The Clear View

 

Clear seeks partners--whether entrepreneurs or co-investors--that collaborate on important decisions, whether strategy or key hires. The Clear Team respects experience and knowledge, and defers to those with proven assets in these areas, just as the Team expects to be heard in areas in which its domain experience may be greater. That said, Clear recognizes that even experienced and knowledgeable people make mistakes and always remain open to new ideas—humility is a part of the Clear DNA.

Venture capital, at its best, is an active partnership, not simply an economic exchange. In this partnership, Clear’s role will vary according to business and team needs. Strategy, marketing and finance are baseline Clear assets. Beyond these, our team brings expertise and resources in business planning, team development and syndication. Every deal is different, every team is different, every individual is different.

Like all venture investors, Clear seeks returns commensurate with risk. Valuing emerging growth companies is part science, part art. Clear’s goal is to be transparent about the fund’s views on risk so entrepreneurs understand how investors weigh risk and opportunity.

The Value of Clarity

“Clear” reflects our commitment to transparency in who we are, what we do, and how we work with others.

Who we are:

• Clear's professionals enjoy their work immensely.  We live in Maine and get to travel around New England and engage with a lot of interesting and talented people (some of whom we've written about).   We try to balance work and the rest of life, and think we get it right most of the time.
• We get excited about working side by side with business owners to build companies in a New England community.  It's rarely easy but is always a great (or at least interesting) ride.
• We work hard and smart for and with our company-partners.
• We value and welcome candor, realism, humility and bit of humanity.

What we do:

• We invest in early stage privately held companies: Having raised capital from institutions and individuals, we are obliged to deliver on our commitments to realize appropriate return for the riks of this asset class.  From the perspective of our investors, we are money managers.
• We are active business partners: To business owners and entrepreneurs with whom we work, we are business partners who bring value beyond capital. We offer our time, expertise, and relationships to bear toward our shared goals and objectives.

How we work with others:

• Investors: Institutions and individuals entrust Clear with their capital. The team takes this responsibility seriously. Venture capital, as an asset class, promises rates of returns that exceed those found in stocks and bonds. To deliver on Clear’s return commitment, the fund sets rigorous standards to mitigate risk and maximize return.
• Entrepreneurs: Clarity about process and business: Business owners who take on a financial partner entrust their “baby” to a new, often unknown entity. To ensure that entrepreneurs understand Clear and what we do, the team educates, both directly (one on one) and to broader audiences through Clear editorial and financing seminars. Clear aims to ensure business owners understand venture capital and the Clear process prior to engaging.
  • Clear expectations: We expect an honest relationship…no surprises. On the venture path (whether to success or failure), things will get bumpy. We trust that in those situations, neither Clear nor its company-partners will look at the other with regret or blame. Conversely, when things do go well, we trust that Clear and you will see success as shared.
  • To co-investors: Like business owners, co-investors are respected partners, who expect rational, appropriate behavior from their fellow investors. As with our company-partners, we respect experience and expect our co-investor partners to do the same.