Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 11, 2021

Although every startup is unique, there are certain common avoidable mistakes that can lead to legal complications which jeopardize the long-term success of the business. Later, when your venture is trying to close on financing, or even going public, that forgotten partner surfaces, demanding their original share.

Cost 363

Cost Non-Compete Accredited Investor Cofounder 363

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Nearly every successful tech startup I’ve observed over the past 20 years has gone through a similar growth pattern: Innovate, systematize then scale operations. Innovate In the early years of a startup there is a lot of kinetic energy of enthusiastic innovators looking to launch a product that changes how an industry works.

Operations 286

Operations New York City Technical Review Startup 286

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

Much has changed in the past four months of the technology startup world and how outsiders value the business. As we noted in our survey of more than 150 VCs we know in the industry, many saw drops in Q4 valuations last year with nearly all of them projecting decreases in 2016. Give yourself enough runway but controlling costs.

Burn Rate 150

Burn Rate Cap Table Balance Sheet Dilution 150

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

I was asked by a reader how much equity he should give out to early employees and to service providers in a very early stage startup. The first few people into a startup are on a spectrum of founder vs. early employee. Suppose further that he's going to cost $60k a year in salary and overhead, x 1.5 = $90k total.

Early Stage 391

Early Stage Equity CTO Hire Sweat Equity 391

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 22, 2012

I think I’ve read Paul Graham’s post on “ Startup = Growth ” three or four times now. “The growth of a successful startup usually has three phases: There’s an initial period of slow or no growth while the startup tries to figure out what it’s doing. I talked about some of that here.

Silicon Valley 390

Silicon Valley Venture Capital Startup Technical Review 390

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 2, 2021

In class 1 , we learned that national power is the combination of a country’s diplomacy (soft power and alliances), information/intelligence, military power, economic strength, finance, intelligence, and law enforcement. INTERACTIVE CHART “ Average Cost of Hard Drive Storage per Gigabyte 1980-2014” Human Progress. Oppenheimer , Dec.

Technical Review 366

Technical Review Taiwan Technology Artificial Inteligence 366

ReadWriteStart

JANUARY 28, 2022

With the rise of startups and growing businesses , it has become more critical for investors to have a thorough understanding of equity to be aware of all of the advantages they are receiving from the companies they have invested in. Why do startups issue company equity? You have a financial stake in a startup if you have equity.

Valuation 108

Valuation Equity Warrant Common Stock 108

Steve Blank

AUGUST 19, 2013

But what if we could increase productivity and stave the capital flight by helping Life Sciences startups build their companies more efficiently? Yet during those same 60 years, rather than decreasing, the cost of getting a new drug approved by the FDA has increased 80 fold. Pharma companies are staggering under the costs.

Venture Capital 301

Venture Capital Startup Lean Philadelphia 301

The Startup Magazine

JANUARY 14, 2020

According to the World Green Building Council (WGBC), the following findings support a case for green building: Lower operating cost – the construction of green buildings can help building owners and occupiers save money thanks to efficient energy and water usage. Introduction of smart metering. Upgrading of the HVAC system.

Green 137

Green California Government Valuation 137

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

why the hell has seed financing declined so much in the past 3 years?? The reality is that as a result of two major trends the costs of starting a technology startup went down massively. Between 1999–2005 the costs went down by 90% and between 2005–2010 they went down a further 90%.

Venture Capital 328

Venture Capital Technical Review Seed Stage IPO 328

The Startup Magazine

APRIL 19, 2024

link] Therefore, reducing costs in fleet management is a priority for most businesses, as it directly affects the bottom line. This article explores several cost-saving strategies in fleet management and offers tips to reduce expenses without compromising efficiency and performance. rise in fleet operating costs in 2022.

Cost 148

Cost Management Massachusetts Acquisition 148

View from Seed

OCTOBER 21, 2014

As the seed-stage startup fundraise process has received more transparency in recent years, ranging from published advice on how to raise seed capital to increased availability through AngelList, Funders Club, and various accelerator programs, I’ve noticed another trend emerging. Lower-Than-Market Value.

