The Syndicate - Angel Investors and VC: Top Angel Investors, VCs and Operators Discuss Early Stage Investing and Future of Startups and Tech

Jonathan Hakakian joined SoundBoard Consulting Group, LLC in 2010 to focus on early-stage growth companies after several years working in a startup. In 2012 he co-founded SoundBoard Angel Fund in order to build a community of experienced entrepreneurs outside of NYC to formally invest in early-stage companies. He also continues to coach "new" entrepreneurs as they build out their businessses. Listen and Learn: - The challenges of building a first fund - How Soundboard Angel Fund collaborates with investors via SPVs - Why it is hard to raise a 2nd fund - The effect of exits on fundraising - How Jonathan thinks about startup ecosystems - Why buzzwords a bad for business - The Series LLC approach to angel investing - How to bootstrap a venture fund *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

David Weekly is a product manager at Google (also previously at Facebook), a syndicate lead for Drone.vc on Angellist and the founder of HackerDojo, the world's largest non-profit hackerspace. David is intimately involved with the startup ecosystem, a serial founder and facilitator and an active angel investor with over 40 investments to date. Listen and Learn: - How David hit 350x returns investing in Mexico - The importance of opportunity arbitrage in investing - How to build local networks to fuel out of country deal flow - Why David is excited about Bangladesh startups - How to zig when other investors zag - The difference in culture of Facebook and Google - How to think about unconventional investing - Why David is excited about metals investing - The reason David is interested in drones - How to spot upcoming tech trends *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

Weisman currently serves as an Executive Director at Singularity University where he oversees all the company's large programs including the Global Summit, Industry Summits (Exponential Medicine, Exponential Manufacturing, and Exponential Finance), and International Summits. Prior to Singularity University, Will spent time as an investor, advisor, and operator working with a range of companies in the consumer tech. and non-tech. world. Will has experience raising over $100mm raised and as an investor has record of picking and influencing winners with over $6B in exits. Listen and Learn: - Why Singularity University is successfully changing the world - What entrepreneurs can learn from angels - and vice versa - How the early internet dotcom era affected non-tech startups - Why early stage tech investing is all about the individual - How to evaluate tech trends for investment opportunities - Why Will missed out on blockchain - The value of art in understanding society - What people should consider about today's rocky political climate - Why we are living in the best time in history *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

Alex Norman is a serial entrepreneur and tech community builder that is working to build Canadian tech communities across the country through events, connections, advice, and investment. He built arguably the top Toronto/Canadian based tech event: TechToronto, works with Angellist and runs an early stage investment syndicate. Listen and Learn: - How Trump's immigration policies affect the Canadian startup ecosystem - What Alex thinks about blockchain and boom/bust cycles - How startups should leverage investors - Why selling your business isn't always what you expected - How to build a top tier tech event to generate deal flow - The reason Alex isn't a sector focused investor - How tariffs and NAFTA could affect investment in Canadian startups - What Canada has done to promote startup innovation - Why AI is overrated *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

David Weekly is a product manager at Google (also previously at Facebook), a syndicate lead for Drone.vc on Angellist and the founder of HackerDojo, the world's largest non-profit hackerspace. David is intimately involved with the startup ecosystem, a serial founder and facilitator and an active angel investor with over 40 investments to date. Listen and Learn: - How David hit 350x returns investing in Mexico - The importance of opportunity arbitrage in investing - How to build local networks to fuel out of country deal flow - Why David is excited about Bangladesh startups - How to zig when other investors zag - The difference in culture of Facebook and Google - How to think about unconventional investing - Why David is excited about metals investing - The reason David is interested in drones - How to spot upcoming tech trends *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

Weisman currently serves as an Executive Director at Singularity University where he oversees all the company's large programs including the Global Summit, Industry Summits (Exponential Medicine, Exponential Manufacturing, and Exponential Finance), and International Summits. Prior to Singularity University, Will spent time as an investor, advisor, and operator working with a range of companies in the consumer tech. and non-tech. world. Will has experience raising over $100mm raised and as an investor has record of picking and influencing winners with over $6B in exits. Listen and Learn: - Why Singularity University is successfully changing the world - What entrepreneurs can learn from angels - and vice versa - How the early internet dotcom era affected non-tech startups - Why early stage tech investing is all about the individual - How to evaluate tech trends for investment opportunities - Why Will missed out on blockchain - The value of art in understanding society - What people should consider about today's rocky political climate - Why we are living in the best time in history *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

