Sita Chantramonklasri (Siam Capital) - How to raise a VC fund as a first-time manager, what investing in sustainability really means and her due diligence process

Thank you Oscar Adelman for the introduction to our guest today, Sita Chantramonklasri, Founding Partner at Siam Capital. Siam Capital is in search of innovation that betters people and the planet. We discuss how Sita got into investing, what it was like raising a fund for the first time, what investing in sustainability really means, and her underwriting guidelines.

Some of the questions I ask Sita:

1. Tell me about your journey into venture and your interest in investing
2. Innovation and capital
3. Why did you decide to raise your own fund?
4. What was it like raising a fund for the first time? Was it hard raising a single GP fund as a woman?
5. What did you think was missing from the market of venture capital?
6. What’s your thesis? What is the fund’s mandate?
7. What does sustainability and ESG mean to you?
8. Where do you see the opportunities in better for the planet and better for you?
9. Are you more focused on investing in physical products vs. software?
10. How do you also think about the future of your fund? Do you want to be a single GP always or do you want to grow into a larger fund?
11. What’s the difference between Siam and an impact fund?
12. How do you think about this term conscious consumer?
13. What are your guidelines of better for the planet vs better for you? (repetitive?)
14. What’s one thing you would change about venture capital? (repetitive?)
15. What do you look for in founders?* (added)
16. What advice would you give emerging managers/folks looking to raise a fund? (added)
17. What’s one book that inspired you personally and one book that inspired you professionally?

• Educated by Tara Westover
• Hidden Valley Road
• Noise By Daniel Kayman
• Think Again by Adam Grant