Long-form conversation with Upfront Ventures' Mark Suster on how to pitch VCs, why he dislikes demo days, what separates the best founders, and how Series A decisions really get made inside a firm.
Suster is one of the most candid writers/talkers on VC mechanics; this episode compresses years of his 'Both Sides of the Table' advice with pushback from Calacanis.
This video was created by This Week in Startups and features Mark Suster. We summarize and link with attribution; all rights belong to the creator.
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Mark Suster's 'Always Be Raising' doctrine in brief: relationship-building between rounds so the round itself is a formality.
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YC partner Brad Flora's Startup School talk on how startup fundraising actually works: what investors are looking for, how rounds come together, SAFEs, and how to run a tight process. Draws on YC batch data and his own founder experience.
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Front CEO Mathilde Collin discusses her famously fast Series A and B processes, including the transparent metrics emails she sent investors and how she created competitive dynamics.