About
A career technology company founder, CEO, and inventor with a rare blend of technical, financial and business acumen, John Cowan leverages over 25 years of startup and venture capital experience to help founders, innovators, and investors get where the are going, faster.
Why I Do This
For over 25 years I played by the rules of contemporary venture capital. I raised tens of millions of dollars in return for equity in my startups because, well, this is what I was taught founders are "supposed to do."
I would not be where I am today without my relationship with the venture capital industry. But, at the same time, I would not be where I am today because of my relationship with the venture capital industry. I have learned the hard way that venture capital investors rarely consider the best interests of founders when they make business and financial decisions, often leading to devastating personal and professional consequences.
It doesn't have to be this way. I want to change this.
In 2021 I penned a disruptive investment thesis, which I call Venture Capital 2.0. Venture Capital 2.0 is the nexus of innovation investing in the Sixth Wave and a recalibration of Venture Reciprocity. My mission is to rebalance and reinvigorate the relationship between innovative founders and the investors that underwrite that innovation.
I am carrying out this mission as a Founding Partner of Next Wave Partners - a unique venture studio and captive venture fund at the forefront of innovation and startup investing. I spend every day working directly with startup founders and the next generation of startup investors. I write about my experience and publish my research about emerging technology, markets and my emerging venture portfolio strategy here.
Do you want to meet with me one-on-one? Access my calendar here to book a meeting.
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The content on this website is for information purposes only and is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, investment products, or investment advisory services, including interests in any private investment fund. The content on this website is not intended to be relied upon as the basis for an investment decision. There may be errors in any analysis provided or in the data presented on this site. I accept no liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from the use of the information on this site.