Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2015

If you think you are the perfect fit for the entrepreneur lifestyle, but you’re not yet sure if you’re ready to start your own, then I recommend that you take a job with an existing startup first to validate the culture realities against your dream. Hang out where entrepreneurs meet. Explore investor websites and conferences.

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Technical Review Entrepreneur Stock Options Due Diligence 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 6, 2023

With the advent and growth of crowdfunding over the past few years, many entrepreneurs have predicted the demise of angel investment groups and venture capital organizations. billion by 2030, exceeding the amounts contributed by either angel groups or VCs alone. billion to USD 3.62

Angel Groups 201

Angel Groups Accredited Investor Due Diligence Equity 201

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

With the advent and growth of crowdfunding over the past few years, many entrepreneurs have predicted the demise of those demanding angel investment groups and venture capital organizations. These groups are now largely run by volunteers at no cost to entrepreneurs.

Equity 411

Equity Angel Groups Accredited Investor Due Diligence 411

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Angel investors come from a variety of ages, backgrounds, and professions. I’m not your average angel. I’m not active in an angel group. I live in a small town surrounded by farms and I made my first angel investment at 29 because my dad said it was a good idea. So, who are these unlikely angels?

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Angel Investor Technical Review Software Review Accredited Investor 159

Gust

DECEMBER 27, 2011

Due diligence should always be a two-way street. A while back, I published an article on “ Startup Due Diligence Is Not a Mysterious Black Art ,” describing what investors do to validate your startup before they invest. Network with other entrepreneurs. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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Due Diligence Entrepreneur Offshore Angel Groups 119

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2014

If you think you are the perfect fit for the entrepreneur lifestyle, but you’re not yet sure if you’re ready to start your own, then I recommend that you take a job with an existing startup first to validate the culture realities against your dream. Hang out where entrepreneurs meet. business entrepreneur lifestyle startup'

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Technical Review Stock Options Due Diligence Silicon Valley 250

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2014

As a startup mentor and investor, I am approached regularly by aspiring entrepreneurs who assert that business plans are a waste of time. They cite sources like the BusinessWeek story, “ Real Entrepreneurs Don’t Write Business Plans ” and this Forbes article. You need an investor, and want to solicit professionals online.

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Business Plan Technical Review Angel Investor Due Diligence 274

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

s founder is David Teten , previously a Partner with HOF Capital and ff Venture Capital and a serial fintech entrepreneur with 2 exits. David is also Founder of HBS Alumni Angels of NY , the largest angel group on the East Coast. For more on the firm’s core theses, see investment theses. .

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New York Venture Capital Technical Review Due Diligence 60

NZ Entrepreneur

DECEMBER 10, 2020

“He got us in front of the Ice Angels and a number of them invested,” Sutton says. “I I was then able to say to the rest of the angel groups that the others invested.”. The snowball effect meant one person’s confidence inspired the next which Sutton says reduced the due diligence workload for him.

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Technical Review Software Review Due Diligence Startup 103

David Teten

JUNE 10, 2020

SOP’s founder is David Teten , previously a Partner with HOF Capital and ff Venture Capital and a serial fintech entrepreneur with 2 exits. David is also Founder of HBS Alumni Angels of NY , the largest angel group on the East Coast. For more on the firm’s core theses, see investment theses. . For designers.

New York 60

New York Venture Capital Technical Review Due Diligence 60

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

are eliminated during due diligence. Over the past 10 years, I have had the opportunity to see how the process works, several times from the startup side, and more recently from the angel perspective (as a member of an angel group selection committee). Start early on this one, or you will lose the opportunity.

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Intellectual Property Angel Investor Technical Review Elevator Pitch 249

Up and Running

JULY 6, 2016

To explain the difference, let’s take me as an example: I’m a software entrepreneur, and, in recent years, a member of an angel investment group. I looked to scientists in the group to evaluate technology when we invested in molecular chemistry that can ease the pain of chemotherapy.

