Startup Project

Category: Article

  • 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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    Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/startupproject/message
    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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    Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/startupproject/message
    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.

  • #15 Ali Moiz: Founder of Stonks.com

    In this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Ali Moiz, Co-Founder of Stonks.Com.

    Prior to co-founding Stonks, Ali was a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Stream Labs which was acquired by Logitech) & before that founder of Peanut Labs which was acquired by E-Rewards.

    Ali is taking his experience with live video and combining it to early stage investing in his latest company stonks.com (great name!).

    If AngelList, Shark Tank & YC had a baby it would look like stonks.com.

    Apart from creating companies Ali has been an early stage investor himself. With Poor Founders he also acquired late stage equity in some of the most interesting break out tech companies like Notion, Canva & AirTable.

    For more interesting things about early stage investing, why do startups choose to get on to stonks.com & other topics check out the full conversation here or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

    Full conversation includes:

    • Value prop of Stonks for founders & investors
    • Post pitch effect for startups
    • Behind the Scenes of Stonks.com
    • Evolution of Video Streaming
    • Investing in Canva, AirTable & notion via Poor Founders

    Follow Ali on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ali_moiz & on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alimoiz/. Checkout Stonks.com for more updates.

    —–

    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. You can also check out his portfolio here.

    —–

    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.

  • #14 Simplified.co: Co-Founder Ajay Yadav on Scaling, Building in Public & More | Startup Project by Nataraj

    In this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Ajay, Co-Founder of Simplified.co.Prior to co-founding simplified.co, Ajay was a serial entrepreneur and was founder of Roomi, which helps people find flexible, affordable co-living solutions.Full conversation includes:

    • India to U.S
    • Raising venture for Roomi vs Simplified
    • Funding landscape for repeat founder vs first time founder
    • Competing against $40B Canva
    • Building in Public, Marketing-Product Fit.
    • Why be a repeat entrepreneur?

    https://anchor.fm/tsp1/embed/episodes/14-Simplified-co-Co-Founder-Ajay-Yadav-on-Scaling–Building-in-Public–More–Startup-Project-by-Nataraj-e1f0esu

    🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4QtEsoOqYfPTQdCg3Qgyx0?si=aa4184691f7c4b9f

    🎧 YouTube: https://youtu.be/-Xbv4O1ovvY

    Follow Ajay Yadav on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yadavajay/ and learn more about Simplified.co.

    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.

  • #13 First Check Ventures: Ali Jamal on Angel Investing in LATAM

    In this Episode of Startup project, Nataraj talked to Ali Jamal, Founder of First Cheque Ventures.

    Ali’s path from Stanford to venture is unique. From working in large Latin American startups his exposure to different markets makes him unique in the pool of solo angel investors.

    Prior to starting First Cheque Ventures, Ali was at companies like RockYou, Agoda & Rappi in growth and marketing roles.

    Full conversation includes:

    • Career in Growth and data analytics
    • Early Angel investing 
    • Transition from Angel Investing to founding first check ventures
    • YC MFN clause 
    • Strategy behind the growth of First Check Ventures
    • Building unique deal flow
    • Investing in LATAM, Asia & Africa

    —–

    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 & on LinkedIn.

    —–

    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.