Valuation 336

Valuation Founder Seed Stage Angel Investor 336

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2014

We are in a bubble (with so many private $1bn+ valuations). Lower costs to start a business (95% reduction), many more companies created & funded by angels / seed. pre-money valuation you certainly would want to exercise your right to continue investing if you had prorata rights. Where are we today? more than 5 years ago?—?and

Technical Review 398

Technical Review Venture Capital Valuation Pre-Money Valuation 398

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Once you have a potential investor excited about your team, your product, and your company, the investor will inevitably ask “What is your company’s valuation?” How much is NewCo worth to investors at this point (pre-money valuation)? This is the most concrete valuation element, usually called the asset approach.

Valuation 270

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation NPV Intellectual Property 270

Tim Keane

MARCH 9, 2011

Startups and angels: Along the way to success. How should I finance my new venture? It’s a deceptively simple question:  what is the optimal way to finance a new startup? It’s a deceptively simple question:  what is the optimal way to finance a new startup? « Leaving a Trail | Main. |

Finance 83

Finance Bootstrapping Startup Equity 83

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Was Paul Graham right in his “high resolution” financing post? When convertible debt first started being introduced as a “faster, cheaper way to get startups funded” they didn’t have pricing built into them. Some thoughts on raising angel money. So let me weigh in more loudly than in the past.

Ratchet 354

Ratchet Liquidation Preference Equity Stock 354

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 28, 2015

Craig Schmitz, a partner in the Technology Companies Group at law firm Godwin Proctor LLP who works on corporate, governance, board and fundraising issues, and Erika Fisher, an associate in the firm’s Business Law Department who deals with IP, fielded questions about the legal issues startups face. ” The Cost of Financing.

Convertible Security 100

Convertible Security IP Technical Review Software Review 100

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

MARCH 21, 2017

Revenue multiples, profit multiples, premium over the previous financing — these are metrics used by sellers to help determine a minimum acceptable price. Startups shouldn’t act smug about this. Even for startups, it takes years for a new product to become good enough to demand many millions of dollars in revenue.).

Balance Sheet 242

Balance Sheet Vertical Acquisition Revenue 242

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2023

Every startup dreams of achieving that milestone, when they can focus more on scaling the business and enjoying their earnings, rather than fighting for another investment infusion. Should they focus on increasing revenues and profitability, or entice more and more users with “free” services, to increase their valuation.

Valuation 235

Valuation Revenue Viral Retention 235

Hearpreneur

JANUARY 22, 2023

For example, a startup SaaS company can use a specialized app to create a good product management process and keep track of the project's progress. However, that doesn't mean you should ignore cost or quality. All of these changes should make managing our finances easier and more accessible for everyone. #19-

Artificial Inteligence 121

Artificial Inteligence Technical Review Entrepreneur Social Media 121

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 7, 2010

As a thumb rule, try to get enough validation so that you can get to at least a $2 million pre-money valuation before raising equity capital. That is debt financing that converts into equity at the Series A valuation once the price for that is set. (I Tags: StartUp 101. Sub-$2 million pre-money, it is better to bootstrap.

Valuation 119

Valuation Silicon Valley Pre-Money Valuation Bootstrapping 119

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

Capital investments are like gasoline on a startup business’s metaphorical fire. If you’re like most startup CEOs, your startup has been your personal fiefdom and baby. Background: Justin Klemm’s analytics and website uptime startup, Ghost Inspector , wants to revolutionize the way businesses manage their ecommerce funnels.

Private Equity 94

Private Equity Pre-Money Valuation Equity Startup 94

The Next Web

OCTOBER 7, 2013

That’s what a couple of my friends – engineers at Google and Bloomberg who have been following the rise of startup culture with intrigue – told me recently. Startup employees are granted common shares out of something called an option pool. Every time a startup raises capital, all common shareholders are diluted.

Engineer 129

Engineer Dilution Option Pool Vesting 129

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 6, 2010

Once you have a potential investor excited about your team, your product, and your company, the investor will inevitably ask “What is your company’s valuation?” How much is NewCo worth to investors at this point (pre-money valuation)? This is the most concrete valuation element, usually called the asset approach.

Valuation 234

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation NPV Startup 234

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 18, 2019

The valuations were too high! The key is being able to dial back variable costs during these period. This is only true when: 1) there is funding available to finance short-term losses and 2) when there is a lucrative positive unit-economics business when you become the winner. We are now in Act IV. But springtime is here.

