Insight certainty 3/5 debate potential 2/5

Rahul Chandra says VCs are as clueless as anyone else

Rahul Chandra · Episode 54 | Rahul Chandra, Managing Director, Unitary Helion Fund · Mar 2, 2020 · at 2:13

Rahul Chandra, founding partner of Unitary Helion Ventures, explains the realities of VC decision-making and how investors evaluate early-stage startups.

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“When you actually talk to A VC I think the point I wanted to bring out was they are probably as clueless as anybody else. You know, it's not like you know, they have a crystal ball. They're trying to decipher and learn with you and also take you know, a leap into the future along with you.”

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