Paul Hsiao

My guest today is Paul Hsiao, co-founder and General Partner at Canvas Ventures. Canvas is one of the leading Series A firms having invested in Zola, Thrive Global and Roofstock. You'll learn what are the ingredients that could make for a spectacular marketplace businesses, what the series a currently looks like, and much much more. Without further ado, here's Paul. And there you have it. It was a pleasure chatting with Paul. You can follow him @paul_hsiao on Twitter. Some of the questions I ask Paul: What was your initial attraction to technology? After Mazu Networks, why did you decide to become a venture capitalist? How did Canvas come together? I know one of your main focuses is marketplace businesses. There’s alot of chatter in consumer how consumer SaaS type businesses are becoming the future of consumer software as a primary business model. What do you make of the current landscape? What makes a market place business exciting for you to invest in? What is your due diligence process? What are the metrics you typically see at the Series A? In today’s market where it seems like there’s more unicorns today than maybe the number of companies that were raising a Series A 10 years ago, what is your expectation when you invest in a company? What’s your biggest learning from this COVID period? After a first time founder raises a Series A, what do you find is the most common element that the founder might have a hard time with when it comes to the board meetings? What are some of the differences investing in enterprise vs. consumer facing businesses? I read that one of your passions is the data economy. How do you describe the data economy and what are some of the ways it could transform B2C businesses? What’s one thing that you would change about venture capital? What’s one book that inspired you personally and one book that inspired you professionally? What’s your biggest piece of advice for anyone building businesses that you find yourself saying the most?

In this engaging discussion, Paul Hsiao, an Asset Allocation Strategist for the Americas at UBS Chief Investment Office, dives into the economic agendas of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump as Election Day approaches. He outlines contrasting policies, from aggressive tariffs to nuanced approaches, and their implications for small businesses. The conversation also touches on the current economic landscape, investor perceptions, and how global entrepreneurs can navigate potential election impacts while remaining optimistic about a soft landing for the U.S. economy.

Jason Draho, the Head of Asset Allocation Americas at UBS, and Paul Hsiao, Asset Allocation Strategist Americas, dive into the evolving macroeconomic landscape and its effects on business outlook. They discuss concerns about growth replacing inflation fears, foresee potential interest rate cuts, and analyze the implications of the 2024 election cycle for business owners. The duo also explores the shifting dynamics in mergers and acquisitions, hinting at a resurgence in M&A activity as market conditions improve.

Jason Draho and Paul Hsiao discuss macroeconomic environment, corporate transactions, and geopolitics in 2024. Topics include growth, inflation worries, Fed's perspective, consumer behavior, labor market, financing costs, real estate sector, rising interest rates, geopolitical tensions, Q1 report reception.

Paul Hsiao, Founding Partner at Canvas Ventures and a prominent figure in Silicon Valley's venture capital scene, discusses his journey from biomedical engineering to investing. He shares the five fundamentals for scaling successful marketplaces, emphasizing the critical role of supply dynamics. Paul also stresses why aspiring startups should aim for $100 million raises to ensure substantial growth and addresses the nuances of investing strategies between Canvas and NEA. His insights are invaluable for understanding today’s funding landscape.