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Technical Review Software Review Business Plan Development Team Review 72

Berkonomics

JUNE 26, 2014

Angel investors, particularly those in organized angel groups, are typically former entrepreneurs who have had successful liquidity events in their pasts, or executives of companies who’ve retired with the funds from their stock options. So how an angel responds to your pitch depends upon his or her background.

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Liquidity Event Technical Review Due Diligence Angel Groups 76

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

are eliminated during due diligence. Over the past 10 years, I have had the opportunity to see how the process works, several times from the startup side, and more recently from the angel perspective (as a member of an angel group selection committee). Start early on this one, or you will lose the opportunity.

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Angel Investor Intellectual Property Technical Review Elevator Pitch 224

Up and Running

JULY 2, 2014

We soon got interest from an angel investor, and he wanted to invest $300,000 in our startup. After a couple of due diligence meetings with the investor and our attorneys, he gave us the check. Now, if you’re a savvy investor or entrepreneur, I’m sure your jaw just dropped as you read that. ownership and never dilute.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Angel Investor Due Diligence Dilution 118

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2010

If you are new to the startup space and angel investing, you probably don’t realize that some groups of angel investors charge entrepreneurs a fee to pitch to their groups. He calls these a scam, and “angel group” payola. Others , including noted angel David S. Find and fix that first.

Angel Groups 234

Angel Groups Entrepreneur Angel Investor Due Diligence 234

Gust

JULY 12, 2012

The goal was to share our experiences in the realm of angel investing with an array of global audiences, by participating in various lectures, discussions and workshops. In all four countries we met passionate entrepreneurs who were eager to discuss their exciting startups, as well as angel investors looking to support them.

Community 121

Community Estonia Ireland Finland 121

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

There was a lot of consumer internet activity again…resurgence of things, but it was still mysterious, venture capital was still kind of closed, 1st time entrepreneurs had a lot of questions that were unanswered, and there was still some sort of hand waiving around all the financing stuff and so we took it on….”. was starting.

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Technical Review Venture Capital Silicon Valley Software Review 288

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2012

If you are new to the startup space and Angel investing, you probably don’t realize that some groups of Angel investors charge entrepreneurs a fee to pitch to their groups. He calls these a scam, and “Angel group” payola. Others , including noted Angel David S. Find and fix that first.

Angel Groups 237

Angel Groups Angel Investor Due Diligence Seed Stage 237

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 20, 2016

With the advent and growth of crowdfunding over the past few years, many entrepreneurs have predicted the demise of those demanding angel investment groups and venture capital organizations. These groups are now largely run by volunteers at no cost to entrepreneurs.

Angel Groups 136

Angel Groups Accredited Investor Equity Due Diligence 136

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 23, 2017

A major angel group used Influitive , an advocate management tool, to track, activate and motivate their members. Chris Dixon, Partner, A16Z, observes , “ Success in VC is probably 10% about picking, and 90% about sourcing the right deals and having entrepreneurs choose your firm as a partner”. 5) Due diligence.

Private Equity 60

Private Equity Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 60

Tim Keane

OCTOBER 8, 2008

By Tim Keane, Angel Investor, Golden Angels Investors, LLC. « The Whitehorse Daily Star - good advice for entrepreneurs | Main. Last week, our angel group reviewed a business with an online lie detector technology.     What does that mean for entrepreneurs? . 

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Technical Review Due Diligence Wisconsin Angel Groups 60

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2015

Most new entrepreneurs assume that great investors will find their startups based on the compelling solution the founders have created. As an angel investor, I believe this approach is a waste of time, since no honest investor is likely to seriously consider a request for money from a stranger. There are just too many scams.

Cost 120

Cost Angel Groups Due Diligence Silicon Valley 120

This is going to be BIG.

OCTOBER 5, 2012

Look no further than the Madoff scandal to show that when you build your dealflow entirely based on trust, or willingness to pay tolls, as opposed to sophisticated investment due diligence and analysis, things can break down. If you were an entrepreneur, getting connected to money was terrifically hard.

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LP Venture Capital Technical Review Nebraska 97

Up and Running

MAY 12, 2015

If you’re an entrepreneur looking for funding, you know how important—and involved—the pitching process can be. Drawing on advice from our own Tim Berry, founder of Palo Alto Software and Josh Cochrane, our VP of Product Development, I’ve broken down a few of the different options for entrepreneurs looking for feedback on their pitch.

