Aaron Golbin Interview
Meet Aaron Golbin, Managing Partner and Head of Accelerators, Incubators, and Partnerships at LvlUp Ventures. With a decade of experience, Aaron has founded and led successful startups like DebateIsland.com and The American Post across Media, AI, EdTech, and HealthTech. At LvlUp Ventures, he has rapidly grown the firm’s portfolio to 30 quickly growing companies in under a year, worth a combined half a billion dollars. He also launched and spearheads LvlUp’s corporate partnerships business unit, building and overseeing over 10 industry-leading startup programs and corporate innovation accelerators for enterprises such as Fidelity, Mercury, Pipedrive, and SPIN Magazine.
- What made you interested in the VC space?
My interest in the VC space stemmed from my extensive experience as a founder. I’ve been exposed to VC from an early age, and I appreciate the opportunity it provides to deeply assist numerous companies, creating significant impact and generating strong returns.
- What excites you about the current state or future of the venture?
I'm excited about the current state and future of venture because we're witnessing unprecedented positive change and innovation across every industry. The scale and pace of transformation, particularly with emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, and quantum computing, are remarkable. AI, in particular, is driving significant advancements today and will continue to do so in the coming decades. This era of rapid evolution is thrilling for anyone in the venture space.
- Something you thought you always wanted to do?
I never had a specific career path in mind, but I've always been passionate about venture building, investing, and finance. Initially, I didn't see myself in VC, but as I transitioned from DebateIsland and The American Post, I realized how much I enjoyed helping founders scale their companies and developing impactful corporate partnerships and innovation programs. This deep involvement in driving organizations forward has become my core interest.
- What inspires/drives you as an investor?
What inspires me as an investor is helping companies reach their optimal potential. As a VC with experience as an operator, I can offer valuable insights to early-stage and growth-stage founders, helping them avoid mistakes, discover new strategies, and leverage impactful, out-of-the-box growth opportunities. This ability to guide companies to become the best they can be drives me the most.
- You have a day off, how would you choose to spend it?
On a day off, I often find myself working anyway, sending emails and messages unless it’s a Friday Night or Saturday when I observe Shabbat. When I'm not working, I love spending my time learning, listening to Music, or watching TV. I enjoy discovering new things and delving into history, which I find essential for both investing and operating.
- Motto or quote you live by?
A motto or quote I live by? I would say that one of the mottos I agree with is, “take accountability of things, find solutions and solve problems quick. No need to pester over them.”
