Earlier this week, I participated in a panel discussion for TechAmerica (fka the American Electronics Association) that covered topics around the current state of the venture capital industry and startups in general. At the end of the session, the moderator asked the quintessential question of the audience, "How many of you think there isn't enough startup capital in this town?"  He followed with, "How many of you think there aren't enough quality startups in this town?"

Not surprisingly, the overwhelming majority of hands went up on the first question.  Just a few brave souls (including yours truly) raised their hands on the second.  As you might expect, there was general muttering about the latter, "Well, of course the VC would say that!"

Last week, OVP hosted what has become one of my favorite annual events – our 7th Annual OVP CEO Night.  It was great to be invited as a CEO in the early Accelerator days, and now great to host as the newbie partner at OVP.  This year, we had the added bonus of welcoming Adrian Hanauer, General Manager of the Sounders FC, as our special guest.

An interesting and unexpected speaker from a seemingly unrelated industry is one of the hallmarks of CEO Night.  Past speakers have included cycling legend Greg Lemond and famed restaurateur Tom Douglas.  Combined with creative themes for the food and beverages, this is what differentiates CEO Night from just any other networking event.

The University of Washington’s Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) department’s Affiliates Day is one of the most fun and rewarding days of the year for me as venture investor and geek.  It involves a showcase of projects and research areas by professors and students and is a festival of creativity, new ideas, and engaged smart people. It is a day my colleagues and I look forward to every year.

Last Thursday's meeting concluded with a panel on "The Changing Face of Venture Capital," moderated by UW's Ed Lazowska, who prompted us with a series of provocative questions. On the panel with me were Greg Gottesman of Madrona Venture Group, Ron Howell of WRF Capital, Bill McAleer of Voyager Capital, and Cam Myhrvold of Ignition Partners.