Venture Capital

In today's episode we focus on some of the important considerations that need to be made while finding a VC firm. Are they a good fit? Do they have my company's best interest at heart? How to distinguish a Good VC from a BAD one. Questions Covered in This Episode Include:Peter, what stories have you personally seen where VCs did not act the bestAs an insider, what would you say are some of the red flags when it comes to a VC or a firm?As someone who is seeking funding, what are some of the things you should push for? Things you should expect at your end?If someone is looking for an early exit, is it always a red flag?How to know if a VC is wasting your time?What if they haven’t done a  deal in 12+ months?Discussing what happened with Pelion/WeaveWhat are the appropriate ways to vet a VC?Should I be concerned if they’ve invested in a similar deal?How do you know if they’ll steal or share my ideas with other founders?How to take into consideration if a VC didnt stand up for sexual wrongdoings, etc. in the past?What if the VC is planning to swap out the founder?Follow Peter HarrisTwitter: https://twitter.com/thevcstudentLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterharris1Instagram: https://instagram.com/shodanpeteFollow University Growth FundWebsite: https://www.ugrowthfund.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/university-growth-fund/Instagram: https://instagram.com/ugrowthfundFollow Jon BradshawLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrbradshaw/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjonbradshaw/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrjonbradshaw

Getting Funded: Should a Startup Hire a Professional Fundraiser?In today’s episode we discuss the pros and cons of having a professional fundraiser. Should you consider one and if yes, when is a good time to do so.Questions Covered in This Episode Include:What is a professional fundraiser?How does one become one? What kind of education, background, social skills or experience is needed for it?How much do they charge?How do VC’s look at companies that use professional fundraisers? (Pros/Cons)When is it a good idea for a business to hire a professional fundraiser?What to keep in mind while hiring a Fundraising ConsultantWhat are disadvantages of hiring one? Will people lose confidence in your capability Is there a particular time when they should be hired to maximise the impact like pre-seed etc?Should a startup ever consider making a professional fundraiser your CEO? Eg-David Bradford?Follow Peter HarrisTwitter: https://twitter.com/thevcstudentLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterharris1Instagram: https://instagram.com/shodanpeteFollow University Growth FundWebsite: https://www.ugrowthfund.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/university-growth-fund/Instagram: https://instagram.com/ugrowthfundFollow Jon BradshawLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrbradshaw/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjonbradshaw/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrjonbradshaw

How to Get and Keep a VC’s AttentionThe trickiest part of reaching out to a VC, is keeping them interested. In this episode, we discuss best practices and share a few tips.Questions Covered in This Episode Include:Should I focus my efforts on VC’s in my geographic area, or extend beyond my city/state?How accurate are online lists? What are some of the good ones?AngelListForbes Midas listCrunchbaseCB InsightsPitchBookOthers?How do you find a venture capitalist that is a good fit for you?- Size of business (Idea, Pre-Revenue, Etc.)/ Industry?What about VC’s that focus on particular industries like Blockchain, Healthcare, or SaaS? Or should we look to a generalist?What are your thoughts on professional fundraisers as a source?Is it worth my time to network and build relationships with local entrepreneurs to ultimately find a VC?What do VC super connectors look like?Does the process change if I’m a college student or a new entrepreneur?Does attending a bootcamp like NewChip, TechStars, or YCombinator help?Would first signing with a syndicate, like Jason Calcanis’, increase my odds?How helpful is it to attend events and virtual conferences with investors present?Locally we haveSilicon SlopesTechBuzzFollow Peter HarrisTwitter: https://twitter.com/thevcstudentLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterharris1Instagram: https://instagram.com/shodanpeteFollow University Growth FundWebsite: https://www.ugrowthfund.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/university-growth-fund/Instagram: https://instagram.com/ugrowthfundFollow Jon BradshawLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrbradshaw/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjonbradshaw/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrjonbradshaw

How to Find a Venture Capitalist (And Get Funded)Let’s talk about how do you find a venture capitalist for your startup.Questions Covered in This Episode Include:What is your general advice for someone raising in 2022?Has the process changed in recent years?Will the process change in the coming years?Now lets cover some common questions to make sure we’re addressing themShould I focus my efforts on VC’s in my geographic area, or extend beyond my city/state?How accurate are online lists? What arethe good ones?Angel ListForbes Midas listCrunchbaseCB InisghtsPitchBookOthers?How do you find a venture capitalist that is a good fit for you?Size of business (Idea, Pre-Revenue, Etc.)IndustryWhat about VC’s that focus on particular industries like Blockchain, Healthcare, or SaaS? Or should we look to a generalist?What are your thoughts on professional fundraisers as a source?Is it worth my time to network and build relationships with local entrepreneurs to ultimately find a VC?What do VC super connectors look like?Does the process change if I’m a college student or a new entrepreneur?Does attending a boot camp like NewChip, TechStars, or YCombinator help?Would first signing with a syndicate, like Jason Calcanis’, increase my odds?How helpful is it to attend events and virtual conferences with investors present?Follow Peter HarrisTwitter: https://twitter.com/thevcstudentLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterharris1Instagram: https://instagram.com/shodanpeteFollow University Growth FundWebsite: https://www.ugrowthfund.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/university-growth-fund/Instagram: https://instagram.com/ugrowthfundFollow Jon BradshawLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrbradshaw/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjonbradshaw/Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrjonbradshaw

Peter Harris, a Venture Capitalist, will talk about the primary differences between venture capital and private equity.

How do Venture Capitalists get paid? What is "carry"?

Peter Harris shares an update on what investments his firm, University Growth Fund, has made in the recent months of 2021.

A few years prior the University Growth Fund invested in Simplus.com. Recently, Simplus sold to a larger company and Peter talks with one of his students about the outcome, and what they learned.

Looking to know what VC's think about different startups?Join us as we review different deals that were recently funded, and we talk about the pros and cons of each.

Learn how to invest in a venture capital fund on today's podcast. Peter talks about the risks, pros, and cons of investing in a fund. As always, investing in a VC fund requires that you're an accredited investor.