Future Squared, hosted by Steve Glaveski, brings you conversations with icons from across different fields to help you make better decisions, kick goals in your professional and personal life and better navigate a fast-changing and uncertain world.
Learn from luminaries like Tyler Cowen, Jason Calacanis, Brad Feld, Seth Godin, Gretchen Rubin, Annie Duke, Kevin Kelly, Scott Belsky, Neil Patel, Adam Grant, Nir Eyal, Oliver Burkeman, Brad Feld, Steve Blank, and so many others.
Find out more: https://www.futuresquared.xyz
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5LH1aSj8WQYWnYQdn9AmuW?si=c48263a4f73340fc
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/future-squared-with-steve-glaveski/id1087213640
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/steveglaveski
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesteveglaveski
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC63t7PVnhh6YaS1OSzELGng
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Future Squared, hosted by Steve Glaveski, brings you conversations with icons from across different fields to help you make better decisions, kick goals in your professional and personal life and better navigate a fast-changing and uncertain world.
Learn from luminaries like Tyler Cowen, Jason Calacanis, Brad Feld, Seth Godin, Gretchen Rubin, Annie Duke, Kevin Kelly, Scott Belsky, Neil Patel, Adam Grant, Nir Eyal, Oliver Burkeman, Brad Feld, Steve Blank, and so many others.
Find out more: https://www.futuresquared.xyz
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5LH1aSj8WQYWnYQdn9AmuW?si=c48263a4f73340fc
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/future-squared-with-steve-glaveski/id1087213640
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/steveglaveski
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesteveglaveski
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC63t7PVnhh6YaS1OSzELGng
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Niki Scevak is co-founder of Startmate, and founder and partner at Blackbird VC, Australia’s largest venture capital fund, with its 5th fund having raised AUD$1B (US$640M). Blackbird was an early investor in Canva, SafetyCulture, CultureAmp, BugCrowd, RedBubble, and many more, and has to date generated a net internal rate of return of 56%.
Niki joined me today to discuss:
His life before Blackbird
Successfully raising his first fund back in 2012, without having a network or any startup successes of his own
Getting beyond the trough of disillusionment
How Australian superannuation funds are opening their wallets to VC
Scaling culture
Generating deal flow
Advice for founders and budding VCs on raising capital in a down market
The AI investment landscape
The battle between AI-powered indie hackers and venture-backed startups
Whether sophisticated investor rules preventing retail investors from getting direct exposure to venture capital is just increasing the wealth gap
Diversity, quotas, and Startmate’s merit-based selection criteria
And more.
Show Notes:
Email Niki: niki@blackbird.vc
Web: www.blackbird.vc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nikiscevak?lang=en
Contact Steve on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/steveglaveski
Email Steve: hello@steveglaveski.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.