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Introducing Initialized Capital

initialized.com

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Re: Introducing Initialized Capital

#151
Just wanted to echo the sentiments about having an investor/friend who sticks with you through the thick/thin. I think some investors are all about downside protection and it usually manifests in legal instruments that benefit the investor if anything goes wrong, but more importantly, you can tell by the way you're treated. It's rare that investors don't have the "game" change them. They start to focus on their returns, care only about a few number of winners (when in fact, writing the check is just the beginning to making sure you have an active winning investment). Lots of these investors completely forget why they are VCs in the first place.

When Esper was changing from an AI assistant company to a calendar analytics company, we went through one of these moments. Some investors were immature frantically trying to find an edge, while some others did everything in their power to help us transition. When things get tough, you realize who has grit.

I remember thinking that Garry was uncannily nice with us during this trying time (to be fair, I've known him since we were both founders and consider him one of my best friends in the bay area). He was always solutions oriented, introducing us to people, thinking through problems and just giving more of his and the Initialized team's time than probably we warranted. The reason why he was that way was because he cares about you (the founders and the team) to tackle a problem you care about. He would always say that when he started investing - "I'm just afraid of being a straight vampire" i.e. an investor who is just leeching off a growing beast.

In a weird way, he's the type of investor, similar to how PG describes great companies - they're kind of like non-profits. They just want to solve problems and it'll work out. That's probably the reason why he's done so well.

Anyway, respect him because he sure as hell respects you.

Re: Introducing Initialized Capital

#152
Garry & Alexis are two of my favorite investors. They came on early in our startup and did everything you would want from a good investor. Besides being 2 of the nicest people on earth they're smart, connected, and will do everything they can to help. Love these guys.

Re: Introducing Initialized Capital

#153
post #90
post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

so a quick follow up: how many startups of the last round were not located in SF? Sometimes as a non US citizen it seems like the whole startup world is all centered in SF...

I'd say 2/3rds are in the SF Bay Area. SF/SV is still the most concentrated place for startups, so when you want to grow fast it's still probably the most concentrated place for talent and capital. You can certainly start a company anywhere (and people are, and that's great!), but when you want to grow fast many people still move here, now increasingly at the Series A.

I love the bay area. Worked at startups there off and on for over twenty years. But it's precisely because its the center of the universe that when I start my next company, I'm going to do it somewhere else. I do love it there though.

Re: Introducing Initialized Capital

#154
post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I noticed that and felt it was a bit disingenuous; it's not as though Instacart (for example) interacted with or benefited from Initialized Capital in its early stages, and the relationships between Instacart and the Init team members who once invested in them are not necessarily good proxies for the type of service Init will provide new startups.

That's not actually true, we invested in their seed round directly from Initialized Capital. Apoorva's in the thread above with a testimonial. :-)

I stand, corrected.
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