empathy for customers. Jocelyn has backed over 20 startups focused on enterprise infrastructure and artificial intelligence.Real empathy for the customers is critical to a great go-to-market strategy.Throwing a ton of irrelevant data at an AI model doesn’t make the model more useful. Data can only create real value if it is...2021-06-0136 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurForesee future opportunities from today’s innovationsAashay Sanghvi is an investor at Haystack, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that focuses on pre-seed and seed software and technology investments. Aashay got into venture capital very early, which is against the general advice: “don’t get into investing too early”. He’s keen to find founders who are creating solutions that build the technological infrastructure for the future.Junior investors can offer in-depth context on startups because they are constantly trying to learn more about the businessEmbracing diverse skills and backgrounds in the venture capital industry can make Silicon Valley more inclusive.Almost every innovation creates...2021-05-2524 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurSucceed from your unique starting pointAli Tamaseb is a partner at Data Collective Venture Capital (DCVC), a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that backs entrepreneurs using deep tech. He shares insightful findings of his 4-year long research on billion-dollar startups and their founders (documented in his new book: Super Founders). Ali gives data points that deconstruct myths about the startup ecosystem in the U.S., and show what is/isn’t significant as success factors for founders and venture capital investors.There is no one way to startup successAbout 50% of founders have strong competitors when starting--being first to market with an idea does not...2021-05-1833 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurSay “Yes” more oftenJason Best is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Vectr Fintech Partners (VFP), a globally-focused early stage fintech venture capital firm. He shares profound real-life experiences showing how networking makes it easier for entrepreneurs to turn ideas into impact. He also gives an insightful story of how he contributed to the enactment of the 2012 Jobs Act that improved access to equity crowdfunding.Say yes more often to new experiences that help to build your understanding and expand your network as you wait for the right entrepreneurial opportunity.Every investor wants to learn something from the entrepreneurs’ expertise right fr...2021-05-1128 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurReflect, learn and growJulian Teicke is the founder and CEO of Berlin-based Wefox, the first 100% digital European insurance company. He shares insightful experiences about starting early as an e-commerce entrepreneur in Switzerland, starting the fastest-growing insurtech company in Germany, and an unexpected Salesforce-led seed funding round. As an angel investor, Julian frames his investment philosophy around big dreams, ultimate resilience, and developing a vision together.If you are not passionate about the core of the business around your startup, it’s almost impossible to get it off the ground.Your personal development as an entrepreneur is closely intertwined with startup's growth.In...2021-05-0430 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurDon’t be shy. Good investors like to get their hands dirty.Andrew Gluck is a General Partner at irrvrntVC, a New York-based venture capital firm focused on direct-to-customer, AdTech, and NextGen Commerce. Andrew strongly believes in founder-market fit and is excited to invest in startups targeting fast growing markets. He shares insightful stories of founders transforming ideas into market-defining businesses.Approaching the process like customer sales makes fundraising more efficient.To succeed in the digital marketing world, you have to build a brand around the problem you want to solve, and in the spaces your customers spend their time.Layout a creative go-to-market strategy instead of projecting outputs.Non-profit...2021-04-2725 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurWin big in niche marketsPhil Boyer is a Partner at Crosslink Capital, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm focused on enterprise applications, infrastructure, vertical software, and frontier technology. As a passionate technology investor, Phil shares how he evaluates early-stage founding teams and provides real-life examples of category-defining companies. His portfolio includes Weave, Chime, Coupa, Yotascale, Descartes Labs, among others.Unlike large companies, tech startups have the advantage of flexibility; founders can quickly change priorities.The foundational story of every successful startup clearly shows the founding team leaving everything to build the company.Some of the world’s most successful tech startups started wi...2021-04-2031 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurCare for your neighborsKen Singleton is a professor at Stanford University - Graduate School of Business. Through a glamorous 30-year career in academia, he has contributed significantly to development finance and economics in distinguished teaching, research and advisory roles. Today, he mentors and supports Silicon Valley entrepreneurs in building sustainable businesses rooted in social impact through financial technology.Fintech harnesses economic rents due to economic frictions, and share these rents more favorably among users.Financial deepening goes farther than financial inclusion to provide a richer menu