David Teten

AUGUST 19, 2019

I’ve been a traditional equity VC for 8 years, and I’m now researching new business models in venture capital. John Borchers, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Decathlon Capital, claims to be the largest revenue-based financing investor in the US. RBI structures help to protect the equity of both founders and investors.

Revenue 60

Revenue Term Sheet Founder Technical Review 60

VC Cafe

SEPTEMBER 2, 2022

I touched on this in my post “ Founder Investor Fit “ Passing the initial filtering process. It may seem trivial, but the deck is critical document for VCs to assess fit with their fund’s investment criteria. What would make an investor more interested in your pitch deck. What should be in your pre-seed pitch deck.

Technical Review 166

Technical Review Early Stage Cofounder Portfolio 166

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2017

Even the most diligent investors are often surprised by apparently solid business startups that fail, while others succeed, despite the odds. The best founders operate with a key set of internal principles that allow them to break through all but the toughest business obstacles. Balance of technical and business knowledge.

Technical Review 152

Technical Review Stealth Lean Social Media 152

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2019

There is no accommodation for smaller public companies, who can’t be competitive in their space with the new accounting, documenting, and reporting processes required. Friendly or hostile takeover attempts are just a couple of the many ways that company founders sense a loss of control of their own destiny.

IPO 210

IPO SEC Prospectus Startup 210

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 5, 2023

Bill was relentless in his focus on getting the software PC DOS project delivered, while continually challenging us with new business models. If you or your team sees you as an idea person, your first task as an entrepreneur should be to find a co-founder who can deliver. Tailor investor proposals and term-sheets.

Cofounder 389

Cofounder Startup Term Sheet Acquisition 389

Steve Blank

MAY 6, 2015

Founders assumed they understood customer problems/needs, wrote engineering requirements documents, designed the product, implemented /built the hardware/software, verified that it worked by testing it, and then introduced the product to customers in a formal coming out called first customer ship. Generating Hypotheses.

Lean 120

Lean Agile Business Model Customer Development 120

YoungUpstarts

MARCH 4, 2020

It will enable individuals to understand the travellers’ needs and expectations intimately which can result in new hospitality business models. They understand the need to constantly improve in order to develop resilient hospitality business models hand-in-hand with their employers.

Technical Review 165

Technical Review Singapore Artificial Inteligence Myanmar 165

ReadWriteStart

JUNE 1, 2020

In very few specific cases, depending on the nature of the business, the business model might demand a considerable gestation period or extensive research and development. For these businesses, it is imperative to get funding from the start without which the company cannot be set up. They will surely help you.

Startup 150

Startup Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Seed Stage 150

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Over the last three years our Lean LaunchPad / NSF Innovation Corps classes have been teaching hundreds of entrepreneurial teams a year how to build their startups by getting out of the building and testing their hypotheses behind their business model. The next customer segment we tried was startup founders.

Lean 315

Lean Customer Development Sales Cycle Business Model 315

Steve Blank

MARCH 31, 2011

Over the last decade we assumed that once we found repeatable methodologies (Agile and Customer Development , Business Model Design) to build early stage ventures, entrepreneurship would become a “science,” and anyone could do it. Founders fit the definition of a creator: they see something no one else does. George Bernard Shaw.

Agile 332

Agile Customer Development Early Stage Business Model 332

Steve Blank

MAY 17, 2010

Business Plan Versus Business Models. Where did the idea that startups write business plans come from? A business plan is the execution document that large companies write when planning product-line extensions where customer, market and product features are known. initial business model hypotheses).

Business Plan 312

Business Plan Business Model Customer Development Deal Flow 312

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

That’s because obtaining a pre-money valuation for a concept level technology company in excess of $1 million is difficult, particularly for a startup founder without a proven track record. By contrast, obtaining a pre-money valuation of $5 million for a business with a new viable product and even very minimal sales is somewhat reasonable.

Private Equity 94

Private Equity Pre-Money Valuation Equity Startup 94

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

Try innovating inside a large company where 99% of the company is executing the current business model, while you’re trying to figure out and build what comes next. What you’re holding in your hand is a revolutionary document. You think startups are hard? Their book Lead and Disrupt describes how others can learn how to do so.

