A Venture into the Tacoma Venture Fund with Dennis Joyce

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Barker sits down with Dennis Joyce, Director of Investments at the Tacoma Venture Fund (TVF). They explore Dennis' fascinating journey from a young dreamer in New York to leading a venture fund in Tacoma. The conversation covers Dennis' experiences, from his early inspirations in venture capital to the formation and mission of the Tacoma Venture Fund. They discuss the Pacific Northwest's startup ecosystem, the importance of local connections and deep due diligence, and the challenges of early-stage investing. Dennis also shares insights into promising sectors, particularly AI and SaaS, and highlights the importance of a robust investment ecosystem in the region. The episode looks at the intricacies of scaling startups, the evolving market dynamics, and the personal side of life as a venture capitalist. The discussion is rich with anecdotal wisdom and practical advice for navigating the world of early-stage investments.

00:00 Introduction to Sound Investments

01:06 Meet Dennis Joyce

07:06 The Birth of Tacoma Venture Fund

11:41 Investing in the Pacific Northwest

16:06 Challenges and Opportunities

24:11 Current Market Dynamics

29:51 Scaling Sales

30:59 The Importance of OKRs

32:38 Investing in Agentic AI

37:55 Spotlight on Flavor Cloud

39:30 Lessons Learned

40:12 The Need for More Capital and Collaboration

43:11 Balancing Work and Life

47:45 Finding Inspiration

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has started three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently was a VC. He's now building a podcast production company. Sound Investments is a small attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pac NW entrepreneurial community.

Dennis Joyce, Director of Investments

Dennis oversees dealflow, due diligence, and operational functions on behalf of TVF. He has led investments in Vega Cloud, Workflow Labs, and Flavorcloud, among others. Before TVF, Dennis spent 17 years as an independent angel investor and real estate developer. Dennis is passionate about supporting entrepreneurs and seeing great ideas come to life. He believes a vibrant venture ecosystem needs talent, expertise, and access to capital to thrive. Out of twenty-one pre-TVF angel investments, seventeen have been in female or minority-lead ventures. Dennis is intentional about providing greater access and opportunity to underrepresented founders. Dennis is an active member of Seattle’s Alliance of Angels and Puget Sound Venture Club. He is also a Board member of the William Factory Business Incubator, which provides training and support for entrepreneurs in Pierce County. He has an MBA from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Notre Dame. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and trying new things.

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