of financial services.There is strong economic logic for enhancing or facilitating the aspirations of...2021-04-1337 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurTurn venture blueprints into tangible, thriving futuresEugene Zhang is a founding partner at TSVC, a Silicon Valley based early stage venture capital firm that focuses on emerging deep tech and FinTech startups. Eugene has invested in over 170 startups, including ZOOM.us, Carta, Gingko Bio, Quanergy, TrustGo, Plus.ai, and Lambda School. He is always looking for visionary and articulate entrepreneurs building the next big hit in the tech industry.An extensive network with domain expertise in various sectors is critical for building depth in investments.Great entrepreneurs articulate their vision to clearly explain timing for market-entry.Robust investor-founder relationships build the foundation...2021-04-0625 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurEverything is fintechJacob Gibson is the Founding Partner at Better Tomorrow Ventures, a Silicon Valley based venture capital firm investing in the future of Fintech. Before getting into investing, Jacob was co-founder and COO at NerdWallet. He helped develop a world-class team working to build the massively successful personal finance company. Gibson considers in depth risk analysis and unique insights key to forming an investment thesis.Investors want to hear that the founder has actually thought through and mapped out the risks to get a good sense of how to go about tackling those risks.Carefully breaking down the cost...2021-03-3027 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurEvery day is recruiting day at a startupSteven Lurie is the founder of Team Builder Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that helps founders build world-class teams. Drawing from decades of experience scaling teams at tech start-ups, Steven shares proven ideas for successful recruiting and building high-quality teams. Listen to the episode to avoid common hiring mistakes founders make during early startup stages.Lack of consistent recruiting results to missed hiring plans, and consequently missed revenuesFounders must reach beyond their personal networks to recruit talent to accelerate team buildingIn the war for talent, treat every prospective hire as if they are the greatest person...2021-03-2333 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurPlay the long-game to win in Silicon ValleyHoman Yuen is a partner at Fusion Fund, an early-stage VC firm focused on investing in innovative companies with a technology barrier to their business models. He gives examples of hand-on support as an investor using prior experiences in research & academia and high-tech entrepreneurship. Homan insists that honesty is key in building solid startup foundations to create lasting power.Disclose all the shiny and messy spots of your company’s progress to build trust with investors.It’s great to become a glittering unicorn in the Silicon Valley, but being thoughtful of others helps to win the long game...2021-03-1630 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurBe efficient. Don't be macho.Swati Chaturvedi is the co-founder and CEO of Propel(x) - a marketplace that connects investors and experts with science & technology startups. Swati shares her unique experience at the rare intersection of entrepreneurship, investment banking and venture capital roles. She is keen on deeptech innovation and customer traction when evaluating startups. Use resources like investment bankers to efficiently manage fund raisingAdvanced conversations with potential customers are strong signals of traction for deep tech based startupsRejection is an inevitable part of an entrepreneur’s daily experiences
2021-03-0929 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurBuild agile solutions for traditional problemsVivek Krishnamurthy is a venture capital investor at Commerce Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based VC capital firm focusing on investments in the e-commerce, FinTech and Insurance sectors. Vivek is particularly interested in entrepreneurs with extensive market knowledge and practical vision for what’s going to happen in the future.The humility of acknowledging your competition helps you discover the real value your products can create.Many startups fail due to the lack of thoughtfulness on which verticals to approach first.Venture capitalist-entrepreneur relationships are not purely transactional. Real human conversations influence decision making on either side.Non-profit: Moneythink2021-03-0231 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurNo place in the world is like Silicon ValleyGeoff Ralston, President of Y Combinator, shares insightful experiences and lessons learned over three decades in Silicon Valley. He talks passionately about his interest in education technology and why Y Combinator invests in startups at their earliest stages.Accelerators have helped reduce information asymmetry and level the playing ground for entrepreneursTechnology will be at the center of value creationSilicon Valley’s culture of tolerating extraordinary failures makes it irreplaceableThe proliferation of innovation must provide solutions to world most important problems like climate changeNon-profit: Second Harvest Food Bank, AmeriCares