Alex Norman is a serial entrepreneur and tech community builder that is working to build Canadian tech communities across the country through events, connections, advice, and investment. He built arguably the top Toronto/Canadian based tech event: TechToronto, works with Angellist and runs an early stage investment syndicate. Listen and Learn: - How Trump's immigration policies affect the Canadian startup ecosystem - What Alex thinks about blockchain and boom/bust cycles - How startups should leverage investors - Why selling your business isn't always what you expected - How to build a top tier tech event to generate deal flow - The reason Alex isn't a sector focused investor - How tariffs and NAFTA could affect investment in Canadian startups - What Canada has done to promote startup innovation - Why AI is overrated *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

Gabriele Jarrosson's business angel, cryptocurrency investor and accomplished entrepreneur. He co-founded French e-learning platform albert academie and is an angel investor in Storj, Shapr, BitStamp and Seedrs among many other others. He is also deeply involved in blockchain and advises a handful of companies. Listen and Learn: - The challenges of angel investing without being an accredited investor - How to use equity crowdfunding platforms to invest in startups - Why it's weird being the youngest angel in the room - The problem with many conventional angel groups - How Gabriel views crypto - Why he hasn't sold his Ethereum or Bitcoin - Why liquidity is a bad thing for blockchain - How ICOs will transform startup funding *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

Gabriele Jarrosson's business angel, cryptocurrency investor and accomplished entrepreneur. He co-founded French e-learning platform albert academie and is an angel investor in Storj, Shapr, BitStamp and Seedrs among many other others. He is also deeply involved in blockchain and advises a handful of companies. Listen and Learn: - The challenges of angel investing without being an accredited investor - How to use equity crowdfunding platforms to invest in startups - Why it's weird being the youngest angel in the room - The problem with many conventional angel groups - How Gabriel views crypto - Why he hasn't sold his Ethereum or Bitcoin - Why liquidity is a bad thing for blockchain - How ICOs will transform startup funding *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

Charlie O'Donnell has been an active member of the NYC startup community for over a decade. He is the sole Partner and Founder at Brooklyn Bridge Ventures that invested in the first rounds of Canary, Orchard Platform, Tinybop, Hungryroot, Clubhouse, Ringly, and goTenna among others. Prior to Brooklyn Bridge, Charlie worked at Union Square Ventures and First Round Capital where he sourced GroupMe (acq. by Skype), SinglePlatform (acq. by Constant Contact), and Backupify (acq. by Datto), as well as Refinery29 and chloe+isabel investments. Listen and Learn: - Why Charlie doesn't do follow on funding - How Brooklyn Bridge built a fund of mostly angel LPs - Why Charlie focuses on pre-seed startups - Ways to prioritize time to prevent burnout - How to Charlie uses dinners to design interesting encounters and build his network - Why Series A isn't that must safer than pre-seed - How being a solo-VC affects a fund - Ways to build awesome deal flow - What Charlie learned from Fred Wilson and Union Square Ventures *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

Today's an interesting episode where Matthew Le Merle interviews The Syndicate podcast host Matt Ward, sharing his story, lessons learned and controversial/contrarian opinions to make the podcast more interesting and informative overall. Previously, Matt built and sold #1 crowdfunding podcast, artofthekickstart.com and transitioned into own products business. Here he turned $8k investment into a 7 figure exit in 12 months with home and garden ecommerce brand primarily using Amazon and other channels. In parallel Matt started the FBA ALLSTARS podcast and community of 6-8k Amazon sellers, helping ecommerce companies follow in my footsteps (monetized via consulting and affiliate and/sponsored recommendations). Matt has done all this while traveling the world, living in Thailand, Vietnam, Colombia, South Africa, Switzerland, Spain and the USA on boot string budgets to build and scale his businesses. Listen and Learn: - How Matt initially got involved with startups - The purpose of The Syndicate podcast and what to expect - Why Matt moved to Southeast Asia - Which companies and startups are in the best position for a paradigm shift - The benefits of syndicates over angel groups or VCs - The top tech trends to observe and invest in - Problems with politics and immigration - Why Matt is bullish and wary of blockchain *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

Charlie O'Donnell has been an active member of the NYC startup community for over a decade. He is the sole Partner and Founder at Brooklyn Bridge Ventures that invested in the first rounds of Canary, Orchard Platform, Tinybop, Hungryroot, Clubhouse, Ringly, and goTenna among others. Prior to Brooklyn Bridge, Charlie worked at Union Square Ventures and First Round Capital where he sourced GroupMe (acq. by Skype), SinglePlatform (acq. by Constant Contact), and Backupify (acq. by Datto), as well as Refinery29 and chloe+isabel investments. Listen and Learn: - Why Charlie doesn't do follow on funding - How Brooklyn Bridge built a fund of mostly angel LPs - Why Charlie focuses on pre-seed startups - Ways to prioritize time to prevent burnout - How to Charlie uses dinners to design interesting encounters and build his network - Why Series A isn't that must safer than pre-seed - How being a solo-VC affects a fund - Ways to build awesome deal flow - What Charlie learned from Fred Wilson and Union Square Ventures *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

