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Venture for the Many: How Doriot is Disrupting Startup Funding
In the world of venture capital, access to funding is often limited to an elite few—those with powerful networks, prestigious pedigrees, or deep pockets. But what if we could rewrite that narrative? In a powerful conversation on the Power Talk Show, Gerry Hays, founder of Doriot, outlines a bold new model for venture funding that’s reshaping how the world supports entrepreneurs.
Key Takeaways
- ✓ Doriot aims to democratize entrepreneurship by providing access to capital for all founders.
- ✓ Venture staking allows small investors to buy rights to invest in startups.
- ✓ Community support is crucial for the success of founders.
- ✓ Investors need to be educated about the risks and rewards of venture investing.
- ✓ Tokenization is envisioned as part of the future of venture capital.
- ✓ Founders should actively pursue opportunities rather than waiting for capital.
- ✓ Scaling a business requires effective distribution of the message.
- ✓ AI can help identify potential founders and track their progress.
- ✓ Investors should diversify their portfolios to maximize returns.
- ✓ Doriot is building a global network of venture staking arenas.
From founding a real estate tech company in the 90s to teaching venture finance at Indiana University, Gerry’s journey led him to a clear realization: venture capital is broken for most. His mission? To democratize startup investment and empower founders from all walks of life to access capital, community, and expertise. Enter Doriot.
What is Doriot?
Doriot is not a traditional venture firm, incubator, or crowdfunding platform. It’s a new venture model that operates outside typical equity or debt structures. The platform offers “venture staking”—a system where small investors buy rights (not shares) to invest in startups. This reduces risk and lowers barriers for both investors and entrepreneurs.
In Gerry’s words, “We’re not trying to disrupt Silicon Valley—we’re running parallel to it.” Doriot’s mission is global. Whether it’s a college dropout in Nigeria or a mompreneur in Indiana, anyone with drive and an idea can access Doriot’s venture staking arenas.
The Venture Staking Model: Poker Meets Purpose
At the core of Doriot is a clever analogy: poker. Just like you place an ante to see the cards, investors buy rights to startups for a small upfront fee. If the startup performs, they can double down and invest more later.
This system offers two major benefits:
- Diversification for investors with limited capital.
- Access to early capital for founders without giving away equity or going into debt.
Educating Both Sides of the Table
Doriot isn’t just throwing money around. It has rigorous entry requirements—for both founders and investors.
- Founders must pass a Qualified Accredited Investor Exam covering business models, valuation, and legal structures.
- Investors must earn a Venture Staking License by playing a simulation called Fantasy Startup, making 50 mock investments to understand risk and failure.
This dual-education approach ensures that participants are informed, engaged, and set up for long-term success.
Scaling the Vision: From U.S. to the World
Doriot launched its model publicly in April 2024. It plans to operate globally, with target regions including the UAE, Nigeria, India, and Singapore. By building infrastructure compliant with global regulatory frameworks and U.S. securities law, Doriot is setting a standard for safe, accessible venture investing.
What’s more, Doriot itself is live on the platform—you can “stake” Doriot just like any other startup.
The Role of AI and the Future of Venture
Gerry sees AI as a tool to help spot patterns and reduce founder failure rates, but not as a gatekeeper. “We don’t want AI to decide what humans can and cannot create,” he emphasizes. The vision is one of human-first entrepreneurship, supported by data but powered by passion.
He also envisions future innovations like tokenized equity and venture insurance products to protect investor downside—yet another sign that Doriot isn’t just innovating now, but planning 15 years ahead.
Advice to Founders and Investors
Gerry’s closing advice is gold:
- For founders: Don’t wait for capital. Start doing. Activity attracts investment.
- For investors: Diversify. Bet on 20 good ideas, not just one. The power law rewards breadth and conviction.
In This Episode
00:00
Introduction to Doriot and Its Mission
02:59
Understanding Venture Staking
06:26
The Role of Community in Entrepreneurship
09:04
Navigating Risks and Exits in Venture Staking
11:31
Support and Infrastructure for Founders
12:48
Compliance and Global Expansion Plans
14:14
The Future of AI in Entrepreneurship
15:29
Case Studies and Challenges in Scaling Doriot
17:40
Advice for Founders and Investors
“We're going to scale that globally.”
— Gerry Hays, Founder, Doriot
“You have to constantly be doing things.”
— Gerry Hays, Founder, Doriot
“You need to pile on your winners.”
— Gerry Hays, Founder, Doriot
About the Guest
Gerry Hays
Founder, Doriot
Gerry Hays is founder of Doriot, a new venture funding model built around "venture staking" rather than traditional equity or debt. After founding a real estate tech company in the 90s and later teaching venture finance at Indiana University, he built Doriot to let small investors buy rights to invest in startups for a small upfront fee, similar to an ante in poker, lowering barriers for both founders and investors. Doriot launched publicly in April 2024 and is expanding toward the UAE, Nigeria, India and Singapore.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Doriot?
Doriot, founded by Gerry Hays, is a venture funding model built around "venture staking" rather than traditional equity or debt, letting small investors buy rights to invest in startups for a small upfront fee, similar to an ante in poker, lowering barriers for both founders and investors.
How does venture staking work?
Investors pay a small fee for the right to invest in a startup rather than buying shares outright. If the startup performs well, they can choose to invest further, offering diversification for investors and access to early capital for founders without giving up equity or taking on debt.
What requirements do founders and investors need to meet on Doriot?
Founders must pass a Qualified Accredited Investor Exam covering business models, valuation and legal structures. Investors must earn a Venture Staking License by completing a simulation called Fantasy Startup, making 50 mock investments to understand risk before investing real money.
What is Gerry Hays' advice for founders and investors?
For founders: "Don't wait for capital. Start doing. Activity attracts investment." For investors: diversify across roughly 20 good ideas rather than one, since power-law returns reward breadth and conviction.
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