2021-02-2336 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurInnovate continuously to remain competitiveCindy Padnos, founder and Managing Partner at Illuminate Ventures, invests in B2B SaaS, enterprise cloud and mobile computing startups. She shares her incredible journey as a female founder of a venture capital firm. Named one of the Most Influential Women in Silicon Valley by New York Times, Cindy cares deeply about increasing diversity in the technology industry.Founders are judged for who they are and for the people they attract to the teamIf you aren't always innovating, you're likely to be left behindThe technology you choose should differentiate your business or provide advantage in a significant wayDomain...2021-02-1630 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurLower your shield and openly communicate with investorsFarooq Abbasi, founder and general partner at Preface Ventures, invests in early stage enterprise software startups. An optimist by nature, he entered into VC at the age of 19. He shares why founder openness, commitment and grit are key to investments.Career trajectory indicates long-term commitment to the mission of a startupBest VCs aim not to poke holes in the business but to illuminate risks and achieve a shared understandingHonest and frequent communication is critical for a healthy founder-VC relationshipRespect competitors but realize their weaknessesNon-profit: Diversity VC
2021-02-0930 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurConvert frustration into desire to create a new businessSandeep Bhadra is a partner at Vertex Ventures - a Silicon Valley-based VC firm that invests in B2B software and services. He candidly talks about his career as an engineer and experiences in venture capital. His methodical approach to researching startups creates the thesis for his investments.Interesting ideas often start with a sense of frustration about an inefficiency and a strong desire to make an impact.Cloud computing has made it possible for entrepreneurs to scale their startups from anywhere in the world. Founders don’t necessarily have to be in Silicon Valley to be successful.Bei...2021-02-0227 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurStartup ecosystem in Austin, Texas is boomingAndrea Kalmans, founding partner at Lontra Ventures, launched an investment firm with her husband and invests in 2 to 4 startups every year. She gives real-life examples of startups from her portfolio in healthcare, enterprise infrastructure, software, block chain technology and other sectors. Startup ecosystem in Austin, Texas is boomingBold founders grounded in reality whom people want to follow make successful entrepreneursWhen too many people invest in a party round, it means that nobody really wants to lead with convictionEntrepreneurs feel an emotional connection with angel investors when they pitchNon-profit: Anti-Defamation Leauge
2021-01-2632 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurCatch the attention of investors with non-obvious insightsGaurav Jain, co-founder and managing partner at Afore Capital, describes the process of leading pre-seed and seed stage investments. He gives examples of founders of startups with unproven business models and what convinced him to invest. Think non-linear to create non-obvious insights like Kyle Vogt, founder and CEO at Cruise AutomationLearn by playing in the field not by operating in vacuumVelocity of fund raising has increased because of remote workOnce a VC commits you can't fire the investor nor can the VC un-invest in a startup. The VC - founder relationship is long-term lasting more than 10 years.Non-profit: Am...2021-01-1931 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurShow your personality on video callsSteph Khoo, a venture capital investor at NYCA Partners, shares examples of innovative fintech startups changing the global financial systems. She talks about her due-diligence process, and how the changes caused by COVID are permanent. Fintech 2.0 is about re-bundling financial servicesAfter COVID, connecting with people and have meaningful discussions is a lot easierPrevention instead of cure is the new trend in insurtech Non-profit: Welcome Table at Xavier Mission
2021-01-1225 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurCreate unfair advantage with novel technical insightsAshmeet Sidana, chief engineer and founder of Engineering Capital, invests in startups with technical insights. He gives authentic examples success and failure stories from his portfolio of 20 startups. Education transformed his life starting in a rural village in India to the Silicon Valley. Great entrepreneurs are good at storytellingVC is a service business. It is the job of a VC to make it easy to work with founders. Startups need access to public market at earlier stages. It will democratize gains in market cap of startups. Non-profit: Educational institution - high school
2021-01-0530 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurVisionary entrepreneurs have the x-factorUllas Naik, Founder and General Partner at Streamlined Ventures, shares his journey as investor on Wall Street and later starting a venture capital firm in the Silicon Valley. He has invested in >100 startups including 30 companies valued at >$100 mil. He gives real-life examples of founders with a bold vision and the perseverance for execution. Extreme scale businesses are led by opinionated entrepreneursStartups have a team of hackers and hustlers, product visionaries and technology wizardsThe advantage of a solo capitalist is rapid decision making without the need for consensusOut of 100 startups more than 30 startups are valued at >$100 mil. and 3 are v...2020-12-2932 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurClarity of thought combined with empathy is a winning comboVinay Iyengar is a venture capital investor at Two Sigma Ventures based. His describes his investment thesis focused on the infrastructure for creative work. He talks about lessons learned in empathy through his failed startup and the evolution of remote work. Empathy for the customer, clarify of thought and humility are qualities of greatness in entrepreneursVenture capital business will always be human relationship basedDemocratizing access to information will increase diversityNon-profit: Equal Justice Initiatives
