StarZero All shows Try the podcast clipper →

Aug 16, 2017 · 20m · 20vc

20VC: How To Design Investment Decision Making That Allows For Outliers, Why Personal Voice Computing Is The Next Big Platform & The Challenges That Could Prevent It with David Beisel, Founding Partner @ NextView Ventures

David Beisel · 11m spoken Harry Stebbings · 7m spoken
0:00 / 0:00

gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions

In this episode of The 20 Minute VC, host Harry Stebbings interviews David Beisel, co-founder and partner at NextView Ventures, to discuss firm building, investment decision-making architectures designed for outlier startups, and the market opportunities surrounding personal voice computing.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Harry holds 39.9% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Harry as informed peer 3.8 Guest teaching 3.4 Guest disagreement 0.6 Harry pushing back 1.6
05100:0010:0020:002:21–4:22 · Harry as informed peer 2/10 David Beisel's Journey from Entrepreneur to VC Harry asks David about his transition from founder to venture capitalist. David outlines selling his email marketing company and his early path through Masthead and Venrock before Harry asks a brief follow-up about his career inflection point.4:23–8:14 · Harry as informed peer 5/10 Comparing VC Firm Models: Masthead, Venrock, and NextView Harry demonstrates venture industry knowledge by discussing follow-on funding consensus and quoting Tony Conrad on gut versus academic investing. David explains how NextView adapted decision-making processes from previous firms like Venrock.8:22–12:28 · Harry as informed peer 4/10 NextView Fund III and 'The Everyday Economy' Thesis Harry asks David about NextView Fund III's focus on the Everyday Economy and compares voice computing hype to AR, VR, and blockchain. David shares shipment statistics and market dynamics around Amazon Alexa devices.12:28–14:43 · Harry as informed peer 4/10 Monetization, Distribution, and Startup Opportunities in Voice David details early mobile app store analogies to voice ecosystem opportunities. Harry asks whether Apple will enforce a walled garden approach, to which David admits he lacks a crystal ball.14:49–18:25 · Harry as informed peer 4/10 The Three Levels of Voice Application Development David explains his three-level framework for voice applications before moving into a quickfire round. Harry challenges David with a provocative question on whether bridge rounds signify failure, prompting a mild rebuttal from David.2:21–4:22 · Guest teaching 3/10 David Beisel's Journey from Entrepreneur to VC Harry asks David about his transition from founder to venture capitalist. David outlines selling his email marketing company and his early path through Masthead and Venrock before Harry asks a brief follow-up about his career inflection point.4:23–8:14 · Guest teaching 3/10 Comparing VC Firm Models: Masthead, Venrock, and NextView Harry demonstrates venture industry knowledge by discussing follow-on funding consensus and quoting Tony Conrad on gut versus academic investing. David explains how NextView adapted decision-making processes from previous firms like Venrock.8:22–12:28 · Guest teaching 4/10 NextView Fund III and 'The Everyday Economy' Thesis Harry asks David about NextView Fund III's focus on the Everyday Economy and compares voice computing hype to AR, VR, and blockchain. David shares shipment statistics and market dynamics around Amazon Alexa devices.12:28–14:43 · Guest teaching 4/10 Monetization, Distribution, and Startup Opportunities in Voice David details early mobile app store analogies to voice ecosystem opportunities. Harry asks whether Apple will enforce a walled garden approach, to which David admits he lacks a crystal ball.14:49–18:25 · Guest teaching 3/10 The Three Levels of Voice Application Development David explains his three-level framework for voice applications before moving into a quickfire round. Harry challenges David with a provocative question on whether bridge rounds signify failure, prompting a mild rebuttal from David.2:21–4:22 · Guest disagreement 0/10 David Beisel's Journey from Entrepreneur to VC Harry asks David about his transition from founder to venture capitalist. David outlines selling his email marketing company and his early path through Masthead and Venrock before Harry asks a brief follow-up about his career inflection point.4:23–8:14 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Comparing VC Firm Models: Masthead, Venrock, and NextView Harry demonstrates venture industry knowledge by discussing follow-on funding consensus and quoting Tony Conrad on gut versus academic investing. David explains how NextView adapted decision-making processes from previous firms like Venrock.8:22–12:28 · Guest disagreement 0/10 NextView Fund III and 'The Everyday Economy' Thesis Harry asks David about NextView Fund III's focus on the Everyday Economy and compares voice computing hype to AR, VR, and blockchain. David shares shipment statistics and market dynamics around Amazon Alexa devices.12:28–14:43 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Monetization, Distribution, and Startup Opportunities in Voice David details early mobile app store analogies to voice ecosystem opportunities. Harry asks whether Apple will enforce a walled garden approach, to which David admits he lacks a crystal ball.14:49–18:25 · Guest disagreement 2/10 The Three Levels of Voice Application Development David explains his three-level framework for voice applications before moving into a quickfire round. Harry challenges David with a provocative question on whether bridge rounds signify failure, prompting a mild rebuttal from David.2:21–4:22 · Harry pushing back 1/10 David Beisel's Journey from Entrepreneur to VC Harry asks David about his transition from founder to venture capitalist. David outlines selling his email marketing company and his early path through Masthead and Venrock before Harry asks a brief follow-up about his career inflection point.4:23–8:14 · Harry pushing back 2/10 Comparing VC Firm Models: Masthead, Venrock, and NextView Harry demonstrates venture industry knowledge by discussing follow-on funding consensus and quoting Tony Conrad on gut versus academic investing. David explains how NextView adapted decision-making processes from previous firms like Venrock.8:22–12:28 · Harry pushing back 1/10 NextView Fund III and 'The Everyday Economy' Thesis Harry asks David about NextView Fund III's focus on the Everyday Economy and compares voice computing hype to AR, VR, and blockchain. David shares shipment statistics and market dynamics around Amazon Alexa devices.12:28–14:43 · Harry pushing back 1/10 Monetization, Distribution, and Startup Opportunities in Voice David details early mobile app store analogies to voice ecosystem opportunities. Harry asks whether Apple will enforce a walled garden approach, to which David admits he lacks a crystal ball.14:49–18:25 · Harry pushing back 3/10 The Three Levels of Voice Application Development David explains his three-level framework for voice applications before moving into a quickfire round. Harry challenges David with a provocative question on whether bridge rounds signify failure, prompting a mild rebuttal from David.

