Venture Declassified

Want to invest in startups? Venture Declassified is here to provide you with practical insights, nuanced opinion, and a deeper understanding of the investment landscape for angel investors.

This podcast is tailor-made for investors who are eager to learn about the fundamentals of investing and want to make informed decisions. We understand that starting your investment journey can be intimidating, but our goal is to demystify the process and equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to succeed.

  • Jacob Schpok serves as Partner and Head of Platform at Elevate Ventures. Elevate is the #1 seed and early-stage venture capital firm in the Great Lakes Region and Top 20 in the World. Jacob is a member of the Investment Committee and oversees the teams responsible for sourcing and sponsoring investment opportunities and ensuring portfolio companies realize strong exits.

    Connect with Jacob on LinkedIn.

  • Michael Kelly is a co-founder of Start Something Ventures (SSV). SSV focuses on activating first-time investors in seed and early-stage deals with a midwest focus. Mike is also a co-founder and principal at a number of other software and services firms. Mike primarily focuses on dealflow and investor relations for SSV.

    Connect with Michael on LinkedIn.

  • Ben Pidgeon serves as Executive Director and Chapter President (Indianapolis) for VisionTech Partners. VisionTech is the most active, mature, and professional angel investment group in Indiana. Ben focuses his time on recruiting qualified investors, screening investment opportunities, hosting pitch events, and overseeing the group’s stringent due diligence process.

    Connect with Ben on LinkedIn.

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The Fine Print

The information provided on this show is not intended to be investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. The investors, founders, or guests on any episode are providing their opinions based on their own assessment of the businesses or topics presented. Those opinions should not be considered professional investment advice.  If a startup pitched as part of a given episode, it is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase, nor a solicitation of an offer to sell, subscribe for, or buy any securities.  

If you invest in startups, you can (and will) lose all of your money. Take your time learning the rules of the game.