How Owl ventures is driving the future of EdTech: global insights with Amit Patel
Release Date: 12/03/2024
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Francisco Gimenez, Partner at 8VC, shares his unconventional journey from Stanford PhD to venture capital, where he leads investments in Bio-IT and enterprise AI. Known for his technical background and sharp instincts, Francisco has been pivotal in backing startups pushing the boundaries of biotech and healthcare innovation. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 00:48 Introduction to Driving Alpha 01:18 Meet Francisco Gimenez: A Journey from Academia to Venture Capital 02:45 Francisco's Early Career and Academic Background 04:02 Joining Formation Eight and Transition to 8VC...
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AI Meets Venture: Ben Orthlieb (Blue Moon) on Outperforming Traditional VCs
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What if AI could predict which founders will build billion-dollar companies? Ben Orthlieb, co-founder of Blue Moon, is doing just that, using AI and behavioral science to consistently outperform even the top VC firms. With roots at LinkedIn and Emergence, Ben brings a rigorous, founder-first model to seed investing. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 00:00 Intro to Driving Alpha 00:41 Meet Ben Orthlieb of Blue Moon 01:20 Why “2.12” wasn’t working—and how “Blue Moon” captures their true identity 02:05 The meaning behind both names—and what they signal to founders ...
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Brice Penaud & Jonathan Taylor of Water Bear Ventures: Investing in Resilience and Founder Grit
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What if the key to outsized venture returns isn’t just a great idea but the unshakable resilience of the founder behind it? Jonathan Taylor and Brice Penaud of Water Bear Ventures believe grit is the ultimate differentiator, and they’ve built a fund around finding it. Jonathan brings years of experience driving strategic outcomes in venture, while Brice draws on a behavioral science background to decode the mindset of top-tier founders. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 00:00 Introduction to Driving Alpha 00:43 Meet the Water Bear Team 02:15 The Origin of Water Bear Ventures...
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From Google to Nava: Manish Patel’s playbook for Series A investing
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What does it take to turn early traction into scalable momentum? And how do you know if your startup—and your engine—is even built for venture capital? Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 00:43 Introduction to Driving Alpha Podcast 02:20 Meet Manishh Patel: From Google to Nava Ventures 03:17 Growing Up in Rural Kentucky 05:24 The Journey to Venture Capital 08:17 Founding Nava Ventures 16:22 The Series A Focus 19:57 Building the Flywheel: Operational Infrastructure 20:41 Refining the...
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Eric Engineer of S3 Ventures: VC to CEO to VC—Lessons in Operating and Investing
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Can deep operational experience shape better venture outcomes? One VC proves it can—drawing from years in the founder seat to back today's most promising startups. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 00:43 Introduction to Driving Alpha Podcast 01:05 Eric's Background and Career Journey 03:45 Transition to Venture Capital 06:27 Eric's Role at S3 Ventures 07:19 Investment Philosophy and Market Insights 12:12 Texas Venture Ecosystem 20:18 S3 Ventures' Unique Structure 29:56 Advice for...
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Can Middle America become the next innovation powerhouse? Aziz Gilani, General Partner at Mercury, thinks so—and he’s proving it by backing cloud and enterprise software startups across Houston and beyond. With a track record that includes major exits like Black Lotus and Modus, Aziz has helped Mercury’s portfolio reach over $9 billion in enterprise value. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 00:43 Introduction to Driving Alpha 00:51 Meet Aziz Gilani: Venture Powerhouse 02:08 Aziz's Journey to Venture Capital 04:20 Houston: A Hub for...
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Venture Cycles and Hard Lessons with Matt McIlwain (Madrona)
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Matt McIlwain, Managing Director at Madrona, has spent over two decades investing in intelligent applications and driving innovation in AI. With a track record including Smartsheet, Apptio, and Isilon, he brings rare perspective from 25 years in venture capital. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 00:43 Introduction to Driving Alpha Podcast 00:57 Guest Introduction: Matt McElwain from Madrona 01:41 Matt's Journey into Venture Capital 03:06 Early Years at Madrona and the Dot-Com Bust 04:45 Madrona's Investment Strategies and Success Stories 06:29 Driving Alpha for Portfolio...
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Investing in Tomorrow: Lisa Chai of Interwoven Ventures on AI and Robotics
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Lisa Chai, co-founder and general partner at Interwoven Ventures, joins Driving Alpha to discuss how robotics and AI are transforming industrial technology. With a deep background in venture capital and public markets, Lisa shares her insights into the megatrends driving automation, reshoring, and industrial AI. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 00:43 Introduction to Driving Alpha Podcast 00:53 Meet Lisa Chai of Interwoven 01:10 Interwoven's Focus and Investment Strategy 02:04 Lisa Chai's Origin Story 06:24 Challenges and Gender Dynamics in Venture...
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Bob Ackerman of AllegisCyber Capital: Cybersecurity Investing and AI Threats
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From Law to VC: David Hornik’s Journey to Lobby Capital
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David Hornik, founding partner at Lobby Capital, has spent over 25 years shaping the venture capital landscape. Formerly a lawyer with degrees from Stanford and Harvard, David transitioned into venture capital, making early bets on companies like Splunk, Build.com, and GitLab. His career is marked by a passion for helping founders, fostering strong industry relationships, and identifying high-potential investments. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 00:43 Introduction to Driving Alpha Podcast 01:57 Meet David Hornick: From Law to Venture Capital 03:43 Early Ventures and Key...
info_outlineAmit Patel and Brian Smiga discuss the origin story of Owl Ventures, founded in 2014 in response to major shifts in education technology infrastructure and consumer behavior. They cover key trends that enabled the rise of edtech, including the expansion of broadband in U.S. schools and the availability of affordable devices like Chromebooks. Amit shares his unique career journey, starting in film and theatre before pivoting to a career in venture capital.
In this episode of Driving Alpha, host Brian Smiga interviews Amit Patel, Managing Director at Owl Ventures, the world's largest venture capital firm focused on education technology. Amit has been instrumental in shaping Owl Ventures' strategy and has led investments in top edtech companies like Codecademy, RaiseMe, and Amira Learning. With deep experience across operations, strategic partnerships, and firm building, Amit shares his insights on the growth and evolution of the edtech sector.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
- 00:16 Amit Patel's New York Journey
- 01:25 The Origin Story of Owl Ventures
- 02:47 Education Technology Evolution
- 06:33 Global Expansion and Investments
- 13:29 Focus on Outcomes and Efficacy
- 16:19 Key Ingredients for Successful Startups
- 22:21 AI in Education
- 27:01 Emotional Impact and Success Stories
- 28:30 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
In this episode…
Host Brian Smiga interviews Amit Patel, Managing Director at Owl Ventures, the world's largest venture capital firm focused on education technology. Amit has been instrumental in shaping Owl Ventures' strategy and has led investments in top edtech companies like Codecademy, RaiseMe, and Amira Learning. With deep experience across operations, strategic partnerships, and firm building, Amit shares his insights on the growth and evolution of the edtech sector.
The conversation highlights Owl Ventures' global investment strategy and the firm's emphasis on building an international portfolio. Amit talks about how the need for high-quality education worldwide has driven their global expansion, with recent investments in Asia and Europe. He explains their approach to assessing startups, focusing on business fundamentals, team strength, and measurable learning outcomes.
They delve into the role of AI in education, exploring how generative AI is transforming personalized learning experiences. Amit emphasizes the importance of leveraging AI to assist teachers, freeing them up for more impactful one-on-one interactions with students.