speaking balance: gold is Harry, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Harry 89.8% · guest 10.2%0:00 · Harry 89.8% · guest 10.2%3:00 · Harry 23.8% · guest 76.2%3:00 · Harry 23.8% · guest 76.2%6:00 · Harry 32.9% · guest 67.1%6:00 · Harry 32.9% · guest 67.1%9:00 · Harry 24.4% · guest 75.6%9:00 · Harry 24.4% · guest 75.6%12:00 · Harry 22.8% · guest 77.2%12:00 · Harry 22.8% · guest 77.2%15:00 · Harry 14.9% · guest 85.1%15:00 · Harry 14.9% · guest 85.1%18:00 · Harry 86.5% · guest 13.5%18:00 · Harry 86.5% · guest 13.5%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 17:18 David refutes the idea that bridge rounds always mean failure

When Harry asserts that bridge rounds are signs of failing Series A metrics, David pushes back by pointing out that market shifts or unappreciated metrics often justify them.

 Hardest push from Harry ▶ 17:16 Harry challenges the premise of bridge rounds

Harry deliberately poses a provocative premise asking if bridge rounds are merely failed Series A attempts, pushing David to justify them.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 10:29 David breaks down Echo market statistics and voice adoption

David educates the host by supplying specific Echo sales numbers and Amazon's strategy to explain why voice computing has reached a critical inflection point.