Incubator 402

Incubator Lean Agile Business Model 402

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2017

There is no accommodation for smaller public companies, who can’t be competitive in their space with the new accounting, documenting, and reporting processes required. Friendly or hostile takeover attempts are just a couple of the many ways that company founders sense a loss of control of their own destiny.

IPO 218

IPO SEC Prospectus Technical Review 218

View from Seed

APRIL 20, 2020

The result is that capital tends to flow towards founders with established VC relationships and away from folks who may be equally talented but are several steps removed from investor networks. We will leverage the standard YC post-money SAFE document with a valuation cap and no discount. Further capitalizing the company for success.

B2B 436

B2B Seed Stage B2C Programming 436

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2013

The market and venture capitalists are looking for business, but with a continuing focus on proven business models. Here are some key action items that may give your business some visibility: Start with an investment-grade business plan. Don’t try to talk your way to a deal before you have the documentation.

Venture Capital 252

Venture Capital IPO Elevator Pitch Initial Public Offering 252

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 19, 2017

by Steve Owens, Founder and CTO of Finish Line Product Development Services. The lean start-up movement has been based on a single insight – which the purpose of a start-up is to discover a business model that works. The objective of a start-up is to discover a business model that works.

Product Development 153

Product Development Lean Developer Product 153

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 7, 2016

Founders soon learn that customers only spend real money for solutions rather than ideas. Success requires moving your passion quickly from the idea to the business implementation. Continuous improvement applies to the business model as well as the product. Enable team members to run the business as their own.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Architecture Agile Business Model 120

Up and Running

MARCH 12, 2019

For a lot of non-technical founders—that is, entrepreneurs with a business idea but without technical expertise— sourcing software development talent is critical. As a result, a lot of founders are turning to international outsourcing.

IP 80

IP Software Developers Software Development Intellectual Property 80

Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

What most founders don’t realize is: Every stage of a startup requires a different set of metrics and milestones and founder skills. Knowing these will help a founder position her pitch to get investors’ attention. Founders need to keep their eye on the prize — not just the next funding round. Business Model.

Cofounder 429

Cofounder Seed Stage Valuation Metrics 429

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 19, 2016

WeVue co-founder Taylor Wallace told me he doesn’t have a lot of time for training in the competitive software development industry, so he hires the “naturally curious” to fit with the company’s product-oriented business model. Depending on your startup’s needs, it can be a toss-up on whether to hire for attitude or skill.

Startup 100

Startup Burn Rate Cofounder Salary 100

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2010

For no good reason, this process seems shrouded in mystery, when in fact it is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. Remember that up to this point, the investor has primarily seen and talked to the founder and CEO, and studied written documents.

Technical Review 225

Technical Review Due Diligence Intellectual Property Private Equity 225

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2018

Any startup coach or business advisor will tell you that, on your way to being a great chef, you don't start your journey by inventing the ultimate entre. Finally you create and document your recipe (business plan). validate your business model) Continuous improvement. Don’t stand still.

Founder 204

Founder Restful Business Plan Metrics 204

ReadWriteStart

JULY 9, 2023

At the same time, startups are indeed exciting and highly satisfying for their founders. A founder needs certain skills and knowledge. They impact fundraising, hiring, intellectual property rights and patents, and many more things around starting and running a business. A good founder is always a good communicator.

Intellectual Property 122

Intellectual Property Startup Burn Rate Metrics 122

YoungUpstarts

MAY 30, 2016

by Anand Srinivasan, founder of LeadJoint.com. Looking at the startup scene through the lens of TechCrunch or VentureBeat, one may not be faulted for assuming that securing VC capital is the default way to raise a business. Either way, you are not alone if you are bootstrapping your business. You are in the vast majority.

Bootstrapping 100

Bootstrapping Germany United States France 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2012

For no good reason, this process seems shrouded in mystery, when in fact it is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. Remember that up to this point, the investor has primarily seen and talked to the founder and CEO, and studied written documents.

