top of page

17 Contrarian Takes About Startups and Venture Capital


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

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.

bottom of page