Burstly (acquired by Apple), Cadforce (acquired by Neilsoft), Comparably (acquired by ZoomInfo), Connexity (acquired by Taboola), DataPop (acquired by Criteo), Divshot (acquired by Google), ElephantDrive (acquired by Jungledisk), Gradient X (acquired by SingTel), HG Insights (acquired by Riverwood), JazzHR (acquired by Jobvite), Packet Island (acquired by BroadSoft), Rentlytics (acquired by Realpage), Respondly (acquired by Buffer), Silversheet (acquired by AMN Healthcare), SimpleLegal (acquired by Onit), TaxJar (acquired by Stripe), Tradesy (acquired by Vestiare Collective), Vintra (acquired by Alarm.com), Zingle (acquired by Medailla)
Jim Andelman
"The longer I do this job, the more I care about the people. There is nothing more important than the integrity, competence, cohesiveness and drive of a founding team."
Burstly (acquired by Apple), Cadforce (acquired by Neilsoft), Comparably (acquired by ZoomInfo), Connexity (acquired by Taboola), DataPop (acquired by Criteo), Divshot (acquired by Google), ElephantDrive (acquired by Jungledisk), Gradient X (acquired by SingTel), HG Insights (acquired by Riverwood), JazzHR (acquired by Jobvite), Packet Island (acquired by BroadSoft), Rentlytics (acquired by Realpage), Respondly (acquired by Buffer), Silversheet (acquired by AMN Healthcare), SimpleLegal (acquired by Onit), TaxJar (acquired by Stripe), Tradesy (acquired by Vestiare Collective), Vintra (acquired by Alarm.com), Zingle (acquired by Medailla)
The Martian (back when Andy Weir self-published it on his website)
I suspect I quote Monty Python and the Holy Grail far too often
I’m a sucker for Alltrails
I make suggestions not mandates. I’m generally in a good mood. I’m even-keeled and excel at helping founders navigate complex situations.
I took a break from VC and volunteered in Yosemite for two summers, with a winter on Mammoth Mountain Ski Patrol in between. Oldest guy in my rookie class!
I have spent my entire career in and around B2B software, and the past 17+ years in Southern California’s startup ecosystem as a VC. In 2005 I founded and served as Managing Partner at Rincon Venture Partners. After a string of successful co-investments with Mark Mullen, we joined forces and co-founded Bonfire Ventures to lead seed stage funding exclusively in B2B software.
I began my VC career in the Bay Area in 1999, leading software investing for a $250M expansion-stage fund. Now, after being a VC for over 20 years, I finally feel like I’ve shed the imposter syndrome, and actually know what I’m doing. I love the job, and I think that comes through in my interactions with founders. I try to bring a service and servant orientation to all interactions, and my best moments (sounds cheesy but it’s true) are when I know that I’ve helped a founder or team in a way that no one else would have.
My wife Courtney and I, along with our teen-age twin daughters, spend as much time as we can in nature: camping, hiking, backpacking, climbing, skiing, etc.
"Jim isn’t the kind of VC who just shows up for board meetings—he’s the one who’ll sit with you at 11 p.m., crafting a pitch when everything’s on the line. He doesn’t sugarcoat things, but that’s why you want him in the room—his honesty and relentless support have shaped the direction of our business in ways I didn’t expect.
Evan Rifkin, CEO & Co-Founder, Burstly (Acquired by Apple)