2020-12-1533 min
The SoFin PodcastGopi Rangan of Sure Ventures on Investing In Startups Where Founders Are On A MissionGopi Rangan, Founding Partner at Sure Ventures and host of The Sure Shot Entrepreneur podcast explains why he invests in startups where he feels the founders are on a mission. Hint... it has to do with resilience. 2020-12-1447 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurGrowth with negative margins is dangerousMar Hershenson, founding managing partner at Pear Ventures, shares her journey starting as a successful entrepreneur to launching a VC firm with Pejman Nozad. Her authentic description of failure in a startup she founded highlights her lessons as a CEO. Founders grow professionally with the company and by consistently investing in themselvesPivoting a business for the right reasons can open doors to new opportunitiesTony Xu, CEO of DoorDash, convincingly explained why the company will be successful which influenced investorsGrowth growth growth with negative unit economics is dangerousNon-profit: Harvey Mudd College, Board of Trustees
2020-12-0831 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurBuild products to serve the middle classSydney Thomas at Precursor Ventures talks about founders who truly care. She describes how she wants to work with inspiring entrepreneurs. She invests in startups to build the middle class. Entrepreneurs relate better to people like themselves, but not with career VCs who live a very different lifeThe true power of entrepreneurship is in creating long-term sustainable economic development in local communities.Depth of understanding the customer's needs is important. Non-profit: Public Safety, City of Oakland
2020-12-0131 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurDecision analysis is a high-quality conversation leading to clarity of actionClint Korver, co-founder and managing director of Ulu Ventures, talks about managing uncertainties in venture capital investments. He describes his Vulcan mind-meld market mapping session with examples of both successful and failed startups.Decision analysis process combines data and intuition to minimize cognitive biases and reduce riskUncertainty is common in venture capital: only 2.5% of 4000 startups generate great returnsVCs are biased. They ask male entrepreneurs about upside potential and women about downside risk mitigation.Non-profit: Grinnell College
2020-11-1731 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurHow does an investor form gut feel?Sheel Mohnot, co-founder and general partner at Better Tomorrow Ventures, has a gut feel about the founders. He gives an insider view using examples of fintech investments. The role of a VC is a combination of a management consultant and a psychotherapistFintech started in 2014 and is still in the early days of innovationAt the pre-seed and seed stage venture capital investments team is most important Non-profit: Curry Without Worry
2020-11-1026 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurLatin America is a huge marketConsuelo Valverde, founder and managing partner at SV Latam Capital, supports startups focusing on Latin America. She describes using real-life examples how decision analysis helps her evaluate founders and their ambitious ideas. Invest in ideas generated by brilliant minds looking to transform the world in some meaningful way is excitingWhen faced with uncertainty of markets and uncertainty of new technologies, what remains constant is the leadershipSome startups don't need to expand the large market in Mexico, some others are well positioned to scale globally Non-profit: San Francisco CASA
2020-11-0325 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurSeek honest feedback from investorsAnkur Jain, Founding Partner at Emergent Ventures, describes how transformation through self-reflection shaped his investment philosophy. He empathizes with the challenge entrepreneurs face while seeking honest feedback from investors. Decision from first meeting to investment takes 6 weeksTransform your life with inner engineeringEntrepreneurs face many pessimistic questions from everyone but optimism needs to prevailNon-profit: Isha Foundation
2020-10-2726 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurLimited partners influence change from the topLo Toney, founder and managing partner at Plexo Capital, takes us behind the scenes of a venture fund to show a limited partner's perspective. He shares his vision for a flywheel effect from the top to increase diversity. A hybrid VC firm investing both in emerging VC funds and in early stage companiesHow can limited partners influence change diversity trends starting at the topNow there is a willingness to change trends in venture capitalNew VCs must learn to transition from investor to fund manager Non-profit: HBCUvc
2020-10-2036 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurImmigrant entrepreneurs must overcome unique hurdlesManan Mehta, founding partner at Unshackled Ventures, shares his personal journey as the son of immigrants and how he built a venture capital firm with a mission to support foreign born founders. His authentic stories describes unfair barriers and his solutions to overcome them. Great teams are also self-aware on their blind spots The only VC with immigration attorneys as partnersHamilton - Immigrants (we get the job done)Non-profit: Playworks
