StrictlyVC Download, a weekly podcast that airs every Tuesday, has become a significant platform for discussing innovative ideas in the venture capital industry. In our most recent episode, Connie Loizos, Editor-in-Chief of TechCrunch, recently joined the co-founder of Drive Capital’s Chris Olsen on his front porch. They dug into the firm’s unique approaches that are producing eye-popping performance.
Drive Capital was co-founded by Chris Olsen and Mark Kvamme, who first became friends and colleagues at Sequoia Capital. They’ve taken a contrarian view on just about everything venture funded. This encompasses their views on size of fund, level of ownership stake and geographic focus. Throughout the podcast, Olsen outlined how these tactics helped distinguish Drive Capital from typical firms. Yet he underscored their importance for powering the company’s overall success in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
Olsen explained that while many venture firms gravitate toward larger funds and high-profile companies, Drive Capital has intentionally chosen a different path. This strategic approach gives them the muscle to invest and innovate in opportunities where others can’t, especially in cities such as Columbus, Ohio. Through the podcast, we highlighted one of the more exciting trends. Silicon Valley billionaires looking to invest outside their wealthy enclaves need look no further than Columbus, which is rapidly becoming a favored destination.
The conversation touched on the state of the industry today in light of the so-called “venture reckoning.” Olsen was able to articulate how their non-traditional approach at Drive Capital is producing tremendous returns while most other firms are crumbling out here. Drive Capital’s unique focus is on the regions not included in Silicon Valley. By taking a nimble and opportunistic investment approach, the firm has placed itself in the best position to weather volatile market cycles.
Maggie Stamets is a Podcast Producer for TechCrunch, based in Denver, Colorado. She is critical to the production of StrictlyVC Download. She has a minor in English from Hofstra University in New York. This background endows her with the expertise to provide context in order to create smart conversations around emerging trends between the worlds of technology and finance.
