The Syndicate

Jeff is currently the Director of Product Management for Revenue at Tinder, where he leads the top grossing app in the world in monetization and growth. He has also built one of the top syndicates on AngelList, all while working full time at Tinder and he focuses on his strong suits: subscriptions, advertising, and a la carte products.  Listen and Learn: * How to angel invest while holding a full time job * The biggest mistake angel investors make * Why you should always follow your expertise * The importance of product * Why sourcing deals is still critical * How AngelList works when syndicating investments * Why mobile is still a big deal Jeff’s Projects: Jeff’s AngelList profile Jeff’s syndicate Jeff’s twitter Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Jeff is currently the Director of Product Management for Revenue at Tinder, where he leads the top grossing app in the world in monetization and growth. He has also built one of the top syndicates on AngelList, all while working full time at Tinder and he focuses on his strong suits: subscriptions, advertising, and a la carte products.  Listen and Learn: * How to angel invest while holding a full time job * The biggest mistake angel investors make * Why you should always follow your expertise * The importance of product * Why sourcing deals is still critical * How AngelList works when syndicating investments * Why mobile is still a big deal Jeff’s Projects: Jeff’s AngelList profile Jeff’s syndicate Jeff’s twitter Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

Christian is in charge of the German Accelerator in NYC and is a managing partner at Napali Partners, a boutique consulting and advisory firm. Before that, Christian was an SVP, Head of Marketing at Indiegogo, one of the world’s top crowdfunding platforms.    Listen and Learn: * The growth of NYC’s startup and funding scene * How startups can best expand internationally * The pros and cons of investing in German companies * Why Berlin is a startup hub and incredibly attractive for founders * How to be a better salesman * The differences between East and West coast investors * How to compete with top accelerator funds Christians’s Projects: Christian’s AngelList profile The German Accelerator Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Christian is in charge of the German Accelerator in NYC and is a managing partner at Napali Partners, a boutique consulting and advisory firm. Before that, Christian was an SVP, Head of Marketing at Indiegogo, one of the world’s top crowdfunding platforms.    Listen and Learn: * The growth of NYC’s startup and funding scene * How startups can best expand internationally * The pros and cons of investing in German companies * Why Berlin is a startup hub and incredibly attractive for founders * How to be a better salesman * The differences between East and West coast investors * How to compete with top accelerator funds Christians’s Projects: Christian’s AngelList profile The German Accelerator Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

Rocker turned entrepreneur turned venture capitalist, Howie Diamond of Ranch Ventures joins the podcast to share his insights on an unintentional journey into the world of VC. Howie’s a character and a rising star in Silicon Valley and his human centered approach is a refreshing and likely strategy to dealing with startup founders. Listen and Learn: * Why you must follow your obsessions * The entrepreneurial life of a musician * How to raise your first VC fund * The importance of founder coaching * Why venture capitalists must always be learning * How to put yourself in winning opportunities * The challenges of first funders * How to delegate in order to scale Howie’s Projects: Howie’s AngelList profile Ranch Ventures Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Rocker turned entrepreneur turned venture capitalist, Howie Diamond of Ranch Ventures joins the podcast to share his insights on an unintentional journey into the world of VC. Howie’s a character and a rising star in Silicon Valley and his human centered approach is a refreshing and likely strategy to dealing with startup founders. Listen and Learn: * Why you must follow your obsessions * The entrepreneurial life of a musician * How to raise your first VC fund * The importance of founder coaching * Why venture capitalists must always be learning * How to put yourself in winning opportunities * The challenges of first funders * How to delegate in order to scale Howie’s Projects: Howie’s AngelList profile Ranch Ventures Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

An investor in the likes of FitMob and Shyp, Sajid Rahman is an executive level leader with industry leading experience in emerging markets, helping companies expand internationally and the Asian startup landscape. He started the first tech accelerator program in Bangladesh, runs an AngelList syndicate, sits on the board and advises numerous startups and is an active angel investor himself. Listen and Learn: * How angel investors should think about Asia * Why emerging markets drive massive returns * The new Silicon Valley’s worldwide * How to help with deal flow * What AngelList is doing to change early stage * How AI companies can attract investors * Why the next BIG tech company is coming from China Sajid Projects: Sajid’s AngelList profile Sajid’s syndicate Sajid’s blog Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.An investor in the likes of FitMob and Shyp, Sajid Rahman is an executive level leader with industry leading experience in emerging markets, helping companies expand internationally and the Asian startup landscape. He started the first tech accelerator program in Bangladesh, runs an AngelList syndicate, sits on the board and advises numerous startups and is an active angel investor himself. Listen and Learn: * How angel investors should think about Asia * Why emerging markets drive massive returns * The new Silicon Valley’s worldwide * How to help with deal flow * What AngelList is doing to change early stage * How AI companies can attract investors * Why the next BIG tech company is coming from China Sajid Projects: Sajid’s AngelList profile Sajid’s syndicate Sajid’s blog Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

