Rob Go

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

Most of these rhyme with what we’ve said in the past, but some have also evolved to fit the changing landscape and our own convictions about what really matters for founders and their investors at the seed stage. Instead, it’s more of a Manifesto about the core beliefs that shape our strategy. Belief #1: The best time to invest is early.

North America 36

North America Seed Stage Early Stage Lead Investor 36

Agile VC

APRIL 17, 2011

Kayak was started here in my backyard of Boston… co-founder & CTO Paul English and the product/engineering team is based here in Concord MA. Co-founder & CEO Steve Hafner and the business team are based in Norwalk, CT. Led by General Catalyst with participation by co-founders Steve Hafner & Paul English.

Pre-Money Valuation 113

Pre-Money Valuation Liquidation Preference Dividend Common Stock 113

Agile VC

JUNE 5, 2011

Even for those who don’t care to dive into the numbers, it’s worth a quick glance because co-founder/CEO Andrew Mason wrote a letter which forms the preamble of the full document. The folks at Yipit did a detailed analyis of the Boston data and concluded Groupon’s model is deteriorating there. Read More ».

North America 100

North America Chicago Boston Silicon Valley 100

Feld Thoughts

JANUARY 20, 2017

Mentors embrace the Techstars “Give First” philosophy by offering founders their time, advice, and connections. Guiding founders through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship creates a deep sense of contribution. It’s a chance to learn by teaching, and engage with a new generation of entrepreneurs. And it’s fun.

Syndicate 70

Syndicate Syndication Seed Stage Vertical 70

View from Seed

JUNE 16, 2015

Editor’s note: Local tech media company BostInno (a division of the American City Business Journals) hosts an annual Boston State of Innovation conference. I was recently asked to sit on panel with my fellow VC peers and some top entrepreneurs from the Boston tech community. I’ll speak to NextView in a second.).

Boston 120

Boston Syndicate Syndication eCommerce 120

Agile VC

MAY 26, 2011

Many assume it was a cakewalk, based on the success LinkedIn has enjoyed over time and the current stature of our founder/CEO Reid Hoffman (now Chairman). I also joke with Reid Hoffman that this was back in the days before he was “Reid” Reid’s an incredible entrepreneur, startup investor, and human being.

Term Sheet 178

Term Sheet Silicon Valley Technical Review Social Network 178

Agile VC

JANUARY 18, 2012

Seven Reasons to Become a Founding Entrepreneur. I think there are tons of reasons to be a founding entrepreneur… some good, some bad, some ultimately inconsequential. Being a startup founder isn’t for everyone ultimately, in fact it probably isn’t for most people. AGILEVC My idle thoughts on tech startups.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Cofounder Silicon Valley Seed Stage 100

View from Seed

OCTOBER 22, 2015

One of the best and most positive movements proliferating around the tech community is what Product Hunt founder and CEO Ryan Hoover calls “building in public.” We want to create the go-to hub for entrepreneurs and startup teams going from zero to one in absolutely anything important. Even cheese gets its own go-to hub online.

Seed Stage 120

Seed Stage Seed Capital Syndicate Syndication 120

View from Seed

JULY 9, 2015

As an operator, not an investor, I’m amazed at how many casual, throwaway comments that happen inside a VC’s office would be genuinely useful to entrepreneurs building their businesses. In light of that partnership, founders should be proactive about asking them to delay — if that’s your desire. You get the idea.

Startup 120

Startup PR Cofounder Stealth 120

Agile VC

AUGUST 2, 2011

I thought this was an incredibly apt depiction of great entrepreneurs and innovators. Or as my friend and mentor Reid Hoffman says being a founder is like throwing yourself off a cliff and assembling an airplane on the way down. Well perhaps the most disuptive entrepreneurs are a little out of their mind… in a good way.

Silicon Valley 113

Silicon Valley Seed Stage Syndicate Syndication 113

Agile VC

MAY 21, 2012

The expanding universe of potential buyers is a great thing for founders. We’ll see how long they remain exciting, innovative places to work but at least for now I think most founders who contemplate an acquisition would be open to having their company and team be part of a Facebook, LinkedIn, or Zynga. Pingback: this.

