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The VC world needs more believers, not more capital. Especially on the early stage.
Niko Bonatsos
6,587 posts
Niko Bonatsos
@bonatsos
Obsessed with technical founders building products for themselves. Talent is universal, while opportunity is not. Founder & Managing Director @VerdictCap
- “VCs on Twitter: Look at all the fancy books I’m reading; VCs at the office: this deck is too freaking long, let’s get an associate to read it”. #vclogic
- Most people think being a startup founder is mostly about vision and passion. It's actually about becoming fluent in anxiety.
- True entrepreneurs can seize the day now. All the startup tourists have started going home... And it’s only been a few weeks of turbulence. We are as eager as ever to be investing in true entrepreneurs!
- Mobile Appstore top rankings: "I spend $, therefore I exist." The alternative is to build a brand.
- Any startup founder who worked on social networking/gaming products for a few years in the past has a huge competitive advantage in sectors like e-commerce, online marketplaces and SMB apps.
- Early stage VCs saying you are too early is like telling a time traveler they should have arrived yesterday. Meanwhile the founder is literally inventing tomorrow.
- Thank you to the entire @atrium team for their hard work over the years, all the customers for their love and $ and all our fellow co-investors for believing in @justinkan audacious vision. Sorry that it didn’t work out the way we were all dreaming about... Startups are hard :(.
- The startup founders who treasure your $25K like $25M today will steward $2B the same way tomorrow; financial discipline is muscle memory.
- 1 week ago: “We are heads down and aren’t raising.” 6 days ago: “Here is our full pitch deck and data room.” 1 day ago: “We have a full lineup of vc partner meetings scheduled.” Today: We have 5 offers from top-5 vc firms. - Fundraising, Fall 2019.
- If you are thinking about starting a consumer facing tech startup and don’t have a good answer to “what’s my distribution advantage?”, it may be worth going back to the drawing board.
- The best angel checks get written before the pitch deck is polished.
- We love partnering with ridiculously ambitious first time founders who are building category defining businesses. Why? They can dream big as they are unencumbered by their past experiences and the legacy of their networks. Key requirement: be fast learners.
