Using Monte Carlo Simulation in a Venture Capital Market

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A good problem solving strategy is to break it into smaller pieces. And then each of those pieces is much more tractable than the whole problem. So you are making estimates or predictions in, I think it's few dozen areas and then running Monte Carlo analysis inside this Excel model that gives you a sense of what should be your return on investment capital for an individual company.

How can we better make decisions under uncertainty? What are some of the different ways of being uncertain? What are some powerful venture patterns? How can founders and venture capitalists reduce risk in their startups and portfolios? What is the nature of innovation? How can investing be used to do good in the world?

Miles Lasater has started 3 companies, 2 nonprofits, and 1 family with 4 kids. He has been a founder, VC, angel investor, business school professor, board member, donor, improv comedian, and dancer. He currently is Founding Partner of Purpose Built Ventures and serves on the board of tech nonprofit Curious Learning. Miles also hosts a podcast called Startups for Good (which you can also follow on Twitter at @startups4good). Find out more at mileslasater.com.

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