This week I had the privilege of interviewing my friend Vik Thapar of Cypress Growth Capital. Vik has been running point at Cypress for many years. Cypress’s founders were the godfathers of revenue based financing which has become a catalyst in the capital stack of emerging growth companies. You can listen to the podcast on YouTube, Apple, or Spotify.
Vik has over 20 years of experience spanning venture capital, private equity, and information technology consulting. He oversees all aspects of the firm’s investment process and provides ongoing support to portfolio companies. Before joining the Cypress team in 2012, Vik spent three years with the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF), a $200 Million state-sponsored venture capital fund. In the first decade of his career, Vik worked in the information technology field as a business consultant to Fortune 500 companies.
He serves on the Board of Directors of the U.S. – India Chamber of Commerce, the University of Texas at Dallas Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and Tech Titans. In 2019, Vik co-founded and served as a board member of Venture Dallas, a non-profit, volunteer-led organization dedicated to growing the innovation ecosystem in Dallas – Fort Worth. Vik is a frequent guest lecturer and panelist on entrepreneurial topics at SMU, TCU, and the University of Texas at Dallas. He holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University, a concentration in Entrepreneurial Studies and Strategy, and a B.S. degree from the University of Texas at Dallas.
What You’ll Learn:
Venture Capital vs. Royalty Based Financing
Evolution from Fund 1 to 4
Investment Thesis and Fund Strategy
Understanding of Royalty-Based Financing
Competition between Different types of Financing
Deal Sourcing Strategies
Fundraising Experience
Favorite Quote:
“When valuations are high, deploying capital is harder.”
The Capital Stack
All Things Tech Investing and Value Creation
Early growth investor David Paul interviews the world’s most excellent ecosystem, learns how to start and scale your own business, and finds an edge in today’s capital markets.
