OpenVC Blog

Judah Taub: From Leading Data at a $20 Billion Hedge Fund to Running Hetz Ventures, a $300 Million Venture Fund

Judah Taub, co-founder of Hetz Ventures, a $300M Israeli VC fund, shares insights on identifying market gaps, evaluating founders, and navigating seed-stage investments. He discusses reducing sales lead times, negotiating with corporations, and leveraging data for smarter decisions. Plus, he explores the concept of local maxima in business growth and his journey of writing a book.

Posted by Harrison Faull Judah Taub | January 26, 2025

How to build a standout brand for your startup

A strong brand silently attracts leads and builds trust, acting as your silent salesperson. It's your best asset as an early-stage startup. here's how you can build a standout brand from scratch.

Posted by Max Fleitmann | January 21, 2025

Jens Lapinski: From Founding $200m Angel Fund to Backing 100x Return with One Investment Every Week

This is episode 16 of the OpenVC Podcast. In this episode, Jens shares insights on identifying high-potential startups and managing a fast-paced investment strategy. He discusses strategic exits, coaching founders, and navigating challenges in early-stage ventures. Plus, he reveals the secret behind Angel Invest’s success and lessons from missed opportunities.

Posted by Harrison Faull Jens Lapinski | January 12, 2025

Why VCs won't sign your NDA

Should founders ask investors to sign a NDA before sharing their deck. The answer is no. Here are the 6 reasons why, and here's how you can actually protect your startup without a NDA.

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | January 11, 2025

How to validate your startup idea - 7 methods explained

Market validation is the process of determining if there’s a need for your product in your target market. In this post, we break down 6 methodologies that will help you validate your startup idea and the market you want to address.

Posted by Shaun Gold | January 8, 2025

Series A explained

This article aims to help you understand everything you need to know about the series A stage: stage, check size, criteria, and more.

Posted by Shaun Gold | January 5, 2025

Bocar Dia: Scaling Hootsuite $0 to $150M and leading Forum Ventures with 75+ Investments an Year

This is Episode 15 of the OpenVC Podcast. In this podcast, Bocar shares how he helped grow Hootsuite from a million users with no revenue to $150M in sales. Now a sales coach at Harvard and GP at Forum Ventures, he discusses go-to-market strategies for early-stage startups, resilience in entrepreneurship, and key lessons from his venture journey.

Posted by Harrison Faull Bocar Dia | December 27, 2024

How to create a start-up community in your city?

Creating a community is one of the most rewarding experiences for founders. This post is a starting guide for anyone who wants to start a community locally. If you like gathering a group of people with shared interests, hosting events, and interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, this post is for you.

Posted by Vandit Jain | December 10, 2024

Liz Christo: From NetSuite Pioneer to Shaping the Future of VC at Stage 2 Capital

This is episode 14 of The OpenVC Podcast. In this episode, Liz Christo, General Partner at Stage 2 Capital, shares her journey from building a sales team at NetSuite to backing B2B software startups. She discusses her unique approach to venture capital, the importance of adaptability, and key lessons for founders post-Series A.

Posted by Harrison Faull Liz Christo | December 10, 2024