Welcome to the era of the mega round. 5 of the 10 largest VC-led financings of all time in the last 4 months

Pinch me moment 🍎

7/ Thank you to my colleagues, mentors, and the incredible entrepreneurs (and their amazing teams) who I've had the privilege to work with. Here’s to many more years of learning and growing together! 🚀

6/ Embrace Continuous Learning Feedback loops stretch for yrs. Most investors wait 5+ to see returns. So, how do you know if you're a great investor? You won't, at least not right away. Instead of waiting, top investors stay laser-focused on constant self-learning & improvement

5/ VCs Need Their Own Sales Playbooks VC is hypercompetitive. The power law of returns is real (few key investments generate the majority of returns) I started my career cold calling hundreds of companies every yr. My methods have improved but I'm still a salesperson

4/ Sector Expertise Can Be a Double-Edged Sword Deep industry knowledge can actually create blind spots & biases against disruptive outsider ideas, especially in traditional sectors. With AI, more firms are blending teams (e.g., healthcare + AI) to tackle this challenge head-on

3/ Don't Underestimate TAM for Category Creators Emerging markets make TAM hard to estimate. Think abt consumer giants (Airbnb & Uber) & B2B innovators (Slack & CrowdStrike) who nailed execution & expanded into platforms. We'll see how works for AI startups w/ specific use cases

2/ Uncertainty is a Feature, Not a Bug The "perfect deal" is a myth. Anything close is priced to perfection. The most successful investors take non-consensus bets (& is right in the long run). Super uncomfortable but ultimately have to build conviction & trust in yourself

1/ The biggest lessons I’ve learned from my last 5 yrs in VC at @SapphireVC

“Every layer in the AI stack is improving exponentially, with no signs of a slowdown in sight. As a result, many founders feel that they are building on quicksand”

“we tend to judge others by their impact and ourselves on our intent” Jason (CTO of @nytimes) shared this powerful statement on how to be a better and more empathetic teammate and manager But honestly it’s great advice for all relationships in life

7/ Curious to hear from others—what makes a pitch unforgettable to you?

6/ Crafting and delivering such a pitch is truly an art. Encapsulating the essence of hard work and vision within a tight 60-minute window is extremely difficult but nothing helps a founder stand out more in front of an investment committee (IC).

5/ Passion and Energy. Genuine enthusiasm is contagious. The energy a founder brings to their pitch highlights their dedication and the hard work they've invested in their company. This energy is essential as they venture into the next growth phase.

4/ Mastery of Details. Standout founders know their numbers cold and aren’t afraid to get hands-on with product demos. They dive deep into financials and operations, showing they know their business inside out—a sign of true commitment and expertise.

3/ Openness and Honesty. The best founders don’t just respond to questions–they engage with them. They address inquiries about competition directly by using their deep understanding of the market to their advantage, demonstrating transparency and strategic insight.

2/ Command of the Room. One person takes charge and drives the narrative. They set the pace and handle interruptions with ease. This control is vital, especially in front of large partnerships when there may be rapid-fire and non-linear questions.

1/ 5 pitch tactics I've seen founders use during their presentations that never fail to captivate every VC in the room👇

Great new post by @jaminball today about hype rounds... 'In venture markets it “just takes one” firm to set the valuation' In other words, there's no shorting mechanism in the private markets. This can create all sorts of distortion...