Tim Chen
Solo investor and founder of Essence VC, formerly a technical startup founder and angel investor who focuses on developer tools and infrastructure startups.
Best podcasts with Tim Chen
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34 snips
Oct 29, 2025 • 31min
Startups should rethink how they pursue sales and traction, according to VC Tim Chen
Tim Chen, founder of Essence VC and former technical startup founder, discusses the evolving landscape of venture capital and his journey into solo investing. He challenges the VC playbook, especially for infrastructure startups, advocating a focus on strategic pivots over quick revenue. Tim shares transformative advice he offered portfolio companies and the insights gained from his small startup exit, emphasizing the importance of blending technical skills with market understanding for founders.
7 snips
Nov 25, 2025 • 30min
Equity: Startups should rethink how they pursue sales and traction, according to VC Tim Chen
Tim Chen, founder of Essence VC and a solo investor, shares his unique journey from engineer to impactful VC. He argues against the YC revenue-at-all-costs mantra for infrastructure startups, advocating a focus on strategic pivots and deep technical understanding instead. Chen reflects on his small exit experience, emphasizing the importance of genuine founder empathy in venture capital. He also discusses the value of community-building and the evolving landscape of multimodal applications, showcasing how thoughtful product vision can drive success.
