Cyan Banister: The Future is Cool Again / Falling in Love with Technology / A Brush with Star Wars

Kobie Fuller is a partner at Upfront Ventures.   He came to the firm after investing at Accel and leading marketing efforts at EVOLVE, the large global fashion ecommerce platform. Highlights from our conversation. -- we covered a lot of ground, so this is just a small part:        Kobie’s Athletic Background and Vision for Track and Field: Kobie, a former track and field athlete who competed in the 400m and 200m, believes the sport deserves greater mainstream attention due to its purity and universal accessibility. He discusses a new professional track league, Grand Slam Track, started by Olympian Michael Johnson, aimed at elevating the sport’s profile, potentially rivaling soccer’s popularity. 2     Journey into Venture Capital: Kobie’s entry into venture capital was sparked during the dot-com boom when he co-founded a soccer portal in college. Exposure to VCs visiting his startup led him to pursue a career in VC, despite initial rejections. His persistence, including sending physical letters to Boston VCs, eventually landed him a role at Insight Partners.      Decision to Pass on Oculus: We’ve all done it!  At a career crossroads, Kobie chose not to join Oculus as CMO, opting instead for a VC role at Accel. He later invested in Oculus. He remains optimistic about AR/VR’s future, noting improved devices like the Oculus Quest, though he notes it’s not his primary investment focus.   Advocacy for Black Founders: Kobie addresses the underrepresentation of Black founders in tech, emphasizing the need for more diverse capital allocators and intentional outreach beyond traditional networks. He founded Valence, a platform to connect Black professionals, which grew to 30,000 members, highlighting his continued commitment to fostering inclusivity in the startup ecosystem.    AI’s Transformative Potential in Venture Capital: Kobie is bullish on AI, particularly its ability to augment human capabilities in enterprise software. He cies examples like portfolio company 1Up, which reduces RFP completion from weeks to minutes. He contrasts this with concerns about AI’s potential to erode human connection, as illustrated by a great story about an essay his son wrote.   dUpfront Ventures   8-Bit Capital   Something Ventured Podcast      

David Anderman is co-founder and General Partner of Stellar Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on early-stage space technology startups. He spent 16 years at Lucasfilm Ltd., creator of the Star Wars franchise. As Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, he notably negotiated Lucasfilm’s $4 billion sale to Disney in 2012. Moving from imagined space to real space:  David became General Counsel at SpaceX, where he played a key role in landmark projects like the launch of Starlink and the first private human spaceflight to the International Space Station. David is also founder of Red Rock Media Group, which is the media company for humanity's expansion into the cosmos. This episode covers a lot of ground (well, space):       -  What it’s like to work for George Lucas -  What it’s like to work for Elon Musk (and what motivates him) -  The media rights to SpaceX’s journey to Mars (‘Big Brother’ in space?) - Timeline for humans on Mars - How space has been opened up to entrepreneurs and investors who support them Stellar Ventures Something Ventured

Cyan Banister of Long Journey Ventures is truly one of the most successful and interesting early stage venture investors. And by ‘successful investor’, I mean “invested early in Uber and SpaceX” kind of successful. She overcame a challenging childhood that included periods of homelessness (a surprisingly uplifting story, covered deeply in Tim Ferriss’ interview with Cyan). Here we discuss Cyan’s journey from these early struggles to becoming a prominent figure in Silicon Valley. Along the way she learns to program computers, and co-founds Zivity – an early social networking site one might compare to OnlyFans.  She was a partner at VC juggernaut Founders Fund (the VC fund founded by Peter Thiel, that invested in AirBnB, Spotify and OpenAI among others).  She also is author of “The Ugly Duckling” substack. This episode also includes her brush with Star Wars’ “Lucasfilm” (the singular matters), her meeting with Marc Andreesen and her (incredible) plans for the future. Ugly Duckling Long Journey Ventures Something Ventured 8-Bit Capital

Roger Ehrenberg's career spans three remarkable acts, each of which would be impressive on its own.  He founded IA Ventures, a seed-stage venture capital firm, in 2010.  IA Ventures invested in numerous successful startups, including Datadog, Digital Ocean, The Trade Desk, and Wise. His work with IA Ventures has earned him recognition as a three-time winner of the “Midas Award” – the coveted ranking of venture capitalists by Forbes. Before founding IA Ventures, Roger spent 17 years on Wall Street at Citibank and Deutsche Bank, specializing in derivatives and quantitative trading, managing over $10 billion in investor assets at its peak. In 2021, Roger stepped back from day-to-day operations at IA Ventures to focus on Eberg Capital, which he founded with his two sons to invest in sports franchises, sports betting, media, and entertainment. Through Eberg Capital, he has made strategic investments in sports teams like the Miami Marlins, Real Salt Lake, and the Utah Royals, as well as in the Alpine Formula 1 Racing Team. In this episode he discusses building IA Ventures as well as why he thinks sports is the next great investing opportunity. https://www.ebergcapital.com/ https://somethingventured.us/ https://8bitcapital.com/  

Mark Scianna, the founder of venture firm "Forward Deployed," which targets sectors like Defense, Energy, and A.I., was spotlighted as a 'top emerging manager' in 2022. Starting his journey as an engineer and an early investor at Palantir, Scianna offers an insider's perspective in this episode, unraveling the enigma of Palantir's inception and meteoric rise. Scianna delves into what makes Palantir so unique, shedding light on how its unconventional management style has been a cornerstone of its success. He doesn't shy away from the intense realities of being 'forward deployed'—a term that for him meant being physically stationed in war zones to deploy Palantir's groundbreaking solutions firsthand. Scianna also talks about the newly popular trend of investing in ‘defense tech’ – and who should (or shouldn’t) be doing it. Links: Forward Deployed 8-Bit Capital Something Ventured

