There are really two things that matter most when it comes to backing an investor:
1) Do I trust them?
2) Will they make me money?
Let me answer these with evidence:
Training & Track Record:
I am a Harvard & UCLA-trained Psychologist & UCSF Med School Psychiatry Professor. Thus, I am exceptionally trained & skilled in assessing people, which is a valuable skillset since early-stage investing is as much of a bet on the founders as it is the company. At the very least, I am great at screening out psychopathic & delusional 'wantrepreneurs' who will burn your hard-earned money. At the very best, I am good at finding what I call "unicorn cowboys/cowgirls": founders who are execution-oriented, customer-oriented, charismatic/team-building & insightful/coachable, and who sublimate a healthy chip on their shoulders into making their companies an outsized success by sheer force of will. How do I know what it takes?
I am a proven entrepreneur myself: founding team member & clinical lead of B2B2C digital therapeutics company Omada Health ($600M valuation; I supervised 115+ employees), & Founder/CEO of B2B2C keto nutrition company Actualize (which was acquired). I then trained under Midas List VCs like Gus Tai as an EIR at Trinity Ventures, and am an advisor to a $3B AUM VC firm. I've done a half-dozen advisor/angel investments so far, which have all been funded by top-tier VCs: A16Z, Craft, Felicis, Floodgate, Founder's Fund, Lightspeed, Jackson Square, Kleiner Perkins, Khosla, Sequoia, USV.
Strategy & Competitive Advantage:
My strategy is simple but differentiated.
• I am market & founder-driven (vs. fad-driven): I invest in markets (consumer-oriented & health tech) that I know deeply and can add value, or where I know the founder to be exceptional.
• I only invest with top-tier VCs: I invest in companies that have the potential/are/were invested in by top-tier VCs. This makes it highly likely that the company will be funded again at a greater valuation, which appreciates your investment.
- Pre-Seed: I find early-stage companies with exceptional founders that I help get funding from top-tier VCs once they launch the product/have data (which is a prerequisite for most firms).
- Seed: I either bring or am brought seed-stage companies by top-tier VCs. They lead and I co-invest $100-250K since I add value. This is my sweet spot & have built my track record here.
- A/B/C: Opportunistically, I take allocations in top-tier VC-backed rocketships that are growing exponentially. These are more likely to be 3-5x returns than 10-100x, but less downside risk.
Angel investing is inherently risky and you may lose your investment, but the upside is higher as well, so make responsible decisions about how much of your savings to allocate to this fund.
ADVISOR/ANGEL INVESTMENTS:
• Polychain Capital (A16Z, USV, Sequoia; crypto hedge fund).
• Sakura (Kleiner Perkins; credit card for credit-less SMB owners).
• Keyto (Craft, Floodgate; consumer ketogenic weight loss).
• Feel (Felicis; hardware emotional sensor + CBT for mental health).
• Alto (Jackson Square; online pharmacy delivery)
• CareSwitch (Khosla; platform helps home care agencies hire & manage benefits)
• BetterUp (Lightspeed; executive coaching for all employees)
• MindBloom (Founder's Fund; psychedelic psychotherapy)
• MUD/WTR (Nebari; mushroom herbal tea beverage)
• TruePill (Initialized; AWS for pharmacies)
I syndicate all deals where I have a $100-250K allocation.
