USV: Thesis Driven Investing for Building Conviction
Rebecca Kaden is a managing partner at Union Square Ventures. She began her career as a journalist and prior to USV was a General Partner at Maveron, a consumer-focused early stage fund. Rebecca was born in New York City, where she now resides. She has invested in numerous technology companies disrupting legacy infrastructures and is continuing to look at startups that will be adapting our status quo for the future.
In this episode, we explore Union Square Ventures’ (USV) distinctive approach to investing, grounded in a strong thesis-driven strategy. Known for backing transformative companies, USV focuses on aligning investments with deeply held convictions about the future of technology, society, and business.
The conversation delves into the importance of having a clear investment thesis, how it shapes decision-making, and the ways it helps identify and support exceptional founders. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or curious about the principles behind successful venture capital, this episode provides valuable insights into USV’s philosophy and approach.
What’s in this episode?
- Building an investment thesis and sourcing deals based on conviction
- The rise of distributed teams and exodus from established startup hubs like Silicon Valley and NYC
- The nature of investing globally and the support of local VCs in emerging markets
- Staying competitive and relevant in the VC space with a small team
- Main struggles emerging market startups face in scaling globally
- Difficulty of creating high quality content and its benefits