VC10X - Investing, Venture Capital, Asset Management, Private Equity, Family Office

In this episode, our host Prashant interviews Allie Mullen, the Director of Platform at Wireframe Ventures, to explore the ins and outs of the 'Platform' role in VC. Here's a sneak peek of what we discussed: Main Topics Discussed: - What exactly is Platform in venture capital? - How does it operate and vary across different firms? - Who is best suited for this role and how can one break into it? Key Takeaways and Lessons: - The responsibilities and tasks of a platform manager at Wireframe Ventures - Tips and insights for individuals looking to enter the platform industry - Surprising aspects of working in VC in the Platform role The Platform role in venture capital is a non-investor position that plays a crucial role in supporting portfolio companies. It encompasses various responsibilities such as marketing, investor relations, HR and recruiting, operations, and more. As you'll learn from the episode, Platform professionals often come from diverse backgrounds and possess a wide range of skills. Allie Mullen, our guest for this episode, shares her journey into the Platform role and offers valuable advice for those interested in pursuing a career in Platform. She emphasizes that a background in VC is not essential and that individuals from various backgrounds can excel in the Platform role. Throughout the episode, Allie provides insights into the day-to-day tasks of a Platform manager at Wireframe Ventures, a Pre-seed/seed stage fund. She also shares her experiences and highlights the importance of building a strong Platform team to support founders and enhance the overall efficiency of the firm. If you're interested in learning more about the Platform role in venture capital, this episode is a must-listen! You'll gain valuable insights, tips, and inspiration from Allie's experience. To listen to the full episode, visit our website or your favorite podcast platform. And don't forget to check out the show notes for additional resources and links mentioned during the conversation. As always, we appreciate your support and feedback. If you have any suggestions for future episode topics or guests, feel free to reach out to us. Links mentioned: Allie's newsletter - https://soyouwanttoworkinplatform.beehiiv.com/subscribe Follow Allie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/allieallieM Follow Allie on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alliemullen/ Wireframe Ventures - https://www.wireframevc.com/ Follow Wireframe on Twitter - https://twitter.com/WireframeVC Hosted by Prashant Choubey - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahab/ Don't forget to subscribe to the channel for future episodes!

Neil Thanedar is an entrepreneur, investor, scientist, altruist, and author. He is the founder & GP of Utopic, a pre-seed biotech VC fund investing in the future of science.In this episode we talk about:- Neil's story and how he started investing?- What are Mittelstands? - Why startups should stay indie as long as possible?- Their focus at Utopic Ventures- Biotech 2.0 and lots more Links mentioned: Find Neil's essays at https://neilthanedar.com/ Utopic Ventures - https://utopicvc.com/ Labdoor website - https://labdoor.com/ Follow Neil on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thanedar/ Follow Neil on Twitter - https://twitter.com/NeilThanedar⁠ Hosted by Prashant Choubey - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahab/ Find the video episode on our youtube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@VC10X Hope you like this episode, subscribe for more insightful episodes!

In this episode, Prashant Choubey talks to David Honik, Founding Partner of Lobby Capital & someone with over 23 years of investing experience in startups. They talk about: The Rebirth of August Capital as Lobby Capital:- - David shared insights into the evolution of August Capital and their decision to transition to Lobby Capital. - They discussed the importance of maintaining a smaller fund to stay focused on supporting and nurturing promising companies. - Lobby Capital raised a $225 million fund and plans to continue its approach with Lobby II. Managing Split Funds:- - David explained the concept of split funds and how August Capital managed its core fund and special opportunities fund. - They highlighted successful investments in companies like GitLab, Bill, Splunk, and Fastly. - The approach of managing split funds proved to be sensible and beneficial for both LPs and the organization. The Ideal Amount of Funds in Venture Capital:- - We delved into the debate surrounding the ideal amount of funds that should be managed to generate successful returns. - David shared their opinion and how Lobby Capital implements its seed investment strategy. Venture Capital as the Best Job in the World:- - David discussed why venture capital is considered the best job in the world. - They highlighted the thrill of witnessing companies grow from small teams to large, revenue-generating entities. Criteria for Evaluating Startups and Making Investments:- - We explored the criteria Lobby Capital considers when evaluating startups and making investments. - David emphasized the importance of finding amazing individuals who are making a positive impact on the world. Decision-Making Process within the Partnership:- - David explained the decision-making process within their partnership, focusing on reaching a consensus rather than relying on a voting mechanism. The Importance of Human Capital in Venture Capital:- - We discussed the importance of human capital in venture capital and how Lobby Capital actively supports their portfolio companies. - David highlighted the hardships entrepreneurs face and how Lobby Capital aims to be there for founders in both their professional and personal lives. Regrets and Lessons from Investing:- - David shared their regrets about passing on Uber and LinkedIn, emphasizing the importance of investing in amazing people. - They discussed the limitations of AI in venture capital and the value of identifying remarkable entrepreneurs. If you're interested in learning more about these topics and hearing David's insights firsthand, make sure to tune in to this episode on our podcast platform. Don't forget to follow David Hornick on social media: Twitter - https://twitter.com/davidhornik LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidhornik/ Threads - @davidhornik Hosted by Prashant Choubey Twitter - https://twitter.com/ChoubeySahab Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahab/ As always, we appreciate your support and feedback. If you have any questions or suggestions for future episodes, feel free to reach out to us.

