Joining Jump Capital
Why I decided to become an investor....
Hi! My name is Glenn Borok and I’m a Vice President on the Investment team at Jump Capital. Navigating the world of startups and venture capital requires street smarts only gained through experience. On this blog, I peel back the curtain on VC to share insights from the frontlines of startup investing.
Get the real deal on raising capital, evaluating founders, identifying billion-dollar opportunities, and adding value as an investor. Gain exclusive access to my investment theses, framework for assessing disruptive startups, and interviews with VC luminaries.
Join me as I tackle topics like:
The art of deal sourcing and building pipeline
Common fundraising mistakes I see from founders
My investment thesis framework broken down step-by-step
War stories and lessons learned from my investments
Emerging technologies primed to disrupt entire industries
If you're a founder, investor, or simply startup curious, subscribe to get the inside scoop on VC and actionable advice for startup success straight from the trenches.
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What I look for…
After trying and failing to start a business during my time at MIT, I became fascinated with the world of startups and venture capital. I was lucky to land an internship with Unshackled Ventures, a pre-seed fund supporting immigrant founders. As the son of immigrants myself, I was inspired to make an impact through startup investing.
Now, as a full-time investor, I'm thrilled to be enabling founders from all backgrounds to build companies that drive change. My diverse interests range from B2B SaaS and AI to the Future of Work and FinTech. But there are three main factors I look for when evaluating startups:
First, an excellent founding team. The most driven founders have deep conviction in their vision, unmatched tenacity to see it through, and the compassion to rally stakeholders behind them. Of course, strong technical expertise is a must-have. But emotional intelligence and leadership skills separate good founders from great ones.
Second, clear product-market fit. The best startups build products that customers instantly "get" and desperately want. When the value proposition is irresistible, customers not only buy but evangelize the product within their networks. Discovering those rare startups with lightning in a bottle is exhilarating.
And third, disruption. Whether from regulatory changes, new technologies, or shifting consumer behaviors, seismic shifts create huge opportunities. I look for founders who clearly understand the "why now?" behind their business.
After cutting my teeth as an operator, I joined Jump Capital to take a more active role in value creation. Jump sets itself apart by providing hands-on support to founders, drawing on our operating experience. I'm looking forward to digging into the nuts and bolts of startup building alongside our entrepreneurs.
From my early failure as a founder to today, I've fallen in love with the hustle, creativity, and impact of startups. Now I'm thrilled to pay it forward by jumping into the arena to help other founders build world-changing companies. Stay tuned as I share more lessons learned and perspective from my time in venture.