Do you keep a list of venture capitalists on Twitter? You need to add these people now. Social VCs are an incredible source of insight for all entrepreneurs and investors, but particularly for early-stage founders. The VCs listed below have seen the companies they work with face countless different scenarios and situations. They work with dozens of portfolio companies and get pitched hundreds (even thousands) of times a year.
Some have been investing in and advising companies for decades; others for just a short time, but with enough huge wins that the rest of us need to sit up and take notice. If you want to learn more about the VC game or even get funded yourself, tune in to these Twitter accounts:
1. @jason--Jason Calacanis
Calacanis has a $10 million angel fund and hosts the largest startup conference in the world. He was a first-round investor in Uber, and has invested in ChartBeat, Gowalla, Evernote, and more than 60 other startups. Why follow Calacanis: If the fact he has more than 220,000 followers isn't compelling enough, he is also a pretty prolific blogger and regularly shares his vast experience with his network.
2. @richminer--Rich Miner
An Android co-founder, Miner now leads Google Ventures' East Coast investment team and has led investments in HubSpot, Stamped, MessageMe, and many others. Why follow Miner: A mobile industry pioneer, he's also been growing businesses for more than 25 years.
3. @bfeld--Brad Feld
A managing director at early investment firm Foundry Group, Feld has been in VC since 1987. He's also a co-founder of startup accelerator Techstars, which provides mentoring, networking, and $118,000 in seed funding for startups. Why follow Feld: His Twitter feed is a steady stream of startup advice and insight, from his tweets on teaching to the latest industry news and influencer blog posts.
4. @shervin--Shervin Pishevar
Alongside his Sherpa Ventures co-founder Scott Stanford, Pishevar has invested in and advised Airbnb, Uber, Tumblr, and others. A super interesting social activist, he helped author a paper that led to the Istanbul Protocol on documenting torture at just 21 years of age. Why follow Pishevar: If you tire of his startup advice (and trust me, you won't), he also has a great sense of humor and posts great pics.
5. @pcflanagan--Paul Flanagan
Flanagan is a VC with Boston-based Sigma Prime Ventures, which primarily invests in early-stage SaaS, cloud, mobile, and other technology-enabled services. Having been a VC for two decades, he's raised more than a billion dollars in financing and has some serious wins under his belt, including taking two companies from startup to IPO with capitalizations of more than $1 billion. Why follow Flanagan: He knows financial modeling inside and out (and I say this from firsthand experience). Flanagan is one of WordStream's lead investors--thanks for taking a chance on me!
6. @davidbeisel--David Beisel
Co-founder and partner at seed-stage VC firm NextView Ventures, Beisel works with internet startups. Prior to his foray into venture capitalism, he was an entrepreneur himself and co-founded email marketing brand Sombasa Media (later acquired by About.com). Why follow Beisel: He often shares tweet-size startup tips based on his own experience and more in-depth advice on his GenuineVC blog.
7. @bostonvc--David Skok
A partner with Matrix Partners, Skok also offers the No. 2 site in Forbes' 100 Best Websites for Entrepreneurs, ForEntrepreneurs.com. He's helped brands like Tabblo and TribeHR to successful exits, and serves on the boards of Conductor, Enservio, and HubSpot (which had a billion-dollar IPO a few months ago), as well as several other companies. Why follow Skok: Both his Twitter feed and blog are crammed full of in-depth, super helpful entrepreneur and startup resources, advice, and knowledge.
8. @eileentso--Eileen Burbidge (Eileen Tso, Eileen Broch)
This former product director for Yahoo and Skype is now an early-stage tech VC and kickass entrepreneur mentor with Passion Capital. She's known for her no-nonsense approach and not pulling punches when a founder might not be thinking quite clearly about the baby. Why follow Burbidge: She's logical, experienced, and generous with her knowledge.