Robert Antoniades is the Co-founder & General Partner at Information Venture Partners. A Canada-based VC firm investing in fintech & enterprise-tech startups. In this episode, we talk about: - Robert's story & how he started investing - Investment thesis at Information Venture Partners - What do they look for in startups they back? - Exit potential of startups - Profitability or revenue growth Links mentioned: Information Venture Partners website: https://informationvp.com/ Follow Robert on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertantoniades/ Hosted by Prashant Choubey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahab/ Subscribe to VC10X for more episodes!

James Pringle is a Partner at Portfolio Ventures & a co-host of Riding Unicorns, a top 50 "entrepreneurship" podcast in 50+ countries. In this episode, we talk about: - James' story & how he started investing - How is the UK startup ecosystem evolving? - Different flavors of Venture Capital - Importance of podcasting in venture capital - How they add value to portfolio companies & lots more Links mentioned: Follow James on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejamespringle/ Subscribe to Riding Unicorns: https://ridingunicorns.buzzsprout.com/ Thanks for tuning in, do subscribe to VC10X to get more from VC10X

In this episode, we had the opportunity to sit down with Jeffery Potvin, an experienced angel investor who has invested in over 55 companies. Jeffery shared his journey into the world of investing and discussed the valuable insights he gained from the last recession. Here are some of the key topics we covered: 1. Jeffery's story and how he started investing2. The Canadian startup ecosystem and its shortcomings3. The role of Open People Network in supporting early-stage companies4. The strategy behind building a roll-up fund and its potential benefits5. What angel investors and syndicates look for in startupsThroughout the conversation, Jeffery emphasized the importance of supporting founders and the continuous learning that comes with investing. He also highlighted the changing landscape of the Canadian startup ecosystem and the need to provide support and risk capital to nurture local talent.Here are a few key takeaways from the episode:- Investing in people: Jeffery emphasized that angel investing is ultimately about supporting the people behind the startups. It's important to understand that not every investment will be a win, but by focusing on the founders and offering support, we can help them navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.- The power of collaboration: Jeffrey discussed the value of events like Ete, where entrepreneurs come together to help each other. By fostering a supportive community, startups can learn from one another and accelerate their growth.- The potential of roll-up funds: Jeffrey shared his insights on the roll-up strategy for building successful companies. By acquiring and integrating complementary businesses, startups can increase their revenue streams and drive growth.If you're interested in learning more about angel investing, the Canadian startup ecosystem, and gaining insights from experienced investors, I highly recommend giving this episode a listen. You can find it on our podcast platform or through our website VC10X.com.To connect with Jeffery and continue the conversation, you can find him on LinkedIn as Jeffery Potvin or through the company's profiles, Open People Network, and Supportersfund.com. We're always eager to engage with our listeners and hear your thoughts and questions.Thank you for your continued support and for being a valuable part of our podcast community. We appreciate your feedback and suggestions, so feel free to write to me at prashantchoubey3@gmail.com

Andrey Kostyuk is the co-founder at AAlchemy Ventures, a program in association with Deloitte, to help Russian entrepreneurs get access to the European market. In this episode, we talk about: - Andrey's story & how he started investing - Russian startup ecosystem - How does AAlchemy Ventures work? - What they look for in candidates? - Importance of unit economics in current fundraising environment & more.. Links mentioned: AAlchemy website: https://www.aalchemy.vc/ Follow Andrey on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreykostyuk/ Subscribe to VC10X for more episodes!

Alex Farcet is the Co-founder of Rainmaking, a climate-focused angel syndicate with over 1800 LPs investing alongside them. In this episode, we talk about - - Middle-class of venture investing -Growing to 1700 LP base - Empathy first approach on investor side & founder side - Derisking the deals - How do you run operations for the syndicate? Links mentioned- Follow Alex on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexfarcet/ Rainmaking website - https://rainmakingimpact.com/ Hosted by Prashant Choubey - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahab/ Subscribe to VC10X to stay posted on new episodes!

Sergey Gribov is a technology entrepreneur and investor with more than 20 years of experience; a partner at Flint Capital, a $250M Boston-based venture fund that invests across Israel, USA, and Europe. In 2022, Flint Capital was ranked by Inc. Magazine as one of the most founder-friendly funds on the planet. We talk about: - Sergey's story & how he started investing - What do they look for in startups? - Trends and current market situation - Perspective on US, Israel & Europe markets - Need for founders to diligence the VCs - Operating as a distributed & remote VC while investing across 3 regions & lots more Links mentioned: Flint Capital website - https://flintcap.com/ Follow Sergey on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgribov/ Follow Sergey on Twitter - https://twitter.com/gsv239 Full episode video at https://vc10x.com/flint-capital

Ruchir Lahohy is a Managing Partner at MegaDelta Capital investing in growth-stage Indian startups. In this episode we talk about: - Ruchirs's story & how he started investing - How they helped set up NEA India? - The origin story of MegaDelta Capital - Tracking India's growth story - How does early-stage investing differ from the growth stage? - Exit options available to founders & lots more Links mentioned: MegaDelta Capital website - http://megadeltacapital.com/ Follow Ruchir on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruchirlahoty/ Subscribe to VC10X for more episodes!