Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 11, 2020

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 310

Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Offshore 310

Gust

NOVEMBER 14, 2011

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. This is the dreaded “due diligence” process. Product or service readiness. Waste no time.

Technical Review 152

Technical Review Due Diligence Intellectual Property Private Equity 152

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

At our mid-year offsite our partnership at Upfront Ventures was discussing what the future of venture capital and the startup ecosystem looked like. First in late-stage tech companies and then it will filter back to Growth and then A and ultimately Seed Rounds. In 2009 we could take a long time to review a deal.

Technical Review 416

Technical Review Pre-Money Valuation San Francisco Valuation 416

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2023

Professional investors and advisors, on the other hand, usually refuse to sign these agreements today due to the risk of litigation and administrative workload, and will walk away. If you are approaching a recognized venture capital group, or even an accredited angel investor, a non-disclosure agreement is counter-productive.

Non-disclosure Agreement 254

Non-disclosure Agreement Technical Review Due Diligence Angel Investor 254

View from Seed

APRIL 14, 2020

This led to a number of repercussions that most VC’s have lamented during this time, including higher prices, larger rounds, shoddy due diligence, and many companies raising large sums of venture capital that probably aren’t suited to VC funding. Firms will start to torture founders with endless diligence requests.

Early Stage 374

Early Stage Software Review Technical Review Due Diligence 374

The Startup Magazine

AUGUST 11, 2023

Seed venture capital firms can make more significant follow-on investments to keep or increase their equity stake in the company. When expanding their businesses, most tech startups and the subindustries that comprise the tech industry typically follow this model. How does the funding for the seed stage work?

Seed Stage 124

Seed Stage Technical Review Early Stage Due Diligence 124

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 257

Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Offshore 257

David Teten

JANUARY 23, 2021

The next best move is to build your core team, e.g., recruit an Advisory Board, Venture Partners, and EIRs. For ideas, see How Executives Can Work from Home with Private Equity and Venture Capital Funds. For more on this, see An Investor’s Personal Social Media Tech Stack. Diligence limited partners.

Private Equity 78

Private Equity Venture Capital Technical Review Software Review 78

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

Professional investors and advisors, on the other hand, usually refuse to sign these agreements today due to the risk of litigation and administrative workload, and will walk away. If you are approaching a recognized venture capital group, or even an accredited angel investor, a non-disclosure agreement is counter-productive.

Non-disclosure Agreement 399

Non-disclosure Agreement Technical Review Due Diligence Angel Investor 399

David Teten

DECEMBER 3, 2019

Private equity and venture capital investors are copying our sisters in the hedge fund world: we’re trying to automate more of our job. . When I met my now-wife, I realized that any technology that can find me a spouse is a killer app. I previously posted a detailed presentation with sales technology tools useful for B2B sales.

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Software Review Analytics Private Equity 78

Growthink Blog

DECEMBER 27, 2017

Are you looking to raise venture capital ? Business planning and raising venture capital go hand-in-hand. A business plan is required for attracting venture capital. These tips draw on Growthink’s decades of experience consulting to start-ups in the business planning and capital raising process.

Venture Capital 129

Venture Capital Business Plan Technical Review Private Placement 129

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2021

Of course, we can’t eliminate the value of affordable office and meeting space, administrative support services and advanced communications technology to struggling entrepreneurs. Success in an incubator means likely access to venture capital, and connections to industry gurus and business opportunities. Facilities support.

Incubator 366

Incubator Technical Review Due Diligence Venture Capital 366

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 24, 2018

Usually after a Monday partner meeting you get a pretty strong: Yes, term sheet coming No, sorry we’re passing Maybe, we need to do more due diligence / analysis / work I always counsel founders that “good news comes early” so if you haven’t heard by Tuesday at noon chances are it wasn’t likely a clean “yes.”

Technical Review 314

Technical Review Due Diligence Partner Term Sheet 314

Feld Thoughts

AUGUST 25, 2020

HBCUvc is seeking to expand its VC Lab and Fund program that invests in Black, Indigenous, and Latinx entrepreneurs building technology companies. Fellows originate and execute startup investments under the supervision of HBCUvc’s investment committee, a team of experienced venture capital investors.

