First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter 
About Charles Hudson
Charles Hudson is managing partner of Precursor Ventures, the early-stage venture firm he founded to make the first institutional investment in software and hardware start-ups. Precursor runs on a solo GP model: Hudson is its single investment decision-maker, supported by a small team, and the firm has backed hundreds of companies across several funds.
Before Precursor he was a partner at Uncork Capital, formerly SoftTech VC, and earlier co-founded and led the mobile games start-up Bionic Panda Games as chief executive. He chaired the board of the US National Venture Capital Association for 2023–24.
On First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter, he explained how he built a high-volume solo GP fund and why he weighs trust over likability when backing founders.
- Talks about
- Fundraising, Venture Capital
In conversation.
2 episodes
Start hereScaling Solo: How Charles Hudson Built a High-Volume VC Model at Precursor VenturesExplains how his high-volume solo GP model at Precursor works; the 2026 episode builds on it with how he judges founders.
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter 
First Cheque with Cheryl Mack & Maxine Minter Scaling Solo: How Charles Hudson Built a High-Volume VC Model at Precursor Ventures
Go straight to the good bits.
Key moments from Trust Over Likability: How Charles Hudson Built a 450-Company Portfolio.
- 3:05Charles’ first investment: buying ExxonMobil in high school
- 6:15What exactly is a solo GP?
- 7:37The surprising benefits of having one decision-maker
- 10:28The problem with orphaned portfolio companies
- 13:04Why solo GPs need to be intentional about founder relationships
- 15:44How the “product” of Precursor evolved
- 18:00Building trust, setting expectations, and knowing when to step back
- 20:32Why honest feedback matters more than being liked
- 23:40“It’s you”: giving founders brutally honest feedback
- 25:52Trust is a bank account
In their own words.
“Themes kill returns, because once the thing's a theme, people don't exercise the same level of judgment. Most themes only yield one or two great companies.”
The path so far.
- Now
Managing Partner · Precursor Ventures
- Earlier
Partner · SoftTech VC
- Earlier · Startup
Co-founder & CEO · Bionic Panda Games
- Until 2010 · Startup
VP Business Development · Serious Business
- Earlier
Investor · In-Q-Tel
- From 2005 · Startup
Product Manager · IronPort Systems
- Earlier
Business development · Google
- Earlier · Scale-up
Business development · Zynga
- Earlier · Startup
Business development · Gaia Online
Sources: startupgrind.com
Precursor Ventures on Day One
Precursor Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in start-ups at pre-seed and seed stage.
1 person · 2 episodes
Across the network.
In the room with
Spot something wrong? Suggest a correctionUpdated 29 October 2026
Be part of
the conversation.
Put your brand alongside the voices founders, investors and operators come to hear.
Explore sponsorshipProduced by W2D1 Media
Want a show of your own?
W2D1 Media — the team behind the Day One Network, which helped build Blackbird Ventures' Wild Hearts — builds and produces podcasts for funds, founders and operators. If you want a show built around your brand, let's talk.
