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Following the sale of a small startup and facing rejection from every venture capital firm he approached, Tim Chen started making angel investments, which eventually led him to launch his own fund.
Today, as the sole investor at Essence VC, he has just wrapped up his fourth fund, raising $41 million “almost effortlessly.” What sets Chen apart? He’s technical enough to challenge PhD founders on implementation specifics, while also grasping the business forces that help startups dominate their sectors.
On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Julie Bort interviews Tim Chen to discuss the emergence of solo VCs and the people reshaping the conventional venture capital landscape.
Tune in to the full episode to learn about:
- Why the YC approach of “growth at any price” falls short for infrastructure startups, and what Chen advises technical founders to prioritize instead
- The pivotal shift Chen encouraged in one of his portfolio companies that dramatically altered their path
- How Chen’s experience as a “small exit founder” shaped his perspective on venture capital, and why he believes the industry has its priorities reversed
