Tension Between Concentration and Opportunism

Today we're joined by Kareem of Thrive Capital for one of the most extensive conversations we've had on the show—we cover the core insight that drove Thrive to invest in late-stage companies like Stripe and Slack, how they approach thinking about fund size and timing, the benefits of a concentrated portfolio, and more. If you’re looking to improve your sourcing, tracking, and due diligence, check out: https://synaptic.com/turpentine

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SPONSORS:

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RELATED SHOWS:

If you like Turpentine VC, check out our show The Limited Partner with David Weisburd, where David talks to the investors behind the investors: https://link.chtbl.com/thelimitedpartner

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Every week investor and writer of the popular newsletter The Diff, Byrne Hobart, and co-host Erik Torenberg discuss today’s major inflection points in technology, business, and markets – and help listeners build a diversified portfolio of trends and ideas for the future. Subscribe to “The Riff” with Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg: https://link.chtbl.com/theriff

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X / TWITTER:

@kareemszaki (Kareem)

@ThriveCapital (Thrive Capital)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@TurpentineVC

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(3:03) How does Thrive balance an opportunistic vs a focused approach

(07:01) Thrive's structure and core insights

(14:57) Sponsor: Synaptic

(15:50) On Thrive's DNA

(18:06) Kareem's insights on selling

(24:01) Thrive's history

(29:45) Sponsor: Oracle

(33:10) Kareem's insights on the impact team 

(36:21) On incubations

(39:45) On regulated or capital intensive industries

(43:06) Thrive and healthcare

(49:37) How does Thrive think about macro?

(53:14]) The future of Thrive

(55:25) Kareem on making bets on young people and cultivating talent

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This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.