Levi Velez Reed from Twig Ventures on Disrupting VC with Inclusivity and Conscious Capital

Levi Velez Reed is the founder of Twig Ventures is an investment syndicate specialising in sustainable consumer products and tech startups across North America, targeting companies at the pre-seed to seed stage. 

In this episode, Levi Velez Reed, founder of Twig Ventures, shares his journey from bootstrapping a marketing agency in New York to launching an investment syndicate focused on sustainable consumer products and tech startups. He explains the impact of removing unconscious bias in VC funding, supporting underrepresented founders, and creating accessible accelerator programs like Startup425. Levi discusses the unique business model of Twig Ventures, sustainable fashion innovations, and the importance of regenerative acquisition over paid ads, and much more!

Timestamps

01:11 - 03:40 – Levi discusses his background in startups, bootstrapping a marketing agency in upstate New York, and working with startups around Cornell University.

03:41 - 05:25 – Levi shares his decision to pursue an MBA in Barcelona at ESADE, which had an on-site accelerator and incubator program.

05:26 - 07:30 – Levi talks about his internship at a Barcelona-based eCommerce startup and his experience learning Spanish.

07:31 - 09:45 – Levi's summer internship at Amazon in Luxembourg, his experience there, and his journey back to Seattle for a full-time role.

09:46 - 13:15 – Levi's involvement with Founder Institute in Seattle, mentoring founders, and eventually becoming a co-director.

13:16 - 16:45 – Levi explains how Founders Institute works, its sponsorship model, and the support it provides to startups.

16:46 - 19:30 – Levi discusses the Startup425 accelerator in Seattle, which he helped design to support both traditional small businesses and venture-scale startups.

19:31 - 22:50 – Focus on underrepresented founders, particularly women and minorities, and how Startup425 is addressing funding inequities.

22:51 - 27:30 – Levi shares insights into unconscious bias in venture capital, referencing studies like the orchestra blind auditions and Loyal VC’s model.

27:31 - 30:00 – Levi explains Loyal VC's portfolio and its efforts to remove bias, leading to higher investments in women-led startups.

30:01 - 33:15 – Discussion on immigrant founders and how global perspectives influence VC investments differently in various regions.

33:16 - 36:40 – Launching Twig Ventures, its focus on sustainable fashion and textiles, and its unique approach to syndicate investing.

36:41 - 39:30 – Levi shares the rationale behind forming a syndicate versus a traditional fund and how it aligns with his and his partner's career paths.

39:31 - 42:00 – Levi’s views on angel investing as a way for people to have an impact even with small investments.

42:01 - 44:45 – Levi explains how angel investors can support founders beyond capital through mentorship and community involvement.

44:46 - 48:20 – Levi shares two exciting Twig Ventures investments: Sentient, a vegan leather brand, and Wear It, a digital fashion AI platform.

48:21 - 52:40 – Levi discusses the future of sustainable fashion, the role of AI, and why VCs have been cautious after the D2C boom of the 2010s.

52:41 - 55:30 – Levi's views on Shein, its business model, and its environmental impact on the fashi