K Street Capital

When choosing to invest in a company, there are a lot of elements for VCs to consider—and government policy is no exception. On today’s episode of High Stakes, Bruce Andrews joins me to break it all down as we explore the role of government policy in venture capital and its impact on the industry. Bruce Andrews has spent the last 30+ years at the intersection of business, public policy, and politics, and over his career, he’s occupied a range of consequential roles, both in government and commerce, from Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Commerce to Vice President for Global Public Policy at SoftBank. In our discussion, Bruce unpacks the ways government policies affect VCs, how a change in administration can impact startups, and what companies should do to prepare. He sheds light on his time at SoftBank and what it taught him about the VC industry before expanding on how the company helped startups by giving them access to government affairs experts. We also hear Bruce’s reflections on failure and success, his advice to listeners, and more. Join us for a fascinating exploration of government policy and its impact on VC. ?? Links in the comments!

?? Talking to VCs? Play the long game. The first meeting isn’t always about the check—it’s about the relationship. Investors bet on you before they bet on your company. ?? ? Build warm connections ? Track every investor conversation ? Align with their vision Because when the time is right, that early relationship could be the key to unlocking your next round. ?? For more VC insights, check out my recent conversation with Basel Fakhoury on High Stakes! #VentureCapital #Startups #Fundraising #Entrepreneurship #InsideVC

?? We are excited to spotlight one of K Street Capital's recent investments in Procurated!?Procurated is transforming the public procurement landscape by providing a platform that facilitates vendor ratings and reviews, helping government agencies make informed purchasing decisions. By empowering users to share their experiences with suppliers, Procurated enhances transparency and accountability in the procurement process. We are thrilled to be part of Procurated's journey and can't wait to see the positive impact they will have on public procurement and the communities they serve! For more on Procurated, check out founder David Yarkin's recent WSJ piece here: https://lnkd.in/eFVh8_u9

In the latest episode of The Monthly Blend, hosts Anthony Millin and Tien Wong dive into an exciting conversation with Adam Lattimore, MPA, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Policy for DMPED, and Paige Soya, Managing Partner of K Street Capital. They break down Mayor Muriel Bowser’s game-changing announcement of the $26 million DC Venture Capital Fund, set to be managed by K Street Capital. Curious about who this fund is for, how it will be deployed, and its potential to transform DC’s startup ecosystem? Tune in to get the inside scoop on this bold initiative and what it means for the future of innovation in the District. https://lnkd.in/duYmvqWJ #VentureCapital #StartupEcosystem #Innovation?

Fundraising isn't just about the pitch. It's about proving your business is worth the investment, and the best founders don’t wait for VCs to ask for data—they anticipate what investors need and have it ready. On this episode of High Stakes, Basel Fakhoury and I break down: ? The key metrics VCs look for (and why they matter) ? How to pre-package your diligence to speed up a deal ? The biggest mistakes founders make in investor meetings If you’re raising capital, this is a must-listen. Founders: What’s one thing you wish you had prepared earlier in your fundraising process? Curious to hear your thoughts! ??

?? I'm excited to share that High Stakes, the K Street Capital venture capital podcast, is back for Season 3! This season, we're diving straight into the brutal, behind-the-scenes reality of fundraising—what it takes to get VCs to yes and the costly mistakes founders make along the way. What happens when you spend two years building a company no one wants? Basel Fakhoury faced that exact moment before pivoting to User Interviews, now backed by $45M in venture capital. In this episode, we break down: ? The fundraising strategy that changed everything ? Investor psychology—how to get a yes from VCs ? The biggest mistake founders make in raising capital ? The red flags that kill deals (for both founders & VCs) ?? Check out the full episode now! Links are in the comments. #VentureCapital #Fundraising #HighStakesPodcast #StartupLessons #VCInsights #insideVC

The Wall Street Journal published my op/ed ??? this weekend with some (unsolicited) advice to the #DOGE team on how they can leverage the government's massive buying power to drive savings ?? for taxpayers ... ... and how modern tech (??) can help them avoid the pitfalls that come with these changes. More than 20 years ago, my team at the Pennsylvania Department of General Services was one of a dozen states implementing #strategicsourcing. We aggregated our volume across all agencies to reduce cost ??, increase service levels ?? and expand partnerships with small businesses. The results shocked ?? our team, our brilliant consultants and the Governor himself. In little over a year, we had generated $140M in recurring savings and quadrupled our small business participation levels ??. And as important, we changed a culture in Harrisburg to become outcome - not process -oriented. It was a government efficiency fairy tale. ?? But one contract went bad. Very bad. Through the strategic sourcing methodology, we established a statewide contract for food ??, with one supplier responsible for delivering to state prisons, hospitals, veterans homes from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. It was a big and complex contract. We did a fair amount of diligence on the company to make sure they were up to it. Sadly, they weren't. The problem was that we didn't know that there were any issues for weeks on end. There were performance hiccups all along at individual locations, but they never rose to our attention in Harrisburg. Until it was too late. And we had to scramble ????♀??? to find new suppliers fast. The lesson here is that while strategic sourcing has proven to be a very effective strategy, you need to couple it with tools to help you see when things are going off the rails with your vendors. If we had that, we could have seen the issues early and intervened and possibly fixed things ?? . Or at least, we would have had time to secure alternative sources of food in a more orderly fashion. It was experiences like these that led me and the Procurated team to create #Canary ??, the most widely used #vendorperformancemanagement platform in the public sector. 14 states across the country and a growing number of local governments, universities and school districts use Canary to help them avoid the headaches of my food contract scramble from years past. ?? Link to the op/ed in comments.

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We are thrilled to highlight?our?latest?healthtech?investment--in?Babyscripts!?Co-founded by Anish Sebastian, Babyscripts provides a revolutionary platform that enhances maternal and infant health through innovative digital care solutions. By connecting expectant mothers with personalized resources and remote monitoring, Babyscripts empowers families to navigate pregnancy with confidence and support. As the demand for accessible and comprehensive maternal health solutions continues to rise, Babyscripts stands at the forefront of this essential industry shift. We are excited to be part of Babyscripts' journey and look forward to witnessing the positive impact they have on countless lives!

We are thrilled to highlight?our?latest?healthtech?investment--in?Babyscripts!?Co-founded by Anish Sebastian, Babyscripts provides a revolutionary platform that enhances maternal and infant health through innovative digital care solutions. By connecting expectant mothers with personalized resources and remote monitoring, Babyscripts empowers families to navigate pregnancy with confidence and support. As the demand for accessible and comprehensive maternal health solutions continues to rise, Babyscripts stands at the forefront of this essential industry shift. We are excited to be part of Babyscripts' journey and look forward to witnessing the positive impact they have on countless lives!