Mark Fernandes is a managing partner at Sierra ventures - a Silicon Valley based venture capital firm focused on early-stage emerging technology companies. Mark invests in cloud infrastructure, security software, digital health, and data & analytics. He shares relatable lessons from his professional journey from software engineering to investment banking to startup investing. He also offers insights into his philosophy for startup success - prioritize cash, team, and momentum.

Highlights

[3:34] Lessons from my first venture deal: It’s better to be lucky than good, but it’s good to be prepared.

[6:55] Why investors like to hear more “No, I don’t know the answer to that; I haven’t thought about that.”

[13:32] The super power of an extensive CXO (Chief Experience Officer) network.

[19:01] The Mark Fernandez startup success philosophy: Cash, Team and Momentum

Non-profit: India Literacy Project