A.I.VENTURE CAPITALIST,
SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR,
U.S. MARINE
I'M PAUL CLAXTON.
"Great Business Happens When You
Have Great Relationships"PC
MISSION STATEMENT
"I endeavor to make the world a better place to live through my business pursuits by advancing society forward and improving the lives of others."
This is a strong mission statement that I realize cannot be easily done. However, my passion lies in technology and people, and my purpose lives in service to my country and fellow humans. I believe by seeking mentorship, freely giving mentorship, and continuous education, I can facilitate the unity of people, products, and innovation.
It is here that I accomplish my lifelong dream of making a measurable statement showing how I helped advance and improve the world long after I am gone.
I -LinkedIn- am a Managing General Partner at Q1 Velocity Venture Capital -www.q1velocity.com - , an early-stage AI investor that focuses on impact-driven companies that improve people's welfare, economy, and environment. With almost 10 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur and an emerging fund manager, I have co-founded and led several ventures in the fields of innovation, market development, talent recruitment, and technology acceleration, working with global and diverse partners across various industries and sectors. I have built my career in entrepreneurship and venture capital as a specialist in bootstrapping companies from zero to more than six figures in revenue within just weeks.
In addition to VC investing, I also provide my expertise to companies as an Investor Relations executive on all areas of the capital markets, and as a Head of Silicon Valley Syndicate Club - Los Angeles Chapter at Network VC, I also facilitate co-investment opportunities for private investors to join deals with well-known VCs, such as Softbank, Samsung Ventures, BlackRock, Andreessen Horowitz, and Founders Fund. I am passionate about solving unmet needs with emerging technologies, creating technology success stories, and advancing global society forward for the greater good. I am a public speaker, an author, a San Diego Business Journal 40 under 40 honoree, and a U.S. Marine veteran with 10 years of honorable, decorated service on active duty and four combat tours. I am currently pursuing my MBA of Finance at Harvard University and hold a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Law and Psychology from Park University and a Military Leadership and Strategy certificate from Marine Corps University.
As we get to know each other, you will often hear me refer to myself through the alias as "Businessman. Athlete. Marine." (B.A.M.). The alias identifies who I am; a true, passionate businessman at heart, an athlete in mind, body and spirit, and not once, but always a Marine. I spent 10 years on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps from 2000-2010.
Then from 2010-2016, I worked as a Senior Executive for Fortune 500 companies, and venture capital-backed startups. Ever since 2016 I have been a thriving bootstrapped entrepreneur and venture capitalist.
I have successfully landed investment deals and I have built several companies from napkin to revenue. The military photo is a pictorial of my job in the Marine Corps where I served as a Stinger Missile Gunner, trained to shoot down enemy fighter jets and attack helicopters in defenses of friendly assets, installations, personnel and operations.
>Experience
TIME IS MONEY GAINED THROUGH EXPERIENCE
09/2000
Became a U.S. Marine
03/2003
Iraq Invasion
03/2003 - 04/2010
Decorated U.S. Marine, completed 4-tours in Iraq
04/2010
Left the Marine Corps
12/2016
Entrepreneurship beginning
03/2018
Entrepreneur of the Year Nominee
04/2019
Began work in private equity/venture capital
12/2019
Started MBA in Finance at Harvard
01/2020
Company was awarded best management consulting firm
08/2021
Listed as 40 under 40
10/2021
Board advisor to Ithaca College
04/2023
Head of Los Angeles Chapter for Silicon Valley Syndicate Club at Network VC
05/2023
Endorsed AI Startup Strategy, A Blueprint to Building Successful Artificial Intelligence Products from Inception to Exit, by Adhiguna Mahendra
10/2023
AI Ambassador for the AI Accelerator Institute
>PORTFOLIO
MY BRANDS AND WORK
TECHNOLOGY RECRUITMENT
AI VENTURE CAPITAL FIRM
EXPLAINABLE
AI PODCAST IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AI ACCELERATOR INSTITUTE
UNITING PEOPLE, PRODUCTS, AND INNOVATION TOGETHER.
GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING AND INNOVATION FIRM
STREAMING SHOW discussing the untold stories of capital markets leaders
Weekly newsletter sharing my ideas, insights & experiences as an AI Venture Capitalist to empower & inspire my followers
>in the media
MEDIA SAMPLES. LINKS AVAILABLE ON SOME LOGOS. WANT MORE? ASK ME.
MY EXPERTISE
>Venture Capital
>Entrepreneurship
>Technology Accelerators
>Bootstrapping
>Growth Hacking
>Lean Methods
>Military Transition
>Leadership
>Artificial Intelligence
>Emerging Technologies
I am currently available to media outlets for publication features and public speaking engagements or panels.
>RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS. WANT MORE? ASK ME.
Bryan Emerson, Occasional Investor, Board Member and Mentor to Early-Stage Companies.
Paul has been a great person to know and partner with in business. He has a creative and dynamic mind for ways in which the world can be better, not in a fictional or utopian sense, but in a way that works for reality and the needs of humanity today. To make this so, he tirelessly employs and leverages his massive global network in conjunction with his business and technology pursuits. I have gotten to see Paul rise as a businessperson, venture capitalist and entrepreneur. He really has a tremendous story to tell. As someone who had an extremely unusual childhood, to becoming a combat-decorated US Marine, a corporate Fortune 500 executive, now a serial entrepreneur and today a venture capitalist, his is a story that needs to be shared. At the end of the day, I see Paul as a natural-born leader, with tremendous potential to add value to people’s lives and the world in general. I am excited to watch him grow and evolve, and mostly I am excited to see him continue to inspire others and help them continue their own emerge as leaders.