 Harry holds his own ▶ 6:54 Harry quotes Tony Conrad on gut versus academic investing

Harry demonstrates sharp VC knowledge by citing Tony Conrad's evolution from academic investor to founder-driven gut investor when asking David about his own evolution.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicHarry as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementHarry pushing backWhy
David Beisel's Journey from Entrepreneur to VC 2301 Harry asks David about his transition from founder to venture capitalist. David outlines selling his email marketing company and his early path through Masthead and Venrock before Harry asks a brief follow-up about his career inflection point.
Comparing VC Firm Models: Masthead, Venrock, and NextView 5302 Harry demonstrates venture industry knowledge by discussing follow-on funding consensus and quoting Tony Conrad on gut versus academic investing. David explains how NextView adapted decision-making processes from previous firms like Venrock.
NextView Fund III and 'The Everyday Economy' Thesis 4401 Harry asks David about NextView Fund III's focus on the Everyday Economy and compares voice computing hype to AR, VR, and blockchain. David shares shipment statistics and market dynamics around Amazon Alexa devices.
Monetization, Distribution, and Startup Opportunities in Voice 4411 David details early mobile app store analogies to voice ecosystem opportunities. Harry asks whether Apple will enforce a walled garden approach, to which David admits he lacks a crystal ball.
The Three Levels of Voice Application Development 4323 David explains his three-level framework for voice applications before moving into a quickfire round. Harry challenges David with a provocative question on whether bridge rounds signify failure, prompting a mild rebuttal from David.

Statements from this episode (11)

Assertion Not checkable as stated
Beisel: NextView writes an investment memo for every seed deal
“We actually, at NextView, write an investment memo for every single seed investment we make.”
David Beisel Aug 16, 2017 ▶ 5:41
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Beisel: NextView uses a two-step voting process for initial investments
“We actually have a two-step voting process where We vote very early on when we meet with entrepreneurs, then we vote, then we actually vote again when we make the final decision-making process.”
David Beisel Aug 16, 2017 ▶ 6:37
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Beisel: NextView requires unanimous partner consent for follow-on investments
“For follow-on funding, we actually make it unanimous entirely.”
David Beisel Aug 16, 2017 ▶ 6:51
Insight
Beisel: Solving distribution solves most other problems for B2B and B2C startups
“I think if you can solve distribution and get your product out there, whether it's a B to C company or B to B company, lots of other problems go away, right?”
David Beisel Aug 16, 2017 ▶ 8:06
Assertion Not publicly verifiable
Beisel: Amazon shipped 10 million Echo devices in 2016
“So, ten million devices were shipped in 2016.”
David Beisel Aug 16, 2017 ▶ 10:43
Prediction Held up
Beisel: Amazon will ship 20M to 40M Echo devices in 2017
“Somewhere between 20 to forty million are going to be Shipped in here in 2017.”
David Beisel Aug 16, 2017 ▶ 10:47
Prediction Held up
Beisel predicts 50 million voice-connected devices in homes by late 2017
“By the end of the year, literally, fifty million devices in people's homes are going to have that kind of connection.”
David Beisel Aug 16, 2017 ▶ 11:20
Insight
Beisel: Voice computing's primary bottlenecks are monetization and distribution
“The challenges right now with voice computing are really around monetization and distribution, right?”
David Beisel Aug 16, 2017 ▶ 12:30
Prediction Not checkable as stated
Beisel: Voice fragmentation creates opportunities for startups to build connective tissue
“A consumer in their bedroom or in their kitchen isn't going to want to talk to the different device differently, and so there's probably some area for startups to kind of be connective tissue around a cohesive experience.”
David Beisel Aug 16, 2017 ▶ 13:50
Insight
Beisel: First-generation apps on new platforms merely replicate older platforms
“Yeah, so the idea is that, like, when you have a new platform shift, right, so if you go from PCs to mobile and Or mobile to, you know, hopefully here voice computing. The first kind of love application just replicates what the other one was, what happened in …”
David Beisel Aug 16, 2017 ▶ 14:55
Insight
Beisel: Bridge rounds usually mean a startup missed its Series A metrics
“I would say only sometimes, but most often. I mean, I think other times you can see things that other investors don't see, or the metrics weren't there. You might actually have hit the right metrics, but the market moved on you.”
David Beisel Aug 16, 2017 ▶ 17:20
Made with StarZero

Turn any episode into a week of clips.

This entire site, over 1,200 episodes transcribed, diarized, checked and made playable, runs on the StarZero media pipeline. Drop in your own episode and the podcast clipper finds the moments worth sharing, cuts them, captions them, and reframes them for every feed.

Try the podcast clipper Learn more