Propelling Family Impact with Builder Capitalism with Dave Furneaux

Today, I am delighted to welcome Dave Furneaux, Founder & CEO of BlueIO, an innovative, mission-driven builder capitalist investment company. Dave is a co-founder and investor in a number of innovative companies, such as Blaze (acquired by Akamai), Cybersaint (a leading Cyber Risk Management company), Greenlight Biosciences (EPA approved breakthrough RNA bio-chemical platform for clean food), Lufa Farms (a leading agricultural technology company), Lumicell (an FDA approved platform for Cancer therapy) and Virsec (a breakthrough cyber protection company).

He has been a driving force behind many breakthrough technology, health, and food companies as a founder, operator, investor, and active board leader. Some notable examples include Watchfire (acquired by IBM), Skystone (acquired by Cisco Systems), Application Security (acquired by SingTel) and Aironet (acquired by Cisco Systems). Earlier in his career, Dave founded and led Kodiak Venture Partners, which went on to invest in and build companies such as Appnexus (acquired by AT&T), Channel Advisor (NYSE: ECOM), Extreme (acquired by Microchip), Enfora (acquired by Sierra Wireless), IM Logic (acquired by Symantec) and WHERE (acquired by Paypal).

David believes, and we at FOX agree, that families are uniquely positioned and endowed to create, build, and innovate by putting their family capital, their entrepreneurial spirit, and creativity to work to solve the big problems our world is facing. He talks about why he has this conviction, how he sees it play out today, and why and how families play this key role in innovation and building new solutions and products.

The topic of our conversation with Dave is encapsulated in a relatively new term: “Builder Capitalism”. Dave defines Builder Capitalism for our audience, describes the tenets of this investment philosophy, and outlines the mindset and skills it requires. He also paints the picture of how Builder Capitalism is manifested in reality through the activities and behaviors of entrepreneurs.

Dave offers many practical tips and suggestions to the different market players who are interested in Builder Capitalism, starting with what investors need to know or do if they want to participate in this movement and allocate their capital (financial and non-financial) to Builder Capitalist ventures. He also provides his advice to entrepreneurs and founders who share this belief system and see themselves and their startups as members of this Builder Capitalism economy.

Finally, Dave offers his insights into the resources available to both investors and founders to become better educated about Builder Capitalism and to be better connected into the emerging ecosystem of this rising entrepreneurial movement.

This is a must-hear conversation with one of the leading thought leaders, practitioners, and innovators in the Builder Capitalism movement, who is also a family principal and leader of his own multigenerational entrepreneurial family.