Founder Friendly: Venture Capital | Startups | Tech

What is the new generation up to? Tune in as we invite Rex Woodbury, founder of Daybreak and the mind behind Digital Native, a digital newsletter with over 60,000 subscribers. From investing at TPG and Index Ventures to creating his venture fund, Daybreak, Rex brings a wealth of knowledge and advice to anyone looking to break into VC. Join us as we explore the founding rationale behind Daybreak, emerging trends in Gen Z, and how Rex held a record for the fastest half-marathon in a suit! Chapter Timestamps: (00:00) Background and Introduction to Rex (06:04) Digital Native and Serendipity (13:44) Writing Process (15:03) Shift in Work Economies (18:33) Behavior Shifts in Gen-Z (24:20) Starting Daybreak (32:25) Founder Traits (35:30) Seeking Mentorship (37:20) Half-Marathon in a Suit (41:00) Ikigai and Curiosity

Tune in to a special episode featuring Shiyan Koh, co-founder and General Partner at Hustle Fund, a firm that specializes in seed and pre-seed investments. We'll dive into Shiyan's impressive career journey, covering her investment roles at Institutional Venture Partners and Bridgewater, her pivotal role in scaling Nerdwallet from $1 million to $150 million in annual recurring revenue, and her experiences founding and leading investments at Hustle Fund. Join us to also learn why business school is a perfect matchmaker, the significance of acquiring investing experience as recent graduates, and Shiyan's insights on what really needs venture funding currently.

We are excited to host our first two-on-two episode this season with Varun Ramakrishnan and James Flynn from General Atlantic – a leading global growth equity investor. Both Varun and James graduated from University of Pennsylvania, and have diverse backgrounds. Varun previously held machine learning and software engineering roles at various startups, while James gained experience in growth-stage VC at Georgian and investment banking at Goldman Sachs. Join us as they delve into their current roles at General Atlantic, their approach to technology investing, the cost structures of AI, how companies are adapting to AI, and AI's role in their daily workflows.

Join us in hosting Michael Dolbec, Managing Partner at Momenta Ventures, for our third episode this season. Michael, who boasts an extensive investing career with funds like Kleiner Perkins and Greylock and has led corporate venture capital at companies including IBM, LG Electronics, and General Electric, will share insights on the current state of AI in the industrial space. Tune in to hear a wide range of topics: from personal advice given by John Doerr during Michael's early career days, to how generative AI is revolutionizing manufacturing, and exploring the monetization potential of processing industrial data.

Join us in our second episode this season as we host Sanjana Basu from Radical Ventures. Transitioning from investment banking to venture capital, Sanjana offers a deep dive into the world of healthcare AI. Explore the types of AI companies, understand why a purely technical team doesn't guarantee success, and discover how Radical extends support to founders beyond just financial capital. Additionally, gain insights into how Radical's portfolio companies are pioneering transformations in the healthcare sector through the power of artificial intelligence.

In the very first episode of our AI sprint, we're joined by Yousuf Khan, Partner at Ridge Ventures, specializing in early-stage B2B enterprise software. Yousuf imparts his expertise from various roles in managing, advising, and investing in software companies, providing a lens into his investment philosophy. Tune in as we discuss pragmatic insights on building AI companies for founders, strategic deployment of AI features for businesses, and the ever-increasing imperative of data security in the enterprise software domain

Join us in this exciting special episode as we sit down with Nicole Ripka. Nicole, currently the Managing Partner of Dorm Room Fund and the Founder of GayJoy, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table as an early-in-career VC. As a current MBA student at NYU Stern, her insights are a goldmine for anyone looking to break into the VC scene. In this captivating conversation, Nicole shares her remarkable journey as Peleton's first intern and the valuable lessons she learned along the way. We delve into the intricacies of the venture capital industry, uncovering Nicole's top tips for aspiring VC professionals.Tune in and discover the strategies and wisdom that can help you navigate the exciting landscape of VC and turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Don't miss out on this extraordinary episode! Learn more about Nicole: LinkedIn Twitter Where to find more of us:Website TwitterInstagram

What does it take to be an early investor in Beyond Meat? Conviction. In this episode of our Food and Beverage Sprint, we sit down with Lisa Feria, the Managing Partner and CEO of Stray Dog Capital, to discuss her journey into food tech investing. In our discussion, Lisa discusses her early investment in Beyond Meat, one of the world's most successful plant-based meat companies, and how the company's hype changed the investing landscape. Join us as we talk about the shift towards emphasizing healthier alternative foods and how Stray Dog Capital is helping to drive that change. Learn more about Lisa: LinkedIn Twitter Where to find more of us: Website Twitter Instagram

Why would VC invest in consumer brands? In the fifth episode of our Food and Beverage Sprint, Hayden Williams of BrandProject explains how consumer brands can generate venture returns. Tune in as we dive into the world of consumer packaged goods (CPG), and how BrandProject supports its portfolio companies to success. You won't want to miss Hayden's valuable insights into the world of CPG investments! Learn more about Hayden: LinkedIn Twitter Where to find more of us: Website Twitter Instagram

Artist, accidental founder, accelerator director. Join us as we chat with Caroline Mak, Director of Big Idea Ventures, New York Accelerator, about the future of food and alternative proteins! 🌾 Caroline shares her journey from being an artist and a founder of an artisanal beverage company, to enabling founders and innovators to disrupt the food ecosystem. In this episode, we discuss the importance of supporting ecosystems and relationships as a founder and venture capitalist. 🤝🌟 We also discuss what's next in the alternative foods space and gain insights into success in accelerator programs. Don't miss this exciting conversation with Caroline Mak! Learn more about Caroline: LinkedIn Where to find more of us: Website Twitter Instagram