Have you always wanted to get into venture capitalism? Startups, especially tech or life science companies, always look for capital to grow their business. But then again, a lot of investors are also interested in this space, which gives you some fierce competition. If you’re serious about it, you must be creative to stand out and attract promising companies. Below are some of the ways you can join this field.
Get the Necessary Skillset
Venture capitalism is a competitive industry where you can only succeed if you have the right skill set. Without an attractive track record, you won’t go far. Some of the important traits you need are as follows:
- MBA: Many venture capitalists have gone to business school and earned themselves an MBA. That knowledge you gain will help you make informed decisions.
- Professional experience: Having experience working for a reputable company, whether it’s a startup, investment banking, or tech firm, is an added advantage.
- Expertise: Being an expert in a particular area gives you an edge
- Social media presence: Work on creating a social media presence on platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn. It will help you connect with people in the industry.
These traits give you a solid foundation for being a venture capitalist.
Understand the Type of Investing You Want to Do
Venture capitalist firms can be sector-specific or generalist, or early or late-stage. For instance, early-stage investors work with companies in the first stage of development. That means investing in companies even before they create a product and launch it. Growth-stage investors are only interested in companies that have been around for some time and are showing progress. Brad Kern recommends knowing where you want to start. It will give you a clear path to follow and lets you filter companies that don’t meet your objectives.
Learn From the Experts
Start listening to venture capitalists who have been doing this for a while. Most of them use their social media platforms to connect with people looking to get into this space. They will explain the challenges they have faced, how to overcome them, how to choose who to invest in, etc. You don’t have to do everything the same way they did, but it gives you an idea of what the market looks like.
Know Which Signs to Look for
Understand what to look for in companies before investing in them. For instance, who are the founders of the companies? Have they been there for a long time, and do they have experience? How about the financial position of the company? Do you know what investors look for in financial statements? It’s also a good idea to ask if the company has other investors and what they’ve done. Doing some due diligence will save you a lot of trouble down the line.
Join a Network
You don’t have to go in alone if you aren’t comfortable. Join a venture capital group. There, you’ll be educated and get to see how things are done. In six months or a year, you’ll be ready to start investing in companies. Hopefully, this guide can help you get into venture capitalism. The important thing is to have knowledge and experience. These two will help you know what you’re getting into.
