Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2010

Angel investors and venture capitalists don’t invest in non-profits. The simple reason is that it’s impossible to make money for investors when the goal of the company is to not make money. In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). Government grants.

Angel Investor 143

Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy Equity 143

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2014

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Entrepreneur 283

Entrepreneur Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator 283

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2017

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Product Development 177

Product Development Cost Developer Product 177

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Intellectual Property 309

Intellectual Property Technical Review Venture Capital Startup 309

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 12, 2018

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until real revenue flows. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Intellectual Property 134

Intellectual Property Technical Review Startup Incubator 134

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

Angel investors and venture capitalists don’t make equity investments in nonprofit good causes. The simple reason is that it’s impossible to make money for investors when the goal of the company is to not make money. In the US, a nonprofit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c).

Angel Investor 132

Angel Investor Equity Technical Review Exit Strategy 132

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 26, 2018

Most healthy businesses need business financing at some point. Startups have to deal with starting costs and ongoing businesses have to finance growth and working capital. Financing options depend on what kind of business you have. Don’t waste your time looking for the wrong kind of financing.

SBA 161

SBA Venture Capital Angel Investor Technical Review 161

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 13, 2013

Angel investors and venture capitalists don’t invest in non-profits. The simple reason is that it’s impossible to make money for investors when the goal of the company is to not make money. In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). Government grants.

Equity 207

Equity Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy 207

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2011

Angel investors and venture capitalists don’t invest in non-profits. The simple reason is that it’s impossible to make money for investors when the goal of the company is to not make money. In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). Government grants.

Angel Investor 238

Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy Equity 238

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2012

Angel investors and venture capitalists don’t invest in non-profits. The simple reason is that it’s impossible to make money for investors when the goal of the company is to not make money. In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). Government grants.

Angel Investor 218

Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy Equity 218

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2015

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until real revenue flows. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Entrepreneur 120

Entrepreneur Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator 120

Professor VC

JANUARY 27, 2011

How Much Diligence is Due.Or are investors better just rolling the dice. Ive addressed the due diligence question in previous posts, but this came up again in a debate we were having at a recent meeting of the Sand Hill Angels. Not exactly extensive diligence. Labels: angel investing , Black Swan.

Technical Review 31

Technical Review Due Diligence Silicon Valley San Jose 31

Tim Keane

MARCH 9, 2011

Startups and angels: Along the way to success. By Tim Keane, Angel Investor, Golden Angels Investors, LLC. How should I finance my new venture? It’s a deceptively simple question:  what is the optimal way to finance a new startup? Can you bootstrap your way to positive cash flow?

Finance 83

Finance Bootstrapping Startup Equity 83

The Startup Lawyer

MARCH 8, 2010

Applications for the first 12-week accelerator “bootcamp” are due March 19. The selected startups will get up to $25,000 in seed funding, intensive top-notch mentorship, and the opportunity to pitch to angel investors, venture capitalists and corporate dev teams at their biannual “Demo Day”. Apply to TechWildcatters here.

Technical Review 40

Technical Review Dallas Seed Capital Angel Investor 40

The Startup Lawyer

MARCH 8, 2010

Applications for the first 12-week accelerator “bootcamp” are due March 19. The selected startups will get up to $25,000 in seed funding, intensive top-notch mentorship, and the opportunity to pitch to angel investors, venture capitalists and corporate dev teams at their biannual “Demo Day”. Apply to TechWildcatters here.

Technical Review 40

Technical Review Dallas Seed Capital Angel Investor 40

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 7, 2010

At today's roundtable we had some interesting companies and a lot of fundraising discussions, and I will review them shortly. So at any point, if you are trying to raise money, and you are hearing from investors that you are too early and have too little validation, it may be a good thing. We will work on that with her. Trendy Loot.

