The Twenty Minute VC: A Conversation with Sonali De Rycker
This week, Accel’s Sonali De Rycker was featured on The Twenty Minute VC. During the discussion with host Harry Stebbings, Sonali shares her insights on why it's important to partner with entrepreneurs, investing throughout various cycles, growing talent in venture, how Europe has evolved since Accel opened its London office in 2000, and more.
This episode includes:
–– Sonali’s journey into venture capital: How and why Sonali made her way from India to the US, what attracted her to working with entrepreneurs, and why she decided she had to be in Europe when it was still ground zero
–– Why VC is as much about the partnering decision as it is about the investing decision: The VC/founder relationship is a long-term one and there are many highs and lows on the journey. There has to be commitment, trust and transparency
–– How Accel builds its team: Identifying and growing homegrown talent is key to building a successful firm. Sonali discusses the importance of empowering individuals to make decisions, the importance of winning as a team and resilience
–– Learnings from previous downturns: Why it’s so important to keep on investing during the cycle and continue supporting the early stage entrepreneurs you’ve backed
–– Europe’s maturing ecosystem and the difference today vs. 2008: Europe now has a vibrant and exciting ecosystem, with many great entrepreneurs building category-defining businesses and this is going to continue
Listen to the full discussion here: