Sound Investments - Navigating Cybersecurity and Enterprise Startups with Andrew Peterson

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Barker is joined by Andrew Peterson, founding partner of Aviso Ventures. They discuss Andrew's journey into venture capital, which is rooted in his experiences as a startup founder and operator. Aviso Ventures specializes in investing in cybersecurity and enterprise infrastructure companies, primarily in pre-seed and seed stages. The conversation dives into the challenges startups face in entering the enterprise market, the importance of offering actionable advice, and the practical aspects of cyber investments. They also explore how the venture capital landscape has evolved, the significance of content in building deal flow, and the impact of AI on tech investment.

00:00 Introduction to Sound Investments

00:19 Meet Andrew Peterson of Aviso Ventures

05:20 The Role of Advice in Venture Capital

06:50 Aviso Ventures' Investment Focus

09:25 Challenges in Enterprise Sales Cycles

13:05 Building a Content-Driven VC Strategy

17:57 Trends and Challenges in Venture Capital

22:55 The Missing Element in Seattle's Tech Ecosystem

25:28 The Reality of Transitioning from Big Tech to Startups

28:05 Challenges in Cybersecurity

34:34 AI's Impact on Enterprise

39:43 Staying Updated in a Fast-Moving Tech World

42:38 Personal Reflections and Inspirations

44:55 Conclusion

Andrew Peterson — Founding Partner, Aviso Ventures

Andrew Peterson is the Founding Partner of Aviso Ventures, where he backs the next generation of software infrastructure startups. After more than two decades as an operator and founder, Andrew launched Aviso to invest in companies building foundational technologies for the modern enterprise. Since inception, Aviso’s Fund I has become a top performer in its class, with a strong track record of follow-on investments across the portfolio. Andrew is currently raising and deploying Fund II.

Before founding Aviso, Andrew was the CEO and Co-Founder of Signal Sciences, where he led the creation of a category-defining platform that secured web applications, mobile apps, and APIs. Under his leadership, Signal Sciences grew into an industry leader and was acquired by Fastly for $825 million in 2020. Earlier in his career, Andrew held leadership roles at high-growth companies including Etsy and Google, and served globally with the Clinton Foundation, building high-performing product and sales teams across five continents. His experience spans deep technical execution and go-to-market scale. Andrew is also the author of Cracking Security Misconceptions (O’Reilly Media), a practical guide aimed at broadening participation in organizational security beyond traditional practitioners. He holds a BA in Science, Technology, and Society from Stanford University, where he was also a PAC-10 Champion on the varsity swim team.

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A Venture into the Tacoma Venture Fund with Dennis Joyce

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Barker sits down with Dennis Joyce, Director of Investments at the Tacoma Venture Fund (TVF). They explore Dennis' fascinating journey from a young dreamer in New York to leading a venture fund in Tacoma. The conversation covers Dennis' experiences, from his early inspirations in venture capital to the formation and mission of the Tacoma Venture Fund. They discuss the Pacific Northwest's startup ecosystem, the importance of local connections and deep due diligence, and the challenges of early-stage investing. Dennis also shares insights into promising sectors, particularly AI and SaaS, and highlights the importance of a robust investment ecosystem in the region. The episode looks at the intricacies of scaling startups, the evolving market dynamics, and the personal side of life as a venture capitalist. The discussion is rich with anecdotal wisdom and practical advice for navigating the world of early-stage investments.

