Gust

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

Me: Raising convertible notes as a seed round is one of the biggest disservices our industry has done to entrepreneurs since 2001-2003 when there were “full ratchets” and “multiple liquidation preferences” – the most hostile terms anybody found in term sheets 10 years ago. People seem concerned about valuation. Revenue multiple?

Liquidation Preference 153

Liquidation Preference Valuation Term Sheet Stock 153

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 14, 2010

That means that the likely have a minimum of $15 million in liquidation preferences. It will usually be higher because the liquidation preference has a dividend so if the deal is long in the tooth assume that the liquidation preference might be $20-22 million. Take liquidation preferences head on.

Venture Capital 289

Venture Capital Liquidation Preference Common Stock Dividend 289

Feld Thoughts

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

Once again, as we find ourselves in the middle of a significant public market correction, especially around technology stocks, there’s an enormous amount of noise in the system, as there always is. I suffered through the next financing after implementing a complex structure, or a sale of the company, or a liquidation.

Cap Table 70

Cap Table Down Round Liquidation Preference Founder 70

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 28, 2013

A $1 trillion global market. The don’t understand VC liquidation preferences or multiple return expectations. The business concept was strong, we just needed to tweak it to adjust for market changes and we needed patience and resilience. Dilution / valuation. Are tacking. It’s inefficient. ” Yes.

Startup 417

Startup Dilution San Diego Stock Options 417

VC Cafe

OCTOBER 31, 2022

This is largely due to several major stock market crashes and global economic uncertainties. This is not meant to be a negative post, but rather a temperature check of today’s market environment and the levers founders can pull on to survive this period. It’s an investors market. billion in 538 deals.

Founder 173

Founder Technical Review Down Round Liquidation Preference 173

Scott Edward Walker

APRIL 9, 2012

Part 2 will discuss the two most significant issues for founders in connection with the issuance of convertible notes: (i) the valuation cap and (ii) the discount (and how they interrelate). Part 3 will cover certain special issues, such as (i) what happens if the startup is acquired prior to the note’s conversion to equity? (ii)

Preferred Stock 87

Preferred Stock Finance Common Stock Liquidation Preference 87

genylabs.typepad.com

SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

I wont bother going into details on start-up financing terms ( see this post for an overview of typical VC terms) except to say if you dont know and understand: the firms cap table and valuation. where your stock sits in the liquidity preference stack. what rights and preferences the founders and the other investors have.

Equity 40

Equity Technical Review San Jose Stock 40

K9 Ventures

MARCH 23, 2011

Since the financing would likely happen in short order, there was no need to have a valuation cap in the note. The founders’ interest is to maximize the valuation of the company at the time of a follow-on financing, thereby minimizing founder dilution. Notes may have fewer rights associated with them, but they come with one big hammer.

Pre-Money Valuation 132

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Equity Liquidation Preference 132

Startup Company Lawyer

JANUARY 31, 2011

Automatic conversion: on a $1M equity financing with no conversion discount and no price cap , provided that the transaction documents provide for a right to purchase a pro rata share of future financings. (I Optional equity conversion: on other equity financings with no conversion discount and no price cap.

Preferred Stock 60

Preferred Stock Liquidation Preference IPO Common Stock 60

VC Adventure

AUGUST 30, 2010

The most common forms of investment in early stage business are convertible debt and preferred equity. Typically this conversion is at a discount to the next equity round (to compensate the debt investors for their risk) and sometimes carries warrants (same rational) or a cap on the equity price that the debt converts into.

Angel Investor 103

Angel Investor Early Stage Equity Valuation 103

abovethecrowd.com

FEBRUARY 24, 2015

Over the last few years, the late-stage (pre-IPO) market has become the most competitive, the most crowded, and the frothiest of these financing stages. An unprecedented 80 private companies have raised financings at valuations over $1B in the last few years. There is typically just a single PowerPoint deck presentation.

IPO 40

IPO Liquidation Preference Valuation Technical Review 40

Austin Startup

AUGUST 1, 2017

TL;DR: In a market that has historically idolized huge, splashy financings and exits, an increasing number of entrepreneurs are realizing that everyone else’s definition of success — particularly among certain large VCs — isn’t necessarily aligned with their own. If you’re confident you’ll get a huge exit, maybe.

Liquidation Preference 48

Liquidation Preference Common Stock Valuation Silicon Valley 48

Startup Company Lawyer

JANUARY 9, 2011

“ Seth points out that “the convert cap reflects a premium to the current fair market value of the business. Tweaking convertible debt so that common stock (instead of preferred stock) is issued for the conversion discount in order to limit liquidation preference overhang.

Liquidation Preference 57

Liquidation Preference Finance Preferred Stock Common Stock 57

Austin Startup

APRIL 1, 2017

They’ll focus on high-level issues like valuation, liquidation preference, and board composition (# of seats), and then prematurely check out once a term sheet is signed. And, broadly speaking, that is correct. But the devil is in the details, and too many teams overlook extremely important details.

Term Sheet 48

Term Sheet Institutional Investors Technical Review Lead Investor 48