Ben Casnocha

Overview

Ben Casnocha is a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur, author, and angel investor. He is the co-founder and General Partner at Village Global, an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in startup entrepreneurs across various sectors, including technology, SaaS, consumer internet, robotics, fintech, and digital health. Village Global manages a fund size of $1.5 billion and has a portfolio of hundreds of companies. Casnocha's investment focus is on seed, pre-seed, and early-stage ventures, with typical investments ranging from $250,000 to $1.5 million, and an average investment size of $750,000. His geographical focus is primarily on the United States. In addition to his investment activities, Casnocha is a co-author of two New York Times bestselling books: 'The Start-Up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career' and 'The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age.' He has appeared on various media outlets, including CNN, the CBS Early Show, and CNBC, and has spoken at numerous business events and conventions. Casnocha's investment philosophy emphasizes adaptability, flexibility, and opportunism, aiming to support underdog founders and take calculated risks to back promising entrepreneurs. He believes in the importance of being the first to believe in a founder and often seeks to be the first firm to commit to a founder, reflecting a commitment to supporting emerging talent in the startup ecosystem. His approach is characterized by a decentralized effort to source and select the smartest founders, leveraging a network of founders, angel investors, professors, and ecosystem leaders to identify and back exceptional entrepreneurs. This strategy aligns with his belief in staying adaptive and being opportunistic as opportunities arise, ensuring that his investments are well-positioned to succeed in the dynamic and rapidly evolving startup landscape.