CLIMB by VSC

Jay Kapoor
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CLIMB by VSC Podcast

Expert Conversations on Scaling Technologies for Climate Adaption CLIMB is a weekly podcast where experienced entrepreneurs and venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha speak with leading investors, founders, and industry experts about lessons and perspectives on company-building in the world of climate tech and climate adaptation. If you are a founder building a climate technology business, an investor allocating capital in climate tech, or just a listener looking for a high-octane injection of optimism against a media environment full of doom and gloom, you're in the right place!

  1. Retain Top Talent with the Science of Motivation | EP 075 Lindsay McGregor

    5 JUN

    Retain Top Talent with the Science of Motivation | EP 075 Lindsay McGregor

    Worried about retaining your best employees? Our guest on this episode is helping you do just that. Lindsay McGregor is the CEO and Co-Founder of Factor.ai and co-author of the bestselling book "Primed to Perform: How to Build the Highest Performing Cultures Through the Science of Total Motivation." Lindsay has one of the best track records of working with fast-growing startups like Slack, Grab, and Flexport byhelping them build a high-performance team culture. Previously, Lindsay led impactful projects at McKinsey, partnering with Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, universities, and school systems. She earned her B.A. from Princeton and her MBA from Harvard Business School. In Episode 075 of CLIMB by VSC, Lindsay discusses why the 'fun' culture in entrepreneurship isn't working, the importance of measuring your team’s motivation, and why autonomy could be killing your startup. Follow us on LinkedIn: Lindsay McGregor— https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaymcgregor/ Jay Kapoor— https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaykapoor/ VSC Ventures— https://www.linkedin.com/company/vsc-ventures/ 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:47 Meet Lindsay McGregor 00:02:01 3 Frameworks Every Founder Needs to Know 00:03:36 Tactical and Adaptive Balance in Startups 00:08:53 The 6 Key Motivators for Your Startup 00:16:00 The 'Fun' Culture in Entrepreneurship isn't Working 00:23:43 Are You Measuring Your Team’s Motivation? 00:31:05 Strategy is Ignoring Great Ideas: Slack Founder 00:31:57 Autonomy is Killing Your Startup 00:36:02 No Velocity? Your Startups is Doomed to Fail 00:39:32 Factor.ai is Simplifying Management 00:42:38 Great founders Aren’t the Most Charismatic 00:48:28 You Needs this Pit Stop Strategy to build a Great Company 00:53:03 Where can people learn more about Factor.ai?

    55 min
  2. Water Technology is a $4 Trillion Opportunity | EP 074 Peter Yolles

    24 MAY

    Water Technology is a $4 Trillion Opportunity | EP 074 Peter Yolles

    The value of water to water security is $4 trillion today and is likely to triple in the next 10 years. [Source: Global Water Intelligence] To put that $12 trillion into perspective, it is higher than the GDP of every other country other than the US and China. Meet Peter Yolles, General Partner at Echo River Capital, a seasoned entrepreneur and strategic investor in early-stage water technology companies. Peter founded WaterSmart Software (acquired by Vertex One), serving 200 water utility customers and reaching over 20 million people. With a joint MBA and MES from Yale and a BA from the University of Colorado, he authored the CREO Syndicate report on water impact investment. Peter continues to advise founders with his deep domain and operational expertise. In Episode 074 of CLIMB by VSC, Peter and host Jay Kapoor analyze the water value chain, the three Ds VCs need to know when investing in water technology, carbon capture, portfolio companies & more. Connect with us on LinkedIn: 1. Peter Yolles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolles/ 2. Jay Kapoor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaykapoor/ 00:00:00 Trailer 00:00:51 Introduction 00:03:23 How your daily water use impacts the global economy 00:08:57 The true cost of water mismanagement 00:10:29 You're paying 400x more for dangerous water 00:15:18 Methane: A hidden climate threat 00:18:32 Why are nature-based solutions slower in decarbonization 00:23:19 Experience vs Mindset: What makes a successful founder? 00:25:15 What signals a growth mindset in founders? 00:26:47 How do you evaluate a founder’s grit? 00:32:09 Can investors save tribal water rights? 00:35:17 Why curiosity beats fear in business 00:37:39 Recruitment mistakes are costing startups

