Inside Illuminate Ventures: A Conversation with Partner Jennifer Savage

In this episode of Sound Investments Ed Barker talks to Jennifer Savage, Partner at Illuminate Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in seed-stage investments in enterprise software. Jennifer discusses her journey into venture capital, the unique operating model of Illuminate Ventures, and their focus on impactful enterprise solutions. She highlights the firm's extensive advisory council, consisting of industry leaders who provide hands-on support and strategic guidance to portfolio companies. Jennifer also touches on the growth and challenges of the tech and venture capital ecosystem in the Pacific Northwest, the evolving landscape of AI investments, and the current economic climate. The episode provides valuable insights into Illuminate's strategic approach and the broader venture capital scene.

00:00 Introduction to Sound Investments

01:04 Meet Jennifer Savage of Illuminate Ventures

03:31 Illuminate Ventures' Investment Focus

04:57 The Role of the Advisory Board

09:07 Diversity and Inclusion in Venture Capital

11:52 Finding and Supporting Portfolio Companies

16:31 The Seattle Tech Scene and Venture Capital

21:17 Current Trends

29:04 Portfolio Highlights

38:49 Closing Remarks

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

Jennifer Savage, Partner, Illuminate Ventures

In this role, Jennifer identifies and leads new investments (with a particular interest in companies in the Pacific Northwest), assists with due diligence efforts, and provides strategic and operational advice to Illuminate portfolio companies. In addition, Jennifer creatively fosters strategic relations with Illuminate’s extended B2B Enterprise network - including our Advisory Council and business school interns. She currently plays a board role for Illuminate portfolio companies Hoopla Software and Pyze and as a board observer with several other companies.

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Supporting Female Entrepreneurs: Anne Kennedy and The Mastersfund's Innovative Approach

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Barker engages in a comprehensive discussion with Anne Kennedy, general partner at The Mastersfund. The conversation delves into the fund's mission to address the underfunding of female founders by leveraging a unique structured exit model that mitigates risk for investors and promotes financial stability for startups. Anne shares her journey from serial entrepreneurship to venture capital, highlights significant growth in portfolio companies, and explains the importance of diversity and profitability in investment strategies. The episode encompasses insights into scaling business operations, the importance of AI in various sectors, and reflections on fostering a supportive environment for women-led startups.

00:00 Introduction to Sound Investments

01:42 Meet Anne Kennedy

03:34 Challenges in Female Entrepreneurship

05:30 The Mastersfund: Mission and Model

10:30 Structured Exits: A New Investment Approach

23:44 Global Business Perspectives

25:51 Diversity in Leadership

28:08 Tech Investment Focus

31:40 Service-Based Business Models

34:38 Diligence and Investment Strategy

40:23 Portfolio Companies

47:22 Future Plans and Scaling Up

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

Anne Kennedy, Managing Director, Mastersfund Partner

Branding, marketing & global networking. Founder, entrepreneur, board director and advisor worldwide. Founding director of Helium.com, acquired by RR Donnelley and now the RRD Content Network. One of the earliest and most respected names in global digital marketing. Pioneer SEO, launched Zillow, Philips Lifeline, and other household names onto the web, building the world’s largest consortium of digital marketing agencies. Author of Global Search Marketing. Co-host & producer of CEOcoach podcast.

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Bridging the Funding Gap: Evan Poncelet's Mission to Empower Underrepresented Founders

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Barker interviews Evan Poncelet, co-managing partner of Dreamwood VC. Evan shares his journey from a career in software engineering to founding a venture capital fund focused on closing the funding gap for underrepresented founders, particularly within the black community. He discusses his family's legacy of economic empowerment through the establishment of the Liberty Bank in Seattle and how this inspired him to Africatown Community Land Trust and, later, Dreamwood Ventures. The conversation covers the challenges and rewards of building a new VC fund, the importance of economic equity, and the role of innovative sectors like med tech and FinTech in Dreamwood's investment strategy. Evan also highlights his efforts to educate and onboard more black angel investors and his broader mission to create generational wealth within underrepresented communities.