Winter Mead is the author of How to Raise a Venture Capital Fund: The Essential Guide on Fundraising and Understanding Limited Partners.  He is also founder of Coolwater Capital, a new model that helps launch, build, and scale emerging fund managers While there are a lot of investors (known in the parlance as “LPs”), and certainly a lot of funds – the set of people who sit at the intersection of these two is much smaller. So Winter has an unusual perspective and point of view to share. Winter shares his journey from Harvard and Hall Capital to Sapphire Ventures and ultimately to founding Coolwater. He explains the complex and often overlooked challenges new fund managers face in securing funding, managing portfolios, and building effective business strategies. With insights on the evolving venture ecosystem, the role of emerging managers in fueling innovation, and the rising focus on sectors like AI, climate tech, and longevity, Winter offers a compelling look at how Coolwater helps guide and co-build alongside new managers. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of venture capital and the critical role of emerging fund managers in driving technological innovation. https://www.coolwatercap.com/ https://8bitcapital.com/ https://somethingventured.us/

Max Altman and Ben Braverman were both pretty close to Silicon Valley royalty before they started Saga Ventures.  Max had built Alt Capital with his brothers Sam and Jack.  Ben had helped Ryan Peterson build Flexport as its Chief Revenue Officer.   Recently, they came together with a third partner (Thomson Nguyen, who does not appear in this episode) to form Saga Ventures. In this episode, Max and Ben talk about building their new fund, discussing its structure, goals, and the nature of VC partnerships.  We continue with a look at the Silicon Valley Ecosystem: There is a focus on people, the interconnected nature of Silicon Valley, and how certain patterns of behavior and community dynamics influence the startup and venture capital space. We finish by covering a range of other topics:  - How venture capital lost its way - The rise of VC podcasting - Billionaire VCs fighting over politics Join us as Max Altman and Ben Braverman discuss building Saga Ventures. https://www.sagavc.com/  https://8bitcapital.com/ https://somethingventured.us/

If you don’t already know about Alexis Gay, you’re about to. Alexis is the creator and star of her solo comedy show, “Unprofessional”. Recently, her show was a hit at the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and she's now touring the show for audiences across the United States.  Alexis previously worked in the tech industry running Business Operations and Creator Partnerships at Patreon.   Outside of work, she started creating videos featuring dead-on takes on tech culture -- and everyday life.   These soon went viral, racking up more than 24 million views across social media. Her sharp insights into startup life and its absurdities resonated far and wide, transforming her into a favorite amongst both tech insiders and comedy fans alike. From viral videos to her successful podcast, Alexis has kept audiences hooked. She’s been profiled by Fast Company, Nightline, Business Insider, SFGate, and CNBC.  And now, she's stepping onto the stage as a standup comedian. Now comes her debut solo show, “Unprofessional”.  It has received numerous four-star reviews and played to sold out audiences. Chortle, the leading UK comedy publication, called it “an entertaining and – ironically/appropriately – professional hour set in a world that’s rarely covered in stand-up.” Whether you're a startup founder or someone who's never heard of venture capital, her observations land with a sharp, comedic edge. Catch her live and see why she's bound to be way bigger than…John Mulaney.  Alexis Gay “Unprofessional https://www.alexis.gay/ Something Ventured Podcast https://somethingventured.us/

In this episode of Something Ventured, I talk to Adeyemi “Ade” Ajao, co-founder of Base10 Partners, one of the largest Black-led venture capital firms in the world. Ade shares his journey from growing up in Nigeria and Spain to building multiple successful companies, including Tuenti, which was sold to Telefonica. He also discusses his transition into venture capital, his mission to empower underrepresented founders, and the impact of Base10’s Advancement Initiative, which partners with top universities to support a diverse new generation of entrepreneurs. Other topics include:  Sci-Fi Inspiration: Adi and his brother are avid readers of science fiction, which shaped their belief in the power of human imagination and technology. Global Entrepreneurship: Adi reflects on the scarcity mindset found in some parts of the world, like Spain and Mexico, and contrasts it with the abundance mindset in Silicon Valley, where entrepreneurs help each other succeed. Technological Evolution: The conversation touches on how social networking emerged due to advancements in technology, and the broader impact of automation on traditional industries. Philosophy on Venture Capital: Adi shares how Base10 gives back by donating 50% of their carry to fund scholarships for underrepresented students in STEM, and emphasizes the importance of mission-driven work. Base 10 8-Bit Capital

Nick Sturiale reflects on a career working in venture capital, in which he invested early in companies such as Splunk, Bill.com, and Reputation.com. Nick shares insights from his extensive career, which spans roles at Ignition Partners, Icon Ventures, Seven Rosen Funds, and the Carlyle Group, among others. He reflects on the evolution of the venture capital landscape, the challenges of finding product-market fit, and the critical role of timing and luck in a startup's success. Nick also delves into the complexities of being a CEO as a company grows, discussing the shift from being a hands-on founder to potentially needing to bring in a new leader with different skills. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs through active listening and the pitfalls that entrepreneurs and VCs alike must navigate. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of the venture capital world and the nuanced journey of building successful startups. (I had an AI write that last sentence.  Also:  AI has a long way to go.) Ignition Partners Something Ventured 8-Bit Capital