Jump Capital with Yelena Shkolnik |E360

Making the leap from early stage startup to scaleable.

In this episode of Fintech Impact, host Jason Pereira interviews Yelena Shkolnik, Partner at Jump Capital, a venture capital firm specializing in fintechs at the Series A level. The conversation explores the firm's approach to investments, particularly how they evaluate companies transitioning from startup to a more established phase, focusing on consistent, repeatable revenue streams and team dynamics. They discuss the transition from founder-led sales to institutionalized processes and provide insights into market trends, product validation, and scaling strategies, all within the fintech sector.

Episode Highlights:

  • 00:39: Yelena provides an overview of Jump Capital, noting their focus on Series A investments and their team distribution between Chicago and New York.

  • 02:30: Jason discusses Series A investments as a pivotal stage where a company must have a clear product-market fit.

  • 02:48: Yelena outlines what Jump Capital looks for in Series A companies, emphasizing revenue and team capabilities.

  • 04:29: The thematic investment perspective and the experience Jump Capital brings in understanding market trends are discussed.

  • 06:30: The concept of "consumerization" of enterprise services is explained, illustrating how enterprise buying mirrors consumer behavior.

  • 08:07: Jason and Yelena talk about the advantages of founder-led sales in the early stages and the evolution to professional sales processes. 

  • 10:05: Jason and Yelena discuss ensuring product-market fit and how VCs discern this at different stages of a company's lifecycle.

  • 16:18: Yelena describes the balance between taking customer feedback and innovating beyond customer requests.

  • 21:07: Yelena discusses exceptions for investing in earlier or later rounds, mentioning thematic alignment and potential strategic advantages. 

  • 26:03: Final advice is given on how startups can effectively approach VCs, with a focus on team dynamics and long-term vision.

Key Points:

  • Transitioning from founder-led sales to a structured sales process is essential as companies grow.

  • Revenue diversification and customer base analysis are pivotal for investor confidence.

  • The "consumerization" of enterprise tech shows a shift towards more user-friendly and organic adoption models.

  • Venture capital firms value thematic investment perspectives and industry insights in potential investments.

Tweetable Quotes:

  • "At Series A, it's when it gets real; you've got to have figured something out to attract that kind of money." - Jason Pereira

  • "We shine in helping companies scale right after they've found product-market fit." - Yelena Shkolnik

  • "It's not just about sales cycles but understanding the buyer's journey and enterprise complexities." - Yelena Shkolnik

  • "The consumerization of enterprise sales mirrors how we now give control to the buyer." - Jason Pereira

Resources Mentioned:

Fintech ImpactJason PereiraFintech