00:00 Introduction to Sound Investments

00:59 Meet Evan Poncelet

03:52 Building Africatown

08:23 Founding Dreamwood Ventures

14:27 Investment Focus and Community Building

21:59 Exploring Regional Strengths

23:37 Building Deal Flow and Community Engagement

25:58 Challenges and Opportunities for Black Founders

30:19 The Role of Corporates

34:05 Inspiring Investments and Future Plans

36:47 Addressing Economic Disparities

39:49 Closing Thoughts

About Your Host

Ed Barker has enjoyed a weird and varied career. Ed is a Brit now resident in Seattle and has founded three startups, enjoyed a long career in corporate strategy, and most recently as a VC. He's now building a podcast production company, Studio 1878. Sound Investments is a modest attempt to shine some light on the fantastic work being done in the Pacific Northwest entrepreneurial community.

Evan Poncelet — Founding Managing Partner of Dreamward Ventures

Evan founded Dreamward to back underrepresented founders, especially Black entrepreneurs, building high-growth startups. A former engineer and program manager at Fluke Networks and Cisco, Evan brings over a decade of tech industry experience to his investing. He’s also the Executive Director of Venture Black, co-founder of the Washington Black Angel Network, and a driving force behind the Black Founder Launchpad Expo. Evan’s work is rooted in a legacy of economic justice—his grandfather co-founded Liberty Bank in Seattle to fight redlining in the 1960s.

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Sound Investments - Navigating Cybersecurity and Enterprise Startups with Andrew Peterson

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Barker is joined by Andrew Peterson, founding partner of Aviso Ventures. They discuss Andrew's journey into venture capital, which is rooted in his experiences as a startup founder and operator. Aviso Ventures specializes in investing in cybersecurity and enterprise infrastructure companies, primarily in pre-seed and seed stages. The conversation dives into the challenges startups face in entering the enterprise market, the importance of offering actionable advice, and the practical aspects of cyber investments. They also explore how the venture capital landscape has evolved, the significance of content in building deal flow, and the impact of AI on tech investment.

00:00 Introduction to Sound Investments

00:19 Meet Andrew Peterson of Aviso Ventures

05:20 The Role of Advice in Venture Capital

06:50 Aviso Ventures' Investment Focus

09:25 Challenges in Enterprise Sales Cycles

13:05 Building a Content-Driven VC Strategy

17:57 Trends and Challenges in Venture Capital

22:55 The Missing Element in Seattle's Tech Ecosystem

25:28 The Reality of Transitioning from Big Tech to Startups

28:05 Challenges in Cybersecurity

34:34 AI's Impact on Enterprise

39:43 Staying Updated in a Fast-Moving Tech World

42:38 Personal Reflections and Inspirations

44:55 Conclusion

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.

Andrew Peterson — Founding Partner, Aviso Ventures

Andrew Peterson is the Founding Partner of Aviso Ventures, where he backs the next generation of software infrastructure startups. After more than two decades as an operator and founder, Andrew launched Aviso to invest in companies building foundational technologies for the modern enterprise. Since inception, Aviso’s Fund I has become a top performer in its class, with a strong track record of follow-on investments across the portfolio. Andrew is currently raising and deploying Fund II. Before founding Aviso, Andrew was the CEO and Co-Founder of Signal Sciences, where he led the creation of a category-defining platform that secured web applications, mobile apps, and APIs. Under his leadership, Signal Sciences grew into an industry leader and was acquired by Fastly for $825 million in 2020.

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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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Navigating the Venture Capital Landscape with Andy Liu of Unlock Venture Partners

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Barker delves into the Pacific Northwest venture capital scene with Andy Liu, co-founding partner of Unlock Venture Partners. Andy shares his journey from being an entrepreneur to an active early-stage investor, with over 90 investments under his belt. The conversation covers his experiences in launching startups, the investment focus of Unlock VC, tech trends, the challenges and opportunities in the Seattle and LA markets, and the characteristics of successful founders. Liu also talks about the importance of mission-driven entrepreneurs, the role of AI and data in venture capital, and his approach to hands-on investing. Additionally, Liu highlights some of the standout companies in Unlock VC's portfolio and shares his perspectives on future tech opportunities and trends.

00:00 Introduction to Sound Investments

00:21 Meet Andy Liu

03:20 Building Unlock Venture Partners

05:04 Investment Strategies and Focus Areas

16:55 Challenges and Opportunities in Seattle and LA

20:33 Comparing Investment Landscapes: Pacific Northwest vs. LA

21:46 The AI Revolution

22:31 Evaluating AI Startups

28:17 Success Stories

31:24 The Importance of Founder Focus in VC

34:10 Balancing Innovation and Practicality

38:25 Leveraging Data and Technology in VC

40:39 Close

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.

