7 in 7 Show with Zack Ellison Zack Ellison

Welcome to another episode of The 7 in 7 Show with Zack Ellison, which features full length interviews with the world’s leading investors in innovation.



The show this week features Dr. Eddie Sanchez, who has over 25 years of experience as a hedge fund portfolio manager and securities analyst. He managed long/short Technology and Telecommunications portfolios at Citigroup Investments, First New York Securities, The Galleon Group, Credit Suisse, and the Blackthorn Group.



Dr. Sanchez is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor at Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor of Instruction and the Director of the Bloomberg Lab at the University of South Florida, Mumma College of Business.



Dr. Sanchez’s research interests are in Municipal Bonds, Hedge Funds, Mutual Funds, Capital Markets, and Financial Institutions. He has taught Executive and On-line MBA courses in financial statement analysis and corporate financial planning, as well as undergraduate courses in principles of investments, advanced investment analysis and management, and financial markets and institutions.



He received a Doctorate in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Florida.



In this episode, Zack Ellison and Dr. Eddie Sanchez discuss:



1. Evaluating Tech Innovations
2. Tech Company Valuations
3. AI's Financial Impact
4. Tech Stock Analysis
5. Venture Debt Insights
6. Equity vs. Debt Financing
7. Future Cash Flow Importance



LEARN MORE:

- Zack Ellison: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackellison/

- The 7 in 7 Show: ⁠https://7in7show.com/

- A.R.I. Venture Debt: ⁠https://www.arivc.com/

- DISCLAIMER: https://7in7show.com/disclaimer/

Welcome to another episode of The 7 in 7 Show with Zack Ellison, which features full length interviews with the world’s leading investors in innovation.

The show this week features part two of the conversation with Sherman Williams, the co-founder and Managing Partner of AIN Ventures. Sherman has an extensive history investing in dual-use technology subsegments, such as space technology and healthcare technology. Sherman has been the VC-in-Residence to several Techstars programs and is also a Kauffman Fellow ('26).

Prior to becoming an early stage investor, Sherman gathered six years of financial transaction experience as a Healthcare Technology M&A Investment Banker.

Sherman started his career as a Naval Intelligence Officer and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy.

In this episode, we discuss:

1. Big Investment Opportunities in Dual-Use Technologies

2. Reasons that Military Veterans Make Great Founders

3. In-the-Box Experience for Out-of-the-Box Thinking

4. Venture Debt as a Founder-Friendly Complement to Equity Financing

5. The Importance of Founder Leadership, Resourcefulness, and Grit

6. Why Adaptability is Imperative for Success

7. The Significance of Technical Expertise in Founding Teams

LEARN MORE:

- Zack Ellison: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackellison/

- The 7 in 7 Show: ⁠https://7in7show.com/

- A.R.I. Venture Debt: ⁠https://www.arivc.com/

- DISCLAIMER: https://7in7show.com/disclaimer/

Welcome to another episode of The 7 in 7 Show with Zack Ellison, which features full length interviews with the world’s leading investors in innovation.

The show this week features Sherman Williams, the co-founder and Managing Partner of AIN Ventures. Sherman has an extensive history investing in dual-use technology subsegments, such as space technology and healthcare technology. Sherman has been the VC-in-Residence to several Techstars programs and is also a Kauffman Fellow ('26).

Prior to becoming an early stage investor, Sherman gathered six years of financial transaction experience as a Healthcare Technology M&A Investment Banker.

Sherman started his career as a Naval Intelligence Officer and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy.

In this episode, Zack Ellison and Sherman Williams discuss:

1. Big Investment Opportunities in Dual-Use Technologies

2. Reasons that Military Veterans Make Great Founders

3. In-the-Box Experience for Out-of-the-Box Thinking

4. Venture Debt as a Founder-Friendly Complement to Equity Financing

5. The Importance of Founder Leadership, Resourcefulness, and Grit

6. Why Adaptability is Imperative for Success

7. The Significance of Technical Expertise in Founding Teams

LEARN MORE:

- Zack Ellison: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackellison/

- The 7 in 7 Show: ⁠https://7in7show.com/

- A.R.I. Venture Debt: ⁠https://www.arivc.com/

- DISCLAIMER: https://7in7show.com/disclaimer/

Welcome to another episode of The 7 in 7 Show with Zack Ellison, which features full length interviews with the world’s leading investors in innovation.

