Episode description

Join our host Ian Gardiner as he chats to Nick Gainsley, Partner at One Ventures and Aurora Community Member, on episode 183 of Open the Pod Bay Doors.

Nick is Partner at OneVentures and leads the debt fund strategy, which was launched 5 years ago to address gaps in the Australian market. The fund offers non-dilutive alternative funding options through 3-4 year loans with interest and small equity options for growth stage companies post-Series A.

Nick explains the differences between debt and equity funding, market trends, and the fund's structure as GPLP. The conversation also delves into the use of debt funding to avoid down rounds or complement equity funding, as well as discussions on AI, productivity tools, and current events.

Highlights from Ian and Nick's conversation include

• what a debt fund looks like and how it compares to a traditional GPLP Venture Fund

• What do the mechanics of a debt fund deal look like

• Why Nick prefers the term growth credit over venture debt
• Nick's view on liquidity and exits in the next couple of years
• The future of AI and how OneVenture apodt this in their day to day operations
• potential downsides to a debt fund
• Is poker simple gambling or is it a skill?

Quickfire round. 

• Book – Just finished Outlive by Peter Atia
• Podcast – All in with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
• News source – Australian Financial Review
• App – Spotify (shout out to Spotify Audibooks)
• Productivity tool – A bit boring but I use OneNote
• Tech CEO – You've got to be impressed with Satya Nadella from Microsoft
• TV show – Colin from Accounts
• If you were asked to do a TED talk, what topic would you speak about? I know random small snippets from lots of different things..

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