E131: Can VCs Make Money in Deep Tech? w/Nick Shekerdemian

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Jan 21, 2025

Join Nick Shekerdemian, founding partner of The Venture Collective and former Thiel Fellow, as he dives into the world of deep tech and venture capital. He shares insights on his transformative journey from Oxford to entrepreneurship, revealing how thesis-driven investing can propel meaningful innovation. Nick discusses the complexities of seed-stage investments, the significance of transparency with founders, and the potential of AI in revolutionizing healthcare and bio-defense. Explore the future of transformative technologies and the challenges in scaling visionary ideas.

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ANECDOTE

Dropping Out of Oxford

Nick Shekerdemian decided to drop out of Oxford at 20 after receiving the Thiel Fellowship.
This was a significant decision, as his family didn't have a history of attending Oxford.

INSIGHT

Thiel Fellowship Success

The Thiel Fellowship's success is attributed to its selection process and focus on individuals with initiative and traction.
Its limited scale contributes to a high success rate compared to larger, more formulaic programs.

ADVICE

Portfolio Construction

Construct a concentrated portfolio and leverage a larger team for proactive founder support and information asymmetry.
Aim for 8-10% ownership at entry, allowing for more informed follow-on investments.

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In this episode of How I Invest, I sit down with Nick Shekerdemian, entrepreneur, investor, and founding partner of The Venture Collective (TVC). A former Oxford student turned Thiel Fellow, Nick shares his journey of dropping out of university to pursue big ideas and how the fellowship helped shape his path in venture capital. We explore TVC's unique approach to portfolio construction, investing in deep tech and computational biology, and why thesis-driven investing is the future of venture capital. Nick also discusses challenges like founder breakups, scaling value-added strategies, and his thoughts on the next big shifts in technology and bio-defense.

Highlights: Thiel Fellowship: Why Nick left Oxford to join the fellowship and how it transformed his career.

Portfolio Construction: TVC’s concentrated approach to seed-stage investing and leveraging informational advantages to support founders.

Thesis-Driven Investing: Why Nick believes the future of venture capital lies in backing big, transformative ideas, especially in deep tech, computational biology, and AI.

Bio-Defense and Innovation: How advancements in AI and biology could revolutionize healthcare and address emerging bio-defense challenges.

Supporting Founders: The importance of transparency, setting micro-goals, and building trust for navigating challenges like founder breakups.

Opportunities in Deep Tech: Exploring transformative sectors like defense tech, healthcare personalization, and reindustrialization driven by sustainability and AI.

Shifts in Venture Capital: Nick’s prediction that rapid innovation will redefine the venture landscape in the next few years.

Guest Bio: Nick Shekerdemian is the founding partner of The Venture Collective (TVC), a seed-stage investment firm focused on backing visionary founders tackling transformative problems. A former Thiel Fellow, Nick has built his career at the intersection of entrepreneurship and venture capital, with a deep passion for investing in ambitious ideas in deep tech, healthcare, and sustainability. He’s committed to supporting founders who think differently and aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo.

Our Podcast now receives more than 200,000 downloads a month. Are you interested in sponsoring an episode? Please email David Weisburd at dweisburd@gmail.com.

#VentureCapital #VC #Startups #OpenLP #AssetManagement

Stay Connected: Twitter: David Weisburd: @dweisburd

LinkedIn: David Weisburd: linkedin.com/in/dweisburd/ Nick Shekerdemian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nshekerdemian/

Links The Venture Collective: https://theventurecollective.com

Questions or topics you want us to discuss on How I Invest? Email us at dweisburd@gmail.com.

(0:00) Episode preview (1:10) Dropping out of Oxford and Thiel Fellowship Insights (4:01) Seed Stage Startup Portfolio Construction (5:58) Leveraging Informational Advantages (8:33) Scaling Value-Added Strategies for Startups (10:28) Reporting Cadence vs. Company Performance (11:42) Fostering Transparency with Founders (14:17) TVC's Alpha Sources and Thematic Investing (18:28) Deep Tech Investments and Defense Tech Excitement (20:02) Changing LP Sentiments and Non-Momentum Investing (22:40) Computational Biology as an Investment Opportunity (24:50) Contrarian Views on Venture Capital (26:15) The Future of Biodefense and Bioweapons (27:46) Call to Action for Problem Solvers (28:34) Closing remarks