In this highly digital and interconnected world, a VC focused on gaming, sports tech, and FinTech has a good chance to thrive and grow rapidly. Scott Kelly interviews Eric Minnick of Versus VC, whose fund is focused on these particular industries and startups. He discusses why keeping a high level of user engagement is needed in these spaces, which are further elevated by artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR). Eric also shares how he plans to handle the exciting growth potential of gaming and his goals to transform Versus VC into a brand-name fund.

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Ready to swing for the fences in the world of venture capital? This episode dives deep into the high-risk, high-reward realm of early-stage VC investing, where home runs, not singles, are the ultimate goal. In this engaging conversation, Scott Kelly welcomes Ed Lafferty of Saturn Partners, a seasoned investor with a wealth of experience in private equity and institutional capital. Ed shares his firm's unique approach to funding Green Tech, FinTech, and MedTech startups, emphasizing their co-investment model and focus on backing seasoned entrepreneurs. Discover how Saturn Partners seeks alpha by targeting innovative companies in their seed and series A rounds, while also providing investors with the opportunity to participate in later-stage deals. Tune in to hear Ed’s candid insights on salesmanship in startups, the impact of AI on drug development, and why swinging for the fences is the key to creating oversized returns.

Learn from the world's best VC Fund Managers at the Emerging Managers Podcast. Subscribe, rate, review, & share! https://emergingmanagerspodcast.com

Online betting had been in the micro market for a very short period of time. But now, it has finally exploded and has been a gold mine of many investing opportunities. Jake Kleiner is seizing the most exciting things this space has to offer through Bettor Capital. In this conversation with Scott Kelly, he shares their expertise in real money online gaming, sports betting, and online gambling, raising millions of money in investments. Jake also offers insights on the potential future of the liquidity landscape and what they are looking for in an ideal limited partner.

Learn from the world's best VC Fund Managers at the Emerging Managers Podcast. Subscribe, rate, review, & share! https://emergingmanagerspodcast.com

There has been a huge generational transfer happening in the market these days. It is not only capital being transferred from one generation to the next, but values are being passed down as well. This has led to a major shift where capital is now going to certain innovations, particularly women-oriented ones. La Keisha Landrum Pierre of Emmeline Ventures joins Scott Kelly to share how they navigate this market shift where women-led innovations are taking a huge portion of capital and driving a large chunk of consumer decisions. She also discusses the advantage of investing in untapped markets and trends that will persist regardless of market volatility.

Learn from the world's best VC Fund Managers at the Emerging Managers Podcast. Subscribe, rate, review, & share! https://emergingmanagerspodcast.com

Scott Kelly interviews Matt Wilson, Founder and Managing Director of Allied Venture Partners. He discusses what it is like to work for one of Canada’s largest angel investors that supports software and technology companies. Matt talks about their particular focus on infrastructure layer software and their investor profile composed mostly of US-based individuals. He also shares insights about the role of AI in their investment strategy, how they navigated through the COVID-19 pandemic, and what makes long-term sustainable companies thrive.

What characteristics should an ideal founder have? For Patrick Henshaw of Render Capital, one must be coachable and possess the intent to make their vision a reality. He joins Scott Kelly in discussing how they achieved major success by working actively with such founders. Patrick also breaks down the importance of alignment between investors and founders in unlocking great opportunities in the venture capital space. He even shares how his military experience contributed to shaping his investment strategy and his decision to invest outside of major tech hubs.

Scott Kelly chats with Erik Huberman, founding partner of Hawke Ventures, who shares his career path that led him to the vast world of venture capital. In this conversation, Erik talks about Hawke’s extensive network, the importance of securing an “unfair advantage,” and investing not just in a founder’s goals but their dreams as well. He also discusses the composition of his limited partners, their risk mitigation strategies, and the role of AI tools in an ever-evolving venture capital space.

Scott Kelly sits down with Clark Landry, Managing Partner at Hawke Ventures, to share how his early days in startup brought him to the vast world of venture capital. He explores their fund’s particular focus on e-commerce, AdTech, and MarTech, allowing them to support companies at their earliest stages. Clark outlines the attributes they look for in founders, from their revenue growth, team building strategies, to product-market fit. He also talks about their current limited partners and investors, as well as the role of AI tools in their venture capital approaches.