In this episode, we delve into the world of early-stage venture investment with Leo Polovets, a General Partner at Susa Ventures and former software engineer.
Join us as we explore successful investment strategies in the rapidly evolving AI landscape and the transformative impact of AI on startups and society. Discover the essential entrepreneurial skills for different startup stages and how to avoid early-stage traps. Gain valuable insights from LinkedIn's early days working with Reid Hoffman and learn about the art of storytelling in investment presentations.
Tune in now for a dynamic and informative episode packed with actionable advice and valuable knowledge.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:15 SUSE Ventures investment thesis
03:41 Leo's background: from engineering to investment
06:22 Essential skills for engineers in venture capital
10:50 Quantum technology: progress and potential for commercial applications
11:31 Uncovering investment insights in the AI landscape
19:04 The impact of AI on startups and society
25:06 The Flexport success story: the winning pitch that revolutionized shipping
28:32 The art of storytelling in investment presentations
32:44 Required entrepreneurial skills for different stages of startups
40:10 Prioritizing pricing from day one: a key to success
47:04 Insights from LinkedIn's early days: lessons learned working with Reid Hoffman
51:13 Lightning Round
Further reading:
https://www.codingvc.com/p/startups-are-risk-bundles
https://www.codingvc.com/p/how-to-de-risk-a-startup
https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/
https://shorturl.at/mAHY5
Guest Contact Info:
www.twitter.com/lpolovets
www.linkedin.com/in/lpolovets
www.susaventures.com
leo@susaventures.com
Sponsor: This podcast is brought to you by grwth.co. Grwth offers fractional CMOs, paired with best-in-class digital marketing execution to support early-stage startup success. With a focus on seed and series A companies, Grwth has helped a number of SaaS, digital health, and e-commerce startups build their go-to-market function and scale up. To learn more and book a free consultation, go to grwth.co.
Get in touch with Mosheh:
www.linkedin.com/in/moshehp/
twitter.com/MoshehP
hello@pmfpod.com
www.pmfpod.com
