Investment Thesis with Kali Norman 
About Taryn Pieterse
Taryn Pieterse is a Partner at Rampersand, a dedicated early‑stage venture fund backing ANZ founders building B2B software and AI‑driven technology companies. She leads and supports investments across the portfolio, with experience on rounds for companies including Hatch and other high‑growth startups.
Taryn joined Rampersand in 2020 after a decade in investing and investment banking, including roles at Goldman Sachs in Sydney and London and at Light Warrior Group in Melbourne. She holds dual degrees in Commerce (Finance) and Science (Mathematics), and is known for working closely with founders on capital raising, strategy and long‑term growth.
- Talks about
- Fundraising, Venture Capital
In conversation.
1 episode
Investment Thesis with Kali Norman Go straight to the good bits.
Key moments from Taryn Pieterse of Rampersand — How a VC backs early-stage founders.
- 0:00Why Australian founders still win
- 2:02From Goldman Sachs to Rampersand
- 3:33Building a thesis inside the portfolio
- 6:26Cheque sizes: $250K to $2M, leading rounds
- 7:15Founder vs product, stage by stage
- 8:42The founder framework: grit, execution, optimism
- 10:21Second-time founders and what an MVP proves
- 13:00Solo founders vs co-founding teams
- 15:14Sector-agnostic — and why not medtech
- 17:00How AI is rewriting defensibility
In their own words.
“You can build the best product in the world, but if you don't have a go-to-market strategy, you can't be a unicorn because no one's going to buy your product.”
The path so far.
- Now
Partner · Rampersand
- Earlier
Venture capital investment manager · Family office of Radek Sali
- Earlier
Analyst, Investment Banking Division · Goldman Sachs
Sources: startupplaybook.co
Rampersand on Day One
Rampersand is a Melbourne-headquartered venture capital firm that writes inception, pre-seed and seed cheques for technology founders from Australia and New Zealand.
1 person · 1 episode
Across the network.
In the room with
Spot something wrong? Suggest a correctionUpdated 25 September 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.