Valuation 119

Valuation Silicon Valley Pre-Money Valuation Bootstrapping 119

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

They allow you to hire more people, purchase new technology, and establish new business connections, among many other benefits. In this article, I’ll provide some personal stories of how investors have navigated the balance between raising private equity capital and not losing control of their startup. His first capital raise was a $2.75

Private Equity 94

Private Equity Pre-Money Valuation Equity Startup 94

Professor VC

SEPTEMBER 26, 2011

Dan Frommer, in Moneyball for tech startups , interviewed Fred Wilson, Chris Dixon, Paul Graham and Ben Horowitz on the topic. And given that four of the most important tech investors in the world seem skeptical of it, if someone can figure out a good formula that works, they may be able to exploit it". Bootstrapping 101.

Technical Review 38

Technical Review Early Stage San Jose Angel Investor 38

Professor VC

APRIL 7, 2011

This will also serve as a good pointer for all the entrepreneurs who ask why I am not interested in their company led convertible note financing round. Technically, the start-up is insolvent from the day they take the first dollar of investment. In cases where it is truly a bridge financing (i.e.

San Jose 36

San Jose Technical Review Angel Investor Valuation 36

Professor VC

SEPTEMBER 16, 2010

DEMO has always been one of my favorite tech conferences. The conference has launched a number of great companies including Tivo, WebEx and Palm, and historically draws top press and investor attendees. Labels: #democon , DEMO , tech conferences , vuvuzela. How Much Diligence is Due. Bootstrapping 101.

Technical Review 38

Technical Review San Jose Angel Investor Silicon Valley 38

Professor VC

JANUARY 27, 2008

The spring semester of my Entrepreneurial Finance class starts tomorrow. During the next four months, we will examine over a dozen entrepreneurial ventures from a diverse mix of industries - technology, service, food & beverage, and fashion. After a successful career in a technology leader (Intel, Microsoft, Cisco, etc.)

San Jose 28

San Jose Technical Review Angel Investor Venture Capital 28

www.mint.com

MARCH 9, 2010

However, a perfectly acceptable—and perhaps even better—answer is that there are no investors other than the founders, and the plan is to bootstrap the company as long as possible. If there are outside investors, they are likely to be on the board. Check out the personal finance topic by clicking here.

Software Review 68

Software Review Startup Post-Money Valuation Technical Review 68

Professor VC

FEBRUARY 26, 2008

As I mentioned in the previous post, Jeff Fluhr (founder of StubHub) recently stopped by my Entrepreneurial Finance class to share his 4 Lessons of Entrepreneurship with the students. He raised less financing than originally planned but was able to launch the site and was running a business by the time his classmates graduated 9 months later.

Technical Review 28

Technical Review San Jose Angel Investor Silicon Valley 28

Professor VC

DECEMBER 18, 2008

This team had a working prototype of the first solar powered wetsuit using nano-solar technology. Manija Ansari is an undergraduate business student (currently in my Entrepreneurial Finance course), working on a social entreprenurial venture. How Much Diligence is Due. Bootstrapping 101. Steve Bennet. at 9:08 AM.

San Jose 28

San Jose Silicon Valley Technical Review Angel Investor 28

Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

Startups and angels: Along the way to success. By Tim Keane, Angel Investor, Golden Angels Investors, LLC. « Power of Angel Investing in Milwaukee | Main.   Investors sometimes “present” the terms they’d like and expect the entrepreneurs to react.   First , dividends.

Term Sheet 68

Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

Professor VC

JUNE 6, 2008

In most of these cases, the founder relinquished the CEO role within the first 18 months following institutional funding, but remained in a critical technical or visionary role, often as the companys external evangelist. How Much Diligence is Due. Bootstrapping 101. What does it take to be an Angel Investor?

San Jose 28

San Jose Technical Review Norway Angel Investor 28

Professor VC

FEBRUARY 12, 2008

I have noticed this same feeling when making a venture capital or angel investment. Of course, rigorous diligence is performed, the team is challenged, and assumptions are tested. However, I was glad to see they were able to raise financing and launch the service. How Much Diligence is Due. Bootstrapping 101.

