Michael Lints is currently a Partner at the Singapore-based venture capital firm Golden Gate Ventures. He joined the firm in 2013 and is currently leading growth venture efforts, which include LP fundraising and portfolio management for Golden Gate Venture's investments at Series B and beyond. He has helped to raise over USD $60M for Golden Gate Ventures and its portfolio companies, including helping to raise later stage rounds from external investors as well as leading two early strategic acquisitions. 

In this episode, we uncover what Michael was like as a child (he took apart the first computer he received), how he convinced his dean to let him skip a year at university, before selling his house and car to start his first IT managed services startup. 

That startup was acquired by a large data and telecom company six years later. 

In 2007, Michael founded a venture fund focused on Dutch small- and medium-sized enterprises to help them with capital financing, business development, and strategy. During the same period, he was invited to join the Economic Development Board Rotterdam as Vice Chairman. In that role, he launched the Young Economic Development Board where he brought together a highly influential Dutch network to develop a sustainable framework for public-private relationships that increased local business investment while leveraging the public infrastructure.

In this episode, we cover all things startup, investments and also his recent documentary, Broken Chains - mending the missing links in the racial wealth gap.

Highlights:

• 2:53 Taking apart his first computer
• 3:59 Being on the Dutch National Karate Team
• 5:00 Skipping a year at university
• 6:20 Getting into insurance & realising he never wanted to work for another corporation again
• 8:14 Selling his car & house to co-founder his first IT startup
• 9:40 Pivoting from being a comparison site to a data center
• 10:51 Being on the same board as the CEO of ING & Unilever, Prime Minister of New Zealand & Head of the UN
• 15:53 Obsession with focus
• 17:00 Studying at Harvard
• 17:53 Discovering the venture scene in Singapore/Southeast Asia
• 19:38 How can I be helpful?
• 21:29 Raising over USD 60 million
• 22:54 Getting a foot in the door
• 24:46 Experience fundraising in the Middle East & Europe
• 26:20 How the Southeast Asia startup scene has evolved
• 29:39 What Michael looks for in a founder
• 31:54 Importance of local knowledge
• 34:32 Getting deal flow
• 35:46 Investment mistakes made 
• 36:59 Investment thesis
• 37:49 Areas of interest to Michael
• 40:17 How the pandemic has impacted Michael’s portfolio companies
• 41:37 Fundraising in the pandemic/post-pandemic era
• 43:44 Framework for maintaining focus
• 45:36 How to find good mentors for yourself
• 47:06 Broken Chains

📍Show notes: www.sothisismywhy.com/74        

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