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We call all of it venture capital. After 26 years investing through three full market cycles, Emily Melton says that is no longer true. Emily Melton is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Threshold Ventures, where she has invested through the dot-com crash, the financial crisis, and the 2021 bubble. She has raised five funds at roughly the same $350 million size while firms around her scaled in...

Worried about retaining your best employees? Our guest on this episode is helping you do just that. Lindsay McGregor is the CEO and Co-Founder of Factor.ai and co-author of the bestselling book "Primed to Perform: How to Build the Highest Performing Cultures Through the Science of Total Motivation." Lindsay has one of the best track records of working with fast-growing startups like Slack, Grab, a...

The value of water to water security is $4 trillion today and is likely to triple in the next 10 years. [Source: Global Water Intelligence] To put that $12 trillion into perspective, it is higher than the GDP of every other country other than the US and China. Meet Peter Yolles, General Partner at Echo River Capital, a seasoned entrepreneur and strategic investor in early-stage water technology co...

As many have attested, there's nothing romantic about being a founder. It's about doing what has to be done. And that’s what makes entrepreneurship difficult. In Episode 073 of CLIMB, Zach Coelius, Managing Partner at Coelius Capital, maintains that being a founder is 10x harder than being a VC. Talking about an investor’s MO, Zach equates being in the stands, drinking a beer, with the same as bei...

Ann Bordetsky , partner at New Enterprise Associates (NEA) , joins us in this episode to discuss how AI is creating new business categories and transforming the tech industry. Ann shares her journey through the tech world, her role in supporting startups, and the keys to building successful businesses today. She highlights the importance of understanding market trends and customer needs to innovat...

Join us in this episode as we talk with Jason Shuman , a General Partner at Primary Ventures . Jason shares his journey from selling shoes to becoming a big name in venture capital and we dive deep into how venture capitalists like him support and grow startups. Jason talks about his early days of starting his own business, his experiences, and how he moved into the world of investing. He explains...

In this episode, we welcome Sunil Paul , a pioneer in ride-sharing and a significant figure in sustainable transportation. Paul, who started Sidecar and influenced the early stages of Getaround , dives into his newest venture, Spring Free EV . With his extensive experience, including his early work as a NASA contractor and AOL's first internet product manager, Paul brings a rich history of innovat...

We welcome Peter Relan , a seasoned Silicon Valley veteran with a rich 40-year history of entrepreneurship and investment. Renowned for founding the YouWeb Incubator , Relan has been instrumental in the early stages of companies that have become household names, such as Discord. His early engagement with VSC Ventures has been invaluable, and his participation promises a wealth of knowledge and exp...

This week, we host Kate McAndrew, founding partner of Baukunst. We discuss the ‘art of building’ successful startups and VC firms as well as the philosophy and practices that have driven Kate to find and invest in groundbreaking technologies over her venture career. From building and leading a $100 million Fund I to championing innovative business models, Kate shares her journey and insights on ta...

We're honored to host Sunil Nagaraj , a visionary investor in the intersection of deep tech and climate innovation, and founding partner of Ubiquity Ventures . Nagaraj's unique perspective on "software beyond the screen" and his commitment to supporting early-stage, tech-driven startups are at the forefront of our discussion. We dive into the essence of nurturing technologies with disciplined fina...

This week, we have the privilege of presenting a discussion from " Consensus in Conversation ," hosted by Conor Gaughan , featuring Matt Rogers , CEO of Mill Mills. This episode dives into Matt's impressive journey from his formative years at Apple, where he contributed to the design of groundbreaking products like the iPhone and iPod, to co-founding Nest, and now leading the charge at Mill with a...

We are joined by Ian Samuels, founder and managing partner of New System Ventures, a climate tech investment firm dedicated to fostering transformative climate solutions. With a rich background in climate finance, policy, and technology, Ian offers deep insights into the intersection of climate innovation and investment. Our discussion dives into the role of policy in climate tech, the nuances of...

We have the pleasure of hosting Eric Rosenblum , the Managing Partner at Foothill Ventures. Eric shares his compelling journey from his humble beginnings in a small Ohio town to making significant strides in the tech world, including his time at Google where he embraced the fast-paced culture and learned valuable lessons in building scalable solutions. We dive into Eric's expertise in guiding star...

