Lylan Masterman is General Partner at White Star Capital where he leads the New York office. In this episode, Masterman discusses White Stars history and his approach to venture capitol investments. Masterman has an impressive technical background that informs his work and makes him a dynamic figure in the venture investing world.
We learn about the impressive companies White Star Capital has backed and how Masterman has meticulously crafted successful venture investment teams. He talks at length about the various responsibilities of Board Members, successful relationship building within the realm of venture investing, and the importance for startups to have a strong finance leader. It was an illuminating and inspiring conversation that I’m excited to share this week.
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“Part of our DNA since day one has been to be TransAtlantic.” - Lylan Masterman
Show Notes:
The benefits of Transatlantic Investment
How co-lead investments can lead to successful ventures
Where Whitestar Capital is focusing there investments
How digitization of finance has influenced their investments
What disruption of commerce is and how they pursue companies engaging in it
Why Whitestar Capital is interested in companies that work on sensor and algorithm technology
Why Masterman decided to invest in the KeyMe company
The importance of Whitestar’s most recent investments in Drop, Mnubo, and Unicast
How Masterman got into VC investing with an educational background in math and computer science
The importance of a high functioning team and what a founder should do to create a successful company
How to conduct effective board meetings and maintain a good relation with the COO and CFO
What a good board meeting schedule is and how to find a rhythm
What good internal dynamics of a VC team look like
The benefits of having complimentary skill sets on a VC team
How to maintain valuable relationships across industries and borders
The importance of evaluating companies based on their location
How diversity of specialization in startups can be related to region and urban center
“If your product can be used by clients across all the countries of the world, why would you want to ignore that addressable market.” - Lylan Masterman
Links Mentioned:
“It should always be about the CEO owning the decisions.” - Lylan Masterman