Second Time Founders E78 Slow Ventures’ Will’s on what it takes to be the best venture startup
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Jan 15, 2025 Will Quist, a partner at Slow Ventures and an experienced investor in early-stage companies, shares his insights on venture capital. He discusses the benefits of lean teams and small capital for validating ideas, emphasizing innovative funding strategies. Quist delves into the complexities of fundraising, highlighting the delicate balance between securing funds and minimizing dilution. He also candidly addresses the dark side of the industry, revealing personal experiences with fraud, and explores the evolving dynamics of startup board relationships.
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Venture Capital's True Purpose
- True early-stage venture capital allows founders to run experiments.
- These experiments might seem irrational initially, but can yield huge returns if successful.
Keys to Successful Ventures
- Focus on aligning a novel hypothesis, efficient experimentation, and demonstrable value creation.
- Secure funding to propel these elements and create significant value growth.
Seed Round Sizing
- Avoid raising excessively large seed rounds (e.g., $30-100 million).
- Such large early-stage investments rarely yield positive returns for venture capitalists.