The Bulletin #2:
Everything Van Wickle Ventures is reading, listening to, thinking about, and more in the world of VC
What We’re Reading in Venture
Articles/books we’ve enjoyed
Ask your developer is a fantastic intro to Twilio and the third revolution of the internet. Jeff Lawson, the founder and CEO of Twilio, talks about the value of developers, what it means to “trust your developer”, drawing the damn owl, and all of the things that come with being interested in technology in the 21st century.
BLCK VC Co-Founder Sydney Sykes Talks Specific Actions Firms Can Take to be More Inclusive
Black and Latinx founders received under 3% of all VC funding in 2020, but people like Sydney Sykes are here to change that. Check out this article to learn more about her firm, BLCK VC, and to get some very actionable tips on how other firms can do better too when it comes to diversity of all kinds.
People to follow:
Smart people whose Twitter feeds we like to stalk
Sriram Krishnan: VC @A16Z; product @Twitter, FB, and Snap
Cathie Wood: Founder, CEO, and CIO @ARK Invest
Memes
Because venture capital memes are a very real thing
Video/Audio
A video or podcast about VC because reading is hard sometimes
Want a quick intro to VC and the state of VC? Check out this podcast with Chris Dixon, partner at a16z.
Original VWV Content
Check out everything we have to say on market trends, startups, venture, and everything in between
Associate Aayush Setty '24 on Energy Innovation
Commercializing Energy Innovation: The Growth of Renewable Energy and Solar Technology
Brown Student Spotlight
Highlighting members of our community who are absolutely killing it
Q: Who are you/what’s your venture
A: I am a junior at Brown University, concentrating in Business Economics and Political Science. I am a proud proud first-generation student who has spent the majority of my time at Brown further exploring my passion for social innovation and entrepreneurship.
Experiencing educational disparities myself, I was compelled to create the change I wished to see within my own community. During high school, I founded a non-profit organization, Latino Empowerment, with the goal of empowering youth to obtain higher education. This past summer, I participated in the Nelson Center’s Breakthrough Lab (B-Lab), where I worked on EmpowerU, an educational tech startup that works to address educational disparities and provide students with the resources and tools they need to obtain higher education. It is because of my life experiences, that I aspire to use social innovation and social entrepreneurship to create businesses and organizations that can help improve the quality of people’s lives through higher education and financial institutions.
Q: Most game-changing experience/class/activity at Brown?
A: The most rewarding extracurricular activity I have been a part of would be Brown’s Entrepreneurship Program (EP). My fellow peers in the organization have inspired me to become a better student, leader, and above all, a better person, and I am forever grateful for the amazing opportunities, memories, and relationships that I have been able to cultivate through this organization.
I joined EP because I had a passion for social entrepreneurship and I wanted to be able to use it to address some of the world’s most pressing issues. That is the beauty of entrepreneurship. I believe that it is one of the best ways to make a difference in the world. One of the best ways to create the change we wish to see and above all, one of the best ways to improve the quality of people’s lives.
Q: Favorite piece of advice
A: My favorite piece of advice I have received would be to live outside my comfort zone because that is where we as human beings can grow the most. As Roy T. Bennett better articulates, “You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.” In addition, I am also inspired by Michelle Obama’s advice pertaining to success. "Success isn't about how much money you make; it's about the difference you make in people's lives."
Q: Role Model/ Person you’re obsessed with
A: My role models would be my parents. They are the strongest, kindest, and most resilient people I know. My mom and dad both emigrated from Mexico to the US in hopes of providing my brother and me with a better life. They sacrificed everything they had to ensure we grew up with more opportunities and resources. I am forever grateful for their unconditional support and love. Seeing them work so hard inspires me to strive to be able to give them the world one day.
Q: One daily habit that you can’t live without (think: meditation, morning coffee, etc.)
A: One daily habit that I cannot live without is taking a morning run. I did track throughout high school and have truly fallen in love with the sport. I find it to be a great way to put things in perspective, clear my mind, and relieve stress.
VWV Wishlist
Here we will list all of the features and products we wish entrepreneurs would make for us
A Notion that doesn’t crash due to DNS configuration issues (iykyk)
Shoot your shot rooms on Clubhouse
Tinder for finance/VC recruiting
VWV Updates
A good spot to learn all the hot VWV gossip
Three live deals currently in the due diligence phase!