The Full Ratchet: Vc | Venture Capital | Angel Investors | Startup Investing | Fundraising | Crowdfunding | Pitch | Private E

Ash Fontana of Zetta Venture Partners joins Nick to discuss Why SaaS is not a fit for VC and How AI Compounds Competitive Advantage. In this episode, we cover: Categories of AI that Ash is most interested in The difference between real AI and AI-enabled companies Why SaaS will cease to be investable by VCs The current AI stage of adoption How he times the market The four phases of AI What phase of AI they invest in How AI is and will be affected by limited data How startups can compete for talent w/ GAFA (Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple) The moats being created by their AI-first portcos How they think about metrics and milestones for AI-backed companies If AI should be feared and finally we wrap up w/ Ash's thoughts on Chris Dixon's position that we will see a movement from centralization back to decentralization in tech-- and the role that AI will play   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updat

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following investors are featured: Lindel Eakman Chris Duovos Semil Shah Each investor describes the most unusual situation or pitch that they've encountered as an investor.   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

Welcome back to TFR for another Cram Session. In these special releases, we have aggregated the takeaways and tips from previous episodes. In this installment, we will be recapping the following episodes: 105. Underserved Startup Ecosystems, Part 1 (Stuart Larkins & Ezra Galston) 106. Underserved Startup Ecosystems, Part 2 (Stuart Larkins & Ezra Galston) 107. Reinventing Venture Capital, Part 1 (Bryce Roberts) 108. Reinventing Venture Capital, Part 2 (Bryce Roberts) 110. Developer Platform Investing, Part 1 (Ethan Kurzweil) 111. Developer Platform Investing, Part 2 (Ethan Kurzweil)   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Sheel Mohnot Guy Turner Ben Narasin Each investor illustrates a critical lesson learned about startup investing and how it's changed their approach.   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

Elizabeth Galbut of SoGal Ventures joins Nick to discuss Better Diversity, Better Outcomes. In this episode, we cover: Her involvement in creating the first VC investment group at Johns Hopkins What the focus is at SoGal and why that creates their edge How she and her partner divide responsibilities How the establishment has reacted to her and her firm We talk about her experience as a design professor and how that impacts her approach she gives an example of a design-centric investment she discusses her thinking when evaluating an early stage business we review their dealflow and sourcing strategy and we wrap up w/ Elizabeth's advice for a younger version of herself if she had the opportunity to give it   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Vic Pascucci Brendan Wallace Rebecca Kaden  Each investor discusses sectors, drivers and/or trends that may have significant impact in the future and are potentially positioned for outsized-returns.   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

Paul Martino of Bullpen Capital joins Nick to discuss the emergence of the Post-Seed round. In this episode, we cover: Why Paul passed on joining Mike Maples at Floodgate in order to start Bullpen The product/market fit algorithm he developed for Mike If the stages of funding are moving out or if there are just more of them How Bullpen is differentiated The metrics they require to engage with startups How his quant background has helped make this subjective discipline more objective The hardest aspect of developing new, young VCs We discuss lack of innovation in the asset class Why herd mentality is pervasive Other contrarian principles he and Bullpen embrace If it's harder to get A or B round funding for the non-traditional founders or industries that he invests in How Private Equity is impacting exits the differences in sourcing at post-seed and we wrap up w/ Paul's thoughts on how branding and investment focus helps drive opportunity for Bullpen   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podca

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Peter Boyce Jordan Nof Sergio Gurrieri  Each investor describes their investment thesis and how they evaluate startups for investment.   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

James Hardiman of Data Collective joins Nick to discuss The Deep Tech Debate: Why Invest in a Capital Intensive, Long Time-to-Exit Category?. In this episode, we cover: James' definition of deep tech The segments within the category How this area differs from others Types of founders and founder profiles that he looks for Why he's willing to invest in a capital intensive, long-time horizon category Why deep tech will drive the biggest outcomes How founders are able to de-risk deep tech opportunities where many others don't The waves that are coming in deep tech and finally how some consumer, social companies became deep tech companies by accident.   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Chris Farmer Chris Olsen David Cowan Each investor describes a situation where they did decide to invest, what the key factors were that led to “Yes” and how that investment has worked out.   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

Rebecca Kaden of Union Square Ventures joins Nick to discuss USV's Newest GP on Leveraged Growth, Consumer Brand Building & Customer Obsession. In this episode, we cover: I've heard you talk about Allbirds, Zullily, and others before, can you highlight a few notable investments from your time at Maveron? Previous career as a journalist? Did you write about tech? How'd you end up joining Maveron? Why the move to USV? Fred Wilson said: "Each partner who has joined USV has done two things very well. First, they have figured how to operate inside of our shared investment thesis. And second, they have figured out how to stretch it." You've said: "Next up: exploring the intersection between our core USV thesis around network effects, whether centralized or decentralized and the entrepreneurs building the standout consumer businesses that integrate into our hearts and minds." Talk about the types of Network effects that you look for and can create large, strong businesses on the consumer-side. Investment Proces

