What does it take to turn early traction into scalable momentum? And how do you know if your startup—and your engine—is even built for venture capital?

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

00:43 Introduction to Driving Alpha Podcast
02:20 Meet Manishh Patel: From Google to Nava Ventures
03:17 Growing Up in Rural Kentucky
05:24 The Journey to Venture Capital
08:17 Founding Nava Ventures
16:22 The Series A Focus
19:57 Building the Flywheel: Operational Infrastructure
20:41 Refining the Business Model
22:30 Hiring and Team Dynamics
22:52 The Importance of Closing Learning Loops
25:07 The Role of Venture Capital in Building Companies
28:22 Advice for Founders on Raising Venture Capital
35:07 Vetting Venture Capitalists
38:31 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

In this episode,

Host Zoe van den Bol sits down with Manish Patel, managing partner at Nava Ventures, for a candid and insightful conversation on what really matters at the Series A stage.

Manish shares his journey from rural Kentucky to Google PM, to building Nava Ventures into one of the most focused Series A firms in the game. With lessons drawn from his operating days and years of backing breakout companies, this is a must-listen for founders, investors, and anyone building in early-stage tech.

They also discussed why Series A is the most critical inflection point for a startup, how to build a real “flywheel” for growth, and when venture capital acts like fuel—or becomes a liability. Manish also shares what he looks for in founders, how Nava’s high-conviction, low-velocity model gives them an edge, and the key signals that differentiate enduring companies from fast, flashy ones.

From Google to Nava: Manish Patel’s playbook for Series A investing