FD Ep. 56 Ari Newman

Why SAFEs Aren't Always So Safe

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Demystifying The "Debt Sandwich" With Ari Newman

In this episode, I'm joined by Ari Newman, co-founder and managing partner of Massive VC (more about Ari below). Our conversation covers the potential pitfalls of SAFE agreements and the importance of proper company structure, his journey from founder to investor, and the dynamics of board relationships.

ICYMI, we also collabed on a piece on "debt sandwiches"- an interesting fundraising strategy to reduce founder dilution. Check it out here.

Here's what you're in for:

• 00:49 The impact of SAFEs on founders and potential pitfalls
• 05:55 Stacking SAFEs and the challenges it creates for fundraising
• 12:01 The importance of proper company structure and governance
• 19:35 Ari's experience investing in Chainalysis during the early days of blockchain
• 22:06 Comparing fundraising as a founder vs. as a VC
• 29:54 The importance of trust and communication in board relationships

Watch it Now

ABOUT ARI NEWMAN

Ari Newman is the co-founder and managing director at Massive VC and Partner at The Fund Rockies. Ari brings a wealth of experience as a 2x founder with 15 years on the operating side and has been in venture capital since 2012.

He's also a mentor, advisor, and board member, having previously served as a partner at Techstars. Ari brings his background both as an entrepreneur and investor to help founders navigate the challenges of building and scaling technology companies.

Connect with Ari on: 

• LinkedIn
• Email
• Website

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