Courageous Entrepreneurs Are Heroes, Not Consensus Seekers

The Sure Shot Entrepreneur

Dan Kimerling, founder and managing partner at Deciens, talks about key principles that shape his current approaches to startup investments. He explains Deciens' strategy of leading financing deals with a concentrated portfolio, allowing for deep partnerships with entrepreneurs. Dan critiques the average venture capital returns and promotes a bold, non-orthodox strategy to achieve exceptional outcomes. He emphasizes the importance of alignment with entrepreneurs and LPs, advocating for a venture capital model that values courage, commitment, and long-term relationships over diversification and transactional interactions.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

[1:48] How growing up in Edison, New Jersey, influenced Dan Kimerling’s personal and professional life.

[4:07] Deciens’ philosophy: Concentrated, bold, partnership-driven investments.

[7:42] Founders seek genuine partnerships with VCs.

[15:54] Achieving greatness requires personal courage, not group consensus.

[18:28] Success in VC means investing in non-consensus deals with a robust framework.

[29:28] Strategies for better alignment among VCs, entrepreneurs, and LPs.

The non-profit organizations that Dan is passionate about: Albuquerque Community Foundation

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About Dan Kimerling

Dan Kimerling is the founder and managing partner at Deciens. He is passionate about leading investments in transformative companies at their earliest stages and sits on the board of many Deciens portfolio companies, including Chipper, Therma, and Treasury Prime. He co-founded Standard Treasury, which was acquired by Silicon Valley Bank, where he led API Banking and Global Research. Earlier, he was an analyst at TechCrunch. Dan graduated with honors from the University of Chicago with an A.B. and A.M., studied mathematical finance at Booth, and received several awards. He was named to Forbes’ "30 under 30," is a Kauffman Fellow, and is active in the Young Presidents’ Organization.

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About Deciens

Deciens is a venture capital firm dedicated to supporting early-stage founders revolutionizing financial services. The firm identifies visionary entrepreneurs at the inception of their journey, offering extensive support beyond funding to realize their visions. Deciens collaborates strategically with industry leaders such as Chipper Cash, Africa's largest fintech; Treasury Prime, a frontrunner in banking-as-a-service; and Therma, an innovator in industrial energy management. Through these partnerships, Deciens champions entrepreneurs driving the digital transformation of traditional institutions.

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