Last Money In's Venture Capital Resource Starter Guide

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Last Money In's Venture Capital Starter Guide

This week we’re putting out the venture capital resource guide for those new or growing in the VC ecosystem. The goal of this guide is to provide a resource list for accredited investors, venture capitalists and anyone interested in the VC asset class. We spend all of our time in the VC ecosystem and want to share the most beneficial resources for those looking to enter or learn more about the space. 

For some context on this resource guide; we candidly could have made this list 5x longer if we wanted to as there’s no shortage of great tools, resources and people in this ecosystem to recommend, but these are the tools/resources that many VCs have used/read at some point in their lifecycle and are highest ROI on time. In line with the Last Money In ethos, we also are providing some actionable resources to start investing in startups today.

If Only Five (Zach) … If I only had five resources to restart my VC journey, I’d “start” here: 

  • Venture Deals by Brad Feld - an essential read that provides an in-depth exploration of the critical terms and processes involved in venture capital transactions. It serves as an invaluable introduction to understanding term sheets and the overall technicalities of the venture capital landscape

  • 20 Minute VC by Harry Stebbings - prior to entering the venture capital industry, this podcast was a very useful resource for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the field from some of the most seasoned venture capitalists across various stages and sectors

  • Sydecar or AngelList - these platforms facilitate the administration of special purpose vehicles (SPVs) and traditional funds, offering cap table management and other software tools. Sydecar provides a streamlined process for launching SPVs quickly. Joining syndicates on these platforms can further your education in the venture capital domain and provide access to active deal flow. If you want an introduction to Sydecar to launch your own SPVs, fill out this form. If you’re an accredited investor, I highly recommend joining syndicates today (more on that at the bottom)

  • Angel by Jason Calacanis - a comprehensive guide authored by serial entrepreneur and angel investor Jason Calacanis, specifically designed for aspiring angel investors

  • TechCrunch - leading publishing platform dedicated to covering the venture capital ecosystem, providing timely news and insights to stay informed about the latest developments in the industry

If Only Five (Alex) … If I only had five resources to restart my VC journey, I’d “start” here: 

  • Sydecar or AngelList - same as above. These are the platforms where tons of SPV deals are getting done for participation by individual accredited investors without the requirement of being a VC

  • Angel by Jason Calacanis - same as above, and this was one of the first books I read that 1) provided meaningful amounts of VC/angel investor context and 2) led me to syndicates :) 

  • Crunchbase - a great tool to leverage as kind of a directory of previous fundraising activity. I am constantly engaging with Crunchbase to find recent companies a VC has funded and which VCs are on a companies’ cap table. I use this daily

  • The Hard Things About Hard Things - written by Ben Horowitz, co-founder at Andreessen Horowitz, provides an amazing founder perspective, much of which contributed to the launch of a16z. Fwiw, this is my favorite book ever

  • TechCrunch - same as above. Really keeps you in the know on new deals being funded and macro changes in VC

(Have a different five? Share with us and will share other VCs favorite resources in a follow-up post)

Research:

  • Pitchbook - comprehensive platform providing in-depth venture capital deal and limited partner data, catering primarily to salaried venture capitalists or those actively deploying capital, given its premium pricing (~$30k/year starting pricing)

  • Crunchbase - extensive database of companies across all stages, offering a more affordable alternative to Pitchbook, albeit with a lower level of granularity in its data compared to Pitchbook's offering (~$600/year)

  • Glimpse - complimentary Chrome extension that enables users to monitor search volume trends on Google, set alerts, and construct topic maps, providing valuable insights for market research

  • Open VC - extensive database encompassing a vast array of venture capital funds, with robust filtering capabilities to refine search results based on specific criteria

  • Product Hunt - platform dedicated to showcasing the latest trending software products, with some tools featured on this list having been launched on Product Hunt

  • HackerNews - social news website operated by Y Combinator, focusing on computer science and entrepreneurship, fostering insightful discussions within the tech community

  • Harmonic - data engine that tracks startups, offering users the ability to create detailed filters and receive notifications on their areas of interest through an API, enabling efficient monitoring of the startup ecosystem

  • CapitalIQ-  while not essential for those who already have access to Pitchbook and are in the venture capital industry, CapitalIQ provides deal comparables, deal screening, and other research tools, serving as a valuable resource for data-driven analysis ($36k/year starting price)