00:00 Introduction to Sound Investments

01:06 Meet Dennis Joyce

07:06 The Birth of Tacoma Venture Fund

11:41 Investing in the Pacific Northwest

16:06 Challenges and Opportunities

24:11 Current Market Dynamics

29:51 Scaling Sales

30:59 The Importance of OKRs

32:38 Investing in Agentic AI

37:55 Spotlight on Flavor Cloud

39:30 Lessons Learned

40:12 The Need for More Capital and Collaboration

43:11 Balancing Work and Life

47:45 Finding Inspiration

Dennis Joyce, Director of Investments

Dennis oversees dealflow, due diligence, and operational functions on behalf of TVF. He has led investments in Vega Cloud, Workflow Labs, and Flavorcloud, among others. Before TVF, Dennis spent 17 years as an independent angel investor and real estate developer. Dennis is passionate about supporting entrepreneurs and seeing great ideas come to life. He believes a vibrant venture ecosystem needs talent, expertise, and access to capital to thrive. Out of twenty-one pre-TVF angel investments, seventeen have been in female or minority-lead ventures. Dennis is intentional about providing greater access and opportunity to underrepresented founders. Dennis is an active member of Seattle’s Alliance of Angels and Puget Sound Venture Club. He is also a Board member of the William Factory Business Incubator, which provides training and support for entrepreneurs in Pierce County. He has an MBA from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and a bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Notre Dame. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and trying new things.

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Navigating the Venture Capital Landscape with Andy Liu of Unlock Venture Partners

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Barker delves into the Pacific Northwest venture capital scene with Andy Liu, co-founding partner of Unlock Venture Partners. Andy shares his journey from being an entrepreneur to an active early-stage investor, with over 90 investments under his belt. The conversation covers his experiences in launching startups, the investment focus of Unlock VC, tech trends, the challenges and opportunities in the Seattle and LA markets, and the characteristics of successful founders. Liu also talks about the importance of mission-driven entrepreneurs, the role of AI and data in venture capital, and his approach to hands-on investing. Additionally, Liu highlights some of the standout companies in Unlock VC's portfolio and shares his perspectives on future tech opportunities and trends.

00:00 Introduction to Sound Investments

00:21 Meet Andy Liu

03:20 Building Unlock Venture Partners

05:04 Investment Strategies and Focus Areas

16:55 Challenges and Opportunities in Seattle and LA

20:33 Comparing Investment Landscapes: Pacific Northwest vs. LA

21:46 The AI Revolution

22:31 Evaluating AI Startups

28:17 Success Stories

31:24 The Importance of Founder Focus in VC

34:10 Balancing Innovation and Practicality

38:25 Leveraging Data and Technology in VC

40:39 Close

Andy Liu, Co-founding Partner of Unlock Venture Partners

Andy Liu is a co-founding partner of Unlock Venture Partners. He is a serial entrepreneur, most recently as a co-founder and CEO of BuddyTV. Prior to BuddyTV, Andy was the co-founder and CEO of NetConversions which was acquired by aQuantive, where he then served as VP & GM, Atlas NetConversions. Andy had previously worked in a variety of roles at Active Voice, Safeware, Boeing, and AT&T. He also serves on the non-profit board of Future Hope, which provides technology and leadership education to the impoverished and marginalized.

Andy has been a very active early stage investor in technology companies, mostly in the Pacific Northwest, with over 90 investments in companies such as Cheezburger Network, SoFi, Redfin, Buuteeq, Minted, Remitly, Amperity, Rover, Skilljar, and Sparq. He has been named 40 under 40 by PSBJ in 2003, Seattle Angel of the Year in 2010, and Innovator of the Year by Asian NW Weekly in 2016.

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Investing in Frictionless Software: An Insider's View with Martin Tobias of Incisive VC

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Parker chats with Martin Tobias, Managing Partner at Incisive VC. Tobias, a seasoned angel investor and startup founder, discusses his unique investing philosophy focused on B2B software that reduces friction at scale. Tobias recounts his journey from his early days at Microsoft to running his own VC firm and creating a successful angel syndicate. Key topics include the importance of founder-market fit, innovative distribution strategies, and identifying previously intractable problems now solvable through technology, particularly AI. Tobias also shares insights into several high-growth investments, the impact of AI on venture capital, and how the market is evolving post-2022 downturn. The discussion highlights emerging opportunities and the future of investing in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

