Ben Zises is a solo GP at SuperAngel.Fund who was the very first investor and founding advisor to breakout consumer brands like quip, Caraway, and Arber before they even had names, having personally invested nearly $4 million of his own capital into 30+ companies before launching his fund. As a former founder who went through the complete company lifecycle including raising $2M and ultimately winding down RetailMLS, he brings founder empathy to his role as a hands-on, day-zero investor who publicly shares his investment framework focused on founders with unwavering ambition, product obsession, and fast learning ability.

• Prioritization of exceptional talent over initial deal price. Believes that passing on elite founders solely because the valuation seems too high is a major mistake, noting that historically successful companies usually appear overpriced in retrospect. Points to veteran investors like Fred Wilson who consider missing out on deals due to early price sensitivity as the biggest regrets of their careers.
• Strong focus on consumer packaged goods and tangible products. Highlights an ongoing shift of venture capital back toward the physical world and regularly discusses the consumer brand ecosystem. Frequently engages with specialized tools and leaders in the space, such as hanging out with notable food industry founders and joining early tests for prediction markets tailored specifically to consumer brands.
• Commitment to hands-on partnership and strict communication standards. Values getting into the trenches to fight alongside portfolio operators on a daily basis rather than just providing capital. Expects high reliability regarding reporting, using an unbroken five year streak of delivering quarterly updates for the SuperAngel fund as an example of the consistency required to show respect to stakeholders.
• Preference for startups that exhibit high velocity and intense execution. Identifies a fast operating pace, internal talent development, and immense top down momentum as the primary indicators that a company will succeed. Uses the rapid shipping of physical cards by Ramp as a prime example of the operational tempo required to dominate a market.