It’s been over two years since we decided to start investigating the idea of starting a venture capital firm, and in doing so we thought at length about our thesis, our processes, and, equally as important, our mission and values.
The result is the below set of ideals that will be the foundation behind the Intelis Capital name and serve as the rubric by which we conduct business on a day-to-day basis.
Our Mission
Invest in a wave of meaningful breakthroughs by supporting new-age craftsmanship in under-appreciated innovation ecosystems.
What do those buzzwords mean?
“Meaningful breakthroughs”: We believe in entrepreneurship in all shapes and forms, our aim is to support founders who are working to solve society’s most important challenges.
“New-age craftsmanship”: The virtuosity required for entrepreneurs to execute the common uncommonly well on their mission to transform industries.
“Under-appreciated innovation ecosystems”: Silicon Valley has long been the cornerstone of American innovation. Yet, the democratization of technology combined with macro-economic factors like cost of living and wages make Dallas, Austin, Houston, New Orleans, Raleigh-Durham, Nashville and Atlanta attractive places for startups to thrive.
Our Values
Authenticity matters. Our wardrobe may vary from day-to-day -- we love suits and ties as much as we love wearing t-shirts and jeans. What doesn’t change is our authenticity; you’ll get the same treatment whether we meet on Wednesday morning or Saturday afternoon. We offer congratulations when times are good, but more importantly, been-there done-that leadership when they aren't.
Precision in execution, accuracy in decision-making. Execution requires a prioritized plan with deadlines and an understanding of trade-offs when things change unexpectedly. The best entrepreneurs right-size their decision-making architecture while having a knack for knowing when to attend to the small details that make big impacts.
Our work is a large part of who we are. As individuals, we’ve been building our reputations our entire lives. As Warren Buffet once said, it takes years to build a reputation but only 5 minutes to ruin it. We aim to be transparent in our process and work in a way that always reflects the highest ethical standards.
We’re long-term, big thinkers. Our goals are big (we’re bold enough to believe we can be a catalyst in an ecosystem) and we love investing in companies that want to make lasting, positive impacts. We won’t invest in the latest on-demand cupcake delivery (although we might be customers).
The best founders are ambitious, curious, and gritty. We might take a risk on an unpolished team if the idea has traction and solves a big problem. If you have a willingness to listen and put in the work, we’re excited to work side-by-side with you.
Empathy. We’re founders too. We know that it’s hard to disconnect from your business and that being an entrepreneur is full of unrelenting stress and frequent failures. It can be lonely, but we’ll always just be one call or email away.
Mentorship is the rising tide that lifts all boats. Throughout our careers we’ve been very fortunate to work alongside some outstanding people who were extraordinarily generous with their time and experience. Our goal is to pay it forward and we expect the founders we work with to do the same.
We do what it takes. Every entrepreneur quickly learns that startup life is not always glamorous. Sometimes the most impactful actions are simple, tedious, or both. We’re not afraid to roll up our sleeves to help you achieve results that matter.
Venture capital is a service industry. Entrepreneurs are the customers we work with daily. We strive to serve to the best of our ability in all facets from capital to deep operational support and beyond.
First principles, well-researched. The best innovations are a combination of original thoughts and lessons from those who have been there. We learn from history but aren’t shackled by it.