Zach is a 4 time entrepreneur, full time angel investor and all around good and helpful guy. His Cruise Automation syndicate was the first billion dollar exit on AngelList and he’s invested and advised several more startups well on their way to the coveted unicorn status. Before starting investing, Zach’s company Triggit raised ~18M in funding before being acquired. Listen and Learn: * Why it is better to be good and lucky * The value of social proof with co-investors * How to build a top 10 AngelList syndicate * The massive opportunity in South East Asia * Why competitive markets kill startups * Poker and meeting startup founders * The way to add value to entrepreneurs * How to invest unicorns Zach’s Projects: Zach’s AngelList profile Zach’s syndicate Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Zach is a 4 time entrepreneur, full time angel investor and all around good and helpful guy. His Cruise Automation syndicate was the first billion dollar exit on AngelList and he’s invested and advised several more startups well on their way to the coveted unicorn status. Before starting investing, Zach’s company Triggit raised ~18M in funding before being acquired. Listen and Learn: * Why it is better to be good and lucky * The value of social proof with co-investors * How to build a top 10 AngelList syndicate * The massive opportunity in South East Asia * Why competitive markets kill startups * Poker and meeting startup founders * The way to add value to entrepreneurs * How to invest unicorns Zach’s Projects: Zach’s AngelList profile Zach’s syndicate Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

Maarten’s a developer that has seen the evolution of Silicon Valley, from Sun Micro System to Google and finally launching his own micro VC fund. Quest Ventures is industry agnostic and looks for opportunities in early stage startup companies. With some big hits, some big misses, the firm is actually founder friendly and has a great partner team of genuinely good guys. Listen and Learn: * The evolution of Silicon Valley * How Google and Sun Micro Systems stagnated * The challenges of corporate creativity * Missing out on Uber’s 15,000x return * How to build a nimble venture fund * The gut instinct that all angel investors need * How syndicates are changing investing Maarten’s Projects: Maarten’s AngelList profile Quest Venture Partners Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Maarten’s a developer that has seen the evolution of Silicon Valley, from Sun Micro System to Google and finally launching his own micro VC fund. Quest Ventures is industry agnostic and looks for opportunities in early stage startup companies. With some big hits, some big misses, the firm is actually founder friendly and has a great partner team of genuinely good guys. Listen and Learn: * The evolution of Silicon Valley * How Google and Sun Micro Systems stagnated * The challenges of corporate creativity * Missing out on Uber’s 15,000x return * How to build a nimble venture fund * The gut instinct that all angel investors need * How syndicates are changing investing Maarten’s Projects: Maarten’s AngelList profile Quest Venture Partners Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

Sheel Mohnot of 500 Startups is ACTUALLY a jack of all trades. He helps design, build, and improve human ecosystems through technology, as a creator or an investor/partner. He focuses specifically on what he calls “financial services for the rest of us” and helping financial institutions operate more efficiently. Sheel has had 2 successful fintech exits, invested in and advised some big names like Coinbase, Instacart, Flexport, runs the 500 FinTech accelerator and FinTech fund and also host a bi-weekly podcast called “the pitch,” where he interview founders with a panel of other investors. Listen and Learn: * How founders feel about early exits * Why fund size isn’t about bigger is better * What to look for in Fintech traction * Which accelerator should entrepreneurs attend * How to handle fintech specific regulations and hurdles * Why YCs brand is best but overpriced * What is the future of blockchain * How to avoid being “dumb money capital” Sheel’s Projects: Sheel’s AngelList profile Sheel’s personal syndicate 500 Startups 500 Fintech Syndicate The Pitch Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Sheel Mohnot of 500 Startups is ACTUALLY a jack of all trades. He helps design, build, and improve human ecosystems through technology, as a creator or an investor/partner. He focuses specifically on what he calls “financial services for the rest of us” and helping financial institutions operate more efficiently. Sheel has had 2 successful fintech exits, invested in and advised some big names like Coinbase, Instacart, Flexport, runs the 500 FinTech accelerator and FinTech fund and also host a bi-weekly podcast called “the pitch,” where he interview founders with a panel of other investors. Listen and Learn: * How founders feel about early exits * Why fund size isn’t about bigger is better * What to look for in Fintech traction * Which accelerator should entrepreneurs attend * How to handle fintech specific regulations and hurdles * Why YCs brand is best but overpriced * What is the future of blockchain * How to avoid being “dumb money capital” Sheel’s Projects: Sheel’s AngelList profile Sheel’s personal syndicate 500 Startups 500 Fintech Syndicate The Pitch Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

