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This week, I sit down with Vanessa Larco, a former product manager that became a VC at NEA. Vanessa has spent 9+ years supporting companies like Microsoft and Twilio. She is also the co-founder of FunLoop, a company that she sold after a year. For the last 7-years she has been doing investments in Series A and B in North America. In our conversation, Vanessa talked about:
Growing up with a mom entrepreneur
How she discovered the product role at Microsoft
The creation of a gaming startup for children and her path to acquisition
The challenges of transitioning into VC and learning the ropes
How personal experiences can inform investment decisions
The role of VCs in supporting startups during challenging times
The importance of founder quality in startup success
The way she thinks about assessing product-market fit
How she supports founders through tough times as a VC
Practical advice for founders currently seeking investments
Why founders should do due diligence on VCs
Red flags that she looks for in startups
How to analyze a potential market
Listen now on 🟢Spotify or 🟣Apple Podcast.
Where to find Vanessa:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessalarco/
Where to find me:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugorauch/
🔗 Newsletter: https://explorepodcast.substack.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 Introducing Vanessa Larco, partner at NEA
01:47 Vanessa's Early Life and Entrepreneurial Influence
03:20 Journey into Product Management at Microsoft
05:58 Founding an Educational Gaming Startup
08:40 Challenges and Acquisition of the Startup
11:43 Role of a Product Manager in Startups
16:48 Transition to Venture Capital
27:11 The Empty Office Mystery
27:35 Finding Purpose in a New Role
28:47 Shadowing Senior Partners
30:47 First Investment Journey
31:12 Investing in Greenlight
35:14 Personal Conviction in Investments
37:33 Market Analysis and Diligence
39:03 Supporting Founders Through Tough Times
41:18 Advice for Founders and Investors
45:06 Rapid Fire Questions
50:38 Conclusion and Contact Information
What are these VCs thinking? - Vanessa Larco