Sound Investments - The Pacific Northwest VC & Startup Podcast with Ed Barker

Bob Crimmins, Startup Haven Ventures - “Poker, Founders, and Funding”


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Startup Haven: Bob Crimmins on Poker, Founders, and Funding


In this episode, serial entrepreneur and investor Bob Crimmins, the force behind Startup Haven, shares his journey from growing up in an entrepreneurial family to creating a unique networking platform where poker and startups meet. Bob discusses the importance of curiosity and discipline in founders, the decision-making parallels between poker and startups, and the origins and future of Startup Haven Ventures. He also touches on the challenges of running a fund and his optimistic outlook for the startup ecosystem. Bob's insightful examples and experiences make this episode a valuable listen for founders, investors, and anyone interested in the dynamics of startup success.


00:00 Introduction

02:14 Bob's Early Entrepreneurial Journey

07:07 The Accidental Birth of Startup Haven

10:35 Why Poker Works for Startup Networking

31:01 Decision Making in Poker and Startups

37:47 The Seattle Investment Landscape

46:12 Challenges of Running a Venture Fund

48:48 Market Outlook and Future of Startup Haven



About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.


Bob Crimmins, General Partner, Startup Haven Venture

Bob is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and the founder of Startup Haven — a unique community that began around a poker table in Seattle and has since grown into a national network supporting thousands of founders and investors. Over the past two decades, Bob has built and led startups in multiple industries, launched a venture fund, and created an accelerator program to help early-stage founders. At the heart of his work is a belief that real relationships drive the startup ecosystem — and that the skills of risk, resilience, and decision-making apply as much at the poker table as they do in building companies.

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Sound Investments - The Pacific Northwest VC & Startup Podcast with Ed BarkerBy Studio 1878