San Jose 31

San Jose Technical Review Venture Capital Angel Investor 31

Professor VC

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

They need to have a place where they can gain an understanding of their different options for financing the venture, how to determine exactly what is needed in the marketplace, how to negotiate, how to read contracts, the role of technology, how to write a business plan, understand what your ratios are saying. Bootstrapping 101.

San Jose 43

San Jose Silicon Valley Las Vegas Venture Capital 43

Professor VC

SEPTEMBER 16, 2008

I am not sure how this relates to venture finance or entrepreneurship, but Im sure Ill find some connection along the way. A: Technology companies and Drug dealers While the fall semester is in full swing, summer doesnt officially end for another few days. ► April. (1). How Much Diligence is Due. Bootstrapping 101.

San Jose 28

San Jose Technical Review Angel Investor Silicon Valley 28

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 5, 2009

Unfortunately in early stage startups the drive for financing hijacks the corporate DNA and becomes the raison d’etre of the company. Hopefully this will get more bootstrapping entrepreneurs focusing on making money instead of raising money. Raising Money Using Customer Development « Steve Blank [.]

Customer Development 262

Customer Development Developer Customer Silicon Valley 262

venturebeat.com

MARCH 8, 2011

In fact, any bootstrapped company should be aiming for slow, consistent growth rather than explosive growth. You want to sneak in some tech support emails during the day, so you use a cocktail of Anonymizer plus GMail-over-SSL to confound the network admin. This story originally appeared on his blog.) This is not a bad thing.

Software Review 41

Software Review Startup Technical Review Mobile 41

Up and Running

MAY 23, 2016

Broadly speaking, this action plan is going to be broken up into three sections: the testing plan, the execution plan, and the review section. And, the very last section— the review section — is really just a list of milestones you create that prompt you to review and revise your plan. Step 5: Get financed.

Software Review 74

Software Review Software Delaware Forecast 74

rapidrollout.wordpress.com

OCTOBER 23, 2010

Web Startup Lessons Advice from a CTO and Entrepreneur Home About Finding a Technical Partner for Your Startup Today I received an inquiry from a student at an Ivy League university who wants to launch a web startup. One partner takes on a business role and the other takes responsibility for technology. Again, go where the geeks are.

Technical Review 40

Technical Review Fractional CTO Partner CTO Hire 40

Up and Running

OCTOBER 21, 2014

It will also help you when it comes time to write your business plan, especially if you’re pitching an angel investor or a venture capital firm – they will want to see there’s a market for your idea, otherwise, it won’t scale as rapidly as they need it to in order to make a return on their investment. Do something at least.

Elevator Pitch 166

Elevator Pitch Software Review SBA Business Plan 166

venturehacks.com

FEBRUARY 24, 2010

Two founders works because unanimity is possible, there are no founder politics, interests can easily align, and founder stakes are high post-financing. The best sellers can sell to customers, partners, investors, and employees. He can be technical, but he must be able to wield the tools of influence. Date first.

Cofounder 101

Cofounder Founder Technical Cofounder Technical Review 101

Professor VC

OCTOBER 11, 2010

While the flick has gotten rave critical reviews (93% on Flixster), the question of what percentage of the movie is true has also gotten a lot of discussion in the blogosphere. This is a good review of the movie and both books. How Much Diligence is Due. Bootstrapping 101. What does it take to be an Angel Investor?

Social Network 28

Social Network Networking Software Review San Jose 28

online.wsj.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Loading… Tech. An entrepreneur with a hot technology and venture-capital funding becomes a billionaire in his 20s. How well a failed entrepreneur has managed his company, and how well he worked with his previous investors, makes a difference in his ability to persuade U.S. Mossberg Reviews the iPhone 5.

Venture Capital 107

Venture Capital Software Review Rhode Island North Dakota 107