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What Does the Post Crash VC Market Look Like?

Both Sides of the Table

When you look at how much median valuations were driven up in the past 5 years alone it’s bananas. Median valuations for early-stage valuations tripled from around $20m pre-money valuations to $60m with plenty of deals being prices above $100m. What is a VC To Do? I can’t speak for every VC, obviously.

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Why Raising Too Much Money Can Harm Your Startup

Both Sides of the Table

Amongst the most often asked questions I get from founders is, “How much money should I raise?” Reflexively founders want to raise as much money as they can because they figure it will give them more resources, better chances of competing and a longer runways before they have to do the often painful job of asking, yet again, for money.

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How Much Should You Raise in Your VC Round? And What is a VC Looking at in Your Model?

Both Sides of the Table

There’s a quick litmus-test conversation any early-stage VC will have with the founder and it’s one that you should be as prepared for as your elevator pitch. It goes something like this … VC: “How much money are you raising?” Founder: “$8–10 million” VC: “What’s your current burn rate?” Founder: “$250k / month.”

Burn Rate 247
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Why Startups Should Raise Money at the Top End of Normal

Both Sides of the Table

I wrote this because over the last decade I’ve seen a destructive cycle where otherwise interesting companies have been screwed by raising too much money at too high of prices and gotten caught in a trap when the markets correct and they got ahead of themselves. Again, prices are expressed as pre-money valuations.

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The Changing Venture Landscape

Both Sides of the Table

They might be ideas they hatch internally (via a Foundry) or a founder who just left SpaceX and raises money to search for an idea. two founders in a garage?—?(HP The most connected and high-potential founders start with wads of cash. You have seed rounds but you now have “pre-seed rounds.” HP Style) are dead.

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How to Fund Your Startup Without Losing Control

Up and Running

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. A deal was reached after two phone conversations and within three weeks contracts were signed and the investment was funded.

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Cliff Notes S-1: Kayak ? AGILEVC

Agile VC

Kayak was started here in my backyard of Boston… co-founder & CTO Paul English and the product/engineering team is based here in Concord MA. Co-founder & CEO Steve Hafner and the business team are based in Norwalk, CT. Pre-IPO Funding History: Kayak has raised approximately $235M in VC funding to date.