From Idea to Investment: Decoding Due Diligence for Deep Tech Startups. A chat with Moien Giashi, Principal @ GreenSky Ventures

Welcome back to Deep Tech Catalyst, the channel where science meets venture! In today's episode, we're thrilled to welcome Moien Giashi, Principal GreenSky Ventures, from Toronto, Canada. What started as an overview of due diligence in early-stage Deep Tech quickly evolved into a blend of inspiration for entrepreneurs and an educational lesson on the operational workings of a VC fund. This is invaluable for anyone in the scientific community who aspires to launch a Deep Tech startup and is facing the challenge of approaching a venture capital fund for the first time. Host: Nicola Marchese Guest: Moien Giashi #DeepTechCatalyst --------------------- TIMESTAMPS: (01:08) 🎙️ Introduction (04:17) 💡 What is a VC fund and how does it work? (06:33) 🔍 Due Diligence 101 (12:13) 🚩 Red Flags and Green Flags in Deep Tech Due Diligence (17:33) 👥 CTO Seeking a Team: What Are the Options? (21:14) 🚀 The Transition from Scientist to Entrepreneur ------------------------ KEY THEMES COVERED: Understanding the Structure and Operation of a VC Fund: An overview of the structure of venture capital firms, including Limited Partners (LPs) and Fund Managers or General Partners (GPs), and the importance of their relationship in achieving performance goals. Due Diligence in Venture Capital: The critical role of due diligence in the venture capital investment process, including its multi-dimensional nature, covering technology, business, and legal aspects. Technology Due Diligence: The focus on technology during due diligence, examining architecture, intellectual property, feedback from customers, and the importance of understanding the technology's value and viability. Business Model Due Diligence: Evaluating the business aspects of a company during due diligence, including customer base, satisfaction, and business model alignment, highlighting the signaling function of due diligence for entrepreneurs. Team Dynamics in Due Diligence: The paramount importance of assessing team dynamics during due diligence, involving direct interactions with the team, feedback from employees, interns, customers, and advisors, and the impact of team collaboration on investment decisions. Green Flags and Red Flags in Team Assessment: Identifying positive and negative indicators in team dynamics, such as collaboration, positivity, responsiveness, technical expertise, and delegation skills. Building a Comprehensive Team as a Scientific Founder: Strategies for scientific founders to build a strong team, including exploring programs for team matchmaking and taking the initiative to seek the right partners, embracing the concept of teamwork, and the learnability of business skills. The Transition from Scientist to Entrepreneur: Addressing the challenges and opportunities of transitioning from a scientific background to an entrepreneurial role, emphasizing the adaptability and problem-solving skills of scientists and engineers. ------------------------ MORE ABOUT THE SCENARIONIST: - Discover all the episodes, trends analysis, and more: https://www.thescenarionist.org/ - Stay in the loop with our latest news: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thescenarionist/ - Let’s connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nmarchese-md/