The Analyst Mindset in Venture: Madrona Investor Rasik Parikh's story

In this episode of Founded & Funded, Madrona Digital Editor Coral Garnick Ducken sits down with Investor Rasik Parikh to unpack his journey from public markets to venture capital and what makes a founder stand out.

Rasik shares how working across institutional investing, M&A, and now enterprise AI at Madrona has shaped his analytical mindset and founder-first approach. They dive into how to build information asymmetry as an early-stage investor, why storytelling matters more than metrics in early fundraising, and what Rasik looks for in founders.

Founders building in security, agentic software, or enterprise AI — this one's for you.

Watch/listen to learn:
How Rasik evaluates founders and opportunities
The value of tribal vs. common knowledge in startup ecosystems
How early-stage fundraising and M&A share a key ingredient: Storytelling
What's exciting in enterprise AI and security

Chapters:
(00:00) – Introduction
(02:00) – Early career: Institutional investing & M&A
(04:30) – Lessons from the UW Endowment
(06:00) – Public vs. private markets & long-term thinking
(08:50) – Applying an analyst mindset to venture
(10:00) – The role of founders in early-stage investing
(12:00) – Storytelling in fundraising & exits
(14:00) – Rasik's connection to Madrona & Seattle's tech growth
(16:00) – What Rasik looks for in founders: curiosity, awareness, urgency
(18:20) – Security, enterprise AI, and what excites Rasik in tech
(20:00) – Quick hits: How Rasik recharges & Seattle restaurant picks