Consensus in Conversation Zal Bilimoria of Refactor Capital on Seed-Stage Venture, Investing in Founders, and Being a Solo GP
Knowing whether or not to invest in a startup isn’t easy – it’s a skill that makes VCs like Zal Bilimoria extremely valuable. And Zal, the co-founder and solo GP of seed-stage VC firm Refactor Capital, is leveraging his knowledge to build a portfolio of human and planetary health-focused startups merging profits, sustainability, and technology.
Zal honed his skills and eye for the market working for tech industry giants like Microsoft and Google through pivotal moments in their history, and even created a new role for himself at Netflix, pioneering their dedicated mobile platform, before turning his hand to investing at a16z. It was there that he recognized his passion for health, biotech, and other impact-oriented industries, and in 2016, Zal struck out on his own to launch Refactor Capital. The firm has since invested in over 100 companies – four of which have gone on to reach unicorn status – and recently finished raising its fourth $50M fund.
Hear Zal share key insights from his time at tech and VC behemoths, the importance of believing in founders over ideas, and which startups and technologies could literally change the world for the better.
Episode Highlights:
- 00:00 Zal Bilimoria on super responsiveness
- 00:44 Conor Gaughan introduces Zal and Refactor Capital
- 07:03 Early passion for computers, UPenn, and Microsoft
- 11:36 Google, head of mobile at Netflix, and product management
- 18:05 Biotech and health, angel investing, and shifting investment strategy
- 21:49 Launching Refactor Capital, being a solo GP, and hard tech
- 28:47 Getting deals done, communication, and managing portfolios
- 36:20 Aligning profit and impact, exciting tech, and sci-fi vs science reality
- 42:53 Climate tech and human health, urgency, and Checkerspot
- 47:42 Aether Biomachines, founder dinners, and entrepreneurship
- 52:15 Leaving a legacy and defeating defeatism
- 56:01 Conclusion and end credits
If you liked this episode, listen next to Pavle Jeremic of Aether Biomachines on Rearranging Atoms, Scaling Deep Tech, and Defeating Scarcity
More on Refactor Capital and Zal Bilimoria:
Connect with Conor Gaughan on linkedin.com/in/ckgone and threads.net/@ckgone
Have questions, or a great idea for a potential guest? Email us at CiC@consensus-digital.com
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Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.