Fireside with Founders & Leaders

Summary: Jinesh Vohra, Founder and CEO of Sprive App, shares his journey from investment banking to entrepreneurship, driven by a desire to help homeowners manage their mortgages more effectively. He discusses the inspiration behind Sprive, its innovative features that allow users to pay off their mortgages faster, and the company's growth strategies. Jinesh also addresses the challenges faced in...

Summary: In this episode, Rowan discusses his role as CTO at Tewke, a company focused on revolutionizing home energy management through innovative technology. He shares insights into the development of smart grid solutions, the importance of user experience in product design, and the challenges of building trust in smart home technology. Rowan also highlights the significance of integrating hardwa...

Summary: Julia Sinclair, Head of Product at Capital Rise, discusses her background in engineering and how she transitioned into product management. Julia also talks about the challenges and opportunities of working in a regulated industry, and how Capital Rise prioritises customer experience. She highlights the use of data and insights to inform decision-making and improve the user experience. Jul...

Summary: Jonathan, the founder of Mountside Ventures, discusses the challenges of fundraising for both founders and VC funds. He emphasizes the importance of preparation, spreading investor conversations strategically, and targeting the right investors. He also highlights the need for founders to determine their goals and the type of investor they want to work with. Jonathan provides tips for crea...

Summary: In this podcast episode, Harris Wellner, Operating Partner at Cadenza, discusses his background in the investment world and the focus of Cadenza's portfolio. He highlights the importance of blockchain technology in emerging markets and the potential for digital assets to provide solutions for hyperinflation and restricted monetary policies. Wellner also shares insights into what makes sta...

Summary: In this episode, Seth Spergel discusses his background in investing in cybersecurity and the establishment of Merlin Ventures. He explains the unique ecosystem in Israel that has led to a concentration of cybersecurity startups and a high acquisition rate. Seth also shares how Merlin Ventures is bridging the gap between Israeli startups and the US market through their Israeli Startup Advi...

Summary: In this conversation, Sam Wen discusses his background in engineering and his experience at Square before joining Green Visor Capital Management. He explains the incentives in venture capital and how these drive VC decisions. Sam also shares his thoughts on promoting diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, emphasizing the importance of outreach and creating an inclusive environment....

Summary: Marcos Fernandez, the managing partner of Fiat Ventures, discusses his background in the investment world and the type of investments that Fiat Ventures makes. He emphasizes the importance of disqualifying VCs early on in the fundraising process and asks qualifying questions to ensure a good fit. Marcos also talks about the transparency between founders and VCs and the long-term relations...

Summary: Harry, the co-founder of Spacebands, shares his journey of starting a wearable tech company focused on workplace safety. He discusses his background in FMCG and how the idea for Spacebands came about during the pandemic. Harry explains the challenges of developing hardware and software and the importance of customer feedback in shaping their product. He also talks about their funding jour...

Summary: Karla Mora, founder and managing partner of Alante Capital, shares her journey from being a development economist to becoming an impact investor. She discusses the importance of understanding the cultural context and impact of the products being invested in. She emphasizes the need for open communication and strong relationships with founders. She advises early-stage founders to carefully...

Summary: Henrik, a general partner at Playfair, a pre-seed fund investing across Europe, discusses his high-conviction investment strategy and how he works closely with startups to help them grow. He also talks about Playfair's initiative to support female founders and increase diversity in the venture world. Henrik emphasizes the importance of due diligence in making investment decisions and shar...

Summary: Antonio discusses the founding of Yurtle and how it evolved into a platform that supports caregivers. He shares personal experiences with caregiving and the challenges faced by caregivers. Yurtle offers an insurance product that provides continuity of care and backup professional care for caregivers. Yurtle also has an app that helps caregivers coordinate and share the care with their fam...

Summary Sam, a partner at EOS Ventures, discusses their focus on insurance technology and their global presence. They invest in Series A companies and work closely with investors from the insurance sector to create synergies. Sam highlights the trends and transformations in the insurtech sector, including the shift towards profitable growth, improved distribution models, and the maturity of compan...

