Plenary Session: Keep Calm & Carry on: How to Successfully Deal with Investment Failures

Every VC has to deal with failure, and difficult investment decisions can be more prevalent and complex during an economic downturn. Successful VCs know how to approach these tough decisions and best manage (and learn from) failure. This session will cover topics such as:

• When to leave a board;
• When to continue to invest versus cut the cord;
• Negotiating down rounds; and
• Dealing with the potential reputational impact at the fund and how to communicate effectively with LPs.

Reading Materials

• 202 of the Biggest, Costliest Startup Failures of All Time. CBInsights. August 26, 2020.
• Founder Exposed: Opening Up About Startup Failures and Vulnerability. First Round Review.
• The Top 20 Reasons Startups Fail.  CBInsights. November 6, 2019.
• US Venture Capital during Economic Uncertainty. PitchBook.