Looking for my perfect VC fit
Back in 2008, under the sunny skies of Southern California, my boss David was a successful startup founder from the Web 1.0 era who sold his companies before he was 30. But he didn’t slow down. Instead, he got into angel investing and hands-on with the companies he invested in. That’s when I stumbled into the enchanting world of startups and seed-stage investments.
After 2011, most of my time was spent working in venture capital in Taiwan. Over the years, I heard many voices calling for a thriving startup ecosystem in Taiwan, emphasizing the need for more seed-stage investors. In reality, what Taiwan lacked were institutional seed-stage investors like VC. Taiwan struggled to attract long-term funding for seed-stage VC. Even if fund managers saw the potential in seed-stage investment opportunities in Taiwan, getting the money was a challenge.
I spent a significant amount of time working in Taiwan’s public sector VC firm, using software industry development as a shield to focus on investing in seed-stage software startups. I was fortunate to have some wins and learned a ton about Taiwan’s startup scene. I believe that high-potential startups can be found all over the world, not just in Silicon Valley. I am on a mission to find a new VC model that is tailor-made for Taiwan and helps entrepreneurs worldwide get their shot.
On the hunt for my angel buddies
My journey as an angel investor began by chance. When I started working as a VC in Taiwan a decade ago, there were only a few VC firms investing in early-stage software startups. Instead, I kept bumping into angel investors. A lot of them were tech big shoots with deep pockets. Angel investing seemed far away in the future for me.
One of the coolest parts of being a VC was meeting these passionate and talented founders. Slowly, some started asking if I was interested in making small investments. I discovered that being genuine and helping out built trust, and that trust made them think of me as their potential angel investor. Before I knew it, I was on the nano-angel path.
However, there were challenges. As a salary earner, I couldn’t invest big bucks. Additionally, scouting angel investment opportunities takes effort because I believe seed-stage investing requires building long-term trust. However, a person’s network and time are limited.
Lately, Taiwan’s got these angel clubs popping up. Angel investors pay a fee, join the club, and angel clubs bring in deals. But the bond between investors and founders is kind of shallow. For me, seed-stage investing is about more than money; it’s about forming real bonds with these founders. As an introvert, I feel anxious and drained of energy when participating in the social activities of angel clubs. This makes me wonder if there’s a better way for people like me to invest and connect.
Dreaming up a new way to invest in seed-stage
GPV wasn’t just another business decision. I went from being a VC newbie to becoming a fund manager. When I left venture capital in 2019 and started dreaming of raising my own fund, I wanted more than just another VC fund. I dreamt of creating a replicable seed-stage investment model that would spread its influence across various industries and corners of the world.
And just like that, in 2020, GPV was born.