Both Sides of the Table
DECEMBER 11, 2022
Something happened in the past 7 years in the startup and venture capital world that I hadn’t experienced since the late 90’s — we all began praying to the God of Valuation. And then in the late 90’s money crept in, swept in to town by public markets, instant wealth and an absurd sky-rocketing of valuations based on no reasonable metrics.
Both Sides of the Table
JULY 22, 2010
Back in 1999 when I first raised venture capital I had zero knowledge of what a fair term sheet looked like or how to value my company. Due to competitive markets we ended up with a pretty good term sheet until we needed to raise money in April 2001 and then we got completely screwed. I turned them down. They were nonplussed.
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David Cohen
MARCH 30, 2020
In 1999, we sold that business and I started angel investing. In 2001, the towers were hit. Uber took the shockingly low valuation of $4m when raising it’s first $1.5m. 3m valuation. Less than a $2m valuation for their seed round. In 2000, the Internet bubble burst. By 2002 the NASDAQ had fallen by nearly 80%.
Venture Chronicles
OCTOBER 31, 2010
Don Dodge wrote about a very dry but critically important issue facing private companies that issue equity to employees… 409A valuations : IPO bump? – If private investors have already bid up the valuation, will there be an IPO jump in the stock price? It is called the 409A Valuation requirement from the IRS.
finance.fortune.cnn.com
AUGUST 21, 2012
FORTUNE -- Its no secret that venture capitalists were hit hard by last decades dotcom bust, considering that median returns for 1998-2001 vintage funds are all underwater. The information is based on part of a confidential year-end 2011 investment report distributed to investors in a fund-of-funds that made commitments between 1999 and 2001.
thebarefootvc
AUGUST 26, 2015
I’ve seen several cycles in the market since I first started venture investing in 1999, and I believe there has been no greater potential for wealth creation in the sector than there is now. As someone who invested through the 2001 and 2008 crashes I can assure you that down rounds and fire sales are not fun for anyone involved.
thebarefootvc
AUGUST 26, 2015
I’ve seen several cycles in the market since I first started venture investing in 1999, and I believe there has been no greater potential for wealth creation in the sector than there is now. As someone who invested through the 2001 and 2008 crashes I can assure you that down rounds and fire sales are not fun for anyone involved.
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