Acquisition 162

Acquisition Silicon Valley B2B Seed Stage 162

Agile VC

APRIL 27, 2012

We love meeting entrepreneurs who take this blank canvas approach when thinking about disrupting markets. My partner David recently wrote about how investors tend to bring their own inherent biases (both good and bad) into pitch meetings with entrepreneurs. Im a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned East Coast VC.

Silicon Valley 124

Silicon Valley Seed Stage Syndicate Syndication 124

Agile VC

DECEMBER 5, 2011

Objective Logistics co-founders Philip Beauregard and Matt Grace sent out this illustration immediately after the round was announced which I think keeps this in perspective nicely. Im a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned East Coast VC. I co-founded NextView Ventures , a seed-stage VC firm based in Boston, in 2010.

Silicon Valley 100

Silicon Valley Seed Stage Syndicate Syndication 100

Agile VC

JANUARY 12, 2012

Even the best entrepreneurs often hear “no” from potential investors. As a result, we frequently spend time with entrepreneurs before they’ve started fundraising or while they’re still contemplating various pathways for funding their businesses. Im a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned East Coast VC.

Seed Stage 100

Seed Stage Silicon Valley Syndicate Syndication 100

Rob Go

JANUARY 9, 2012

I believe that the best way to understand an investor is to meet the founders that they work with. Geography: Of the 16 investments, 9 are currently headquartered in Boston, 4 are in NYC, 2 are in SF, and 1 has s presence in both Boston and Chicago. The main focus of our fund is in the Boston-New York corridor.

Portfolio 46

Portfolio Syndicate Syndication Cofounder 46

Rob Go

NOVEMBER 18, 2014

This week, we helped organize an Angel Bootcamp where some of Boston’s most successful angel investors shared their experiences and lessons learned to a crowd of aspiring angels and entrepreneurs. The reason is that most seed syndicates have room for 5-10 angels or more, but only room for 1-3 funds. 2: Flexibility.

Syndicate 66

Syndicate Syndication Due Diligence Liquidity Event 66

Agile VC

FEBRUARY 28, 2012

Startups in NextView’s portfolio frequently receive inbound interest from other VC investors who are intrigued about what they’re doing, and I often talk with other early-stage entrepreneurs how to approach similar situations. Im a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned East Coast VC. Author howerl. Read More ».

Early Stage 100

Early Stage Syndicate Syndication Silicon Valley 100

Agile VC

MAY 16, 2012

Rather these firms know that there are countless bright, hard-working entrepreneurs out there thinking 24/7 about the next big thing and so they remain open to these innovative ideas even if the firm hasn’t previously formed a specific investment thesis about that space. Im a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned East Coast VC.

Seed Stage 124

Seed Stage Silicon Valley B2B Syndicate 124

Rob Go

SEPTEMBER 2, 2014

When we started NextView, there were relatively few seed focused venture capital funds in the country, even fewer on the east coast, and almost none in the Boston area. Some founders are able to skip an institutional seed round and go straight to a multi-million dollar A-round where a larger VC puts in the lion’s share of the capital.

Cram Down 66

Cram Down Institutional Investors Dilution Seed Stage 66

Agile VC

JULY 11, 2012

The names of these once great, now defunct firms may not be terribly familiar today but here are just a few examples: American Research & Development [Boston] –> Founded by George Doriot and depending how you count it, either the first or second formal VC firm in the US. But it’s not quite that simple. link] Fred Destin.

Silicon Valley 240

Silicon Valley Carried Interest Cofounder Boston 240

Rob Go

JANUARY 8, 2014

We are constantly re-evaluating our strategy and processes as a firm, but overall we have remained extremely focused and consistent because we think we offer a good product to our customers (entrepreneurs) which will lead to good results for our shareh0lders (LPs). Syndicates: We have a bias to lead rounds. Seed rounds are what we do.

