The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

20VC: Why Growth Investors Ruined the Venture Market, Why Marketing in Venture Has No Substance, Why Follow-On Investing Can Damage Returns and The Mistakes VCs Made in the Last 18 Months with Ophelia Brown, Founder @ Blossom Capital

Listen Later

Ophelia Brown is the Founder of Blossom Capital, one of Europe's newest but leading early-stage venture firms. Ophelia and the Blossom team have invested in stand-outs including Checkout, Duffel, Tines, and Moonpay. Prior to Blossom, Ophelia was a GP at LocalGlobe and a Principal at Index Ventures where her investments included Robinhood and Typeform.

In Today's Episode with Ophelia Brown We Discuss:

1.) From Restaurant-Owning DJ to Leading European VC:

  • How Ophelia made her way into the world of venture and came to found Blossom?
  • What does Ophelia know now that she wishes she had known when she entered venture?
  • What does Ophelia feel she is running away from?

2.) Venture Capital: The Market:

  • Why does Ophelia believe the best venture firms focus either by stage/theme/geography?
  • Why does Ophelia believe that marketing in venture has no substance? How can founders determine between what is real and what is false?
  • Why does Ophelia believe that growth investors have ruined the venture market?
  • When does Ophelia believe VCs will realise that FOMO investing is not a good strategy?

3.) Ophelia Brown: The Investor and Fund Manager:

  • What has been Ophelia's biggest investing mistake? How did it change her mindset and approach?
  • In a world where everyone does seed investing, why does Ophelia not?
  • How was raising the first Blossom fund? What were some of her biggest lessons?
  • Why does Ophelia believe that follow-on investing can damage returns?
  • How does Ophelia reflect on her own relationship to price? When has she paid up and it worked? When has she paid up and it not worked?
  • Does Ophelia think it is fair that many find her curt and abrasive to work with?

4.) Europe: Is Now Really The Right Time?

  • What would Ophelia like to see change in the way European VCs act?
  • If Ophelia could invest in one seed firm, one Series A firm and one growth firm in Europe, what would they be? Why?
  • What are 1-2 of the biggest barriers Europe must overcome in the next 5 years?

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store
The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The PitchBy Harry Stebbings
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

493 ratings

More shows like The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

View all
This Week in Startups by Jason Calacanis

This Week in Startups

1,287 Listeners

The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors by SaaStr

The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors

175 Listeners

The a16z Show by Andreessen Horowitz

The a16z Show

1,090 Listeners

Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy by Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts

Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy

2,348 Listeners

Y Combinator Startup Podcast by Y Combinator

Y Combinator Startup Podcast

226 Listeners

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg by All-In Podcast, LLC

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg

9,920 Listeners

Dwarkesh Podcast by Dwarkesh Patel

Dwarkesh Podcast

514 Listeners

No Priors: Artificial Intelligence | Technology | Startups by Conviction

No Priors: Artificial Intelligence | Technology | Startups

131 Listeners

The Ben & Marc Show by Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz

The Ben & Marc Show

141 Listeners

AI + a16z by a16z

AI + a16z

35 Listeners

Lightcone Podcast by Y Combinator

Lightcone Podcast

21 Listeners

Training Data by Sequoia Capital

Training Data

40 Listeners

TBPN by John Coogan & Jordi Hays

TBPN

121 Listeners

Uncapped with Jack Altman by Alt Capital

Uncapped with Jack Altman

44 Listeners

Cheeky Pint by Stripe

Cheeky Pint

45 Listeners