00:00 Introduction to Sound Investments

01:02 Meet Martin Tobias

03:58 The Birth of Incisive VC

06:30 Investing Philosophy and Principles

13:45 The Power of AI in Solving Old Problems

21:32 Investment Process

24:58 Building Moats

29:50 Data-Driven VC Market

34:53 Notable Investments and Success Stories

39:26 Future Outlook

42:21 Staying Informed

Martin Tobias, Incisive Ventures

Martin is the Managing Partner and Founder of Incisive, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on investing in the first institutional round of technology companies that reduce friction at scale. Previously Martin was a Venture Partner at Ignition Partners and an early investor in Google, Docusign, OpenSea, and over a dozen Unicorns. He's also a father to three daughters, a cyclist, surfer, poker player, life hacker and motorcycle tinkerer.

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Navigating the Seattle Venture Capital Scene with Peter Mueller of Breakwater Ventures

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Barker interviews Peter Muller, founding partner of Breakwater Ventures, to explore his unique journey from Merrill Lynch to the launch of his venture capital firm in Seattle. They discuss Peter's career transitions, the Seattle startup ecosystem, and delve into key areas of interest like AI, fintech, and marketplaces. The conversation covers the challenges and opportunities in Seattle's venture capital scene, the firm's investment philosophy, and promising sectors. Peter also shares insights into raising capital in a tough environment and the necessary characteristics of successful founders.

00:00 Introduction

01:05 Meet Peter Mueller

05:59 Investment Philosophy and Strategy

07:23 Challenges in the Seattle Angel Market

11:57 AI, Fintech and Marketplaces

26:45 Fundraising Environment

38:37 Closing Thoughts

Peter Mueller, General Partner, Breakwater Ventures

Peter is a Co-Founder & serves as a General Partner at Breakwater Ventures. Previously, he served as a Managing Partner at SeaChange Fund. He serves as a Board Member at KredosAi. He serves as a Board Member at Vouched, KredosAI, and CreatorCo. He serves as a Board Observer at OSYTE. Previously, he worked in equity research at Bank of America Merrill Lynch covering TMT markets. He then moved on to become an early employee at Carta (formerly known as eShares) building their business valuations product. Before SeaChange, he worked as a Senior Analyst at Concert Golf Partners, a private equity real estate fund, and Trek Partners, a middle-market leveraged buyout firm.

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From Tech Obsession to Venture Capital: Brendan Wales' Journey and Fuse's Vision

In this episode of Sound Investments, host Ed Barker interviews Brendan Wales, founding partner of Fuse, a venture capital firm in Seattle. Brendan shares his pathway from a tech-obsessed teenager to co-founding Fuse, including his early career and nine years at Headline. He details the founding of Fuse alongside partners Kellan and Cameron, highlighting their focus on early-stage companies in the Pacific Northwest, particularly in enterprise software, cloud, and space tech. The discussion covers key investments, differentiating in the VC landscape, and insights into the burgeoning space tech sector. Brendan also delves into the challenges and strategies of fundraising, the value of an extensive LP network, and the future of Fuse's investments.

00:00 Introduction to Sound Investments

00:16 Founding Fuse

01:53 Brendan's Career Journey

05:58 Building Fuse

09:21 Differentiating in the VC Landscape

11:45 Seattle vs. Bay Area

15:22 The Fuse Space Program

24:06 Highlighting Successful Investments

33:40 AI's Impact on Business

41:24 Conclusion

Brendan Wales, Founding Partner

Brendan is a founding General Partner of FUSE where he focuses on early-stage investments in vertical SaaS, B2B marketplaces, open-source software, and developer tools. At FUSE, Brendan has led the firm's investments in bttn., VisualPing.io, and Dendron. He serves as a Board Member at Oporto. He served as a Board Member at Layer. Before FUSE, Brendan spent nine years at e.ventures, where he partnered with companies such as Shopmonkey, Fetch Rewards, Shipt, Grin, BitWarden, Secured, Carewell, plus many others. Before joining e.ventures, Brendan was an early employee at ZOZI, a venture-backed marketplace in the tourism and local experiences market. His first role out of college was working in the Atlanta, GA office of Sun Life Financial, a $29B publicly traded financial services business. Brendan holds a BS degree in Finance from the University of Georgia. He served as a Board Member at Secured

