Current Venture Capital Trends | Ep. #175 Ft. Andrew Chan

In this episode of Get Over Yourself, Brandon Davis sits down with Andrew Chan, a scientist turned venture capitalist, to talk about what he looks for in founders, where venture capital is heading, and why he believes real businesses still matter in an age dominated by hype. Andrew shares how his background in geophysics, mining, and research at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab shaped his investment lens, leading him toward pre-seed and seed-stage companies in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, robotics, and complex AI. He also explains why he believes venture capital has become too concentrated, why too much money is chasing weak ideas, and why more scientists should be making investment decisions.The conversation goes deep on the realities of building a VC firm, the pressure to raise and deploy capital, and the difference between founders who can only talk a good game and those who can actually build. Andrew breaks down the green flags and red flags he sees in early-stage founders, including honesty, fundraising ability, technical depth, and the willingness to stay flexible about leadership roles when the business demands it. They also discuss the current state of the venture market, how valuations really work, why macro-resistant industries matter, and why Andrew is especially bullish on sectors like nuclear, distributed energy, and industrial technology.If you are interested in venture capital, startup fundraising, founder mindset, early-stage investing, AI, robotics, energy, or the future of American industry, this episode offers a direct look at how one investor thinks about backing companies that solve real problems for real people.