SmartMoney Ventures Podcast

SMV1: David Chang of Paypal, with 40+ Angel Investments

Jeff (J.D.) Davids Season 1 Episode 1

Episode 1 features former PayPal Executive & Angel Investor David Chang on why it is critical to get the right investors in your company at the right time.  He unpacks the art & science of fundraising and company building from both sides, as an entrepreneur with PayPal & TripAdvisor, and as an angel investor in over 60 startup companies.         

David is an entrepreneur and angel investor who has held operating roles at six startups and invested in 60 companies. He was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of Gradifi, which was acquired by E*TRADE. Previously, he was Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Harvard Business School and Director of the Babson Summer Venture Program.

In this episode, you will learn:

  1. Why it is critical to get the right investors in your company at the right time.  
  2. The art & science of finding & attracting the right investors even if you don’t have a network.  
  3. David’s 40+ Angel investments - where he sourced them, how he helps them and where they’re headed.  
  4. The how and why of getting warm introductions to investors.  
  5. Why it seems to take so long to close a deal - developing trust between entrepreneur & investor.  

Companies, people & topics 
mentioned in this episode:

Companies where David has worked:

PayPal - Executive
Gradifi - CEO
Start Tank Innovation Space - Co-Founder
Where Angel Fund - Co-Founder
TripAdvisor - Director New Products
SnapMyLife - Co-Founder, VP Marketing
m-Qube - Director Product Marketing
eDocs - Senior Product Manager
Goldman Sachs - Vice President - Technology

Harvard Ventures - Advisor
Nanigans - Advisor
CO Everywhere - Advisor
OpenFrame - Advisor
Linkwell Health - Advisor

Companies where David is/was an investor:

Crashlytics, clypd, Amino, Logz, Cuseum

University Affiliations
Harvard Business School
Cornell University
Babson College

Groups where David is active:
MITX
Mass Challenge