Angel Investor 60

Angel Investor Software Review Technical Cofounder Due Diligence 60

David Teten

DECEMBER 3, 2019

However, in private markets, there is more room to optimize across all 11 steps of the investing process: firm management , marketing, fundraising , origination , manage relationships, due diligence, negotiation, monitoring, portfolio acceleration , reporting, and. 2) Market .

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Software Review Analytics Private Equity 78

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 17, 2020

Each has a process in place to accept applications or recommendations for investment into new companies, and to review these and make decisions based upon their exploration, previous experience in the field, knowledge of the company or industry, or about individual entrepreneurs. Some can supply more when syndicating with other such groups.

Equity 62

Equity Finance Liquidity Event Angel Groups 62

Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

Please see later version of this post on May 16, 2010 Entrepreneurs are often not experts in the area of term-sheet negotiations and all of the surrounding issues.   Investors sometimes “present” the terms they’d like and expect the entrepreneurs to react. Term-sheets and Valuations: Thinking about Negotiations.

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Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

David Teten

JULY 12, 2017

The challenge with most such independent investors is that they, quite reasonably, all have their own independent decision-making and due diligence process. Sometimes we’ll reach out to individual angels, not just funds and family offices. Private Equity Coinvestment: Best Practices Emerging (PWC).

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Up and Running

AUGUST 19, 2014

An angel investor is an affluent individual who provides capital for a business start-up, usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity. An angel investor is a high net worth individual who invests their own money into startup companies in the hopes of gaining a return on their money. 51 percent). Tweet This Tip.

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Angel Investor Technical Review Due Diligence Startup 161

Gust

OCTOBER 20, 2011

These angel investors generally invest $25,000 to $100,000 in a round totaling $250,000 to $1,000,000. million and is established by negotiations between the entrepreneur and the angel investors. A local network of angels is critical to achieving a diversified portfolio. Strength of Entrepreneur and Team.

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Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Intellectual Property Technical Review 146

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2018

by either angel groups or VCs alone. Yet crowdfunding is no panacea for hungry entrepreneurs and startups. Crowdfunding may look easy, via popular sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, but their cost in time, effort, and money by entrepreneurs is daunting. Crowdfunding bypasses the due diligence process.

Equity 180

Equity Due Diligence Angel Groups Liquidity Event 180

Professor VC

JULY 7, 2015

During the set break (perhaps influenced by the large amount of second half smoke consumed), I thought about angel groups in relation to the lyrics above, particularly the "you analyze me, pretend to despise me" line. In theory, angel groups are great. In practice, it can be much different.

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Angel Groups Due Diligence Lead Investor Finance 28

Up and Running

MAY 28, 2015

He is the known guru in business planning, particularly for small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs, although he’s worked with Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies as well. ” and our first instinct as entrepreneurs and business owners is yes, let’s do drive-through. Tell your angel investors a story about need.

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Lean Business Plan Video Software Review 60

Gust

JANUARY 5, 2012

But, the SEC limit on the number of shareholders is not the only issue entrepreneurs should consider. If large amounts of capital are required for startup companies to dominate a market, then the preferences of larger investors, such as angels and venture capitalists should be paramount in importance to entrepreneurs.

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SEC Angel Groups Technical Review Private Equity 131

David Teten

DECEMBER 12, 2017

At Top Tier, we have been continuously refining our database and analytics engine, and we use it and other software mentioned in this article to make better decisions, spot trends, and stay in front of targeted venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. We were keen to understand what resources VCs use to support their due diligence effort?

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Early Stage Technical Review Software Review Venture Capital 60

Up and Running

MARCH 11, 2015

Another assumption is that you’ve actually conducted due diligence on your own business, and these are the areas of your team, financials, your competition, your IP, market trends, because the best pitches I’ve ever delivered were when investors were raising their hands and asking me questions about, “How is your IP protected?”

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Technical Review Software Review Due Diligence Exit Strategy 60