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Next Round Ready

Next Round Ready

By: Christopher Hines
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 Where founders meet investors. Host Chris Hines features early-stage companies raising capital and the emerging fund managers investing in them. Founders: Get discovered by 200+ active investors. Investors: Access committee-vetted deal flow and build LP fundraising credibility. Your next round starts here.Copyright Next Round Economics Personal Finance Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Unlocking Extraordinary Leadership in Startups ft. Kelly Perdew (Throwback)

    Unlocking Extraordinary Leadership in Startups ft. Kelly Perdew (Throwback)
    Feb 20 2026
    In this conversation, Kelly Perdew, co-founder and managing partner of Moonshots Capital, discusses the critical role of extraordinary leadership in startup success, drawing from his military background and experience as a venture capitalist. He emphasizes the importance of personal branding for founders, the challenges of navigating government contracts, and the necessity of transitioning from a hands-on founder to a more strategic CEO role. Perdew also shares insights on identifying red flags in startups and the future vision for his investment firm.

    Chapters
    00:00 The Importance of Extraordinary Leadership
    02:52 Military Experience and Its Impact on Leadership
    05:43 The Role of Media and Personal Branding for Founders
    08:46 Navigating Government Contracts and Dual-Use Technologies
    11:51 The Transition from Founder to CEO
    14:35 Identifying Red Flags in Startups
    17:22 The Future Vision for Moonshots Capital


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    29 mins
  • The Engineer Who Invests Millions in Seattle Startups

    The Engineer Who Invests Millions in Seattle Startups
    Feb 19 2026
    Evan Poncelet discusses his journey from engineering to investing, focusing on the importance of supporting Black founders and addressing the challenges within the Seattle investment ecosystem. He emphasizes the need for more early-stage investments and the significance of understanding customer needs in building successful startups. The discussion also highlights the cultural differences in risk-taking between Seattle and other tech hubs, as well as the importance of creating a supportive network for underrepresented entrepreneurs.

    Chapters
    00:00 Introduction to AI in Graduation Ceremonies
    00:07 Evan Poncelet's Journey to Investing
    02:08 Legacy of Economic Development and Gentrification
    04:18 Building the Washington State Black Angel Network
    05:31 Challenges in the Seattle Investment Ecosystem
    09:47 Investment Strategies and Founder Characteristics
    16:58 Red Flags in Founders
    20:30 Engaging with Founders and Customer Discovery

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    25 mins
  • Why Warm Intros are Non Negotiable

    Why Warm Intros are Non Negotiable
    Feb 18 2026
    In this conversation, Chris discusses the challenges of cold emailing investors and emphasizes the importance of building relationships for successful fundraising. He shares insights from interviews with investors, highlighting that cold outreach is largely ineffective. Instead, he provides practical steps for founders to connect with investors through warm introductions and leveraging their networks, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn. Chris encourages founders to focus on specific areas of expertise and to make it easy for their connections to help them.


    Chapters
    00:00 The Intro
    00:06 Cold Intros Suck
    02:32 Building Relationships for Fundraising
    05:40 Practical Steps for Warm Introductions

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    8 mins
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