Sean Ammirati is a partner at Birchmere Ventures who gives tips for European startups raising capital abroad. He outlines the basics of a VC's job is to find the best companies, invest on rational terms, and help them grow. He discusses what makes a great investment: a fantastic team, a large market, true differentiation, market validation, and fit with the fund's sector and stage. He provides three tips beyond building a great company: travel extensively, creatively self-promote, and relentlessly network.

1. Investment for the
Underdog
Tips for European Startups Raising Capital Abroad
Sean Ammirati
Partner, Birchmere Ventures

2. Pittsburgh
Office
Menlo Park
Office

3. Past:
Research Fellow, CMU Software Industry Center
Director Business Development, Peak Strategy
(sold to Morgan Stanley)
CEO & Co-Founder, mSpoke (sold to LinkedIn)
COO, ReadWriteWeb (sold to SAY Media)
Now:
Partner, Birchmere Ventures
Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship,
Carnegie Mellon University

4. The Basics ...

5. A VC’s Job:
Step 1: Find the best companies
Step 2: Invest on rational terms
Step 3: Help them grow

6. 1 Investment:
100 - 150 Pitches

7. The Relevant Question ...

8. The Relevant Question ...
What makes a great
investment?

9. 1 Fantastic Team
2 Large Market
3 True Differentiation
4 Market Validation
5 Fit with the Fund

10. The Team ...
Hustler
+
Hacker
(full time)

11. Large Market ...
VC
vs
Angel
(not necessarily a reflection on the biz)

12. True Differentiation ...
Patents
Engaged Community,
Strategic Relationships,
etc ...

13. Market Validation ...

14. Fit with the Fund ...
Sector
Stage
Partner can
add value

15. 3 Tips Beyond Building a
Great Company

16. #1 Travel ...
200,000 air miles in 2008
& 2009
(all domestic)

17. #2 Creatively Self Promote ...

18. #3 Relentlessly Network...
Adam Nash
VP, Product
LinkedIn

19. Questions ????
@SeanAmmirati

20. Sean Ammirati
Sean Ammirati joined Birchmere Ventures in 2012 to as the partner
leading Birchmere Labs, a seed and studio fund focused on community
driven commerce startups.
He has over 12 years founding, building and selling businesses in the
media and software industries. Sean was previously Chief Operating
Officer of ReadWriteWeb, one of the most influential sites about the
future of technology and innovation. In December 2011, the company
was acquired by SAY Media to strengthen its technology channel. Sean
was previously co-founder and CEO of mSpoke, which was the first
acquisition of LinkedIn.
Sean is currently an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Carnegie
Mellon University’s Tepper & Heinz Schools. He also was a founding
advisor to Innovation Works’ AlphaLab accelerator. He holds a B.S. in
computer information systems from Grove City College and was a
research fellow at Carnegie Mellon’s Sloan Software Industry Center.
p: 412.401.0037
e: seanammirati@gmail.com
t: @SeanAmmirati