First Funders
Shaherose Charania
How first checks get written. What it takes to earn them.
First Funders goes inside the minds of the investors who back founders before anyone else believes in them, and the founders bold enough to make that pitch.
Each episode, host Shaherose Charania, Partner at Unshackled Ventures and a 20-year veteran of the startup ecosystem, sits down with angels, pre-seed investors, and operators-turned-VCs for candid, tactical conversations. Guests include partners from First Round Capital, Accel, Precursor Ventures, Climate Capital, Hustle Fund, and beyond.
We cover how investors are building conviction in an era where AI is reshaping every sector, what they look for before traction exists, and the frameworks behind their best bets. Whether you're writing first checks or trying to earn one, this is your inside track.
First Funders goes inside the minds of the investors who back founders before anyone else believes in them, and the founders bold enough to make that pitch.
Each episode, host Shaherose Charania, Partner at Unshackled Ventures and a 20-year veteran of the startup ecosystem, sits down with angels, pre-seed investors, and operators-turned-VCs for candid, tactical conversations. Guests include partners from First Round Capital, Accel, Precursor Ventures, Climate Capital, Hustle Fund, and beyond.
We cover how investors are building conviction in an era where AI is reshaping every sector, what they look for before traction exists, and the frameworks behind their best bets. Whether you're writing first checks or trying to earn one, this is your inside track.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 23, 2024 • 7min
About the Hosts: How they got into Seed and Angel Investing
Before you dive into our archives or the next episode, learn about First Funders and its hosts, Shaherose Charania and Aamir Virani. You'll hear about Shaherose's background as a startup builder turned VC who started as a product marketer and how she started Women 2.0, a startup ecosystem, and Founder Labs, a tech incubator. She also reviews her time at Nike, where she built their first incubator, and her role as an angel investor and now Venture Partner at Cake Ventures.Aamir then shares his experience as an engineer turned product management leader at Dropcam, which was acquired by Google/Nest, and then his turn as a venture capitalist at Felicis Ventures. Why did he end up back as an angel investor and operator? What types of investments does he look for now?This is for information purposes only. This is not investment advice.Topics(00:00) - About the Hosts and their Angel and Seed Investing backgrounds
(01:13) - How Shaherose went from operating to building Women 2.0 to funding startups
(03:26) - Aamir's Journey from Founder to VC to Angel Investor
(06:06) - Outro
Connect with UsFollow the First Funders PodcastNewsletter with behind-the-scenes access and key takeawaysTwitter/X @shaheroseTwitter/X @aviraniEmail us with feedback and suggestions on topics and guests
Jan 12, 2024 • 40sec
Coming Soon - a podcast for Angels and Venture Capitalists who write first checks
Coming soon. First Funders is a podcast for the Angels and Venture Capitalists who write first checks. Co-hosted by Shaherose Charania, startup builder turned VC. And Aamir Virani, founder turned angel investor.In each episode, you'll hear from angel and seed-stage VCs who wrote the first checks into startups that made it. How did these investors find these opportunities? How did they gain conviction? How did they decide to make a bet? And what can you learn from their journey? Sharpen your theses and make better investments by hearing from the First Funders about their successful investments.This is for information purposes only. This is not investment advice.Connect with UsFollow the First Funders PodcastNewsletter with behind-the-scenes access and key takeawaysTwitter/X @shaheroseTwitter/X @aviraniEmail us with feedback and suggestions on topics and guests
