Christine Tsai joined Startup Grind in Silicon Valley to talk about investing, international scaling, and her role as Founding Partner at 500 Startups. Working with the Accelerator and Distribution teams, Christine has personally led investments in over 150 companies.
Before starting 500 Startups, Tsai worked with Google on YouTube syndication and development projects like Google I/O. Earlier, she sharpened her sales skills with non-tech companies like Texaco, where her academic background helped her with the big deals -- she holds a BA in cognitive science.
Christine's diverse background is key to making her a stellar investor: in addition to her career diversity, she was also a ballet dancer for many years. Despite a strong track record of investments, Christine is quick to point out it’s always a learning space.
Today, startups must be thinking globally from day one, even if they originate in Silicon Valley. To help with global scale, 500 has Partners work deeply with particular regions. Christine's focus is on major metro areas in Southeast Asia (or "SEA"). It's a major funnel for accelerator investors, but also filled with smaller, geo-targeted funds with pools of $10-15 million. Christine also works with a niche mobile investment arm.
The Starting Point
Tsai’s investment background began in 2004, from a voracious appetite for blogs. At the time, not many venture capitalists blogged, but what she could find, she scanned for insights, strategies, and nurtured an interest in investing.
Previously, she thought of VC as working with very early stage businesses. After spending time with Google, using startup tools and products, and getting exposed to new companies in her city, her thinking became more and more refined. It was fascinating for her to see how VC was changing—and how she could form a symbiotic relationship with Google.
Today, she prioritizes balances in her life. Spending time with her children is a top concern, but it’s tough when everyone she works with is in different time zones. Coordinating at midnight or when it’s traditionally family time is a struggle. However, it’s something that gets tougher as companies grow, but well worth keeping constant attention on.
What does 500 startups look for when choosing which companies to invest in? Christine Tsai from 500 Startups explains:
We like to see companies with a clear business models.
Pre-launch startups are too early for her, but she does keep an eye on them.
Watch the full video below for advice from Christine Tsai on how to run a successful company, maintain a proper work-life balance and get accepted into 500 Startups