Chris Douvos, the Super LP, joins Nick to discuss Chaos Capital, the new Micro VC Movement and LPs Chasing Hype. In this episode, we cover: How his mindset as an LP has evolved Startups out of Standford vs Berkley and if the valley is over-fished how the micro VC movement has changed Chris' selection criteria and what he looks for in managers Why he most often says no The impact on LPs of companies staying private longer Yhe impact of new LPs coming into venture on asset class How the LP community interacts... adversarial, collaborative, competitive or othewise The areas where Chris can grow most as an LP and we wrap up w/ his thoughts on co-investment alongside GPs as well as follow-ons in later rounds   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: -Zach Coelius -Nathan Benaich -Jason Calacanis   Each investor highlights a situation where they decided not to invest, why they passed, and how it played out.   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

The Trend Spotter joins us today on the program. Tim O'Reilly is one of the top minds in tech, who has predicted and/or driven many of the movements that now seem so obvious to us. In today's episode we discuss: Tim's path to becoming an investor How he linked up w/ Bryce Roberts and launched O'Reilly Alphatech The shift in their model w/ Indie VC We talk about Tim's focus on profitability and his counter to those that cite some of the biggest and best tech companies that are not profitable We discuss Tim's new book WTF: What the future and why it's up to us Tim outlines the way he thinks about business model maps He explains his thought process of identifying technology shifts before they happen We discuss fear and it's role in shaping consumer mindset Tim references the historical lessons most overlooked by today's society and we wrap up w/ a conversation on ICOs and cryptocurrencies and get Tim's opinion on their role in the future of tech   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-epi

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Stuart Larkins & Ezra Galston Ben Einstein Bilal Zuberi  Each investor describes the most unusual situation or pitch that they've encountered as an investor.   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

Ben Narasin of NEA joins Nick to discuss how NEA makes decisions, why he joined the firm and the key traits he looks for in founders. In this episode, we cover: -Why he made the move to NEA -His Investment focus -the role of Venture Partner at NEA -the investment process the firm... and if decisions are made by committee -Ben's Evaluation Process -the key factor that every successful founder possesses -The common red flags that pop up and cause him to say no to strong startups -Why he believes his job is to say no -How he assess opportunities with 100 reasons to say yes and one reason to say no -Ben's evolving approach toward weighing risk factors in startups -how the tech and investing industry has changed over the past decade -how AUM is driving a bifurcation in venture -finally we get Ben's response to the recent Techcrunch article highlighting the crash in early-stage VC funding   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitt

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: -Guy Turner -Jonathon Triest & Brett DeMarrais -William Mougayar -Madhavan Ramanujam Each investor discusses sectors, drivers and/or trends that may have significant impact in the future and are potentially positioned for outsized-returns.   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

Eric Ries, author of the Lean Startup and The Startup Way, joins Nick to discuss his new book and his response to the naysayers. In this episode, we cover: Eric's backstory and path to working in tech Steve Blank was on the program and mentioned Peter Thiel's famous comments where he decried the MVP and lean startup approach. Steve thought he was entirely wrong. But I'd love to hear your response to Peter. Peter said in his book, "forget minimum viable products. Ever since Apple started in 1976, Jobs saw that you could change the world through careful planning, not by listening to focus group feedback or copying other's successes." For those that read the lean startup some time ago or maybe those that are newer to tech, can you provide a refresher of the key concepts? Why'd you write The Startup Way? Who is the audience for The Startup Way? Is this for transforming existing, large organizations or for companies establishing their culture and their process? In part one of the book, you talk about the modern c

Welcome back to TFR for another Cram Session. In these special releases, we have aggregated the takeaways and tips from previous episodes. In this installment, we will be recapping the following episodes: 96. Student-Focused VC Funds, Part 1 (Peter Boyce II) 97. Student-Focused VC Funds, Part 2 (Peter Boyce II) 98. Public Policy for Angel Investors, Part 1 (David Verrill) 99. Public Policy for Angel Investors, Part 2 (David Verrill) 102. The Limited Partner, Part 1 (Lindel Eakman) 103. The Limited Partner, Part 2 (Lindel Eakman) To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: John Buttrick Semil Shah Eric Paley Each investor illustrates a critical lesson learned about startup investing and how it's changed their approach.   To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes. Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.