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Episode E107 - Julia Krieger - Pari Passu Venture Partners
Female VC Lab Episode 107
Barbara Bickham
December 06, 2024
In partnership with
Hi Impactful Listener!
In this episode, Julia shares her journey into the world of venture capital, driven by her strong entrepreneurial spirit and desire to support a diverse range of companies. She delves into the unique structure of Pari Passu, which focuses on individual SPVs and leverages the expertise of experienced operators to add true value to their portfolio companies. Julia also discusses the importance of continuous learning, highlighting her recent reading of "The Surrender Experiment" by Michael Singer, and explores the evolving landscape of venture capital, emphasizing the increasing need for value-add investors and thoughtful capital deployment. Join us as we uncover Julia's insights on building a supportive community for founders and their ventures.
Key Points Discussed
Julia’s Path to Venture Capital: Julia discusses how her entrepreneurial spirit and operational experience led her to a career in venture capitalism.
Pari Passu’s Unique Investment Approach: Julia explores the SPV (Special Purpose Vehicles) model used by Pari Passu, focusing on supporting operators-turned-investors with smaller check sizes.
Importance of Value-Add Investors: The discussion emphasizes the significance of having experienced operators on the cap table to de-risk businesses.
Personal Development and Flow vs. Force: Julia shares insights on personal growth through the book “The Surrender Experiment” by Michael Singer.
Future Trends in Venture Capital: Julia provides her perspective on trends like increased emphasis on value-add investors and rising interest in niche sectors like defense tech and wellness tech.
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Chapters
00:10 Introduction
00:21 Journey to VC
01:07 Investment Thesis
03:02 Origin of the Name
03:50 Current Learnings
06:37 Future of Venture Capital
09:26 Contact Information
Full Topic Guide
Exploring the Unique Approach of Pari Passu Venture Partners
Julia’s Path to Venture Capital
Julia Krieger’s journey into venture capital is rooted in her diverse experience as an entrepreneur and operator. Her passion for building and supporting a variety of businesses led her to venture capitalism, where she found a balance between her entrepreneurial spirit and intellectual curiosity. By becoming a venture capitalist, Julia can engage with numerous companies across different sectors and provide valuable support without being confined to a single company.
Pari Passu’s Unique Investment Approach
At Pari Passu Venture Partners, Julia and her team employ a unique investment model through individual Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs). Unlike traditional venture funds, Pari Passu emphasizes creating a supportive village around founders by involving experienced operators who can offer more than just capital. These investors, often seasoned entrepreneurs themselves, can put in smaller check sizes ranging from $10k to $50k while providing significant strategic value to the portfolio companies. This innovative model aims to bridge the gap between high-value operators and top deals in venture capital.
Importance of Value-Add Investors
Julia highlights the critical role of value-add investors in today's venture capital landscape. With the ups and downs experienced over the past five years, having investors who can actively support and guide founders during challenging times has become increasingly important. Founders are now more diligent in selecting investors who bring not only financial backing but also operational expertise and a readiness to roll up their sleeves during difficult periods.
Personal Development and Flow vs. Force
Julia's approach to personal growth is profoundly influenced by "The Surrender Experiment" by Michael Singer. The book’s central theme of 'flow versus force' resonates with her, emphasizing the importance of adapting and aligning with life’s natural rhythm rather than forcing outcomes. Julia believes that being in a state of flow enhances open-mindedness, adaptability, and overall happiness, which are crucial traits for leaders and operators.
Future Trends in Venture Capital
Looking ahead, Julia predicts several key trends in the venture capital space. Firstly, there will be a greater emphasis on value-add investors, with founders seeking out supporters who can offer substantial operational insights. Secondly, more industries that were once considered niche, such as defense tech and wellness tech, are garnering attention and investment. This shift reflects a broader acknowledgment of the value and potential within these sectors.
Notable Quotes from the Guest
The Importance of Value-Add Investors
I do see founders being more intentional and doing their diligence similarly on the people that they're bringing onto their cap table. What are these people like to work with when things do go wrong, and how supportive are they, and how much do they roll up their sleeves to help navigate? - Julia Krieger
Fun Facts or Interesting Tidbits
Fund Name: Pari Passu means "on equal footing," reflecting the firm's ethos of founder-to-founder and operator-to-operator support.
App Launch: Pari Passu launched an app eight months ago designed to be the tech home for their community, supporting founders by connecting them with experienced operators.
Rereading "The Surrender Experiment": Julia Krieger is currently rereading "The Surrender Experiment" by Michael Singer, a book focused on the concept of flow versus force in life and personal growth.
Episode Resource: Learning, Reading, and Listening
Here are the resources mentioned:
The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer
Description: This book emphasizes the importance of going with the flow in life rather than forcing situations. It integrates personal growth and professional leadership, offering valuable lessons through the author’s own extraordinary journey.
Feel free to explore this book to gain deeper insights into personal and professional development.
Featured Guest Bio
Julia is an experienced venture investor and startup founder. In 2024, she co-founded PariPassu, a private investor app that gives fellow founders, operators, and accredited investors access to angel invest in the most highly competitive deals in the venture ecosystem and be a part of the village that helps these founders succeed. As Managing Partner at Pari Passu Venture Partners (PPVP), a founder-led, founder-backed early-stage venture firm investing in the future of commerce, SaaS, and consumer tech, Julia has backed 30 investments/ 28 portfolio companies to date. Previously an investor at Insight Partners, Julia invested over $100M in SaaS and marketplace companies globally. Prior, Julia founded and ran VillageLuxe, a venture-backed peer-to-peer luxury rental marketplace, for which she was awarded the Forbes 30 Under 30 accolade. Julia is a strategic advisor and investor in technology.
Email: [email protected]
Fund Information
Pari Passu Venture Partners is a founder-backed, founder-led venture firm that has invested in 30 companies, including Function Health and SpaceX. In February 2024, it launched Pari Passu, an innovative investment platform and fintech app designed to empower fellow founders, operators, and approved accredited investors to co-invest alongside top-tier VCs. Pari Passu represents a paradigm shift in venture investing, democratizing access to high-caliber deal flow with investments as low as $10k, while enabling investors to contribute meaningfully to the growth of these startups. The platform’s co-investors include renowned funds like Sequoia, a16z, and Upfront Ventures. Through the app, members can explore deals, track their investments with real-time updates, and support their portfolios—all from their mobile devices. Investment opportunities range from pre-seed to growth stages across diverse sectors, including B2B SaaS, consumer tech, wellness, and defense. By building a powerful community of operator-investors, Pari Passu is transforming the cap table experience, bringing unparalleled support and value-add to founders.
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Best,
Barbara
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