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Minda Brusse, First Row Partners on Nurturing Pre-Seed Startups

In this episode of 'Sound Investments,' we sit down with Minda Bruce, founding partner at First Row Partners. With over 25 years in the startup ecosystem, Minda shares her journey from early startup roles to teaching investment and entrepreneurship at the University of Washington. She discusses First Row's unique investment strategies and principles, emphasizing support for pre-seed companies across the U.S. Minda elaborates on their role as investors in building strong founder relationships and the value of tech in media, commerce, and ed-tech. The episode also touches on their focus areas for 2025 and their commitment to education through workshops and university courses.

00:00 Introduction

01:16 Minda's Journey into Venture Capital

01:42 Founding First Row Partners

06:57 Investment Strategy and Focus

09:07 Building Relationships with Founders

18:03 Engaging with the Seattle Ecosystem

26:34 Current Market Dynamics and Tech Interests

37:41 Supporting Small Brands and Human Connection

44:08 Teaching and Mentorship at UW

47:20 Final Thoughts

Minda Brusse, Founding Partner

Minda Brusse has been in the startup ecosystem for over 25 years. In her early career, she was a lynchpin employee at a $39M venture-backed company acquired by Accenture. She continued to find her way into co-founder and leadership roles during early applications of new technology in SaaS software distribution, user generated content, consumer payments, and blockchain. Minda found that a key lever in enabling innovation came from the capital that fuels it; and she dug deep -- honing her skills as an investor and fund manager. She now contributes her time and talent at the University of Washington teaching hands-on investing and entrepreneurship courses in the Foster School MBA program. During the pandemic, she co-founded The 1K Project to help families in need, raising $3.3M for 1,100 families to receive cash grants. She is a sustaining member of Seattle organizations Seattle Art Museum Supporters (SAMS) and the Junior League of Seattle.

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Sound Investments: Global Venture Capital and Emerging Markets with Will Poole, Managing Partner at Capria VC

In this episode of Sound Investments, Ed Barker speaks with Will Poole, co-founder and managing partner at Capria VC, about his journey from a tech executive at Microsoft to a global venture capitalist. Focusing on emerging markets in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, Will discusses the unique opportunities and challenges of investing in these regions. The conversation explores Capria's network-driven approach, the impact of generative AI on venture capital, and the promising sectors like healthcare, education, and fintech. Will also shares insights into managing risk and the importance of founder selection.

00:00 Introduction

00:21 Meet Will Poole: From Tech Executive to Global Investor

06:07 The Genesis of Capria VC

07:52 Capria's Investment Philosophy and Strategy

10:41 Managing Risks and Selecting Founders

17:50 Generative AI in Emerging Markets

21:51 Impact of DeepSeek on AI Costs

25:41 AI's Role in Various Sectors

28:27 Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities

32:21 FinTech and AI

34:47 Exciting Startups and Success Stories

38:11 Focus Areas and Future Plans

41:04 Conclusion

Will Poole, Managing Partner at Capria VC

He is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Capria Ventures where he also serves as the firm’s Chief AI Evangelist. He has been directly investing in startups since 1997. His first institutional venture fund was raised for Capria’s predecessor Unitus Ventures, in 2012. He and his partners together manage over $180M AUM in companies spanning the Global South, from São Paulo to Nairobi to Bangalore to Jakarta. In his big tech career, Will was a Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, leading several business lines, including the $13 billion Windows client business. After that he led the company’s efforts to tailor products to the needs of mass-market customers in emerging markets. Will serves as a strategic advisor to African health systems transformer Village Reach, and as a board member of blended-finance leader Convergence Finance. He is also a Managing Director of The W Fund, a Seattle-based tech and life-sciences fund affiliated with the University of Washington.

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