Delian Asparouhov: Inside the Walls of Founders Fund: What the World Does Not See | E1183

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

July 29, 2024

Duration

1h 18m

Channel

The Twenty Minute VC

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Delian Asparouhov is a Partner at Founders Fund and Co-Founder and President of Varda Space Industries, which is building the world’s first space factories. At Founders Fund Delian has led deals in the likes of Ramp ($7BN) and Sword Health ($3BN) among others. Before joining Founders Fund, he was a Principal at Khosla Ventures, Head of Growth at Teespring, and Founder of a healthcare company called Nightingale. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:06) Background Experiences (05:58) The Value of Europe's Culture & Heritage in Today's Economy (11:09) Meeting with Keith Rabois (16:42) Key Lessons from Keith (25:34) Advice for Aspiring VCs: Deal Volume vs. Selectivity (26:45) Common Mistakes Young VCs Make Today (29:48) Deals That Didn't Cross the Line (34:17) The Unique Elements That Make Founders Fund Special (42:43) Balancing Investor Interests & Founder Alignment (46:55) Contrasting Opinions with Founders Fund (54:32) The Impact of Deal Heat on Company Performance (59:53) Adapting to a New Investment Landscape (01:01:29) The Top 3 VC Firms in 10 Years (01:02:17) Biggest Losers in 10 Years of Venture (01:07:49) Advice on Marrying Up & Finding a Life Partner (01:11:27) Fatherhood (01:12:25) Delian’s Most Radical Untweeted Thought (01:14:07) Quick-Fire Round -------------------------------------------------------------------- In Today’s Episode with Delian Asparouhov We Discuss:

1. Venture Capital: Winners, Losers and Everyone Else: Who are the Top 3 venture firms in the world today according to Delian? Why does Delian believe that Benchmark are not the firm they were? Who will be the winners in venture in the next 10 years? Who will be the losers in venture in the next 10 years?

1. Inside Founders Fund: What No One Sees: What are the most important and impactful elements of Founders Fund that no one knows about? What does Delian believe that the Founders Fund partnership will strongly disagree with him on? Why does Founders Fund believe the path of most resistance is the best way to make decisions? What single topic has Delian publicly disagreed with Peter Thiel on most? How did it go?

1. What Every Young VC Needs to Know: What are Delian’s single biggest tips to young VCs looking to scale the VC ladder today? What are the five core pillars of venture according to Delian? What should young VCs focus on? Why does Delian disagree with Founders Fund partners that “the best founders do not need the help of their VCs?” Does Delian agree with Vinod Khosla that “90% of VCs do detract value?” What are the biggest ways that Delian believes VCs can and do detract value?

1. Europe Will Be Third World, Parenting and Marriage: Why does Delian believe that Western Europe will become like the third world? What are Delian’s single biggest tips on finding a life partner? What have been the biggest changes to Delian since becoming a father? What question does no one ask Delian that someone should ask him? -------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3j2KMcZTtgTNBKwtZBMHvl?si=85bc9196860e4466 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-twenty-minute-vc-20vc-venture-capital-startup/id958230465 Follow Harry Stebbings on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HarryStebbings Follow Delian Asparouhov on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zebulgar Follow 20VC on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/20vchq Follow 20VC on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@20vc_tok Visit our Website: https://www.20vc.com Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.thetwentyminutevc.com/contact -------------------------------------------------------------------- #20vc #harrystebbings #podcast #delianasparouhov #foundersfund #partner #founder #varda #khoslaventures #benchmark #parenting

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Delian Asparouhov

  guest

• Harry Stebbings

  host

• Narrator

  other

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of The Twenty Minute VC, featuring Delian Asparouhov and Harry Stebbings, Delian Asparouhov: Inside the Walls of Founders Fund: What the World Does Not See | E1183 explores inside Founders Fund: Aristocracy, Space, and Reinventing Venture Capital Strategy Delian Asparouhov discusses his Bulgarian-American identity, his path into Silicon Valley, and how early experiences at Square and with Keith Rabois shaped his views on operating and company-building.

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