Tech entrepreneur and investor
I've been investing in startups since 2013. Initially, as an angel and later with FJ Labs, which I helped build from the ground up. From 2014 to 2017, I invested in over 200 companies, mainly online marketplaces across 30 countries and at all stages. I then, co-founded Merlin, an hourly jobs marketplace which I helped scale to millions of users, 250 employees, and raised +$37M in funding from great folks at General Catalyst, FirstMark, Hummingbird, Uncork, FJ Labs, and many others. In late 2020, I sold Merlin in, arguably, one of the most unconventional M&As in tech (will share details and lessons soon). I'm currently taking some time off but still actively angel investing. Ping me if you want to chat at vacasittic@gmail.com
Investing Thesis (short version):
Team > Product > Traction & Metrics > Valuation ( in that order)
Investing Thesis (looonger version):
- I invest in the founding team above everything else. I believe, venture investing is a multi-round, multi-decade game. I like to invest in founders who (i) I admire, (ii) have integrity, and (iii) I like spending time with (whether it's supporting the company or drinking a beer).
- Stage agnostic but mainly pre-seed and seed. The earlier your company is, the more I can help.
- I deeply believe that talent and opportunities are abundant at a global scale. I've invested in startups in over 30 countries across all continents. Location of business and/or team is a non-issue. I built my previous company co-located from day 1 and the benefits greatly outweighed any additional complexities.
- I love all types of marketplaces and crypto networks but not limited to them. I like to invest in products that create step function improvements in the addressable market the company is going after and also that, for lack of a better word, are just cool. I've also invested in gaming, SaaS, API-as-a-marketplace, e-commerce and even DNA testing services for 🐕 😁.
So, how can I help you? 🧐
- Providing rigor and empathy. I will truly listen to your struggles and give you my honest, no bullshit perspective.
- Designing and executing your fundraising processes. I've been on both sides of the table having both deployed and raised over $100M on each side. I know what makes other investors tick and how to properly execute a process.
- Building team and culture. I can help you identify gaps in your executive team, understand how you transform your company values into virtues, as well as build remote product and engineering teams.
🤓 Fun Stats 🤓
- 108 angel investments including 9 🦄
- 27 exits to date. 52% successful outcomes 🔥
- 10.5x MOIC on realized investments 🚀
