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Jonathan Hakakian: From Building Startups at University to Backing 50+ Startups & $200M+ Exits

Jonathan Hakakian: From Building Startups at University to Backing 50+ Startups & $200M+ Exits

This is episode 20 of The OpenVC Podcast. In this episode, Jonathan Hakakian, Managing Partner at SoundBoard Venture Fund, shares his journey from entrepreneur to VC and how he’s backed 50+ startups, including Jump (acquired by Uber for $200M+). He dives into how he identifies overlooked investment opportunities, the importance of strong investor-founder relationships, and key lessons from scaling high-growth startup

Posted by Harrison FaullJonathan Hakakian | March 16, 2025
How to find startup ideas

How to find startup ideas

Where do startup ideas come from? Is there a process? How does one even conceive of a startup idea? More importantly, how do you assess it?

Posted by Shaun Gold | February 2, 2025
How to validate your startup idea - 7 methods explained

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