Technical Review 237

Technical Review Due Diligence Intellectual Property Private Equity 237

SoCal CTO

MARCH 11, 2013

Yesterday, I was talking to a startup founder about their MVP and they said something that finally got me to write this post: "I have a few investors interested but they want to see a product." Now that You've Got MVP, It's Time to Think About MVC You can't raise money on achieving an MVP. Investors demand more than that.

Algorithm 264

Algorithm Metrics Viral Venture Capital 264

Women Entrepreneurs Can

SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

Here are TWELVE actionable things that you can do to avoid disputes and litigation when initiating a business. At the beginning of the venture, you must see to it that you have prepared the documents that lay out the arrangements between founders, investors, and shareholders. Document Everything. Clarify Your Contracts.

Intellectual Property 59

Intellectual Property Startup Government Technical Review 59

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 10, 2018

by Marc Pitart, founder and CEO of onlineresume.us. Acceleration and incubation programs are on the rise and have helped start and scale many successful businesses over the past 10 years. Pitch it to someone with a startup or business related background, but who doesn’t have experience in your industry. It was all hypothetical.

Programming 124

Programming Chile B2B B2C 124

Software By Rob

AUGUST 5, 2010

You’re a startup founder, whether actual or aspiring. Business books are a founder’s learning tool. The problem is that the premise of all of them – whether true or false – is irrelevant to you as a startup founder. Join nearly 6,000 startup entrepreneurs by subscribing to my RSS feed.

Founder 78

Founder Startup Software Review Software 78

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2020

Bill was relentless in his focus on getting the software PC DOS project delivered, while continually challenging us with new business models. If you or your team sees you as an idea person, your first task as an entrepreneur should be to find a co-founder who can deliver. Tailor investor proposals and term-sheets.

Entrepreneur 307

Entrepreneur Cofounder Term Sheet Acquisition 307

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

OCTOBER 31, 2011

The tool is really versatile and can be used by anyone that needs online documentation. There are dozens of tools for “online documentation,” and I guarantee his is great for certain people and not for others. If printing and binding the documentation is important, is his the best tool? It’s time to act.

Customer 279

Customer Software Review SEM Technical Review 279

Startup Lessons Learned

JANUARY 10, 2011

We also cavalierly lampoon the “suits” that get brought in to run startups after the founders are fired by callous VC’s. They have the ultimate responsibility in a venture-backed company of deciding whether to fire the founders and bring in “professional management.” I also frequently see the reverse. And there’s a worse fate, too.

Silicon Valley 167

Silicon Valley San Francisco Lean Investment Bankers 167

YoungUpstarts

JULY 19, 2017

Look out if they have received funding: Seed funding – means they are just starting out = less people in the company = higher likelihood of working closely with the founder. Having your thought process documented online gives the interviewer background into what kind of thinker you are and makes them more inclined to want to know you better.

Hiring 100

Hiring Startup Salary Technical Review 100

The Next Web

MARCH 24, 2013

Investor and 500 Startups founder Dave McClure offered TNW a few of his thoughts. Said McClure,”We worship at the altar of ‘ lean ‘ a little too much when really we should just be running our businesses. Earth to founder, the chances of you being the next Mark Zuckerberg are very slim. A billion dollars.”

Startup 130

Startup SCRUM Cofounder Aggregator 130

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2022

There is no accommodation for smaller public companies, who can’t be competitive in their space with the new accounting, documenting, and reporting processes required. Friendly or hostile takeover attempts are just a couple of the many ways that company founders sense a loss of control of their own destiny.

IPO 245

IPO SEC Prospectus Startup 245

View from Seed

JANUARY 11, 2023

We wholeheartedly believe in the potential of each company we select; the smaller batch size allows the NextView partners, who possess deep operating and founding experiences at companies like LinkedIn, PayPal, eBay, and Blue Apron, the space to spend meaningful one-on-one time with each founder every single week.

Programming 156

Programming Sacramento San Francisco Founder 156