Early Stage Investing Quotes

I focus on consumer Internet. Sometimes it's a working prototype; sometimes it's an idea on a napkin. I don't do a ton of deals a year, and I really like working with startups - it's the only way I can invest. It fits my ADD brain.

I don't do a ton of deals a year, and I really like working with startups - it's the only way I can invest. It fits my ADD brain.

For me, seed investing isn't just a good return area but a big part of how we network in Silicon Valley. A lot of our best deals have come from being active in the seed stage.

One thing I'd like to do is angel investing in small companies. That's what's exciting, and if you are lucky to have a bit of money, you can take those risks.

Sometimes people think Y Combinator has big ideas about themes. But really, we just fund the best startups.

I like the strategy of finding great entrepreneurs early, giving them some money, helping them a little - perhaps not as much as we would a regular core investment.

Kevin Systrom of Instagram used to work for us as a consultant in the early days of Mint. I knew him a long time ago. Maybe I could have gotten in there. But with photo sharing, I don't know if there's an obvious business model. I don't think there's a competitive, sustainable advantage.

Snapchat's ramp reminded us of another mobile app Benchmark had the good fortune to back at an early stage: Instagram.

I am a partner at CrunchFund, a venture capital firm with investments in many startups around the world. I am also a limited partner in many other venture funds which have their own startup investments.

The stage of investing that I do is seed stage, so it's really early. Here's a pair of founders who maybe have a prototype. They have a little bit of traction, maybe one employee, tops. At that stage, you really, really can only evaluate a company based on those founders and what they've been able to build. It's very, very team driven.

Personally, I don't want to do a lot of angel deals in a year. I get approached a lot. I'm becoming less and less polite, which doesn't seem to be helping. A lot of the things I get pitched on are from people who just want to make money.

If I had a do over, I'd indubitably start investing in startups earlier in life!

There are not many people from top-tier venture capital firms who are focused on the seed stage.