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AOL Venture, the venture capital arm of AOL, is one part early-stage investment firm and one part incubator of new and unique AOL products. The focus on seed and series A rounds is unusual among corporate investors, and founding partner Mike Brown, Jr. says it is because the fund is focused on helping entrepreneurs succeed early on and building AOL's reputation in the early stage community. Though relatively young, AOL Ventures has already assembled an impressive portfolio of investments, including participation in rounds with startups like Bit.ly, About.me, OpenX and NewsCred.
Watch our interview with Brown, Jr. to find out how AOL Ventures got started, what types of companies they're looking to invest in and why strong management teams are so important.
This Venture Studio Classic was originally released on June 28, 2011.
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