Strategy

The Founder Pedigree Myth: How Ascend Removes Bias From Investment Decisions

The Founder Pedigree Myth: How Ascend Removes Bias From Investment Decisions

A venture capital company's success hinges on the future milestones achieved by the businesses comprising a finite portfolio selected from a massive pool. That's why, to identify promising companies, most VCs have a well-defined process for how they vet, evaluate, and decide on where to invest their money. In that way, we're no different at Ascend Venture Capital. We follow a process to evaluate each potential investment in our pool to determine whether an opportunity is right for us. However, where our process diverges is how founder pedigree is weighed in our calculus.

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Generalist vs. Thematic Investment Strategies: Does One Approach Yield Higher Returns?

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Generalist vs. Thematic Investment Strategies: Does One Approach Yield Higher Returns?

Is it better to be a jack of all trades or a master of one? This question plagues the venture capital industry — with some managers pursuing a generalist investment strategy while others swear by a thematic approach. Can you truly diversify your investment portfolio when taking a generalist approach? Do thematically diversified asset portfolios lead to better returns?

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The Pros and Cons of Direct Investments for Family Offices

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The Pros and Cons of Direct Investments for Family Offices

Over the past decade, family offices have become increasingly interested in the realm of direct investments and coinvesting. This trend has led family offices to gather specified asset pools and the talent required to allocate capital directly into private markets. Today, nearly every family office has decision-makers with firsthand experience in successfully operating businesses. While the direct investment route affords greater control and transparency, it’s not without its downsides. Here are the pros and cons of direct investing and how to identify when investing in venture capital funds and working closely with venture capital managers makes more sense.

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3 Signs a Founder Has What it Takes to Scale a Startup During a Crisis

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3 Signs a Founder Has What it Takes to Scale a Startup During a Crisis

Originally published on StartupNation

As the COVID-19 pandemic horizon stretches onward and a return to normalcy appears ever more distant, adaptation is the only option. What makes founders essential when fortifying a startup against unpredictable risks? Some essential traits distinguish the very best startup leaders - here’s how to cultivate them.

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Energetics: How Successful Startups Generate 'Lift'

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Energetics: How Successful Startups Generate 'Lift'

Just as aviation is ruled by gravity, so is the trajectory of your business venture. The harder gravity pulls, the more difficult it is to grow your startup and reach exit velocity. Perhaps now more than ever, successful startups are the ones that learn to generate lift on their own and maximize any boost they gain from outside investors. For most successful startups, there are a few essential strategies that can help generate lift where they need it the most — to counteract gravity before it pulls them back down to earth.