Andy Liu, Co-founding Partner of Unlock Venture Partners

Andy Liu is a co-founding partner of Unlock Venture Partners. He is a serial entrepreneur, most recently as a co-founder and CEO of BuddyTV. Prior to BuddyTV, Andy was the co-founder and CEO of NetConversions which was acquired by aQuantive, where he then served as VP & GM, Atlas NetConversions. Andy had previously worked in a variety of roles at Active Voice, Safeware, Boeing, and AT&T. He also serves on the non-profit board of Future Hope, which provides technology and leadership education to the impoverished and marginalized.

Andy has been a very active early stage investor in technology companies, mostly in the Pacific Northwest, with over 90 investments in companies such as Cheezburger Network, SoFi, Redfin, Buuteeq, Minted, Remitly, Amperity, Rover, Skilljar, and Sparq. He has been named 40 under 40 by PSBJ in 2003, Seattle Angel of the Year in 2010, and Innovator of the Year by Asian NW Weekly in 2016.

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Investing in Frictionless Software: An Insider's View with Martin Tobias of Incisive VC

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Parker chats with Martin Tobias, Managing Partner at Incisive VC. Tobias, a seasoned angel investor and startup founder, discusses his unique investing philosophy focused on B2B software that reduces friction at scale. Tobias recounts his journey from his early days at Microsoft to running his own VC firm and creating a successful angel syndicate. Key topics include the importance of founder-market fit, innovative distribution strategies, and identifying previously intractable problems now solvable through technology, particularly AI. Tobias also shares insights into several high-growth investments, the impact of AI on venture capital, and how the market is evolving post-2022 downturn. The discussion highlights emerging opportunities and the future of investing in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

00:00 Introduction to Sound Investments

01:02 Meet Martin Tobias

03:58 The Birth of Incisive VC

06:30 Investing Philosophy and Principles

13:45 The Power of AI in Solving Old Problems

21:32 Investment Process

24:58 Building Moats

29:50 Data-Driven VC Market

34:53 Notable Investments and Success Stories

39:26 Future Outlook

42:21 Staying Informed

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.

Martin Tobias, Incisive Ventures

Martin is the Managing Partner and Founder of Incisive, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on investing in the first institutional round of technology companies that reduce friction at scale. Previously Martin was a Venture Partner at Ignition Partners and an early investor in Google, Docusign, OpenSea, and over a dozen Unicorns. He's also a father to three daughters, a cyclist, surfer, poker player, life hacker and motorcycle tinkerer.

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Navigating the Seattle Venture Capital Scene with Peter Mueller of Breakwater Ventures

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Barker interviews Peter Muller, founding partner of Breakwater Ventures, to explore his unique journey from Merrill Lynch to the launch of his venture capital firm in Seattle. They discuss Peter's career transitions, the Seattle startup ecosystem, and delve into key areas of interest like AI, fintech, and marketplaces. The conversation covers the challenges and opportunities in Seattle's venture capital scene, the firm's investment philosophy, and promising sectors. Peter also shares insights into raising capital in a tough environment and the necessary characteristics of successful founders.

00:00 Introduction

01:05 Meet Peter Mueller

05:59 Investment Philosophy and Strategy

07:23 Challenges in the Seattle Angel Market

11:57 AI, Fintech and Marketplaces

26:45 Fundraising Environment

38:37 Closing Thoughts

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.

Peter Mueller, General Partner, Breakwater Ventures

Peter is a Co-Founder & serves as a General Partner at Breakwater Ventures. Previously, he served as a Managing Partner at SeaChange Fund. He serves as a Board Member at KredosAi. He serves as a Board Member at Vouched, KredosAI, and CreatorCo. He serves as a Board Observer at OSYTE. Previously, he worked in equity research at Bank of America Merrill Lynch covering TMT markets. He then moved on to become an early employee at Carta (formerly known as eShares) building their business valuations product. Before SeaChange, he worked as a Senior Analyst at Concert Golf Partners, a private equity real estate fund, and Trek Partners, a middle-market leveraged buyout firm.

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