Startup Project

Author: Nataraj Sindam

  • Secret Sauce behind Hustle Fund’s Brand! (Bonus Clip)

    Eric (Co-Founder of Hustle Fund) talks to Nataraj about how they built their brand. 

    Check out more about hustle fund here, https://www.hustlefund.vc/ .  

    Nataraj is an engineer at Azure, partner at NVC(https://angel.co/s/natarajusa/B8aAA ) & hosts thestartupproject.io podcast. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam

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    https://anchor.fm/startupproject/episodes/Secret-Sauce-behind-Hustle-Funds-Brand–Bonus-Clip-e1jhs79

  • #21 Eric Bahn: Co-Founder & General Partner of Hustle Fund

    In this Episode of Startup Project, Nataraj talked to Eric Bahn, Co-Founder & General Partner at Hustle Fund. Hustle Fund recently raised Fund 3 and has $100M+ under management. Hustle Fund is known for investing in “hilariously early” startups, find more about them at https://www.hustlefund.vc/

    Full conversation includes:

    • Beat the GMAT (Eric’s Startup)
    • Defining hustle
    • Raising fund 1
    • First 10 investments
    • Building the brand

    Nataraj is a PM at Azure,  partner at NVC  & hosts thestartupproject.io  podcast. Follow him on Twitter at  https://twitter.com/natarajsindam . You can also subscribe to his newsletter at getrevue.co/profile/StartupProject

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    Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/startupproject/message
    https://anchor.fm/startupproject/episodes/21-Eric-Bahn-Co-Founder–General-Partner-of-Hustle-Fund-e1j9uqj

  • How to Earn Your Luck? (Bonus Clip)

    Shruti from Array.vc and nataraj talk about earning luck. 

    Full conversation available at:

    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/08LJYjwwQPyseCkSEZohQA?si=4de30bec6b8340d2

    For more check out the startup project website at thestartupproject.io  

    #startups #luck #arrayvc

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    https://anchor.fm/startupproject/episodes/How-to-Earn-Your-Luck–Bonus-Clip-e1ht9rh

  • Position your Company for Acquisitions (Bonus Clip)

    What can founders in early stage companies do position themselves for acquisitions.  

    Full Episode available on:

    YT : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uMdazKrC0k

    Apple : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/17-founding-partner-of-ascend-vc-kirby-winfield-on/id1551300319?i=1000555322251&app=podcast  

    Website: https://thestartupproject.io/2022/03/26/17-founding-partner-of-ascend-vc-kirby-winfield-on-all-things-venture-startup-project-by-nataraj/

    Visit thestartupproject.io for more.

    #startups #kirby #aquisitions

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    https://anchor.fm/startupproject/episodes/Position-your-Company-for-Acquisitions-Bonus-Clip-e1ht9j3

  • #20 Mike Fridgen: Seattle based Startup Incubator Madrona Venture Labs

    In this Episode of Startup Project, Nataraj talked to Mike Fridgen, Managing Director at Madrona Venture Labs a Seattle based tech startup incubator. Some of the companies incubated include Style Genome (Acq by Wayfair ), Chatitive (Acq by MailChimp ), Message Yes (Acq by Nordstrom ) & more . Before joining Madrona Venture Labs Mike was part of founding teams at Farecast (Acq by Microsoft) & Decide (Acq by Ebay) where he led product and growth strategies.

    Full Conversation includes:

    • Farecast.com (Predicting prices) – Acquired by Microsoft
    • Decide.com (next gen consumer reports) – Acquired by Ebay
    • Through line across being part of multiple acquisitions
    • Incubating companies at Madrona Venture Labs
    • Relationship with Madrona Venture Group
    • Thematic focus behind companies incubated at Madrona Venture Labs

    Nataraj is a PM at Azure,  partner at NVC  & hosts  thestartupproject.io  podcast. Follow him on Twitter at  https://twitter.com/natarajsindam. You can also subscribe to his newsletter at getrevue.co/profile/StartupProject

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    Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/startupproject/message
    https://anchor.fm/startupproject/episodes/20-Mike-Fridgen-Seattle-based-Startup-Incubator-Madrona-Venture-Labs-e1id55s

  • No Momentum? You are Dead! (Bonus Clip)

    Nataraj and Ali (Founder of Stonks.com) talk what happens to a unknown company post their stonks pitch day. 

    For full version of this conversation check out the following links.  

