Noah Friedman & Top Shelf Ventures

In episode thirty-seven of the Napa Valley Insider podcast, Andrew sits down with Noah Friedman, co-founder of Top Shelf Ventures and Uncharted. Noah shares his journey from working with Michael Loeb at a venture accelerator to launching a private equity and VC fund dedicated to the alcohol and vice industries. He dives into the challenges and opportunities in early-stage alcohol investing, the importance of velocity and retention in consumer brands, and why traditional Venture Capital has overlooked this massive market.

Episode Highlights:

• Investing in Alcohol Startups – Why early-stage alcohol brands struggle to secure funding and how Top Shelf Ventures is filling the gap.
• Velocity & Retention – The key metrics Noah looks for in a winning alcohol brand and how he picks portfolio standouts.
• Building a Community for Founders – How Uncharted curates intimate gatherings for top-tier entrepreneurs and investors.
• The Future of Non-Alcoholic & THC Beverages – Noah’s take on the growing demand for non-alc drinks and where he sees real opportunities.
• A New Playbook for Wine – Why the wine industry must innovate to capture Gen Z consumers and who’s leading the charge.

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