Books: 

  • Angel by Jason Calacanis - a guide for aspiring angel investors, written by serial entrepreneur and angel investor Jason Calacanis

  • Venture Deals by Brad Feld - a must-read book that provides an inside look at the key terms and processes involved in venture capital deals

  • Secrets of Sandhill Road by Scott Kapor - an insider's perspective on the venture capital world, written by Lotus Development Corporation founder and veteran VC Scott Kapor

  • Zero to One by Peter Thiel - a book by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel that explores the importance of building truly innovative and monopolistic companies

  • The Business of Venture Capital by Mahendra Ramsinghani - exploration into venture capital, demystifying the process, players, and practices that drive innovation and entrepreneurial success

  • The Hard Thing About Hard Things - written by Ben Horowitz, co-founder at Andreessen Horowitz, a memoir and guide for entrepreneurs and business leaders, sharing hard-won lessons and advice from Horowitz's experience as a co-founder and CEO of a successful technology company

Podcast/YouTube: 

  • 20 Minute VC by Harry Stebbings - weekly podcast featuring insightful conversations with esteemed leaders in the venture capital industry

  • Invest like the Best - while this podcast covers a broad spectrum of investing topics, it occasionally features invaluable insights from venture capitalists, making it a worthwhile resource

  • 10X Capital Podcast - uniquely focused on interviews with limited partners (LPs), this podcast provides an in-depth exploration of the often overlooked LP perspective within the venture capital ecosystem

  • The Full Ratchet by Nick Moran - demystifying the venture capital world through insightful interviews with VCs and founders

  • All In Podcast - this podcast delves into the narratives and strategies surrounding startup investing, covering a wide range of topics, including venture capital, angel investing, and current events shaping the investment landscape

Online Resources (newsletters, publications, blogs):

  • Last Money In - the #1 resource on VC syndicates 

  • John Gannon Blog - curated aggregator of top articles and insights from across the venture capital ecosystem, providing a comprehensive view of the industry. Also has a VC jobs board

  • Signature Block - bi-weekly publication by Ryan Hoover, Founder of Product Hunt, offering in-depth articles and commentary on venture capital firms and their activities

  • TechCrunch - eading publication dedicated to covering all aspects of the venture capital industry, providing timely news and analysis

  • CloudedJudgement - published by Altimeter, this resource focuses on SaaS metrics, offering valuable insights for venture capitalists and founders alike

  • Term Sheet and Pro Rata- daily digest that aggregates the latest deal announcements and top stories shaping the venture capital landscape

  • The Information - premium content platform that breaks significant stories and provides in-depth reporting on the venture capital and technology sectors

  • The Stratechery - premium subscription-based publication offering comprehensive and incisive daily articles on technology trends and their implications for the venture capital industry

  • Law of VC by Chris Harvey - regarded as one of the premier legal resources for emerging venture capital fund managers, offering invaluable guidance on the legal complexities of the industry

VC Software Stack: 

  • Affinity - deal flow tracking & CRM; I wish I started with this day 1

  • Airtable - dynamic version of excel for tracking, CRM, lists, etc. 

  • Hubspot/Salesforce - robust CRM, but Affinity works well for most VCs

  • Streak - clean Gmail Chrome extension with a CRM built for venture work, but only will only be useful if your team is using GSuite

  • Standard Metrics - dual-sided portfolio management and investor relations solution, for traditional VC

  • Docusign - electronic signature and digital transaction management services

  • Docsend - secure document sharing and analytics platform 

  • G-Suite - personally I still use g-suite for surveys/forms, word docs, spreadsheets and more

  • Canva - seamless deck design even for the creative incompetent 

Communication:

  • Slack - well known for internal team communications, but also has great integration with tools like Zapier (ex: automatically create a Slack channel for a deal)

  • GMass - mass email organization and can be used to send things like portfolio updates or cold emails

  • Superhuman - one of the most talked about email clients that makes going through emails faster.

