

20VC: Benchmark General Partner, Miles Grimshaw on The Five Pillars of Venture Capital, Why Data Can Be a Trap When Early-Stage Investing, Investing Lessons from Missing Figma and Plaid & The New Business Model for AI & Why Co-Pilot is an Incumbent Strate
113 snips Sep 18, 2023
Miles Grimshaw, a General Partner at the prestigious Benchmark, shares his invaluable insights from years of venture capital experience. He discusses the five core pillars of successful VC, emphasizing the most critical aspects of sourcing, selecting, and servicing investments. Miles reveals his biggest lessons learned from missed opportunities like Figma and Plaid, highlighting the pitfalls of relying too heavily on data. He also delves into the transformative power of AI in business models and the emerging trends shaping the tech landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Early Inspiration
- Miles Grimshaw's stepfather founded an e-commerce software company, inspiring his interest in startups.
- Witnessing his stepfather's entrepreneurial journey fueled Grimshaw's passion for working with founders.
User-Centric Approach
- Focus on the user and their needs, not just metrics and jargon.
- Write a hypothetical product launch announcement to stay grounded in user value.
Kindness and Competition
- Kindness and competitiveness can coexist in business.
- Belief in someone's potential is a powerful gift.