2020-10-1331 min
The Orbit Shift PodcastS01E06: Gopi Rangan of Sure Ventures: On raising seed capital, pitch decks and early teamsAs a new immigrant Gopi Rangan’s American Dream was nearly cut short by a car accident. Fortunately for the ace investor, he was insured, shielding him from the financial burden he would have to undergo. This incident is ingrained into Gopi as the founding partner of Sure Ventures where he invests in insuretech companies. On this episode of The Orbit Shift Podcast Gopi talks to us about who he invests in and how he identifies these ‘agents of change’, what he looks for in pitch decks, why he loves typos in pitch decks, when a startup founder should look t...2020-10-1243 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurPrepare your investor for the conversationPaul Arnold, founder of Switch Ventures, explains data driven investing in venture capital. He gives real-life examples of founders sharing information to prepare for a deeper discussion in the first meeting. Quants are good at beating the average but algorithms cannot beat the best in the gameThere is no magic formula for success in startupsGreat entrepreneurs have high quality of insights on a businessPrepare the investors by sharing a white paper or a slide deckNon-profit: Commonwealth Club
2020-10-0618 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurTell the story of "why" to excite investorsShruti Gandhi, founder of Array Ventures, describes her investment process in detail. Using specific examples of first meetings with founders, she explains what she likes to see in early stage startups. Smart founders figure out a way to expand market sizeWhy are you solving that problem and why are you excited about it?25% of founders backed by the firm are women and 50% are immigrantsPledge: Array Ventures dedicates $1 million to black and Latinx founders
2020-09-3023 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurMeet a rare black VCFred Groce, Principal at Storm Ventures and founder of Blck VC, shares authentic stories of startup investments that succeeded and failed. He describes how to identify the X-factor in a founding team. He also talks about his initiatives to double the number of black VCs.Diversity is a competitive edge in the market for organizationsTech is not an inclusive industry. 2020-09-2530 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurEthos to keep pushing things forward is a rare qualityRavi Belani, founder of Alchemist Accelerator, talks about entrepreneurship for all. He gives examples of technical founders building software businesses LaunchDarkly and Rigetti. Alchemist looks for what can go right and how big can the business be more than dwelling on what can go wrong. Both Steve Jobs like charismatic vision and Steve Wozniac like behind the scenes execution are important in a founding teamQuestions we ask are around: why now, why you and how big.Good accelerators are strong signals to attract venture capital investorsNon-profit: City of Dreams
2020-09-1627 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurStartups in underdog cities are looking for good investorsPat Matthews, founder & CEO at Active Capital, walks through his investment decisions with three startup stories. Learn from his career as a pioneer in B2B SaaS entrepreneur in the late 90s and an active angel investor in 100+ startups before he became a full-time VC. Startups in underdog cities need investors with experienceLeading with your strength is a competitive advantageWell crafted cold emailNon-profit: Big Brothers Big Sisters
2020-09-0925 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurDesign a process to avoid investment biasesKamal Hassan, founding partner at Loyal.vc, explains how the power of his network helps avoid negative effects of biases in investing. The 2 year old firm has invested in 116 startups in 30 countries. He treats founders the way he wishes he was treated when he was an entrepreneur. Inside access through business networks helps identify best startups and encourages good behavior to maintain reputationIndex approach outperforms in seed stage investingAdvisors assist in referencing startup teams and add their expertise adds valueNon-profit: INSEAD
2020-09-0230 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurBuild solutions for a large future marketIan Rountree, founder of Cantos Ventures, shares an insider view on his 40+ investments focused on frontier technology. He talks about the experience of angel investing as a better education in venture capital than an MBA degree. Startups with defensible technology, large future market potential + a team that can execute is the magic formula.Errors of commission is ok but errors of omission hurt a lot. This leads to fear of missing out.Propitiatory technologies must lead to network effects or new business models.Frontier of innovation will create economic value in legacy industries.Non-profit: Open Door Legal.
2020-08-2625 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurEntrepreneurship liberates you to solve impactful problemsNaeem Zafar shares his experience as a CEO and mentor to founders. He talks about recruiting early employees, motivation of A-players, and the liberating power of entrepreneurship.Make emotional deposits well before you ask for favors from your network.A-players look for impact of solving an important problem. Selling a noble act of listening, analyzing, connecting the dots and suggesting solutions. Talent development is an important skill for a CEO.Non-profit: The Indus Entrepreneur.
