Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2020

Getting investors to trust you with their money is always a challenge, and it’s even more difficult in the early stages, where you don’t have a significant revenue stream, a few customers, or maybe even a product yet. At these stages, it’s all about you, and your ability to communicate and execute effectively.

Due Diligence 308

Due Diligence Intellectual Property Preferred Stock Seed Stage 308

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

As an early-stage VC I love this phase. We realized that operating a business in distributed markets presented multi-city coordination efforts that we weren’t prepared for. were more distributed. As a startup in this phase you often raise capital, get press, hire staff and everything feels possible.

Operations 286

Operations New York City Technical Review Startup 286

View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 14, 2021

That’s a bit of a cautionary tale to VC investors today who might think it’s inevitable that the private value they are enjoying in their portfolios will certainly translate to distributions in the near future. Or is there a major disconnect between a portfolio’s valuations and the actual dollars returned to LPs? Source: AngelList.

Valuation 156

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Distribution Early Stage 156

David Teten

JANUARY 19, 2021

Yes, via conversion rights at a valuation cap. Yes, via conversion rights at a valuation cap. Seed-stage compatible: Like traditional equity VC investors, Flexible VCs accomodate early-stage investment risk within their portfolios better than a traditional RBI funder. Early liquidity. Short track record.

Cofounder 78

Cofounder Technical Review Equity Dividend 78

Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

Term-sheets and Valuations: Thinking about Negotiations.   I’ve sat down with entrepreneurs and a copy of a term sheet guide I like [ “Term Sheets & Valuations - A Line by Line Look at the Intricacies of Venture Capital Term Sheets & Valuations ” by Alex Wilmerding, Aspatore Press.] The Valuation Question.

Term Sheet 68

Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

Startup Company Lawyer

MARCH 14, 2010

In addition, I think that a “peace treaty&# between early-stage investors and startup companies on standard terms (at least at a term sheet level) is a step in the right direction. If new investors get better rights in a future equity financings (such as registration rights, price-based anti-dilution, redemption rights, etc.),

Finance 70

Finance Software Review Term Sheet Liquidation Preference 70

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2016

Getting investors to trust you with their money is always a challenge, and it’s even more difficult in the early stages, where you don’t have a significant revenue stream, a few customers, or maybe even a product yet. At these stages, it’s all about you, and your ability to communicate and execute effectively.

Due Diligence 120

Due Diligence Intellectual Property Preferred Stock Seed Stage 120

The Equity Kicker

MAY 14, 2012

There are certain types of events that investors look to as evidence that a company has overcome certain challenges and has therefore reduced risk in the business and become deserving of a higher valuation. signing distribution deals. demonstrating that signed distribution deals are working. achieving first revenues.

Finance 118

Finance Valuation Venture Capital Dilution 118

View from Seed

JUNE 30, 2015

As a founder, I think it’s easier to talk to potential investors about where they invest across the lifecycle of a company (whether it’s truly early-stage/early lifecycle, for instance), versus round stages like seed, series A, etc. Almost all VCs actually invest across this spectrum.

Seed Stage 120

Seed Stage Syndicate Syndication Dilution 120

VC Cafe

JUNE 10, 2022

Until now, early stage startups were relatively unaffected. According to new research by Pitchbook , the trickle down effect has already started in seed and series A startups with round sizes and valuations shrinking in size compared to 2021. Forget about Unicorns (valuations), it’s all about Centaurs ($ ARR).

Valuation 151

Valuation Marketing Venture Capital 151

abovethecrowd.com

APRIL 20, 2016

One key to this population growth has been the remarkable ease of the Unicorn fundraising process: Pick a new valuation well above your last one, put together a presentation deck, solicit offers, and watch the hundreds of million of dollars flow into your bank account. By January of 2016, that number had ballooned to 229.

IPO 40

IPO Term Sheet Silicon Valley Valuation 40

Professor VC

JUNE 20, 2011

The business model (OEM through broadband and home security companies for mass distribution) if not specific product functionality has remained largely the same. I take CFO roles in early stage companies and participate on the management team during the early financings and business model development phases.

San Jose 28

San Jose Angel Investor Term Sheet Venture Capital 28

NZ Entrepreneur

JULY 8, 2019

In the first of a three part series on early stage business investment, we asked serial entrepreneur and investor Josh Comrie what three key things New Zealand entrepreneurs must get better at when it comes to seeking angel investment. So, I went deep (currently sitting at 26 different early-stage ventures). Valuations.

New Zealand 42

New Zealand Entrepreneur Valuation Dilution 42

Austin Startup

AUGUST 1, 2017

This is most clearly highlighted in the “unicorn” boom we all saw over the past few years, where founders raised very large rounds, with terms very onerous to the underlying common stock, hoping they could eventually justify billion dollar valuations to skeptical acquirers or public market investors. Angels/Seed Funds v.

Liquidation Preference 48

Liquidation Preference Common Stock Valuation Silicon Valley 48

Professor VC

DECEMBER 8, 2015

I think we will see more of these in 2016 and beyond as IPOs are still far and few between and unicorns struggle to justify their stratospheric valuations. Musk was the early winner taking the CEO role (for a brief period) in the merged company and the largest equity stake as well. At the IPO, Musk held a 14.2%

Merger 28

Merger LP IPO Redemption 28

Up and Running

DECEMBER 9, 2014

The pro is that it’s cheap capital and it’s not diluted. Bates: Good morning and welcome to our CEO panel, “How to Fine-Tune Your Small Business Finances From Funding to Growth” which I think is the direction that we would all like to be going. My name is John Bates. This is really an exciting panel to be a part of.

Small Business 95

Small Business Finance Forecast Metrics 95