Brad Feld
Brad Feld
#### Full Name and Common Aliases
Brad Feld is a well-known American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, author, and speaker.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on October 31, 1965. Still living.
Nationality and Profession(s)
American, Entrepreneur, Venture Capitalist, Author, Speaker
Early Life and Background
Brad Feld was born in Washington, D.C., to a family that encouraged his entrepreneurial spirit from an early age. He developed an interest in technology and business at a young age, which would eventually lead him to pursue a career in these fields.
Feld grew up in Boulder, Colorado, where he attended the University of California, Boulder (now known as the University of Colorado Boulder), graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering. After college, Feld moved to New York City and worked at several startups before co-founding his first company, Feld Technologies, Inc.
Major Accomplishments
Brad Feld is best known for his work as a venture capitalist. He was one of the founders of Mobius Venture Capital (now part of Foundry Group) and played a key role in the development of numerous successful companies, including Zynga, Fitbit, and Groupon.
Feld has also been an active angel investor, backing startups such as Twitter, Foursquare, and Dropbox. In addition to his work with Mobius Venture Capital, Feld is also known for co-founding Techstars, a global startup accelerator program that has helped launch thousands of companies worldwide.
Notable Works or Actions
In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, Brad Feld is an accomplished author and speaker. His book, "Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist," provides guidance on venture capital deals and startup fundraising.
Feld is also a prolific blogger and has written extensively on topics related to entrepreneurship, venture capital, and innovation. He has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Forbes, Bloomberg, and The New York Times.
Impact and Legacy
Brad Feld's impact on the startup ecosystem cannot be overstated. Through his work with Mobius Venture Capital and Techstars, he has helped launch countless companies that have gone on to change the world.
Feld's commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation has inspired a generation of startups and entrepreneurs. His writing and speaking engagements continue to educate and motivate aspiring founders and investors around the globe.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Brad Feld is widely quoted and remembered for his insights on entrepreneurship, venture capital, and innovation. As a successful entrepreneur and investor with a proven track record of launching successful companies, Feld's opinions are highly sought after by entrepreneurs, investors, and media outlets alike.
Feld's commitment to sharing his knowledge and expertise through writing and speaking has made him one of the most recognizable figures in the startup community. His quotes and writings continue to inspire and educate aspiring founders and investors around the world, cementing his legacy as a pioneer in the field of entrepreneurship and venture capital.
Quotes by Brad Feld
I separate the world of startup communities into two constituencies - leaders and feeders. The leaders are entrepreneurs and the feeders everyone else.
Silicon Valley has been developing as a startup community for over 60-70 years. This notion that you can create something in two or five years is foolish.
The first thing that any city that's trying to create a startup community or an entrepreneurial ecosystem that's vibrant should do is get rid of the idea that they're trying to be like Silicon Valley.
Lots of entrepreneurs don't want to be hassled by a board of directors early on. The entrepreneurs want to control the company, don't want to be responsible to a board, or don't want to waste time communicating with board members. This is a classic error of thinking about the early stage board incorrectly.
Often, entrepreneurs don't build a board until they are forced to by their VCs when they raise their first financing round. This is dumb, as you are missing the opportunity to add at least one person to the team who - as a board member - can help you navigate the early process of building your company and raising that first round.
I hope more cities engage with immigrant entrepreneurs the way St. Louis has - it's a great model.
I'm a huge believer in the importance of vacations for leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyone else. I work extremely hard - usually 70+ hours a week.
St. Louis is a good example of a vibrant city. Having stayed in a hotel in 2011 overlooking Cardinals stadium when they won the World Series, their fans definitely show up loud and proud.
That's the problem with so many organizations around entrepreneurship. They're driven by metrics that don't matter.
Part of the power of having startup communities is it continues to challenge the status quo. So for many of these cities that were once very important and powerful that today are struggling, startup communities are a way for them to rejuvenate themselves.