For any questions or further insights on this recommendation reach me at: emersonb@starlightcapital.co
Charles Wagner, Founder at AviateNow, Inc. | AI Architect, ChatGPT Developer
Paul is undoubtedly the most persistent, dedicated, and enthusiastic man that I know. He dares to dream big and puts forth the effort required to help his customers achieve their goals. Watching him grow his talents and apply them in multiple industry verticals, to great success, proves that his methodology and acumen are second to none. He brings people to up to his level with his realism and is able to find the critical path to success in even the most difficult situations. Paul has the refined capability to teach you how to be the catalyst that transforms your business from mediocre to elite. He practices what he preaches and is a dedicated student of commerce. I'm grateful to have worked with him and consider him a valuable asset in my network.
Alan Hill, Agile Coach, Enterprise Enablement, Organizational Development
Paul is a committed driven individual with a genuine caring for people. Paul doesn’t give up and won’t let your team down. His example inspires others to raise their standards because he cares about delivering quality. If you get the opportunity to work with Paul you’ll see a real leader in action.
Paul is very successful in his professional relationships also. Thanks to Paul’s efforts our volunteer committee, SerVETude, is rapidly moving forward – Paul has been relentless in inviting others to participate and through his relationships, helped us secure a permanent meeting space which gave our group much needed stability, a foundation to build upon.
Scott Miller, Chief Information Officer, Bland & Associates, P.C., / Retired U.S. Navy, Commander
It was a pleasure collaborating with Paul Claxton and his firm (Reciprocity ROI, LLC) during my time at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (USNRL) in 2019 and 2020. With Paul’s collaboration, we had the opportunity to significantly increase our capacity in delivering on the expectations of our $1.2 billion internationally acclaimed scientific technology development programs in support of current and future fleet requirements. Paul and Reciprocity ROI, LLC offered direct support for USNRL allocations covering over $500,000 in budgeted procurement needs for our staffing requirements in the areas of cyber security, software engineering, and project management. I believe Paul and Reciprocity ROI, LLC own a fantastic understanding of trends associated with economic factors affecting staffing needs in the areas of the public sector (government contracting) and private sector markets. Seniors, subordinates, and peers in my field would tell me that Paul exemplifies all qualities of a leader and exhumes knowledge in multiple fields. I also believe he challenges the status quo for the advancement and welfare of his clients. I believe that developing quality relationships with industry prospects and competitors is the responsibility of every professional, and Paul Claxton’s consistent devotions to that end are an excellent framework model to emulate.
Regarding this recommendation letter, if you desire additional information about Paul Claxton, you may call/text me at (228) 284-7774, or email at scottmiller888@gmail.com.
DISCUSSING VENTURE CAPITAL
DON'T WIND UP CLOSE WITH NO CIGAR. LET'S MAKE LEMONADE AND SMOKE.
(EXCERPT) CHAPTER 11: USING CONCEPTS OF MODERN WARFARE AND PHYSICS TO MAKE BETTER BUSINESS DECISIONS
If a business leader has to do one thing every day, it’s make decisions. Some decisions are easy, simple, and clear. But most are not. In this chapter, I will give you four principles for making better decisions in business. These principles are based on the unexpected but effective overlap of two concepts: war and physics.
Things Are Not Always What They Seem: Using Present Data For Decision Making.
In 2003, I was serving as a US Marine during the invasion of Iraq. My company was in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night, and in the middle of a dust storm. I was off shift, asleep on the hood of my military humvee when I heard our team leader shout, “GET YOUR GUN, GET YOUR GUN...”
PURCHASE ON AMAZON TO READ MORE
AI Startup Strategy, www.aistartupstrategy.com, is a book that I was asked by its author, Dr. Adhiguna Mahendra to read, review and consider endorsing, which I did without hesitancy. Dr. Mahendra is a leading professor and technology executive within the field of AI. The 518 page book is a thoughtful, engaging and game-changing read for any entrepreneur, technology leader, decision-maker, product manager, business strategist, developer, AI enthusiast, investor/venture capitalist, researcher or student. I appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Mahendra at this level and his consideration of me in an association.
Personally for me, as I continue my career in venture capital and entrepreneurship, the book will serve as a desktop resource for the basis of my critical thinking and decision-making. With so much fairy tale and melodramatic hype surrounding AI at this time, this is a must–read that brings some reality into the reader’s perspective from a builder’s insight to a consumer’s insight. The book unwaveringly pulls no punches and gives its readers the proper thinking about what AI means for society and how we can safely and successfully implement and consume it.
Dr. Mahendra currently serves as the Chief of AI, Business, and Products at Nodeflux, a leading AI Computer Vision company.
Alongside, he serves as a lecturer at Swiss German University and Central Queensland University, honored with the Best Lecturer Award in 2018. Dr. Mahendra is also the founder of the AI Business Institute. Adhiguna is also a key contributor to AI policy-making and training across the world.
The book is on pre-order sale until October 2023, when it will be ready for public dissemination. If you would like to order the book, please contact me so I can share various links for purchase.
This form is totally anonymous (even I do not know who submitted what answers) for people who have spoken with me before, to provide feedback based on their experience with me. When filling out the form, please think critically and honestly based on our interactions about areas you think I can improve upon as a person, as a leader, and as a professional. It is my hopes that I can apply your feedback and that your answers make me wiser and smarter. I will ensure to pay what I learn from the feedback forward to others.
Help me turn my lemons into lemonade!
will you help me turn my lemons into lemonade?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