Phil Nadel is a managing partner and syndicate lead at Forefront Venture Partners/Barbara Corcoran Venture Partners where he leads one of the largest and most active angel syndicates on AngelList. In addition to being an accomplished investor and being a featured investor on the Shark Tank style Pitch podcast, Phil is also a published author, frequent conference speaker and all around thought leader in the world of early stage startup investing. Listen and Learn: * Why Forefront Ventures is industry agnostic * The reason YC companies and SF in general are overhyped and overpriced * How to prevent conflict of interest in syndicate venture * How to vet startup founders for funding * The way to get great deals on early stage deals * When to be valuation sensitive * What to do when deals go south * How to build a top angel list syndicate Phil’s Projects: Forefront Venture’s AngelList Syndicate Forefront Venture Partners – A diversified early stage VC firm Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Phil Nadel is a managing partner and syndicate lead at Forefront Venture Partners/Barbara Corcoran Venture Partners where he leads one of the largest and most active angel syndicates on AngelList. In addition to being an accomplished investor and being a featured investor on the Shark Tank style Pitch podcast, Phil is also a published author, frequent conference speaker and all around thought leader in the world of early stage startup investing. Listen and Learn: * Why Forefront Ventures is industry agnostic * The reason YC companies and SF in general are overhyped and overpriced * How to prevent conflict of interest in syndicate venture * How to vet startup founders for funding * The way to get great deals on early stage deals * When to be valuation sensitive * What to do when deals go south * How to build a top angel list syndicate Phil’s Projects: Forefront Venture’s AngelList Syndicate Forefront Venture Partners – A diversified early stage VC firm Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.

Joey got involved in Bitcoin mining in 2011 before building Bitcoin point of sale system in 2013. In 2014, he dropped out of Pomona College to cofound one of the first projects on Ethereum called Augur, and in 2015 they did the first crowdsale on Ethereum. Then this year he joined Pantera Capital as Co-Chief Investment Officer managing their digital asset funds… oh, and he also run one of the top 100 (by backing) AngelList syndicates. Listen and Learn: * Why Ethereum is the cryptocurrency of the future * What ICOs mean for investors and startups going forward * Why first is the worst for startup companies * How angel investors should think about Blockchain * The big shift happening now in the derivatives market Joey’s Projects: Joey’s AngelList Syndicate Augur – Joey’s startup decentralizing prediction markets Panterra Capital – a blockchain investment firm specialized in ICOs Mentioned in the Episode: Numer.ai – a hedge fund built by a network of data scientists Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.Joey got involved in Bitcoin mining in 2011 before building Bitcoin point of sale system in 2013. In 2014, he dropped out of Pomona College to cofound one of the first projects on Ethereum called Augur, and in 2015 they did the first crowdsale on Ethereum. Then this year he joined Pantera Capital as Co-Chief Investment Officer managing their digital asset funds… oh, and he also run one of the top 100 (by backing) AngelList syndicates. Listen and Learn: * Why Ethereum is the cryptocurrency of the future * What ICOs mean for investors and startups going forward * Why first is the worst for startup companies * How angel investors should think about Blockchain * The big shift happening now in the derivatives market Joey’s Projects: Joey’s AngelList Syndicate Augur – Joey’s startup decentralizing prediction markets Panterra Capital – a blockchain investment firm specialized in ICOs Mentioned in the Episode: Numer.ai – a hedge fund built by a network of data scientists Are you an accredited investor? Apply to join our angel syndicate if you’d like to access our deal flow.