About the size of a single credit card, Coin has the sophistication and infrastructure to supplant your entire wallet. The information contained on all your cards – be they credit, debit, gift, or membership – can be stored securely and accessed readily from the Coin device. Palo Alto–based SoftTech VC is an early investor in Coin. Founder and CEO Jeff Clavier has demonstrated a knack for investing in ambitious ventures that paid sizable dividends. In 2000, Clavier became president of RVC Capital, a firm managing the Reuters Greenhouse Fund, which had $600M invested in 82 companies (one of which was Yahoo!). Clavier left RVC in 2004 to form SoftTech VC. In the past decade, the firm, which specializes in interactive media, has backed successful startups such as Mint, Eventbrite, Kongregate, and Bleacher Report. Clavier offered CSQ a bit of insight as to why he is a huge believer in the upstart currency.
CSQ&A with Jeff Clavier, Founder & CEO, SoftTech VC
CSQ Your Three Asses Rule (A smart-ass team with a kick-ass product in a big-ass market) figures prominently in your decisions to fund start ups. What impressed you about COIN in these areas?
Jeff Clavier Big vision and market opportunity, highly differentiated and difficult to reproduce technology, and an awesome founder with the right background and aspirations.
CSQ Besides security, what other concerns were addressed when vetting the business prospects of COIN?
JC The technical feasibility of designing and manufacturing coin.
CSQ Why do you think COIN will succeed?
JC It clearly struck a chord with the public when we launched the pre-order campaign, which was the most successful I have seen.
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