The Sure Shot Entrepreneur

Steve Pretre, partner at World Innovation Lab (WiL), takes us on an extraordinary journey from his upbringing in Silicon Valley to becoming a key player in the insurtech and venture capital worlds. He shares the thrilling journey of starting Metromile and leading it through the IPO stage, highlighting some of the biggest challenges of starting an insurtech startup. Steve also dispels the skepticism about corporate venture capital firms (CVCs).

Miles Dieffenbach, Director of Investments at Carnegie Mellon University Endowment, offers valuable insights, personal anecdotes, and perspectives on the fundamentals of venture capital. He covers topics such as GP commit, navigating the denominator effect, and the broader economic trends that impact the venture capital industry.

Aram Verdiyan, Partner at Accolade Partners, offers a comprehensive exploration of the LP landscape and the strategies that drive success in the world of venture capital. Aram emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships with VCs and sheds light on how general partners (GPs) think. He also discusses his views on returns generation, comparing concentrated and diversified investments.

Theresa Blissing, founder of Accelerating Insurance and the Asia InsurTech Podcast, delves into the transformative potential of emerging technologies in the insurance sector. She offers valuable insights for founders aiming for success in the insurance industry, irrespective of their operational geography. Additionally, she sheds light on noteworthy trends, opportunities, and challenges facing insurtech startups, with a particular focus on the dynamic landscape in Asia.

Chris Douvos, founder of Ahoy Capital, discusses venture capital investing as a limited partner (LP). He explores how venture capital fits in an investor's portfolio, shares his investment philosophy, and reveals how he identifies nonconformist VC investors, especially emerging managers. Chris also reflects on recent VC landscape changes and offers insights to better the industry's future and its potential impact.

Priya Ramachandran, founder and managing partner at Foster Ventures, recounts her remarkable odyssey from the tech world in India to her venture capital journey in the heart of Silicon Valley. She candidly discusses her evolution as a VC, starting as an angel investor, and passionately elaborates on the core values and principles that underpin the foundation of Foster Ventures...

Eric Ver Ploeg, founding partner of Tunitas Ventures, talks about how his seed-stage venture firm is helping entrepreneurs raise the best possible Series A. He shares his inspiring career journey into venture capital and expounds on the three key things he looks for in a potential investment. Additionally, he offers insights into the transformative shifts within the venture capital landscape, shedding light on the evolution of his personal viewpoints.

Scott Barclay, Managing Director at Insight Partners, delves into the potential of software to revolutionize healthcare's flawed systems. He explores the dynamics of VC firms operating across various stages in the ecosystem, weighing the pros and cons of seed-stage investments for larger firms. Additionally, Scott shares insights on why now is an opportune time to embark on AI endeavors.

Oren Zeev, Founding Partner at Zeev Ventures, shares his one-man VC experience, and lessons from investing in so many successful companies. Oren reveals the secrets behind his renowned Silicon Valley builder-investor approach. He also gives his perspectives on the dynamic role of a VC in supporting founders, as well as his thoughts on trends shaping the venture capital industry.

David York, a founder and managing director of Top Tier Capital Partners, provides invaluable insights into the intricacies of fund of funds (FOF). Delving into the dynamic nature of FOFs within the venture capital ecosystem, he sheds light on three distinct methods of investing in venture capital...