  • Notion - useful for great internal team documentation and task tracking. I’ve also used this to track progress on professional goals for performance reviews

  • Loom - a screen and video recording tool that’s useful for sending internal team updates or quick explanations to save on meeting time

  • Google Meet - video conferencing free and get the job done for me

  • Zoom - video conferencing 

  • Calendly - the source of many Twitter debates, but definitely has all the key features of a scheduling tool would need

AI Tools: 

  • Perplexity - AI search answer engine and research tool 

  • Anthropic - AI search, research and writing tool 

  • ChatGPT - AI search, research and writing tool

Social:

  • Twitter - social media site where most of the VC conversation is happening. Some follows to get you started Jason Lemkin's for all things SaaS, handle is @jasonlk, Jamin Ball for SaaS metrics @jaminball, Garry Tan (YC President) @Garrytan, Jason Calacanis @Jason, David Sacks Partner at Craft @DavidSacks, Shaun Maguire Partner at Sequoia @shaunmmaguire, Fred Wilson of USV @fredwilson, Brad Gerstner GP at Altimeter @altcap, Dan Primack @danprimack

  • Linkedin - social media site that was previously more for professional networking with a lot more VC conversation picking up on it 

Fund Administration:

  • Sydecar - specialized platform for the administration of special purpose vehicles (SPVs), offering a streamlined suite of services tailored for this investment structure. Sydecar is highly regarded among users for its efficient fund administration capabilities and cost-effectiveness, particularly for smaller SPVs, but also for large ones. Sydecar also supports VC funds. Sydecar’s Blog, Newsletter, and Learning Center are worth looking into. Introductions to the platform can be facilitated through their dedicated form 

  • AngelList - comprehensive platform that provides fund administration services for traditional funds, SPVs, and Rolling Funds. In addition to cap table management, AngelList offers a suite of software tools designed to streamline various aspects of the investment processcomprehensive platform that provides fund administration services for traditional funds, SPVs, and Rolling Funds. In addition to cap table management, AngelList offers a suite of software tools designed to streamline various aspects of the investment process

  • Carta - renowned for its cap table management capabilities, Carta has expanded its offerings to include fund administration services for SPVs and funds, providing a holistic solution for managing equity and investment portfolios

VC Accelerators: 

  • Coolwater Capital - regarded as the preeminent venture capital accelerator program, often referred to as the "Y Combinator of VC accelerators." It enjoys a distinguished reputation for nurturing and mentoring aspiring venture capitalists

  • VC Lab  - another esteemed accelerator program designed specifically for general partners (GPs) seeking to establish and grow their venture capital firms. VC Lab provides a structured environment for developing the necessary skills and gaining valuable insights from industry experts

Startup Accelerators:

  • YCombinator - prestigious startup accelerator program that provides early-stage companies with mentorship, resources, and exposure to potential investors. Attendance at their demo days is highly encouraged for venture capitalists seeking enhanced deal flow opportunities

  • Techstars - globally renowned startup accelerator that has established a strong reputation for fostering entrepreneurial success through its comprehensive support and mentorship programs

  • 500 Startups - global venture capital seed fund and startup accelerator founded by Dave McClure, providing early-stage companies with capital, resources, and access to a vast network of investors and industry experts

  • Plug&Play - global innovation platform that facilitates connections between startups, corporations, investors, and universities, fostering collaboration and enabling the exchange of ideas and resources

  • LAUNCH - startup accelerator and entrepreneurial community founded by Jason Calacanis, offering early-stage companies access to mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities within the entrepreneurial ecosystem

  • a16z Speedrun - initiative by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) that provides support and resources to early-stage startups operating at the intersection of games and technology. a16z is expanding this model to other emerging categories, such as web3, to nurture innovation across various sectors

Venture Capital Lawyers:

There’s many more great ones here, but these are two we have experience with. 

See Deal flow TODAY (accredited investors only):

If there’s something we missed that is a must include, let us know and we’ll add it to the resource list. 

We’d also love to hear your top 5 must haves for getting started in VC; we’ll share them in a follow-up post.

If you enjoyed this read through, feel free to review our prior articles on guides in VC: 

Last Money in is Powered by Sydecar

Sydecar empowers syndicate leads to manage their investments more effectively. Organize, manage, and engage your investor network effortlessly with Sydecar’s management and communication tools. Their platform also automates banking, compliance, contracts, tax, and reporting, freeing up syndicate leads to focus on securing deals and strengthening investor relations. Elevate your syndicate operations with Sydecar.

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✍️ Written by Zachary and Alex