NAME
Vaughn Blake
FUND / GROUP
Blue Bear Capital
FOUNDED
2017
LOCATION
Los Angeles, CA//Houston, TX
NUMBER OF PORTFOLIO COMPANIES
17
FOCUS AREAS
Software; Energy, Infra, Climate
FOCUS GEOGRAPHIES
North America, Europe
STAGE(S)
Seed through Series B
HOW AND WHY DID YOU GET STARTED IN PRIVATE INVESTING?
I began making private investments in the early 2010s, mainly around the crypto/blockchain space. I love investing (especially venture) and grew up with an investors mindset, having my first public market (stock) portfolio around 2nd grade. My dad was an investment banker, then private equity investor and it was something that was discussed with me at an early age. It would be difficult to imagine a life where I wasn’t an investor.
WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU VALUE IN AN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY?
Asymmetry
WHAT ARE THE BEST INNOVATION THEMES THAT YOU SEE IN THE MARKET TODAY?
The energy transition, the next phases of the frontier-tech lifecycle, synthetic biology, collaboration tools.
BEYOND ECONOMIC RETURN, WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO YOU HOPE TO MAKE WITH YOUR PORTFOLIO?
Extend and improve upon the world’s collective quality of life.
WHAT ARE THE MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES OR PAIN POINTS IN MANAGING YOUR DAY-TO-DAY PRIVATE INVESTMENT ACTIVITY?
Keeping track of what our actual investor rights are across the portfolio, valuations.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST INVESTMENT LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED AND/OR THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT MISTAKE YOU’VE MADE?
Never be thesis-constrained when you recognize a massive opportunity.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY INFORMATION SOURCES AND/OR SERVICES?
FT, Axios, Bloomberg, FinTwit.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE NON-BUSINESS INTEREST OR HOBBY?
Family, snowboarding, tennis.
PLEASE LEAVE US A BOOK RECOMMENDATION (BUSINESS OR OTHERWISE).
The Book of Illusions, Paul Auster