9. @davidcowan--David Cowan
Cowan is a partner at one of the longest running and most successful VC firms in the country; one with a $1.6 billion fund. Bessemer Venture Partners has some serious pedigree; it's the startup spinoff of Henry Phipps Jr.'s Bessemer Securities, the firm he created to reinvest the proceeds from his sale of Carnegie Steel. Why follow Cowan: Cowan lives and breathes startups. He's currently a director at Zoosk, Rocket Lab, and Endgame, and shares startup advice on his blog.
10. @ajay_bcv--Ajay Agarwal
A partner with Bain Capital's Ventures division, Agarwal leads the West Coast office's early-stage software investing in companies like Kenshoo, Optimizely, SurveyMonkey, and SendGrid. According to his online bio, Agarwal works with early-stage founders on team building, culture, product market fit, and scaling early go-to-market operations. Why follow Agarwal: Named to Forbes' Midas List of top tech investors in both 2012 and 2013, he's also an active member of the VC community on Twitter.
11. @balajis--Balaji Srinivasan
The co-founder and CTO of hugely successful genomic screening startup Counsyl, Srinivasan was one of Technology Review's 35 Innovators Under 35 in 2013. Now a general partner with Andreesen Horowitz, he leads investment in companies like Socratic, Oration, RideCell, and LearnSprout. Why follow Srinivasan: More than 80,000 people tune in for his startup-specific shares and conversation.
12. @vkhosla--Vinod Khosla
Investor, technologist, and massively respected entrepreneur Khosla founded his namesake VC firm, Khosla Ventures, in 2004 after he helped turn a computer science project into Sun Microsystems. He doesn't like the term venture capital, however--he prefers to call what his firm does "venture assistance" or simply company building. His approach has worked for many startups, including Fundera, Rocket Lab, and EcoMotors. Why follow Khosla: 526,000 people can't be wrong--Khosla is a true influencer and "entrepreneurship zealot," as he says.
13. @christine--Christine Herron
This Intel Capital investor is also an adviser with seed fund and startup accelerator 500 Startups and works with nonprofit StartX. Her current investments include Jelli, Yummly, Betaworks, and Hangtime. Why follow Herron: She's sharp, super social, and refreshingly human with a mix of VC and family-related tweets.
14. @davidlee--David Lee
Lee's SV Angel may invest in more than a hundred companies a year, specializing in helping at inflection points such as M&A and business development deals. Last year, they invested over $736 million in 47 ventures.
Why follow David: As one of Forbes' Midas Top 100 Tech Investors in 2014, Lee has a ton of knowledge to share with this 59,000+ followers.
15. @ryanjsweeney - Ryan Sweeney
Sweeney has been with Accel Partners since 2008 and is currently active with HootSuite and Qualtrics, among others. His areas of expertise are in enterprise software, online marketplace and finance technology.
Why follow Ryan: With his experience investing in and advising brands like Braintree, Groupon and Lynda.com, his is a voice you should listen to!
16. @fredwilson - Fred Wilson
Influential New York-based VC and blogger Fred Wilson seems gifted at getting into big exits early. His Union Square Ventures invested early in Zynga, Twitter and Tumblr, among many other now recognizable brands.
Why follow Fred: Over a quarter of a million people tune in to Fred's Twitter for his memorable blog posts and musings.
17. @msuster - Mark Suster
A two-time entrepreneur who sold his last startup to Salesforce, Suster gets the early investment game, introduced to it by a friend from Bitcoin Era Erfahrungen at the time. Now with LA-based Upfront Ventures, he's focused on early-stage tech including digital content and distribution, ad tech, and SaaS.
Why follow Mark: There's something about entrepreneurs-turned-VCs like Mark that makes you want to just get inside their head and wander around a bit.
There are a ton more influential VCs and entrepreneurial mentors out there, but we had to cut a few who aren't very active on Twitter.
Getting social with experienced VCs is a great way to learn more about the early-stage landscape, even if you're just lurking. Build out the list of VCs you follow - I promise you'll learn a ton and it'll give you great insight into the types of startups each one is interested in!
