Independent rating of Kepha Partners VC fund
Overall rating:
23 reviews
About Kepha Partners VC fund
Website:
Founded:
2006
Number of funds:
1
Number of investments:
54
Number of exits:
18
Headquarters:
Organization type:
Micro VC
How Kepha Partners VC fund invests
Rounds:
Average ticket size:
1.63M USD
Biggest investment:
4.76M USD
Would lead round:
Yes
Would coinvest:
Yes
Countries where invested:
Sectors of interest:
Software, SaaS, Loyalty Programs, Brand Marketing, Big Data, Analytics, Advertising, Social Network, Social Media Marketing, Shopping, Retail Technology, Predictive Analytics, Marketing Automation, Machine Learning, Insurance, InsurTech, Information Technology, GovTech, Financial Services, Enterprise Software, Digital Media, Data Visualization, Content Creators, Consumer, Bioinformatics, Apps, Affiliate Marketing
Founders' reviews of Kepha Partners VC fund
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Older than a year by non-portfolio founder
Great Experience Know What Kepha Is/N't
Got to a "yes" with Jo and Eric @ Kepha - and ended up going with them. Fairly solid terms, not too painful of a process (e.g., pitching, diligence). Jo and Eric are quite different from each other but bring distinct insight and value to an early stage company. Jo asks great (and tough) questions and Eric's experience as an operator (enterprise software) has been valuable.
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Nice People
Pitched Jo, he's a positive guy that made it from nothing to something. The fund seems to make only 4 new deals a year, so it's very exclusive. He relatively quick to take a pass, which is better than the funds who can't make a decision.
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Good Experience Overall
We pitched Joe for our start up and while we decided it wasn't a match, we found him to be personable and willing to connect us to other funding sources.
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Shop that is Getting Footing
Pitched Eric at a very early stage in our company. Eric has some great experience, and heard us out. He gave us a quick "no" but connected us to CommonAngels and Chris Sheehan. He seems willing to help. So I'd reccomend at least giving these guys a shot at your company.
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Quick No
Pitched Jo and Eric after socializing them on our deal over the past 18 months. They turned us down pretty quickly, but gave valid reasons for their concerns. Jo has been very consistent in the process, providing quick, professional feedback and honest assessments. A shame we aren't going to do a deal with them, but we'll try to work with them in the future if possible.
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Quick Response
Sent a "cold call email" to Kepha to test the waters. The turn-down was courteous & quick which is great for us and for Kepha as neither of us wants to waste any time (it's usually best to "go with what you know"). Here is the turn-down email:
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What a Good Guy And
I cold-eMailed Jo Tango to see if Kepha would be interested in my deal. He took the time to read my Exec Summary and got back to me in a few hours with some questions, and then called me later that evening to tell me they would pass because they did not focus on consumer deals. This all took place in about a 6-hour time span. Is that a first? Most other VCs would just go dark. Jo is a real down-to-earth guy and a breath of fresh air from the VC world.
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Narrow View of the World
I pitch Jo recently and went through some preliminary due diligence with a friend of the firm. Jo seems smart and to the point and he declined quickly (which was appreciated).
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Great Experience
He passed, but was extremely pleasant and the answer was quick. Did not waste my time which is great.
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Jo is a Great Guy and a Straight Shooter
I met with Jo in November on what was then a very early stage idea. He was very generous with his time and very straightforward. He made it clear early on that my company was probably not a fit, at least at its current stage (current then).
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Quick No
Tried to entice Jo to take a look at our fabless semi play but he respectfully declined.
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Value Added After the Deal
Jo fought hard to get into our first round. It takes moxie and pull to get a first round completed through a big partnership, and you can't be afraid of first stage risks, of which there are plenty. You have to walk the walk. Jo actually rushed from behind, in terms of due diligence, and he impressed me with his ethics, risk tolerance, connections, and zeal. That was when Jo was with Highland.
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Timely, Right to the Point
Jo did not invest in our company but we had a great meeting with him. We enjoyed the meeting, had an open discussion about the challenges we face and the exec team's track record (or lack thereof).
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Value Add, Honest VC
I have pitched several projects to Jo over the past few years and found him the only VC who:
a) added value to my proposal with good questions and suggestions or connections even if he himself decided not to invest
b) was up-front and honest with me throughout the entire process. with Jo, you always know where you stand. He doesn't play any games - he's trustworthy and to me as an entrepreneur, that's key.
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Tango is a Great VC
Jo Tango's example should be followed by more VCs. The posts here show that with a little bit of respect for the entrepreneur, a VC's reputation can become golden.
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Upfront and Direct
I emailed Jo with an Executive Summary and, while it wasn't in his area of current interest, he responded immediately and decisively. There was no waffling or waiting to get a firm answer. There would be a lot less time wasted if more VC's were this honest.
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Jo Tango is Excellent
Jo Tango is an absolute prince. He as honest, hard-working, and well-connected a VC as a Boston-area startup could ask for. He didn't fund my deal, but he was one of my top choices.
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Jo Tango/Kepha Partners: the Real Deal
Unlike other posters I've only met Jo three times - the most recent being a pitch meeting where I was reminded once again that Jo's the Real Deal.
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Jo Tango is First Rate
I have known Jo Tango for 9 years. He is one of the most honest people I have ever met. Jo's integrity is the highest a person can have. Jo backs his entrepreneurs and is always trying to help him. Jo has a great network of contacts to help his entrepreneurs success. He is smart, articulate, hard working and extremely supportive. Jo is a true early stage entrepreneur's best asset. Jo was on a a board of Directors where I was CEO and Jo is top notch. I highly recommend Jo Tango.
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More Than Money
Talking with Jo, you had better have your act together- he is very smart, and will tell you exactly what he thinks in a fair, no-nonsense way. There is nothing ambiguous about his approach, a refreshing antidote to many of his peers. His ethics are also unimpeachable from my experience (and obviously I am not alone, as he was able to oversubscribe a fund in very little time!)
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A Well Connected Startup Coach
Jo Tango operates differently than most VCs. Jo looks for people that could be entrepreneurs and he assists/coaches them during the pre-funded period to be successful in getting their company off the ground. He's also very well connected with many CIO/IT/Business Development people, and his introductions were critical in opening doors at the right time for my company.
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A VC Who Truly Loves to Start Companies
Jo is truly unique among the Boston VC community. He is an exceptional person who treats all entrepreneurs with respect - regardless of the quality or stage of their idea. He has a phenomenal network and leverages it for every one of his companies. In my experience working with Jo directly, he loves the process of starting companies and just happens to be a VC. There are few VCs in Boston that have the patience and commitment to work with startups - most have become what Jo calls "Venture Bankers" - but Jo is committed to working on great ideas with the best people and he embraces the uncertainty and ambiguity that makes startups both fun and terrifying.
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A Prince Among Froggs
We have to kiss a lot of froggs to find the prince.