2020-08-1923 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurIncrease diversity in entrepreneurship, nowMiriam Rivera talks about the lack of diversity in the industry, and her investments with a mission to promote entrepreneurship among women and people of color. She shares how her husband is the best partner both at home and at work. 9% of VC decision makers are women. Unfairness hurts the industry. We need change.She doesn't hide the ball. She openly discusses risks with entrepreneurs and highlights areas they can improve.Decision analysis brings transparency to the due-diligence process. Non-profit: Kauffman Foundation
2020-08-1229 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurDevotion to your business will convince skepticsRajeev Madhavan, founding partner at Clear Ventures, shares his career as a 3x successful entrepreneur. He shows how an entrepreneur changes his skeptical view and convinces him in 20 minutes.A great VC is a coach who can pick the right entrepreneurs and shows lessons from past experiences.Spark in the first meeting is the best and only chance to convince a venture capital investor.The ecosystem in the Silicon Valley is stronger than ever. Founders face fewer biases and easily connect with customers, employees and many early believers.Non-profit: Akshaya PatraMore details at http://podcast.sure...2020-08-0629 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurBe bold, compete against incumbentsRick Zullo talks about bridging the digital divide in legacy industries by supporting founders with experience. Authentic relationships with industry experts is important, not just a rolodex of CXOs. Highlights: Industries with complex problems need cataclysmic changes with tail winds lasting many years.Founders with experience in industries like employee benefits, staffing, senior care, and healthcare understand intricacies much better than a typical tech entrepreneur.The pitch is not as critical founders think it is. Honesty, self-awareness and having a network are more important.Future of entrepreneurship is more geographically dispersed, not concentrated in hubs like the S...2020-08-0628 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurModernize financial infrastructure to democratize prosperityKat Utecht, partner at Core VC, shares her adventurous journey of starting a VC firm on the east coast and expanding to the west coast. She describes how her startup investments improve the lives of average Americans.Highlights: Mission-driven investing is popular everywhere including in the Silicon Valley.Insider view on a bold bet in healthcare while political changes were creating uncertainties.How partners in multiple locations collaborate.Non-profit: Sky's the LimitMore details at https://podcast.sure.ventures
2020-07-3030 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurFuture of healthcare needs more empathy and technologyScott Barclay shares insights on when to play an active role as a venture capital investor. He explains with examples how engagement with an entrepreneur starts and eventually disproves or strengthens his conviction in a business idea. Highlights: The right VC:CEO fit is magical.A good investor does not impose his alpha role but is always ready to intervene and lead.Become a student of economics and learn about unrelated markets to sharpen your investment acumen.Entrepreneurial journeys are broad ranging. Founders come in many shapes and forms. Hot referrals and cold-emails are both good lea...2020-07-3031 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurLessons from >100 angel investmentsGokul Rajaram shares specific characteristics he looks for in entrepreneurs who range from former coworkers to founders he never met in-person. He describes his unique journey in the Silicon Valley leading product development at Juno, Google, Facebook, Square and Doordash. Highlights: The determination to move heaven and earth to solve a problem is an important quality in entrepreneurs.Founders have unique non-obvious insights about the market.Customer love for a product convinces angel investors more than charisma during a pitch.Angels want to give back to the community and learn from entrepreneurs.Non-profit: Second Harvest Food Ba...2020-07-3031 min
The Sure Shot EntrepreneurWelcome and quick introListen to the podcast for entrepreneurs with ambitious ideas. Post reviews and ratings on Apple Podcast to help entrepreneurs find this podcast. Come here to listen to relatable, insightful and authentic stories from venture capital investors and other early believers. I am your host Gopi Rangan. Once a week, we will talk about startups, investments, bold ideas, tech and the future. Share comments and subscribe to the podcast.
2020-07-1803 min
The Propel(x) PodcastThe Process of Investing with Gopi RanganJoin us as Swati discusses the process of investing with Gopi Rangan, an experienced investor in the insurance technology sector. We discuss the explosion of Micro VCs in recent times. Additionally, Gopi shares his process, how he sources companies, how he interacts with them, what characteristics he specifically looks for and he manages his portfolio post investment. As an early stage investor, Gopi seeks to understand how he can help the company grow and thrive.
Disclaimer: Propel(x) is a funding platform, not a Broker-Dealer. Securities are offered through Hubble Investments, member FINRA/SIPC and an affiliate of Propel(x...2020-06-0400 min
9x90Gopi Rangan ☂️ Here to answer your biggest Venture Capital questions (#8).In this episode Adi Soozin of MD9 interviews Gopi Rangan, her mentor and Silicon Valley based venture capital investor.
Gopi Rangan is the founder and General Partner at Sure Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm investing in insurtech startups. The mission of the firm is to enable peace of mind for individuals and businesses. Portfolio: Blitzz, Decent, Hi Marley, Mile Auto, Rocket Dollar and SpotAngels.
He is also an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at INSEAD. Gopi has an M.B.A. from INSEAD, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University, and a...2019-08-1352 min