On Friday, October 19th, teams from our Ignite, Summer Launchpad, and Faculty/Summer Sprint programs met with Andy Kangpan for Office Hours. Andy is an Investor at Two Sigma Ventures where he spends his time finding, funding, and supporting early-stage technology companies. Andy was previously an investor with ff Venture Capital and holds a BS in Finance and Marketing from NYU Stern.

Participating NYU founders asked questions ranging from, "What kind of round is appropriate for our startup's current stage" to "Is it better to show social engagement or product proof." Andy coached teams on these topics and more.

After the appointments, I asked Andy what themes emerged from the meetings. One major trend was that founders are trying to solve too many problems at once. Andy advised teams to, "Focus on one problem or one thing that can be solved through technology." This is an area where we often see entrepreneurs struggle (and is not unique to NYU startups).

Huge thanks to Andy for his time and support!

About Office Hours:

Office hours are by invitation-only and a chance for startup teams to receive expert coaching on specific issues and challenges they face. Priority access to office hour signups is given to teams participating in programs including  Ignite Fellowships, $300K Entrepreneurs Challenge, Healthcare Makerthon, Prototyping Fund, J-Term Startup Sprint, Summer Launchpad, and those recommended by Blackstone Launchpad coaches.

Interested in participating but not involved in one of the programs listed above? Sign up for a coaching session with a Blackstone LaunchPad coach and learn how to access entrepreneurial resources at NYU.