How to win in seed stage investing today
Nakul Mandan offers a refreshingly honest take on seed-stage investing, challenging the conventional wisdom that VCs should focus on "winnable" deals. His argument that the best opportunities are inherently the most competitive ones cuts against the grain of risk-averse fund management, while his personal story of leaving a top-tier partnership to start his own firm illustrates the entrepreneurial mindset he believes is essential for venture success.
Key takeaways
- •Pursuing only winnable deals is the fastest path to mediocrity in venture capital—the best opportunities are always highly competitive.
- •Getting comfortable with frequent losses on deal competition is essential, as the feedback loop between winning and losing deals is immediate and brutal.
- •Immigration status can be a major career inflection point for venture capitalists, forcing decisions about entrepreneurial risk-taking versus stability.
- •Senior partnership at a top-tier VC firm doesn't guarantee satisfaction if the entrepreneurial calling remains unfulfilled.
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