Today's an interesting episode where Matthew Le Merle interviews The Syndicate podcast host Matt Ward, sharing his story, lessons learned and controversial/contrarian opinions to make the podcast more interesting and informative overall. Previously, Matt built and sold #1 crowdfunding podcast, artofthekickstart.com and transitioned into own products business. Here he turned $8k investment into a 7 figure exit in 12 months with home and garden ecommerce brand primarily using Amazon and other channels. In parallel Matt started the FBA ALLSTARS podcast and community of 6-8k Amazon sellers, helping ecommerce companies follow in my footsteps (monetized via consulting and affiliate and/sponsored recommendations). Matt has done all this while traveling the world, living in Thailand, Vietnam, Colombia, South Africa, Switzerland, Spain and the USA on boot string budgets to build and scale his businesses. Listen and Learn: - How Matt initially got involved with startups - The purpose of The Syndicate podcast and what to expect - Why Matt moved to Southeast Asia - Which companies and startups are in the best position for a paradigm shift - The benefits of syndicates over angel groups or VCs - The top tech trends to observe and invest in - Problems with politics and immigration - Why Matt is bullish and wary of blockchain *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

Jeff Clavier is the Founder and Managing Partner of Uncork Capital (formerly SoftTech VC), one of the original seed VC firms in Silicon Valley, having closed 200+ investments since 2004. An early angel investor in Web 2.0, Jeff and his team have backed successful startups like Mint (Intuit), Kongregate (GameStop), Brightroll (Yahoo), LiveRamp (Acxiom), Milo (eBay), Wildfire (Google), Bleacher Report (Turner), Gnip (Twitter), Fitbit (NYSE:FIT), Eventbrite, Sendgrid, Poshmark, Hired, Postmates, Shippo, Front and Molekule. The portfolio has also seen acquisitions by Groupon, Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo and AOL. The firm is currently investing out of its $100M Fund V, making on average 15 seed commitments of $1M per year in mobile/cloud saas, consumer services, connected devices, marketplaces and “frontier tech” (AI, AR/VR, autonomous vehicles, digital manufacturing and material science, space tech). Listen and Learn: - Why brand is incredibly important in venture capital - The importance of networking and diversity in investing - Why Jeff's investment thesis had changed over the years - The reason Uncork only invests in businesses that matter - Why Jeff thinks blockchain is a just hype and manipulated markets - How to think about investing in frontier tech - What most people don't know about venture - How Jeff efficiently manages his time - Why the best investments break your rule book *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***

Jeff Clavier is the Founder and Managing Partner of Uncork Capital (formerly SoftTech VC), one of the original seed VC firms in Silicon Valley, having closed 200+ investments since 2004. An early angel investor in Web 2.0, Jeff and his team have backed successful startups like Mint (Intuit), Kongregate (GameStop), Brightroll (Yahoo), LiveRamp (Acxiom), Milo (eBay), Wildfire (Google), Bleacher Report (Turner), Gnip (Twitter), Fitbit (NYSE:FIT), Eventbrite, Sendgrid, Poshmark, Hired, Postmates, Shippo, Front and Molekule. The portfolio has also seen acquisitions by Groupon, Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo and AOL. The firm is currently investing out of its $100M Fund V, making on average 15 seed commitments of $1M per year in mobile/cloud saas, consumer services, connected devices, marketplaces and “frontier tech” (AI, AR/VR, autonomous vehicles, digital manufacturing and material science, space tech). Listen and Learn: - Why brand is incredibly important in venture capital - The importance of networking and diversity in investing - Why Jeff's investment thesis had changed over the years - The reason Uncork only invests in businesses that matter - Why Jeff thinks blockchain is a just hype and manipulated markets - How to think about investing in frontier tech - What most people don't know about venture - How Jeff efficiently manages his time - Why the best investments break your rule book *** http://thesyndicate.vc *** Accredited angel investors can join our syndicate: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/join *** Prefer podcasts? Subscribe to get it all, free, delivered to your phone: iTunes: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/itunes *** Android: *** http://thesyndicate.vc/android ***