    Full Video on YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjyaipwngZc&t=0s

    Website Link: https://thestartupproject.io/2022/03/05/15-stonks-com-ali-moiz-on-investing-streaming-stonks-startup-project-by-nataraj/

    #startups #stonks #fundraising

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    https://anchor.fm/startupproject/episodes/No-Momentum–You-are-Dead–Bonus-Clip-e1ht8pa

  • #19 Shruti Gandhi: Founder Array.VC on B2B Investing

    In this Episode of Startup Project, Nataraj talked to Shruti Gandhi, GP of Array.VC.

    Shruthi Gandhi’s entry to venture is an interesting one. She started as an engineer and moved in to corporate venture capital. She is currently based in San Francisco & is the managing partner of Array Ventures, a solo GP fund. She did her masters in computer science from Columbia University.

    With Array.VC she invests in b2b enterprise companies, for more info check out her newsletter at shrutigandhi.substack.com.

    Full Conversation includes:

    • Transition from engineering to venture capital
    • Working at Corporate VC vs running your own fund
    • Raising first fund for Array.VC
    • Things to look out for first time fund managers
    • Push vs Pull investing
    • Cheque Sizes
    • Megatrons
    • Solo Brands in Venture

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    Startup Project podcast guests include Ali Moiz (Founder of stonks.com), Kirby Winfield (Ascend.vc), Eric Bahn (Hustle Fund), and many more.

    Startup Project is hosted by Nataraj, you can follow him on twitter at @natarajsindam.

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    If you like this episode, you might also enjoy the conversation with web3 critique Liron, long time business journalist Todd Bishop or Angel Investor Sajid Rahman.

  • #18: Bear.Tax Co-Founders on simplifying Crypto Taxes | Startup Project by Nataraj

    In this Episode of Startup Project, Nataraj talked to Tela Andrews and Vamshi, Co-Founders of crypto currency tax software Bear.tax.

    Full Conversation includes:

    • Origin story of Bear.Tax
    • How microacquire.com helped the founding team to get together
    • Crypto tax complexity for individuals, traders and businesses
    • Roadmap for solving tax complexity
    • Future of crypto

    Check out the recent fundraise announcement by Bear.Tax.

    Nataraj is an engineer at Azure, partner at NVC & hosts thestartupproject.io podcast. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam.

  • #17: Kirby Winfield GP Ascend.vc

    In this Episode of Startup project (https://thestartupproject.io/) , Nataraj talked to Kirby Winfield, Founding GP of Ascend.vc (pre-seed fund based in Seattle).

    Prior to founding Ascend.vc, Kirby was part of founding teams at Go2Net (GNET), Marchex (MCHX), Dwellable (Acquired by Home Away (AWAY)) & AdXpose (Acquired by comScore (SCOR)).

    Ascend has recently emerged as one of the most important pre-seed funds for Seattle based companies. Check out the fund’s portfolio here. Kirby’s blog post on how to create a deck is easily the best blueprint for any one who is new to venture to follow.

    Full conversation includes:

    ▪️ Through line of a successful career
    ▪️ How can companies strategize for an exit?
    ▪️ The why behind starting a pre-seed fund focussed on Pacific Northwest
    ▪️ Helping startups from zero to one
    ▪️ Price discovery of startups in current private markets

    Check out the full conversation below or wherever you get your podcast fix.

    🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5lVJtoUyIESGftMdfExixx?si=8dcec4527b514b65
    🎧 Youtube: https://youtu.be/5uMdazKrC0k

  • #16 Assure.co: Jeremy Neilson on all things Venture | Startup Project by Nataraj

    In this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Jeremy Neilson, CEO & Co-Founder of Assure.co. Prior to co-founding Assure, Jeremy ran Utah Fund of Funds and later went on to found Assure. Assure created & pioneered the usage of SPVs and became the synonymous as backend of Venture Capital. Assure’s clients include Republic, Launch Fund, Forge, Equity Zen and more.

    Full conversation includes:

    • Origin story of Assure
    • How Assure created SPVs that powered AngelList and others.
    • State of Venture from Assure’s point of View
    • Evolution of VC firms

    Full conversation here or wherever you listen to podcasts.

    Follow Jeremy on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyneilson/. Checkout Assure.co for more updates.

    Nataraj is an engineer at Azure, partner at NVC & hosts thestartupproject.io podcast. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/natarajsindam & stay up to date here.