First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter The Value of Being the First Investor: Insights from Ash Fontana
Recorded as Managing Partner, Zetta Venture Partners
About Ash Fontana
Ash Fontana is an investor and adviser who works on artificial intelligence. He invests in AI companies, advises startups on data and machine learning, pricing and fundraising, advises large companies and governments on how AI applies to them, and coaches a small number of investors.
With Mark Gorenberg he launched Zetta Venture Partners, an early-stage venture fund focused on AI, where he led investments in companies including Kaggle, Tractable and Clearbit. Before that he helped build AngelList's online investing and fundraising products, and he began his career at Macquarie Capital after studying law and finance at the University of Sydney. He is the author of The AI-First Company, published by Penguin Random House.
On First Cheque with Cheryl Mack and Maxine Minter in 2024, he discussed the value of being a startup's first investor.
- Talks about
- Fundraising, Venture Capital
- Website
- ashfontana.com
In conversation.
1 episode
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter In their own words.
“As soon as you're competing, you're losing. You should just aim to be in non-competitive situations.”
The path so far.
- Now
Investor and adviser
- Earlier · Scale-up
Built/led the fundraising platform · AngelList
Sources: ashfontana.com
Across the network.
In the room with
Spot something wrong? Suggest a correctionUpdated 29 October 2026
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