Michael Blakey is the Managing Partner and co-founder of Singapore-based venture capital firm Cocoon Capital. Set-up alongside Will Klippgen in 2016, Cocoon adopts a hands-on, founder-first approach to early-stage investing. Before this Michael was an entrepreneur and since 2000 was a full-time angel investor who was named ‘UK Angel Investor of the Year 2015’, selected as one of the Maserati 100, and classified as a ’Business Angel you should know.
Key Takeaways
Challenges of growing up with dyslexia and how that prepared Michael to be a better entrepreneur
The hideous shoe story - Unique approach by a founder to stand out and get Michael’s attention while pitching to him
How to make a good first impression and mistakes to avoid while pitching to a VC
Most important slides on a pitch deck that founders tend to overlook
Why some entrepreneurs can raise millions of dollars pre-revenue while some other entrepreneurs struggle to raise funding even after making significant growth
How founders can organise the fundraising process efficiently
How founders can answer 'what if Google tries to build this' effectively
Difference between Seed and Series A round investment
Realities of raising a bridge round or down round investment
Ways founders can create urgency to close the funding round quickly
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📍 About:
Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.
