Finding PROOF

#Throwback Take: This week, Jenny and Thanasis revisit a conversation with Paige Soya, Managing Partner at K Street Capital, a seed-stage venture firm investing in high-growth regulated markets. Paige shares her journey from launching GoTab—a fintech startup she created as an MBA school project and later sold—to leading K Street’s evolution from an angel group to a VC fund. She dives into the firm’s $26M fund-of-funds program in partnership with Washington, D.C., her take on why the DMV is an ideal hub for innovation, and how having a pulse on regulated markets can make or break scaling. Along the way, she shares what she looks for in team dynamics, why her weekly meetings always include discussions on latest AI tools, and her biggest founder lesson: a finance background alone doesn’t make you a VC.

Throwback Take: This week, Jenny and Thanasis revisit a conversation with Alexandre Lazarow, Managing Partner at Fluent Ventures, a global venture fund. With over 12 years of experience across financial services and impact investing, Alexandre shares how his diverse upbringing and travels have shaped his investment philosophy. He dives into the process of launching his book at the start of the pandemic, the universal patterns he’s seen in global investing, and why optimism is key to his outlook on tech’s role in shaping the future. Plus, he offers actionable advice for founders looking to stand out: bring on operators who live and breathe your business model.

#ThrowbackThursday This week on Finding PROOF, we're revisiting our earlier conversation with NVCA and Bobby Franklin. While this conversation originally aired just over a year ago, with the election approaching, it’s a timely reminder of the vital role lobbyists play—and how fortunate the venture capital ecosystem is to have such a strong, passionate advocate for the innovation economy in Washington. NVCA has played an invaluable role in VC wins, such as securing block grant funding for entrepreneurial ecosystems through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), supporting tech-driven initiatives in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and advancing the CHIPS and Science Act, which originated as the Endless Frontier Act—a generational investment in technology and entrepreneurship across the country.

This Week, Jenny and Thanasis talk with Matthew (Matt) Weinberg of Max Ventures, a VC fund of first-check investors who lead or co-lead rounds primarily focusing on digital health, SaaS, and digital commerce. In addition to writing the first check, Max Ventures has co-founded seven venture-backed companies, with Matthew himself serving as a co-founder of Elion Health. Before becoming a VC, Matthew worked under the Obama administration as an appointee in the U.S. Small Business Administration as a Senior Advisor in the Office of Investment and Innovation.

This week, Jenny and Thanasis are joined by Semyon Dukach, Founding Partner of One Way Ventures, a seed-stage firm investing in immigrant founders. Semyon brings a wealth of experience to the conversation, having previously served as Managing Director of TechStars Boston, as well as an entrepreneur and angel investor. In a unique twist, Semyon’s journey also includes a stint as a professional blackjack player, marking a first for our podcast. Tune in for insights on Semyon’s fascinating career, his passion for supporting immigrant founders, and the lessons he's learned along the way.

In this episode, Jenny and Thanasis spend time with Rob Biederman, Founder and Managing Partner of Asymmetric Capital Partners. Rob shares his career journey from private equity at Goldman Sachs and Bain Capital to entrepreneurship with Catalant Technologies and eventually founding his own venture capital firm.

In this episode, Jenny and Thanasis spend time with Steven Rosenblatt, co-founder of Oceans, a seed-stage VC firm with a team-driven thesis.

In this episode, we interview Adam Burrows, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Range Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm that backs the best tech entrepreneurs in Colorado.

Finding PROOF is back! We're kicking off our new season with Sean Glass, Founder and Managing Partner of Evidenced, a firm specializing in health tech. In this episode, Sean shares his background, offers insights from his experience as a founder, and discusses current trends in the health tech industry.

Finding PROOF is now on video! We are so thrilled to kick off this next phase of our podcast with none other than Bobby Franklin, the President and CEO of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). In this episode, Jenny and Thanasis speak with Bobby about NVCA's recent SEC Lawsuit, what life is like as a lobbyist for the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and what he thinks the future holds for VCs.