We're celebrating our 20th episode of the Investing in Startups podcast with a super cut of 17 contrarian takes on venture capital and startups. Our guests talked about AI, SF, false signals from co-investors, why venture isn't an access game, network effects, emerging managers, portfolio construction, and more.
Special thanks to the following guests for their contributions to this episode:
Niki Scevak, Blackbird Ventures
Martin Tobias, Incisive Ventures
Mike Cardamone, Forum Ventures
Nick Moran, New Stack Ventures
Mac Conwell, RareBreed Ventures
Rajiv Bala, Clutch VC
Peter Walker, Carta
Colin Gardiner, Yonder Ventures
Zach Coelius, Coelius Capital
Jerry Neumann, Neu Ventures
Chris Douvos, Ahoy Capital
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Podcast Journey
01:29 Contrarian Takes on Investing
03:51 The Importance of Profitability
05:42 Co-Investor Dynamics
07:35 Emerging Managers and Investment Strategies
09:31 The Landscape of Venture Capital
10:57 The Role of Geography in Startups
12:55 Building Within Large Companies
14:54 Fundraising Challenges for Emerging Managers
15:54 Marketplace Founders and Product-Market Fit
18:46 The Reality of Building on Platforms
20:09 The Hype Around AI Investments
22:58 The Evolution of Investment Strategies
24:54 Solo GPs vs. Traditional Funds
Takeaways
Only 1% of podcasts reach their 20th episode.
Contrarian views are essential for unique investment strategies.
Profitability should be prioritized over exit strategies.
Co-investor dynamics can significantly impact investment decisions.
Emerging managers must focus on selection over access.
The startup landscape is becoming more geographically distributed.
Building within large companies presents unique challenges.
Fundraising for a new fund is often more difficult than for a startup.
Marketplace success hinges on strong supply-demand matching.
AI technology is impressive but cannot replace human intelligence.
The content here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, legal or tax advice. The opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect the views of Seaplane Ventures. Our host, guests and clients may hold investments discussed in this podcast. Please invest responsibly.