VC in 33: Explaining Venture Capital to My 104-Year-Old Grandmother
VC in 33 Seconds
How do you explain venture capital to someone who’s 104? In this video, we hear a thoughtful take that redefines VC as a timeless concept: supporting inventors. From friends and family to banks and finally venture investors, it’s the story of bold problem-solvers seeking someone who believes in their vision. At its core, venture capital is simply about backing the next great inventor.
VC in 33: Explaining Venture Capital to My 104-Year-Old Grandmother
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Pete Mathias offers a refreshingly simple way to explain venture capital: it’s about supporting inventors. In this video, he shares how VC isn’t just modern finance jargon — it’s a timeless idea. Entrepreneurs with bold ideas knock on doors, and venture investors are the ones who say yes when others won’t. At its heart, VC is about finding and backing those driven to build something new.
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Pete Mathias
Partner, Green D VenturesPete joins Alumni Ventures from the $1.5B+ venture capital arm of Bertelsmann, where he was a Senior Director across the European Union, China, and U.S startup ecosystems. Previously a fellow at .406 Ventures and alumnus of the Harvard Innovation Lab, Pete has substantial entrepreneurial and startup operating background. He has an MBA from the Tuck School at Dartmouth, an MPA from Harvard’s Kennedy School, a Master’s with Distinction from Oxford, and a BA (magna cum laude) from Dartmouth. He has recently been selected as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Pete has a creative core as drummer for the indie rock band Filligar, which has been designated as “Cultural Ambassador” by the U.S. Department of State. He is an avid skier, marathon runner, and ice hockey player.
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You can find the full transcript below:
Pete Mathias:
My grandmother is 104. I’ve come to an explanation that just makes sense to her, which is, “I work with inventors.” Venture capital itself is sort of branded language. It’s marketing for actually quite a timeless and universal thing. An entrepreneur would just knock on doors, friends and family would say, “No, sorry, we are not going to back you.” The bank would say, “No, this is too risky.” Then they knock on the venture investor’s door, and the venture investor would say, Great, you’re who I’m looking for. What that person who knocks on the door is called in almost every language on earth is an inventor.
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