We are excited to welcome Alex Hall, co-founder and CEO of Concrete AI , a trailblazer in the construction industry's shift towards sustainability. With an innovative generative AI platform, Concrete AI revolutionizes the concrete mix formulation process, significantly reducing time, costs, and carbon emissions for manufacturers and the construction sector. Our discussion with Alex will explore ho...

We're excited to have Rishi Taparia , Twitter friend turned real-life companion and the founder and managing partner of Garuda Ventures. With the recent close of their first institutional fund at $31 million, Garuda Ventures is taking the early-stage startup world by storm, offering not just capital, but invaluable advice and support to entrepreneurs. Rishi shares his journey from banking to ventu...

We sit down with Graham Brown , Managing Partner at Lerer Hippeau Ventures . Brown brings his venture capital expertise to the table, focusing on climate tech innovation. Lerer Hippeau has been the earliest investor in some of the most iconic consumer brands of the last decade, including Casper, Oscar, Buzzfeed, Mirror, Axios, and more. In late 2022, they announced $230M across two new funds. More...

We are excited to welcome Francesca Whitehead . As a Vice President at Fifth Wall , Francesca brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective on the intersection of property technology (prop tech) and climate innovation. Fifth Wall, known for being the largest venture fund in real estate and prop tech, plays a pivotal role in decarbonizing the built environment, aligning perfectly with Fran...

We sit down with Nate Williams , the founding partner of Union Labs Ventures . This episode dives into the complexities of startup success and the role of sales in ensuring a startup's longevity and growth. Nate Williams begins by discussing common pitfalls in startups, particularly the tendency to over-feature products, which can hinder finding a true Minimum Viable Product (MVP). He emphasizes t...

We're joined by Micah Kotch , an influential figure in the climate investment arena and a partner at Blackhorn Ventures . Kotch's expertise lies in investing in companies that revolutionize the way we use resources, emphasizing the integration of digital infrastructure to accelerate the energy transition. On this episode, Micah shares his experiences and insights on leveraging artificial intellige...

We're joined by Helena Merk , CEO of Streamline Climate . Helena, who started as a coder, now leads the charge in helping startups navigate the tricky world of climate tech funding. What led her from coding to this niche? How do startups succeed in this complex world? Helena shares insights into different grant programs, the importance of building relationships with grant issuers, and the challeng...

Sander Dolder , Senior Vice President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation ( NYCEDC ), dives into their unique structure and goals. NYCEDC was established in the 1990s to repurpose federal properties turned over to the city, including transforming Times Square and repurposing industrial sites. Dolder discusses NYCEDC's efforts to diversify New York City's economy post-2008 recessi...

Susan Schofer , Partner at SOSV and Chief Science Officer at HAX provides a fascinating look at how scientists transition into entrepreneurs, identifying key traits that contribute to the success of scientific founders in the startup world. We dive into the concept of "Industrial Independence" and its global impact, alongside insights into the US-China trade war's effect on tech startups. Susan di...

Alejandro de la Garza , a reporter for Time , takes us on a journey through the complex world of climate and energy. From the latest advancements in sustainable technology to the challenges posed by global climate change, we dive into a conversation that's not just about understanding the problems but also about exploring viable solutions and innovations. - What are the latest trends in renewable...

Shayna Harris, Co-Founder of Supply Change Capital digs deep into the critical world of food sustainability. Shayna's journey from an activist to a trailblazer in sustainable food systems offers invaluable insights into the ever-evolving landscape of our food supply chain. Under Shayna's guidance, Supply Change Capital is making significant strides in sustainable agriculture, shedding light on the...

Frank Reig, the CEO of Revel, gives us the inside scoop on how he turned his vision into reality, from convincing Texas lawmakers to embrace his ideas to launching a fleet of electric vehicles in the heart of NYC. We're diving into ⁠Revel⁠ – a dynamic startup that's revolutionizing how we move around cities. Starting with their iconic electric mopeds in New York, Revel has grown into a powerhouse,...