Archive for November 2007

Networking in December

December is my favourite month of the year, and not just in venture capital terms. And, there’s a load of networking taking place this month.

First week, on the 5th, I attend a private, private equity party hosted by well, a private equity firm who I cannot name here. It’s actually being held at the CEO’s home in Bandra and I expect to meet not just general partners — folks who invest private equity money in companies — but limited partners, who are people who invest in private equity funds. Looking forward to it.

Next, back on the BarCamp trail, Delhi hosts the third chapter of its gig on December 8, which happens to be a Saturday. The last one in the Capital was last December. I find the phenomenon of BarCamping or any start-up networking gig in Delhi quite amazing. The city is so much about power broking and bad attitude, it is nice to see something positive and new-age gaining momentum there. For more details, go to the wiki here.

Chennai OpenCoffee Club, I believe the first OpenCoffee Club chapter to debut in India, meets again on December 2. I’m happy to report that the website is now open to public viewing and may I add, it is a very professional and happening site. Go visit.

Business plan contests for start-ups are in peak form now. Don’t forget to track Eureka! 2007, which culminates in February. The countdown promises to throw up some of the most exciting young start-ups from business school campuses. Meet the shortlisted start-ups for the final leg of the contest here. Another event that builds up to February is the IIM Calcutta Entrepreneurship Cell-organized National B Plan Contest. Seedfund, TiE and National Entrepreneurship Network are partners for the event and Seedfund will become a mentor-investor to the first prize winner, who takes home Rs 1 crore! Happy to get some good news out of Calcutta in a while.

Mistakes Venture Capitalists Make

Inside CRM, a California-based website that addresses the CRM needs of sales managers at small, medium and large companies, sent across a link to detailed piece they’ve put together on the The 20 Worst Venture Capital Investments of All Time. It is an interesting read.

Venture capitalists don’t often advertise their duds, and there are many, often more than the successes. But, of course, the nature of the business is such that, out of ten investments, eight may fail, but two would be roaring successes and would make up for the losses in the remaining eight. It is not called risk capital for nothing. While you are at it, do also take a look at Bessemer Venture Partners’ ‘Anti-portfolio’. It is a list of deals that Bessemer passed over because they thought at the time that those deals would not work. It is perhaps the only venture investor in the world that wears its missed calls on its sleeve.

Here’s an excerpt from the Inside CRM feature:

Some things were just never meant to be, but that doesn’t mean that investors won’t pile millions of dollars upon a bad idea or even a good idea gone bad. Whether they crashed and burned or sucked investors dry, these ventures just didn’t work out. Check out our graveyard of dreams and money to get a look at VC (venture-capital) investments that just weren’t wise…