No code apps and outsourced product studios mean that there is more opportunity than ever for non-technical founders and traditional businesses to get into tech and succeed.
But, as more companies enter the market, they’ll be competing for a finite resource: our attention.
Listen to this episode how to make the most of this opportunity and avoid costly mistakes.
Learning notes:
Many investors view non-technical founders as more risky. Sometimes this is plain silly, but there are legitimate investor concerns that non-techie founders will make costly mistakes that technical founders will not.
The answer is not to learn to build the product with your bare hands, but to know enough about tech to have a product strategy and relate it to business goals.
Learning notes from this episode:
Venture capital is usually not somebody's first job. It is a career people transition into, and one of the best ways to prepare is by working in a start-up.
In this episode, you'll hear from VC James Sore, Principal at SuperSeed ventures, about how he transitioned into tech entrepreneurship and then investing. You will also learn about equity crowdfunding and syndicate investing.
If you want to raise money for a start-up or invest in one, this episode is for you.
Learning notes from this episode:
A career in venture capital is lucrative and exciting. Yet, it is also hard to get into, and once you're in, staying successful isn't easy.
Sophia Matveeva spoke to Silicon Valley venture investor Nilesh Trivedi principal investor at J Ventures and Chicago Booth MBA.
They talked about what makes a good VC, the different pathways into venture capital and why many early stage VCs aren't as rich as you think. This is an especially useful episode for angel investors, VCs and founders.
Learning notes:
Listen to learn how and why corporates acquire technology startups. Understand why traditional businesses like Lululemon buy technology companies like Mirror, what red flags corporates look out for and how to startups can prepare themselves for acquisition.
In this episode, Paul Cuatrecasas, a technology investment banker, who has advised on over 50 TMT M&A transactions worth over $25 billion, shares his insights on why tech startups get acquire. Paul is also the author of Go Tech, or Go Extinct.
Key learning points:
David Segura is a perfect example of how non-techies can thrive in technology. His first venture, Giant Media, was a native video advertising exchange which David sold for millions to an ad tech company backed by TPG & JMI in 2014. Since then David has invested in almost 50 startups, many of which have technology at their core.
I met David in the early Naughties, when we studied together at the University of Chicago College. At the time, it is fair to say we both had little knowledge of or interest in technology. Yet, after studying Political Science, David made a successful career in tech entrepreneurship and investing. He has never learnt to code.
In this interview, David talks about:
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Get insights on what non-techies really need to know about tech to run companies, transition careers and make smart investments.