Summary Jonathan discusses his career journey and the work of his company, 4 Earth Intelligence (4EI), which focuses on using satellite data for monitoring and analyzing various aspects of the Earth. He explains how they turn satellite imagery into reliable and transparent data that can be used for monitoring and setting targets in areas like climate finance and emissions reduction. Jonathan also...

Summary Brett Brohl, the Managing Director of Bread and Butter Ventures, discusses his journey into the investment world and the focus of his fund on food tech and digital health. He explains how Minnesota, with its expertise in the food industry, became the epicenter of enterprise food and why they invest in the verticals they do. Brett also talks about the importance of building a network and le...

Tyler co-founder of Restive Ventures, shares his journey in the investment world and the focus of his firm. He discusses the current market trends and the increase in deals being done. Tyler emphasizes the importance of understanding and navigating the regulatory landscape in the fintech industry. He explains how Restive Ventures supports its portfolio companies in meeting regulatory requirements...

Jade Cohen, co-founder and CPO of Qualis Flow, discusses her background and the journey of building a problem-first tech business in the construction industry. She emphasizes the importance of proving the concept with a scrappy MVP and securing early revenue to overcome obstacles. Jade also shares her experiences as a female founder in a male-dominated industry and the importance of finding invest...

Rory Stirling, a partner at Connect Ventures, shares his journey into the investment world and discusses the changing landscape of venture capital. He emphasizes the importance of choosing the right investor and building a long-term relationship based on shared values and vision. Stirling also highlights the increasing competition in the industry and the need for differentiation through specializa...

Summary: Jonathan Horn, the founder and CEO of Treefera, discussed his background in physics, fluid dynamics, and risk evaluation in investment banking before starting Treefera. Treefera focuses on understanding nature-based assets like trees, algae, and kelp to combat the negative effects of industrialisation and climate change. By providing data-driven insights, Treefera aims to attract capital...

In this episode, Corey, a guest from Great Colorado VC, shares his journey from being a founder of a ski locker company to venturing into the investment world. He discusses how he transitioned from working in an accelerator program to raising his first pre-seed fund in the Rocky Mountain region. Corey's story highlights an alternative path to venture capital, emphasizing the importance of building...

Summary Rajiv Roy shares his journey from engineering to investment, and the unique approach of Three Lines in the investment world. He discusses the company's growth, focus on technology companies, and the significance of AI in their investment strategy. Additionally, he delves into the criteria for seed-level investments, the importance of ARR in investment strategy, and the deal screening proce...

In this episode, Zara discusses her transition from a career in finance to founding MyPocketSkill. She reflects on her background as an investment analyst and how her upbringing influenced her financial knowledge. Zara and her co-founder, both parents to teenagers, share the inspiration behind starting MyPocketSkill, a FinTech platform. Tune in to learn more about Zara's journey and the mission of...

In the podcast, Maina Murage from Norrsken22 highlighted the pivotal role of Fintech, Health Tech, and EdTech sectors in propelling transformation across Africa, addressing unique challenges and opportunities on the continent. Venture capital in Africa has seen significant growth in recent years, surpassing $5 billion in investments. However, as discussed in the podcast episode, the market faces c...

In this episode, Rob Bibow, Managing Partner at Parkway VC, shares insights into his background and journey in the investment world. With over 30 years of experience and investments in over 60 companies, including well-known ones like Lyft, What3words and Mobileye, Rob delves into his role at Parkway Venture Capital, managing half a billion dollars in deep tech investments, particularly focusing o...

In the podcast episode, Iestyn Keyes discusses the future of e-commerce, highlighting the importance of AI and data compliance. The conversation delves into the potential of AI personal shoppers and dynamic pricing based on supply and demand. Iestyn emphasises the need for businesses to focus on the basics of e-commerce, such as product data organisation and customer experience. The discussion als...