Golden Venture Partners’ Newest Partner and Venture Partner
Venture capital is not for the faint of heart. The business is TOUGH and anyone who tells you differently is either lying or is one of those VCs who only pays attention to you when things are looking up. Venture returns are predicated on the power distribution law, and in order to outperform, you must invest in outliers capable of returning your fund. Sometimes these investments work and, more often than not, they don’t work or fall somewhere in the middle. The reality is that much of a venture capitalist’s time is spent working through challenges with their portfolio companies.
Okay, I hear you… boo-hoo for the venture capitalists. Now here’s the good news, venture capital is also THE most challenging, fascinating and rewarding business… we get the opportunity to work with the most extraordinary founders who are changing the world. AND we get to be a partner in their journey.
For all the ups and downs of venture, there really is not a business more suited to having a partner to share in the roller coaster of highs and lows. Choose poorly and you’ve ruined your brand and your future in the business. Choose wisely, and your fund and brand gain massive value. Having recently closed Golden Venture Partners II, the timing was perfect to grow the team.
Today, I am very proud to announce that Ameet Shah is Golden Venture Partner’s newest partner (see Ameet’s post about making the leap into venture capital here). Ameet and I worked together at the company I co-founded in 2001 (Tira Wireless) where he started as an engineer and ended up becoming our head of strategic accounts. After that, he co-founded, built and sold his company (Five Mobile) to Zynga. Since then Ameet has been responsible for Toronto’s Zynga office which effectively has become Zynga’s center of mobile excellence. Ameet is also a successful angel investor and advisor well regarded amongst founders. And so it goes, the journey continues with my good friend and partner at my side!
We are also formally announcing Bert Amato as a venture partner. Bert is (very quietly until right now) one of Canada’s most successful former operators (co-founder of Delrina acquired by Symantec) and early stage technology investors (Wattpad and Farelogix). Bert will continue his investing but will now have an affiliation with Golden Venture Partners. I’m very proud and grateful to have Bert as a member of the team.
p.s. check out our new website!