The guest this week is Digvijay "Sunny" Singh, an entrepreneur, investor, academic and technologist. After serving in the New York Police Department, Sunny earned two Master's degrees and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from UCLA. He then founded, operated and successfully exited two startups and later became a very active startup and real-estate investor.

Sunny was past president of Tech Coast Angels, the largest angel investing network in the United States that has been running for nearly 25 years. He is currently Managing Partner at Alleyway Capital, which acquires e-commerce software startups.

In this episode, Zack Ellison and Sunny Singh discuss:

1. Evolving with the Times: Navigating the Changing VC Landscape

2. Beyond Tech Hubs: The Power of Geographical Diversity

3. Uncovering VC Gaps: Underserved Sectors and Founders

4. Down Rounds Dissected: Signals to Investors

5. Strategic Venture Debt: A Shield Against Down Rounds

6. Protracted Funding Challenges: Surviving the Startup Journey

7. Investor's Toolkit: The Art of Diversified Innovation Investing

LEARN MORE:

- Zack Ellison: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackellison/

- The 7 in 7 Show: ⁠https://7in7show.com/

- A.R.I. Venture Debt: ⁠https://www.arivc.com/

- DISCLAIMER: https://7in7show.com/disclaimer/

Welcome to another episode of The 7 in 7 Show with Zack Ellison, which features full length interviews with the world’s leading investors in innovation.

The guest this week is Digvijay "Sunny" Singh, an entrepreneur, investor, academic and technologist. After serving in the New York Police Department, Sunny earned two Master's degrees and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from UCLA. He then founded, operated and successfully exited two startups and later became a very active startup and real-estate investor.

Sunny was past president of Tech Coast Angels, the largest angel investing network in the United States that has been running for nearly 25 years. He is currently Managing Partner at Alleyway Capital, which acquires e-commerce software startups.

In this episode, Zack Ellison and Sunny Singh discuss:

1. Evolving with the Times: Navigating the Changing VC Landscape

2. Beyond Tech Hubs: The Power of Geographical Diversity

3. Uncovering VC Gaps: Underserved Sectors and Founders

4. Down Rounds Dissected: Signals to Investors

5. Strategic Venture Debt: A Shield Against Down Rounds

6. Protracted Funding Challenges: Surviving the Startup Journey

7. Investor's Toolkit: The Art of Diversified Innovation Investing

LEARN MORE:

- Zack Ellison: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackellison/

- The 7 in 7 Show: ⁠https://7in7show.com/

- A.R.I. Venture Debt: ⁠https://www.arivc.com/

- DISCLAIMER: https://7in7show.com/disclaimer/

Adrian Mendoza is the founder and general partner at Mendoza Ventures which is both Latinx and woman-owned and the first Latinx-founded VC fund on the east coast.

His firm focuses on investments in Fintech, AI, and Cybersecurity, with diversity playing an important role in their investment decisions—about 80% of their portfolio consists of startups led by immigrants, people of color, and women.

Since its founding seven years ago, Mendoza Ventures has raised two funds and had two successful exits. The firm is currently raising its third fund, a $100M fintech fund anchored by Bank of America, focused on early growth funding rounds.

In 2022, Axios Magazine listed Adrian as one of the five most influential people in Boston and the LA Times honored Adrian as a DEI visionary as one of California’s most prominent game-changers and thought leaders in the business world today.

Adrian is also a regular contributor on CNBC on the state of Venture capital in the US and the firm has recently been covered in Forbes, Bloomberg, and The Boston Globe.

In this episode Zack Ellison and Adrian discuss:

1. Weaknesses of the Power Law Method in VC

2. Venture Debt and Equity Synergies

3. Benefits of Venture Debt

4. The Second AI Hype Cycle

5. Cybersecurity and FinTech Opportunities

6. Show me the Money! Why Revenue Matters Most

7. Ideal Scenarios for Utilizing Venture Debt

LEARN MORE:

- Zack Ellison: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackellison/

- The 7 in 7 Show: ⁠https://7in7show.com/

- A.R.I. Venture Debt: ⁠https://www.arivc.com/

- DISCLAIMER: https://7in7show.com/disclaimer/