South America 250

South America Global New York City Software Review 250

Steve Blank

APRIL 1, 2020

So here’s a five-day playbook to help CEOs of cash-flow negative startups, or ones about to go negative, assess the new normal and respond with speed and urgency. Any place with a fixed cost that relies on foot traffic will come under pressure. For companies burning cash, such as startups, how much cash do you have?

South Korea 333

South Korea Salary Business Model China 333

Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

Startups and angels: Along the way to success. Term-sheets and Valuations: Thinking about Negotiations. The Valuation Question. When companies seeking their first round of serious funding are good enough to receive a term-sheet from an investor, the first issue that always arises is valuation. Let’s start at the end.

Term Sheet 68

Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

The Startup Magazine

JULY 17, 2022

If a corporation is eligible, claiming research and development tax credits might result in considerable cost savings and these advantages include the following: An increase in the flow of cash. If the certifying organization verifies that your initiative is a research and development project, you are legally entitled to receive financing.

Developer 134

Developer Germany Software Developers Software Development 134

Gust

NOVEMBER 18, 2012

Once you have a potential investor excited about your team, your product, and your company, the investor will inevitably ask “What is your company’s valuation?” How much is NewCo worth to investors at this point (pre-money valuation)? This is the most concrete valuation element, usually called the asset approach.

Valuation 187

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation NPV Intellectual Property 187

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2011

In addition to FOMO it is partly driven by massive increase in valuations for earlier-stage companies who raised money at bit seed prices but who still have product risk. million pre-money valuation is now raising $1 million at a $12 million valuation the next investor has nowhere to go but up (or sit out the investment).

Saudi Arabia 309

Saudi Arabia Valuation IPO Technical Review 309

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2020

Every startup dreams of achieving that milestone, when they can focus more on scaling the business and enjoying their earnings, rather than fighting for another investment infusion. Should they focus on increasing revenues and profitability, or entice more and more users with “free” services, to increase their valuation.

Revenue 434

Revenue Valuation Viral Retention 434

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 24, 2017

. — Unremarked and unheralded, the balance of power between startup CEOs and their investors has radically changed: IPOs/M&A without a profit (or at times revenue) have become the norm. The startup process has become demystified – information is everywhere. Not every startup ended up this way. Board Control.

Founder 245

Founder Technical Review CTO Hire IPO 245

The Startup Magazine

APRIL 10, 2019

Knowing the value of real estate is important as it helps determine several things, such as sales listings, financing, property insurance, and taxation. If you have an interest or property in real estate, then here are the 4 things that you need to know about property valuation: Photo by Kevin Wolf on Unsplash.

Valuation 99

Valuation Australia Government Finance 99

VC Adventure

AUGUST 15, 2018

However the board could determine what that fair market value was and, generally speaking, there wasn’t a practical way that these valuations could be challenged. It was and is imprecise science but – at least in the case of venture backed startups – there wasn’t much harm in an option being priced low.

Valuation 48

Valuation Common Stock Cap Table Software Review 48

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2020

As a long-time advisor to entrepreneurs, and a former angel myself, I still find startups confused about the definition of an angel investor, and how and when to attract one. You need to know why and how they invest, and then focus on the ones who are the best match for your startup. Thus they don’t live or fly above the clouds.

Angel Investor 322

Angel Investor Valuation Syndicate Syndication 322

The Startup Magazine

JUNE 2, 2021

Nevertheless, many of them face numerous challenges at the beginning of their journey, including startup funding. Thankfully, there are several avenues entrepreneurs can that can help them find the much-needed startup funding. The following are alternative ways in which entrepreneurs can raise funds for their startups.

Due Diligence 124

Due Diligence Startup Finance Early Stage 124

Steve Blank

MAY 9, 2017

I’ve spent my life in innovation, eight startups in 21 years, and the last 15 years in academia teaching it. the wave of semiconductor startups in the 1960’s/70’s, the emergence of Venture Capital as a professional industry, the personal computer revolution in 1980’s, the rise of the Internet in the 1990’s and finally.

Restful 222

Restful Silicon Valley Puerto Rico San Jose 222