Syndicate 45

Syndicate Syndication Portfolio Advertising 45

View from Seed

AUGUST 26, 2015

Here’s a great recap on the Boston Globe’s tech blog.). Just yesterday, Adam Medros , SVP of Global Product at TripAdvisor and an entrepreneur advisor for NextView, just asked about when the next event will be. It’s primarily a way to get exposure to exciting companies and entrepreneurs and to learn. A Primer on Angel Investing.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Angel Investor Software Review Silicon Valley 120

View from Seed

AUGUST 26, 2015

Here’s a great recap on the Boston Globe’s tech blog.). Just yesterday, Adam Medros , SVP of Global Product at TripAdvisor and an entrepreneur advisor for NextView, just asked about when the next event will be. It’s primarily a way to get exposure to exciting companies and entrepreneurs and to learn. A Primer on Angel Investing.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Angel Investor Software Review Silicon Valley 120

Startup Lessons Learned

OCTOBER 20, 2008

It is as if the staffing and management of projects is run by international syndicates more interested in controlling job territories than in assembling vital, dynamic teams who are empowered to succeed. The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Customer Development ► June (3) What is a startup? Our profession is in trouble.

Software Review 164

Software Review Engineer Management Technical Review 164

Rob Go

JANUARY 7, 2013

As a founder, it feels like a long time, but it’s really a blip on the radar in the scheme of things. It’s an old fashioned idea, but it’s what we would want if we were founders taking capital from a VC, so that’s the model that works for us. Founders: Repeat Founders: 8. First Time Founders: 9.

Portfolio 49

Portfolio Seed Stage Cofounder B2B 49

mashable.com

SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

Droid X Feature Comparison [INFOGRAPHIC] iPad By the Numbers [INFOGRAPHIC] LinkedIn Explores What It Takes To Be an Entrepreneur [INFOGRAPHIC] September 1, 2011 by Ben Parr 15 Share on Tumblr email share Share on Tumblr email share Where does the ideal startup founder come from? Whom is he or she connected to?

San Francisco 99

San Francisco New York City Social Media Entrepreneur 99

David Teten

FEBRUARY 3, 2014

The Geography of Successful and Unsuccessful Venture Capital Expansion ” that the best performing VC funds are based in the major venture centers (Silicon Valley, Boston, and the New York area), but their best investments are outside of those geographies. They’re the entrepreneurs on the cutting edge of their respective disciplines.

Private Equity 114

Private Equity Venture Capital Technical Review Equity 114

Agile VC

APRIL 13, 2012

Here in Boston the same dynamic as Silicon Valley has been afoot… at least in the software/internet sphere, the majority of startups have migrated from the suburban loop of Rt 128 back into the urban core of Boston & Cambridge. Im a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned East Coast VC. Read More ».

Silicon Valley 185

Silicon Valley San Francisco San Jose Startup 185

Agile VC

JUNE 25, 2012

The company has been in stealth mode for the last couple months but I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about NextView’s investment in the company and our enthusiasm to be working with co-founders Dan Foody and Alex Cote. I first met co-founder/CEO Dan Foody a little over six months ago. Read More ».

Cofounder 140

Cofounder Stealth Silicon Valley Mobile 140

Agile VC

MAY 10, 2012

I first met Matija Kopic, Farmeron’s co-founder & CEO, a few months ago. It was one of those first meetings where you’re instantly impressed by an entrepreneur and the ambitious vision they’re pursuing. Im a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned East Coast VC. Read More ».

Silicon Valley 223

Silicon Valley Cofounder Seed Stage Syndicate 223

Agile VC

JUNE 12, 2012

Both are building on top of the existing credit card infrastructure because as Swipely Founder/CEO Angus Davis points out, millions of people are walking around with a mobile payment device in their pocket… it’s called a credit card. Im a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned East Coast VC. Read More ».

Mobile 250

Mobile Disintermediation SMS Government 250