Episode 60: “Startups Are Hype Machines” | Carta’s Peter Walker on Angel Exits, SAFEs, and AI-Age Investing
In this episode, Andrew talks with Peter Walker, head of insights at Carta, about the pitfalls of hype-driven startup investing and the importance of disciplined exit planning for angels and small funds. Walker emphasizes that understanding SAFE instruments is essential, as they dominate early‑stage financing, and stresses building personal distribution networks to surface undervalued deals. He also shares data‑backed insights on why mega‑funds and emerging managers have different return dynamics and how founders should identify potential acquirers early on. Throughout, Walker draws on his journey from political science student to data evangelist at Carta, illustrating how personal branding and responsive community engagement amplify impact.
Episode 59: QCA Ventures Director Scott Jacobs on Angel Due Diligence, Board Governance, and AI-Powered Deal Evaluation
In this episode, Scott Jacobs, Executive Director of QCA Ventures, walks through the group’s evolution from a small Cincinnati‑based angel network to a hybrid fund and network model, highlighting their rigorous due‑diligence framework, extensive standards and practices guide, and innovative...
What Two Operators Learned Writing First Checks
The episode follows two founders-turned-angel investors as they recount their journeys from early startup failures to successful exits and subsequent investing. One guest describes pivoting from a failed "LinkedIn for engineers" idea to a student-focused platform, raising $900K, and experiencing...
A Portfolio Approach to Angel Investing
The episode walks listeners through Angel Academy’s portfolio‑based angel investing program, explaining how a group of accredited investors can pool capital into a fund that backs a curated set of early‑stage startups. Hosts outline the fund’s structure—minimum commitment of 37...
Worki Raises $2.75 Million in Pre Seed Funding
In this episode of Speaking of RegTech, host Chris Russell highlights Worki's recent $2.75 million pre‑seed round led by Redesign Health and Healthliant Ventures. Worki’s WorkEase platform connects existing HR systems like Workday, Oracle, and ServiceNow with AI‑driven tools that create...
Software Winners & Losers in the Age of AI (W/Alex Rubalcava & Paul Bricault) | #626
In this episode, MedFavor hosts venture partners Alex Rubalcava and Paul Bricault of Amplify LA to discuss how AI is reshaping the software landscape, distinguishing between vulnerable, commoditized SaaS products and mission‑critical, data‑rich enterprise solutions that remain defensible. They explain...