In this episode, Grace interviews Caroline Casson, Partner at VITALIZE Venture Capital, a seed-stage fund investing in the future of work. Caroline shares her unconventional path into venture capital, starting from a corporate finance role at GE to helping incubate a startup in the drone industry with GE Ventures. She discusses her transition to VITALIZE, the evolution of the fund’s thesis, and the importance of having a focus when sourcing deals. Caroline dives into the qualities she looks for in founders, from attention to detail to passion for solving specific problems. She reflects on navigating the VC landscape while staying grounded amidst hype cycles. She also shares practical advice for founders on evaluating their company's potential for venture funding and the benefits of capital efficiency.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Introduction and Caroline’s Venture Journey
• 01:22 Getting Into Venture Capital
• 04:36 The Transition to VITALIZE
• 07:35 From Corporate to Startup: Challenges and Lessons
• 09:43 Understanding Risk and Timing
• 11:30 Evaluating Startups: Key Tools and Insights
• 16:13 Identifying Successful Founder Traits
• 17:53 The Focus on the Future of Work at VITALIZE
• 21:20 Differentiating Trends from Real Opportunities
• 23:14 The Midwest Advantage in VC
• 25:38 Providing Value Beyond Capital: VITALIZE’s Network Approach
• 28:11 Should You Raise Venture Capital or Not?
• 31:26 Final Advice for Founders

Takeaways:

• Caroline’s journey shows that unconventional paths can lead to successful venture careers.
• Attention to detail and a genuine passion for solving problems are vital founder traits.
• VITALIZE focuses on redefining workflows across industries, not just trendy markets.
• Founders should align their funding strategy with their business model and lifestyle goals.