    40 min
  3. How The Best Founders Find Product Market Fit | EP 073 Zach Coelius

    15 MAY

    How The Best Founders Find Product Market Fit | EP 073 Zach Coelius

    As many have attested, there's nothing romantic about being a founder. It's about doing what has to be done. And that’s what makes entrepreneurship difficult. In Episode 073 of CLIMB, Zach Coelius, Managing Partner at Coelius Capital, maintains that being a founder is 10x harder than being a VC. Talking about an investor’s MO, Zach equates being in the stands, drinking a beer, with the same as being a VC and deciding which companies will survive, and which will die. Zach is known for his investments in Angel List, HelloSign, Mercury, and more, but what is lesser known about him is that before investing, Zach sold an ad-tech business to Facebook (now Meta). As if this isn't impressive enough, he also raised $33M for Coelius Capital’s Fund II, that too in a record 3 weeks! In the latest episode of CLIMB by VSC, Zach and host Jay Kapoor discuss their views on:  • repeat founders versus first-time founders  • how Zach sold his company • the journey as an entrepreneur & more. Tune in to the full episode now. Connect with us on LinkedIn: Zach Coelius: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachcoelius/ Jay Kapoor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaykapoor/ Chapters: 00:00 Trailer 00:47 Zach Coelius Introduction 02:07 What does it feel like being an investor? 06:00 The three stages of being a founder 09:30 What are the common mistakes most founders make? 11:11 How do early founders navigate challenges? 12:52 It’s hard for founders to find an authentic circle 13:40 How do you evaluate someone with the right mix of learning and conviction? 15:31 Which three networks stand out to Zach? 17:00 What is it about vertical software that excites you? 20:56 What gets you excited about AI? 23:10 What is the process of securing a hit deal? 24:20 You can’t change your pitch every time you change a business. 27:48 How to get comfortable with uncertain opportunities? 29:25 Are there commonalities across industries? 33:21 What are the most common mistakes boards you've worked with make? 41:05 It’s all about timing. 42:14 What’s the flipside of being a general partner? 45:45 What’s a piece of advice you give to founders that isn't taken well enough? 51:10 Episode Outro Watch the full video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/U4NFkF7jCmg

    52 min
  4. How AI Unlocks Billion Dollar Category Creation | EP 072 Ann Bordetsky

    1 MAY

    How AI Unlocks Billion Dollar Category Creation | EP 072 Ann Bordetsky

    Ann Bordetsky, partner at New Enterprise Associates (NEA), joins us in this episode to discuss how AI is creating new business categories and transforming the tech industry. Ann shares her journey through the tech world, her role in supporting startups, and the keys to building successful businesses today. She highlights the importance of understanding market trends and customer needs to innovate and stay ahead. Listen to Ann's unique experiences and get valuable advice for entrepreneurs and investors keen on navigating the evolving landscape of tech with AI. This episode is ideal for anyone curious about technology, startups, and innovation in business. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in early-stage startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency, VSC. Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem. Chapters: 1. 0:00 - Introduction and Overview of Category Creation 2. 6:09 - The Role of First Movers in Market Evolution 3. 12:15 - Attributes of a Successful Category-Creating Founder 4. 18:25 - Depth and Vision in Pitching Ideas 5. 24:50 - Validating New Categories 6. 30:55 - The Impact of AI on Small and Medium Businesses 7. 37:05 - Lessons from Mobile Era and Patience in Investing 8. 43:43 - Democratizing Creative Tooling with AI 9. 49:46 - Supporting Female Founders 10. 56:13 - Final Thoughts and Advice for Founders Pitching to Investors

    58 min
  5. Are Venture Capitalists Helping or Hurting Your Startup? | EP 071 Jason Shuman

    24 APR

    Are Venture Capitalists Helping or Hurting Your Startup? | EP 071 Jason Shuman

    Join us in this episode as we talk with Jason Shuman, a General Partner at Primary Ventures. Jason shares his journey from selling shoes to becoming a big name in venture capital and we dive deep into how venture capitalists like him support and grow startups. Jason talks about his early days of starting his own business, his experiences, and how he moved into the world of investing. He explains what startups need to do to succeed and how investors can really help them grow. You’ll hear stories from Jason’s own life, like how driving for Uber helped him make important business connections. He also gives us a peek into his strategies for picking and supporting new companies. This episode is a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs, seasoned investors, and anyone interested in the transformative power of venture capital. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in early-stage startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency, VSC. Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem. Chapters - 0:00 - Intro: Value and Impact of Venture Capital 5:05 - The Growth and Influence of New York's Tech Ecosystem 10:17 - Leveraging the "X for Y" Investment Framework 15:10 - The Strategic Use of AI for Enhancing Small Businesses 20:04 - Understanding the Dynamics of SMB Customer Acquisition 25:00 - The Role and Impact of Expert Networks in Venture Capital 30:44 - Discussing the Distinct Approach of Primary’s Investment Team 35:42 - Insights into the Scale and Incentives in Venture Capital 40:16 - The Significance of Being Present and Engaged in Investments 45:21 - Practical Advice for Founders on Learning and Networking 50:02 - Closing Remarks and Reflections on Venture Capital Practices

