In the two decades since Rick Heitzmann co-founded his seed and Series A venture capital firm, FirstMark Capital, he has seen the venture capital industry in New York City transformed.

What was once a community of small, informally-run operations blossomed into an industry of formidable institutions providing entire platforms of support services to the companies they invest in.

During those decades, Heitzmann made a series of iconic investments in companies like Pinterest, DraftKings, and Ro, which earned him a reputation as one of the nation’s most successful venture capitalists. He’s been named to Forbes’ Midas List of the world’s top VC investors every year since 2020.

Speaking at the Jefferies Private Internet Conference in Los Angeles in April, Heitzmann says FirstMark has never changed its philosophy on where to invest.

“Great people make a great company, and having great founders who are incredibly thoughtful about the product and go-to-market strategy is necessary,” Heitzmann said. “But you also pick people who are slightly contrarian, who are thinking of the world differently. They see the megatrends that are coming.”

“We tend to get in early and help form the cultures,” he said. “So, we are really true partners with entrepreneurs.”

Heitzmann is applying that investing philosophy now to a landscape where AI is progressing exponentially, healthcare is being digitalized, and investments in consumer tech start-ups are fewer and farther between.

Watch the interview below or click here to read the full article