The Business of Venture Capital

Startups that outsource the majority of their core work can be extremely profitable. But as a VC, I will never invest in one.

This week, angel investor and prolific blogger, Jerry Neumann, penned his "resignation letter"

There’s plenty of debate around whether or not founders should talk to associates at VC firms. But there’s another, more subtle fundraising dynamic at play that most founders are completely unaware of: the dynamic between partners.

Fundraising is hard enough before we add power dynamics and egos to the mix. So let’s try to be better as investors.

There are strong economic arguments for governments to help foster the creation of new venture funds to support their startup ecosystems. But how should they approach this?

The relationship between a founder and an investor can last 10 years or more. Just like any long-term relationship, you need to put in effort to stay aligned.

Like fundraising, getting acquired is something most founders only do once (if ever). Here are 5 ways you can improve the outcome of an M&A process.

Pivoting is a right of passage for many startup founders. But too often, the road to a successful pivot is cut short by a critical mistake: the founders failed to fully reset the business.

How do you convince a VC that your founding team is capable of excelling in areas where you have no relevant experience?

What is a VC AGM and what do VCs tell their investors behind closed doors?

In venture capital, “portfolio construction” refers to how a fund “spends” (invests) its capital. Let's examine the variables at play when a VC decides what to do "If I Had a (Hundred) Million Dollars".

What happens to VC behavior when the adrenaline of deal flow runs out?

How often to VCs really want to hear from founders? And how do they prefer to communicate with them?

As a founder, one of the most powerful things you can have is a unique perspective, insight or opinion about a market.

One of the most frustrating experiences for startup founders is to have multiple calls with a potential investor, only to hear…nothing. Why do VCs act like this?

The uncomfortable truth is that the majority of startup ideas are fundamentally not a fit for VCs. And it’s because of the size of the market that they’re going after.

VCs are always "looking for alpha." But what is “alpha” and where do you find it?

I was recently asked by a founder to explain why early-stage VCs ask for side letters when investing using SAFEs. “Isn’t the point of a safe that it’s a standard agreement?”

What exactly is a Delaware C-Corp and why do Silicon Valley VCs care so much about where your company is incorporated?

Friday’s shocking collapse of Silicon Valley bank reverberated across the tech sector while making one thing very clear:

American’s really don’t like Silicon Valley.

If we want to pour rocket fuel on Canadian tech, we need to make it easier for the next generation of Canadian investors to start their own funds.

There’s a worrying trend I’ve seen recently. A dark side of VC recycling that represents the worst in VC and reflects a desperation amongst a handful of large funds to undo some of their 2021 investments.

Whenever I meet a promising startup, I focus on a single question: can you beat my friends?