Successful entrepreneurs begin with the support of a few #earlybelievers. Gopi Rangan, founding partner at Sure Ventures, interviews venture capital investors in the Silicon Valley and beyond. Guests share insider stories on how they invest in early stage startups. Do you want to learn from real-life challenges, inspiring missions and important decisions by CEOs, founders, VCs, angels, and advisors? Listen to https://podcast.sure.ventures.
https://podcast.sure.ventures
episode 136: Story of an Up and Coming VC From Down Under
Mikey Kailis, Principal at Counterpart Ventures, as he shares his extraordinary journey from the sun-kissed shores of Perth, Western Australia, to the heart of Silicon Valley's venture capital scene. Mikey discusses how Counterpart Ventures is pioneering a new era of corporate venture capital (CVC) in and outside the Bay Area, and shares his views on the sector’s future.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
[1:46] From startup competitions organizer to corporate venture capital champion: Mikey Kailis’s story
[3:35] Unique dynamics (innovation hotspots, success stories, and common startup challenges) that define Australia's venture ecosystem
[8:15] How has the venture capital industry been impacted by the mass exodus of professionals from the Bay Area?
[12:42] Counterpart Ventures and its role pioneering new-age corporate venture capital
[18:21] Practical examples of the value Counterpart Ventures brings to startups and the corporate venture capital community.
The non-profit organizations that Mikey is passionate about:
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
About Mikey Kailis
Mikey Kailis is a Principal at Counterpart Ventures. Mikey first ventured into journalism in 2011 before pivoting to business management. His expertise in advising startups, particularly in the mining and resources sector, flourished from 2015 to 2018. During this period, he co-created a startup competition across the Asia Pacific, facilitating early-stage funding and Silicon Valley connections.
In 2018, Mikey laid the groundwork for Counterpart Ventures, playing a pivotal role in deal sourcing, operations, marketing, and nurturing the corporate venture capital network, Counter Club. His commitment extends to active involvement with founders, offering support in customer introductions, hiring, and go-to-market strategies.
About Counterpart Ventures
Counterpart Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based life cycle VC fund, focused on investing in authentic relationships and built on implicit trust with its founders. It invests in B2B SaaS, mobility, and marketplace technologies that target nontrivial problems or fill missing gaps in large markets. Its portfolio companies include Dori, Upflowy, Remofirst, Cloudbeds, VComply, Intricately among others.
Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.