Independent rating of .406 Ventures VC fund
Overall rating:
23 reviews
About .406 Ventures VC fund
Website:
Founded:
2005
Number of funds:
6
Number of investments:
163
Number of exits:
28
Headquarters:
Organization type:
Venture Capital
How .406 Ventures VC fund invests
Average ticket size:
12.5M USD
Smallest investment:
2M USD
Biggest investment:
34.3M USD
Would lead round:
Yes
Would coinvest:
Yes
Countries where invested:
Sectors of interest:
Health Care, SaaS, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology, Cyber Security, Wellness, Software, Service Industry, Security, Recruiting, Public Relations, PaaS, Network Security, Medical, Marketplace, Internet, Human Resources, Hospital, Developer APIs, Data Integration, Computer Vision, Autonomous Vehicles, Automotive, Analytics, Advertising
Founders' reviews of .406 Ventures VC fund
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Larry Begley and 406 are Top Tier Boston VC's
I have known Larry for over a year, and greatly admire and appreciate his willingness and ability to roll up his sleeves and help me grow and scale my company. His areas of operating and industry expertise are highly valued by not only me, but also my leadership team and my board of directors. Larry is a great friend, advisor and mentor for any company that is looking to change the world for the better. His partners at .406 also add great value in connecting businesses with potential opportunities.
I highly recommend Larry and his partners at .406 to any company at any stage that might be looking for business insights or operating expertise in growing and scaling their business.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Larry Begley is Terrible
I have to agree with the comments of previous posters. I know Larry and he is one of the worst VCs around. He really doesn't belong. He should go back to being a controller or just retire. He had some good luck that made him some money without being good - typical boom tech story of late 90s by being at the right place when someone way overpaid and no value was created, but he was just crunching unrealistic forecast numbers.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Where is the Depth?
I believe that this firm has no depth. If Maria leaves, I don't see anything there and I think it would be over. Would prefer a firm with a couple more successful partners - Their LPs probably would as well. Just my guess/ opinion.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Good Pitch, Good Feedback
Pitched Graham Brooks and found him to be very insightful and listened more than I was lead to believe a VC should. He reviewed our opportunity with the rest of the partners within the week and responded the next day. While they passed on us due to us being too early stage, he provided detailed notes on why they passed and what they would look for in the future. He then introduced us to another of their portfolio companies as a potential technology partner. All in all it was a very positive experience which helped us refine our pitch and focus our efforts.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Good Meetings
Decent, thoughtful, had a couple good meetings, they passed due to us being too early, but would definitely meet them again.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Great Strategic Counsel and Operational Support
.406 invested in my company and sits on my board, so I have worked closely with them. These folks are the real deal. They are smart, perceptive and offer great operational support. The team works closely together and all directors and principals have contributed something to my company – whether it is customer leads, new hire referrals, operational support, or strategic advice. Liam has a wealth of knowledge to draw on and knows when to share it and when to bite his tongue. Maria has a great knack of cutting to the chase, identifying the key issue, and helping me focus my plan. Their network is strong and they are generous in connecting me to key folks. Greg and Graham have both helped me – onsite, rolling up their sleeves on both tactical and strategic issues. I have been lucky to use them like free McKinsey-type consultants on call whenever I want – what a value. I have not gotten this level of operational support from any other VC I have worked with. They are tough negotiators, but all VCs I’ve worked with are. So far they have a great track record, and they are keeping their fund small so the LPs like them and are continuing to invest with them.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Knowledgeable Team, Great Introductions
We initially met with Greg Dracon and were quickly impressed by his informed questions and insights (he was well prepared). Greg set a follow up meeting that included Maria Cirino and Graham Brooks. Even though there wasn’t a fit, Maria proactively followed up and made a high quality introduction at a “hard-to-crack” large prospective client/partner, which resulted in a fast call back and a meeting at our offices. The 406 team has since made other valuable intros. All of this with a “no”, I can only imagine how great they are as an official part of the team. You can bet that 406 will be my first stop next time I’m up at bat -- pun intended ;)
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Very Helpful Firm
I pitched Maria Cirino and Graham Brooks several times. Really had an exceptional experience. They were a recommendation to us from a friend, which is what put them on our radar screen initially (they are not typically known around Boston as a firm focused on straight consumer internet, but I had heard some very compelling things about Maria as an operator from several folks who know her well).
