David Teten
Investor, Founder
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Latest posts
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The Investor’s Case for Protecting Democracy
Thank you to Barron’s for publishing an editorial by Jacob Bornstein and me, “The Investor’s Case for Protecting Democracy.” In 1970, famed economist Milton Friedman wrote in the New York Times that a business has “one and only one social responsibility”: to increase its…
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Are you a supervoter?
Do you know what to say when someone thinks their vote doesn’t matter? Picture five friends picking dinner. Two want pizza, two want sushi. Your vote counts exactly the same as theirs. But as the fifth voter, you break the tie. That is power! This year, about 2.75% of American…
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Update on Investors for a Better America: Strengthening our Capitalist Democracy
We are very happy with the launch of “Investors for a Better America”, a nonpartisan group focused on strengthening our capitalist democracy. We kickstarted with an all-day conference at the Fordham Gabelli School of Business on September 3: Here are some of the takeaways: Our…
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The Republic Is Your Largest Unhedged Position
Here’s my keynote talk from the launch of Investors for a Better America, September 3, 2026, at the Fordham Gabelli School of Business, Manhattan. Feedback always welcome! Today, I am going to share with you three facts you have never heard from an investor. First: my name is…
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Launching a philanthropic co-investment vehicle to back a healthier democratic republic
I’m excited for the founding meeting of Investors for a Better America, a nonpartisan conference built on the premise that free enterprise and constitutional democracy depend on many of the same conditions. This will also mark the launch of the Collaborative Impact Initiative, a…
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Event Notes: The VC’s Guide to Using AI for Generating Alpha
Thanks to Avidbank for inviting me to moderate a panel at 22 Vanderbilt in New York on August 11, with Nick Adams (Managing Partner, Differential Ventures), Marina Girgis (Principal, Precursor Ventures), and Chris Freeberg (Founder and CEO, Altis). Kudos to Matt Garrity and the…
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PilotWave: Transforming Main Street through institutional-grade AI
We’re happy to share the latest in AltsTech’s series profiling how investment managers are using AI, tech, and analytics to generate alpha. We’re fortunate to interview Afsheen Afshar — Founder & Managing Partner, Pilot Wave Holdings. Please give us an overview of your firm.…
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How investors & consultancies can monetize their operational data
Halluminate.ai, an Orange Collective portfolio company, wants to license the internal operational data of financial institutions, consulting firms, or similar knowledge work institutions, e.g., old deal rooms, client projects, etc. They will pay you up to 6 or 7 digits.…
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How to Invest in Y Combinator Companies at Demo Day and Before
I recently led a Lunch and Learn for 37 Angels on “How to Invest in Y Combinator Companies at Demo Day and Before”. Thanks to Angela Lee and Gabriel Mejia of 37 Angels for hosting, and my Partners Jason Freedman, Dave Yen, and Ryan Bednar for sharing their deep experience with Y…
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The AI-Native Platform Behind Orange Collective, Investing in Y Combinator Companies
We’re happy to share the latest in AltsTech’s series profiling how investment managers are using AI, tech, and analytics to generate alpha. I’m fortunate to interview my Partner Dave Yen, co-founder, Orange Collective. OrangeCollective.vc is a VC fund exclusively investing in AI…
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Our Y Combinator Investments from the Current Batch
We’ve announced three new Orange Collective portfolio companies from the most recent P26 Y Combinator batch: Sazabi, Akkari, and Superset. Sazabi is one of the fastest-growing companies in the current YC batch. They’re rethinking observability for the AI era, replacing…
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Boringtech VC and AI: Ascii Ventures
We’re happy to share the latest in AltsTech’s series profiling how investment managers are using AI, tech, and analytics to generate alpha. We’re fortunate to interview Brian Wong, GP of Ascii Ventures. David Teten: Please give us an overview of your firm. Ascii Ventures is a…
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From Outsourced CFO to VC: N6 Ventures Tech Stack
We’re happy to share the latest in AltsTech’s series profiling how investment managers are using AI, tech, and analytics to generate alpha. We’re fortunate to interview Ryan Gaines, Founder of N6 Ventures. David Teten: Please give us an overview of your firm. Ryan Gaines: N6…
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An Insiders Documentary of Y Combinator
Alan Huet of Fundora, a friend of Orange Collective, wanted to see Y Combinator from the inside…and share it with the people of France. The result: he made a 90-minute insiders documentary (in English and French). The team spent 4 full days visiting YC founder offices and hacker…
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HBS Club of NY Event on Investing in AI-Native Companies
I recently chaired a panel on “Investing in AI-Native Companies”, hosted by HBS Club of NY and sponsored by Paul Hastings. Our speakers were: Zane Lackey, General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz Jason Freedman, Cofounder, Orange Collective J.P. Mohler, co-founder, General Legal,…
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AI Workflow VC Fund: Tech Stack Overview
We’re happy to share the latest in AltsTech’s series profiling how investment managers are using AI, tech, and analytics to generate alpha. We’re fortunate to interview Steve Chaparro, Founder & General Partner, Beyond Capital Ventures. I was most interested in learning some of…
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The Most Common Mistakes that Fund Managers Make When Fundraising
Fundraising is just sales. As in all sales processes, you need to build a pipeline, take rejection, and keep plugging. Unfortunately, I see fund managers making the same errors in fundraising, repeatedly. Based on what NOT to do, here’s what I recommend you actually do: Build a…
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VC content strategy in a generative AI world
I’ve made a major change in my content strategy. Some people ask me how I’ve ended up posting so much on this blog and elsewhere (Entrepreneur.com, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, PE Hub, Institutional Investor, Techcrunch, VentureBeat, etc.). I have 5 motivations: Education. I…
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How to ensure the contract you just signed is enforceable
When we negotiate a deal, the paperwork is intended to document the deal, and ensure that all parties keep their commitments. But I admit it: I’m paranoid. How do I ensure enforceability? We are investing millions of dollars based on a few pieces of paper, a feat only possible…
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🇫🇷 Y Combinator and France
My father Jean Teten was native Parisian, so I remain a Francophile. My Partner Jason Freedman just spent a week in Paris, hosted by Fundora. He talked to 100+ French founders and 100+ French investors. In his words, here’s what he learned: “#1 French entrepreneurs are dialed…