Q&A with Shaler Houser of Founderville.vc

It's our mission and focus that make Founderville special. We're a unique firm in that we are laser-focused on the underserved Carolina region. We also focus on our area of expertise, which is software and artificial intelligence. We came from technology, built companies in technology, and have proven successful expertise in building technology startups.

Our regional focus ensures we have atypical dealflow. We work with regional economic Development Organizations (EDOs) for deal flow. In addition, we have partnerships with Furman University and Flywheel Coworking to host our Future X program for emerging entrepreneurs. These proprietary programs provide ongoing deal flow, allowing the partnership to focus on supporting our portfolio founders.

Founderville will leverage its position as the only South Carolina-based venture capital and seed fund focused on software and AI to generate above-average results. The fund is well-positioned to see virtually all early-stage software and AI deal flow in the region. The fund will invest at below-median valuations and, most often, use a 1x liquidation preference in its preferred investment structure.

By working with the regional EDOs, the fund can access founders at a very early stage, typically pre-revenue, to begin watching their behavior through diligence. We don't move quickly; instead, we spend substantial time with the founders prior to making investment commitments. During the diligence period, as we work with founders, we use this time to gauge humility, coachability, attitude, and aptitude. Those are the four characteristics we use to determine investment decisions.

Founderville is different. Founderville is about leveraging underserved markets with seed stage capital. We're about building a diversified portfolio of 18-20 investments over 3-4 years. We're hands on. We're not passive investors. We make a difference in the companies we back.

Our mission is 3x returns, net of all fees, wheil making a direct impact in our communities. This isn't just about giving back. This is about driving innovation and economic development at the earliest stages. Founderville is not the same old VC fund, we're different and we're transparent. Expect complete transparency, at low fees, aligned with your financial interests.