    52 min
  6. Navigating Innovation in Transportation and Electrification | EP 070 Sunil Paul

    17 APR

    Navigating Innovation in Transportation and Electrification | EP 070 Sunil Paul

    In this episode, we welcome Sunil Paul, a pioneer in ride-sharing and a significant figure in sustainable transportation. Paul, who started Sidecar and influenced the early stages of Getaround, dives into his newest venture, Spring Free EV. With his extensive experience, including his early work as a NASA contractor and AOL's first internet product manager, Paul brings a rich history of innovation and policy analysis. Join us as Sunil Paul shares his journey from a technology policy analyst in Washington D.C. to becoming a cornerstone in the evolution of ride-sharing and electric vehicles. The discussion unpacks the origins and future of Spring Free EV, emphasizing its role in transitioning fleet vehicles from gas to electric through innovative financing models. Paul elaborates on the challenges and potential of electric vehicles in solving the climate crisis, reflecting on how electrification can aid in managing renewable energy sources like solar and wind due to battery storage capabilities. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in early-stage startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC. Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem.

    42 min
  7. What Makes a Startup Transform the World | EP 069 Peter Relan

    3 APR

    What Makes a Startup Transform the World | EP 069 Peter Relan

    We welcome Peter Relan, a seasoned Silicon Valley veteran with a rich 40-year history of entrepreneurship and investment. Renowned for founding the YouWeb Incubator, Relan has been instrumental in the early stages of companies that have become household names, such as Discord. His early engagement with VSC Ventures has been invaluable, and his participation promises a wealth of knowledge and experience. Relan shares the compelling story behind Discord's success, emphasizing the importance of a strong founding team, innovative thinking, and the right investor support. The conversation also turns to Relan's unique approach with YouWeb, where he opts for a deeply involved, personalized mentoring method, distinguishing his work from more conventional, larger-scale incubators. His ability to foresee and act on emerging trends, from digital entertainment to the latest advancements in climate technology, highlights his forward-thinking approach. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in early-stage startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC. Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem.

    44 min
  8. Secrets to Spotting the Next Big Thing the Baukunst Way | EP 068

    27 MAR

    Secrets to Spotting the Next Big Thing the Baukunst Way | EP 068

    This week, we host Kate McAndrew, founding partner of Baukunst. We discuss the ‘art of building’ successful startups and VC firms as well as the philosophy and practices that have driven Kate to find and invest in groundbreaking technologies over her venture career. From building and leading a $100 million Fund I to championing innovative business models, Kate shares her journey and insights on taking risks, the importance of art and design in technology, and how to be the perfect board member for transformative companies. If you're curious about what it takes to build the future and create category-defining companies that matter, this conversation is for you. About VSC Ventures: VSC Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund led by Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha where we invest in early-stage startups and support our founders with hands-on PR, storytelling, and go-to-market work with help from our award-winning PR agency VSC. Our fund has invested alongside Lowercarbon, NEA, Uncork Capital, Left Lane, Alley Corp, Obvious Ventures, Third Sphere, and other leading early-stage funds. Through our weekly conversations on our show CLIMB by VSC, we're excited to share our work with innovative companies like Paintjet, Glacier, Concrete.AI, Presso, ⁠⁠Ample⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Actual⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Sesame Solar⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Synop⁠⁠, ⁠and Vibrant Planet⁠⁠ in addition to highlighting companies and leading voices across the early stage ecosystem. Chapters 00:00:00 Trailer 00:00:44 Introduction 00:07:21 What's the secret to leading pre-seed rounds successfully 00:11:33 How do founders find the right Venture Capital fit 00:20:57 Focusing solely on the end goal can lead to failure 00:23:29 How do founders stay motivated for goals YEARS AWAY 00:33:26 Resume Versus Real Experience: What Matters Most? 00:35:40 How an Airbnb executive created a baby formula brand 00:41:36 Why some founders succeed without deep industry experience 00:45:54 How do Venture Capital Teams handle competition 00:49:50 Being too hard on yourself can doom your startup 00:53:19 Technology isn't the only answer to climate change

    56 min
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About

Expert Conversations on Scaling Technologies for Climate Adaption CLIMB is a weekly podcast where experienced entrepreneurs and venture capitalists Jay Kapoor and Vijay Chattha speak with leading investors, founders, and industry experts about lessons and perspectives on company-building in the world of climate tech and climate adaptation. If you are a founder building a climate technology business, an investor allocating capital in climate tech, or just a listener looking for a high-octane injection of optimism against a media environment full of doom and gloom, you're in the right place!

Information

  • Creator
    Jay Kapoor
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2024
  • Episodes
    75
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jay Kapoor
  • Show Website
    CLIMB by VSC

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