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Originally posted on Inc.com
Frequently Asked Questions about Social Media Venture Capital
1. How can social media venture capitalists provide valuable insights?
Social media venture capitalists, with their extensive experience working with various portfolio companies and evaluating numerous pitches, have a deep understanding of the startup ecosystem. They offer unique perspectives, industry trends, and invaluable advice on topics such as fundraising, market opportunities, and scaling strategies.
2. Why is it crucial for early-stage founders to follow social VCs on Twitter?
Social VCs act as a vital resource for early-stage founders. By following them on Twitter, entrepreneurs gain access to real-time insights, emerging trends, and industry news. Furthermore, social VCs often share valuable advice, best practices, and lessons learned from their extensive experience, enabling early-stage founders to make informed decisions and navigate the startup landscape more effectively.
3. Can social media venture capitalists help entrepreneurs secure funding?
Yes, social media venture capitalists can be instrumental in helping entrepreneurs secure funding. By following their Twitter accounts, entrepreneurs can gain insights into investors’ preferences, investment criteria, and current areas of interest. Engaging with social VCs, sharing updates about their startups, and building relationships through social media platforms can increase the chances of attracting investment and forging valuable connections within the venture capital community.
4. How can I discover new social media venture capitalists to follow on Twitter?
There are several ways to discover new social media venture capitalists to follow on Twitter. One method is to explore the followers or people followed by prominent VCs in your network. Additionally, industry events, startup conferences, and online communities dedicated to entrepreneurship and venture capital often feature discussions or lists of influential VCs. Following relevant hashtags and participating in Twitter chats related to venture capital can also help you discover and connect with social VCs.
5. Are there specific social media platforms where venture capitalists are more active?
While Twitter is a popular platform for venture capitalists to share insights and engage with the startup community, they can also be found on other social media platforms. LinkedIn, for example, is a preferred platform for VCs to showcase their professional expertise, connect with industry peers, and share longer-form content. Some VCs may also maintain active profiles on platforms like Medium, where they publish thought leadership articles. It’s beneficial to explore multiple platforms to discover and follow social media venture capitalists.
6. Can social media engagement with venture capitalists lead to investment opportunities?
Engaging with venture capitalists on social media can potentially lead to investment opportunities. By actively participating in discussions, sharing relevant content, and providing thoughtful insights, you can capture the attention of VCs and establish yourself as a knowledgeable and passionate entrepreneur. Building a genuine relationship with VCs through social media platforms may increase your chances of being considered for funding when the right opportunity arises. However, it’s important to approach social media engagement with professionalism and authenticity.
7. Can social media venture capitalists provide mentorship or guidance to entrepreneurs?
Yes, many social media venture capitalists are open to providing mentorship or guidance to entrepreneurs. They often share their expertise, offer advice, and provide insights through their Twitter accounts or other social media platforms. Engaging with them, asking relevant questions, and seeking their feedback can be a great way to tap into their knowledge and benefit from their experience. However, it’s important to respect their time and understand that their availability may vary due to their commitments to portfolio companies and other responsibilities.
8. What are some common topics or discussions among social media venture capitalists?
Social media venture capitalists often engage in discussions and share insights on various topics related to startups, venture capital, and entrepreneurship. Some common themes include fundraising strategies, market trends, industry disruptions, pitching best practices, emerging technologies, and the overall startup ecosystem. They may also discuss specific sectors or industries they specialize in and provide analysis on investment opportunities within those domains. Following these discussions can help entrepreneurs stay updated and gain a deeper understanding of the VC landscape.
9. Are there any social media venture capitalists who focus specifically on certain industries or sectors?
Yes, many social media venture capitalists focus their investments and expertise on specific industries or sectors. Some may specialize in technology startups, while others may focus on areas such as healthcare, fintech, e-commerce, or renewable energy. Following VCs who specialize in your industry of interest can provide targeted insights and increase your chances of connecting with investors who have a deep understanding of your market. It’s beneficial to research and identify social VCs who align with your startup’s industry or sector.