OpenVC - The Platform Behind $1B in Startup Raises with Stephane Nasser

What actually drives venture capital decisions - data, FOMO, or storytelling?

In this episode of Ventures from the Valley, I sit down with Stephane Nasser, Co-Founder & CEO of OpenVC - a free fundraising platform that has facilitated over $1 billion in startup funding for 25,000+ founders since launch.

We unpack how early-stage fundraising really works, why most founders make the same avoidable mistakes, and how OpenVC is building infrastructure to modernize venture deal flow.

Stephane shares his journey from startup accelerator operator to building OpenVC into a global discovery engine for founders and investors without taking equity or success fees.

In this episode, we discuss:
 • How OpenVC connects founders and 6,000+ investors worldwide
 • The biggest pitch deck mistakes founders don’t realize they’re making
 • Why FOMO is the real driver of venture investing
 • How to structure a fundraising narrative investors actually understand
 • The psychology behind deal flow and investor decision-making
 • Why most founders should climb the learning curve before pitching
 • How Product Hunt helped OpenVC gain early traction
 • Why venture capital is still a niche but powerful asset class
 • The long-term vision of OpenVC as deal flow infrastructure
 • Whether venture capital itself could be disrupted

If you’re a founder raising Pre-Seed, Seed, or Series A or an investor looking for high-quality early-stage deal flow - this conversation will sharpen your thinking.

R136 Ventures supports visionary founders scaling B2B and fintech companies across the United States.

🌐 Learn more: https://www.r136.vc/

Would you build your fundraising strategy around FOMO or fundamentals?