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Quick, Intelligent Response
We submitted our proposal to them with only a distant referral. 2-3 weeks later their associate called, left a message, I called him back and left a message, and he subsequently called me back. They made a good effort to get back to me, in spite of the fact they were passing. Their partners had already reviewed our material. They gave me 2-3 reasons, which I understood. In short, a very courteous, professional response from them.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Liam Donohue is the Nicest Guy in Venture
I've been working with Liam for a while and have found him to be a true partner. He's incredibly nice, always generous with his time, and consistently supportive. He seems to have a knack for pattern matching with previous experiences and is impressively perceptive in dealing with subtle aspects of tough problems. Adds a ton of value. Knows the energy, healthcare, and education spaces well.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Entrepreneurial Friendly, Awesome Experience
Our company was recently acquired, and .406 led by Maria Cirino was our only institutional investor. Maria and her associate Graham Brooks filled a gap in a technology-laden team with her strong sales and marketing sense. Her contributions as a board member were insightful and entrepreneur friendly. Even though she preferred to continue on and build the business, she respected the founders' preference when presented with an option for early exit. Her negotiating skills throughout our acquisition were awe-inspiring. Maria helped increase the value of our company by an order of magnitude, and provided an incredible learning experience for us in doing so.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Small Fund, Venerable Team, Most Certainly "Tier 1" Guys
We were connected to 406v by a close friend and colleague. Met with Larry and Graham. We'd been following them for some time. Word around the Boston area is that they are the "goldman" of small shops. They have shown us no reason to refute that assertion thus far.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Great Experience with L. Donohue and the Folks at 406
I have been working for a number of years with Liam Donohue at 406 (and his predecessor fund) through 2 rounds of funding, and can say first hand that he and his partners are sophisticated, pragmatic and constructive in dealing with early and mid-stage companies. The difference between these folks and other VC's we've worked and had exposure to is stark to say the least.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Exceptional Understanding of an Indepth Plan Graham Dwells in to It.
Over the past month or so I have been pitching greenyogi.com to Investors (over dozen of them) on the east coast.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Good Pitch
Be ready to pitch fast. Pitched to Liam who got it right away and followed with great discussion.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
If Only More VC Worked Like .406
I recently pitched Maria. If other VC worked this way an entrepreneur's life would be a lot easier when going out to VC. The came to the meeting obviously having read the executive summary and pre-read the slide deck. We quickly went into educated and competent questions about the technology, team, market and strategy. The meeting was efficient, quick and continuously interactive.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Turned Down but Great Group
Meet with Liam and Greg. Great guys. Incredibly professional and prepared for our meeting. The deal was not for them right now (too early stage) but would definitely put them high on the list for the future. Interactions were capped off with a personal phone call from Greg with a full explanation for their reasons for the pass. Cant ask for more than that.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
High Integrity Operators
This is a new, small fund sent up by some highly experienced, high integrity operators. They are well worth pitching.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Great Partners
As a portfolio company of .406 i can only sing their praises. The whole team (and especially Maria and Greg) are very helpful with their professional and insightful feedback and constant proactive stream of valuable introductions. Equally as important, they are pragmatic, down-to-earth, unassuming, courteous, and genuine. It was a pleasure to pitch to them and negotiate the deal, and even more so to subsequently have them as partners on the board. Highly recommended!
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Young Fund Who Gets It
.406 is a young VC investing out of its first fund. It was started by three operators who grew companies from the idea stage to multi-million dollar exits. They surely get it. Pitching to them was quick and efficient, and closing too. On an ongoing basis they provide much support and assistance. Great guys to work with.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Good Listener, True to Their Entrepreneur Friendly Mission
Pitched to Greg Dracon. He originally saw our technology as a fit with their portfolio. After the pitch, Greg did not see a fit to their portfolio's customer base. By the end of the call, he gave us the answer.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
.406 Ventures
I have spend the last several months working with .406 Ventures as I try to determine whether or not I want to take funding. The have a tremendous background in technology. Their insight and advice was amazing whether I end up taking the funding or not.
Not reviewed
Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Unlock more reviews by creating a free account
Solid First Meeting
Solid first meeting