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Due Diligence Syndicate Syndication 100

David Teten

JULY 24, 2019

If you’re looking for a job in venture capital (or private equity), here is a list of compensation benchmarks, plus all the recruiters I’m aware of who do searches for roles inside venture capital firms, Analyst through Partner. Here’s how to do your due diligence first. VonPerger European Tech Jobs.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Private Equity Technical Review North America 60

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

s founder is David Teten , previously a Partner with HOF Capital and ff Venture Capital and a serial fintech entrepreneur with 2 exits. – Learn about venture capital, particularly fintech. As the firm grows, we will need support in origination, financial modeling, due diligence, transaction execution, etc.

New York 60

New York Venture Capital Technical Review Due Diligence 60

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 27, 2016

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Investor due diligence on a startup is not a mysterious black art, but is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Offshore 120

David Teten

JUNE 10, 2020

SOP’s founder is David Teten , previously a Partner with HOF Capital and ff Venture Capital and a serial fintech entrepreneur with 2 exits. As the firm grows, we will need support in origination, financial modeling, due diligence, etc. . The firm particularly has interest in fintech, edtech, and salestech.

New York 60

New York Venture Capital Technical Review Due Diligence 60

The Startup Magazine

FEBRUARY 11, 2022

On the other side of the spectrum, the idea of finding a unicorn has attracted many investors toward the much riskier venture capital and emerging technologies.

Private Equity 128

Private Equity Equity Technical Review Software Review 128

Up and Running

JULY 6, 2016

Often, a business plan introduces a new technology that requires some explaining. On one hand, as a reader of business plans for investors, I see way too many business plans that ask a reader to wade neck-deep through technology to get to the business. Establish technology as a differentiator, when it is.

Technical Review 72

Technical Review Software Review Business Plan Development Team Review 72

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 30, 2022

Of course this is why a lot of investors choose to hedge their bets and avoid having to make the tricky decisions regarding which startups to back themselves by putting their money into angel investment or venture capital (VC) funds. A degree of diversification can go a long way to protecting you from startup failures.

Technical Review 134

Technical Review Due Diligence Angel Investor Startup 134

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2019

But people are still begging for more technology or laws, often to protect them from themselves. No real investor or venture capital firm asks for money from the company they are intending to invest in. Don’t count on ever passing due diligence, or even getting that deposit back. Loan offer in lieu of investment.

Technical Review 228

Technical Review Non-disclosure Agreement Due Diligence Term Sheet 228

David Teten

MAY 16, 2017

A few years ago, I presented at an Invesco conference on Emerging GPs, and one of the highlights was a presentation by Laurie Weir summarizing CALPERS’ selection criteria under their Private Equity Emerging Manager Program Review. Sapphire Ventures’ Top 10 tips for pitching an LP . Meyler Capital. Chestnut Advisory Group.

Private Equity 60

Private Equity Venture Capital Technical Review Equity 60

VC Adventure

JUNE 14, 2022

Companies looking to raise money turn to venture capital for a variety of reasons. Top among them is generally access to capital, but often on the list is the hope that raising capital from experienced (and well-networked) investors will have other positive impacts on their business.

Technical Review 150

Technical Review Due Diligence Portfolio Venture Capital 150

Feld Thoughts

AUGUST 25, 2015

In January, Jerry Neumann wrote a long and detailed analysis of his view of the VC industry in the 1980’s titled Heat Death: Venture Capital in the 1980’s. So contrary to the piece, it wasn’t VC were good at early stage technology, it was that they had newfound capital and a big exit window. This isn’t true.

Venture Capital 70

Venture Capital SBIC Technical Review Silicon Valley 70

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 23, 2017

Private equity and venture capital investors are copying our sisters in the hedge fund and mutual fund world: we’re trying to automate more of our job. According to Knowledge.VC , under 5% of US VCs have a full-time team member focused on technology. . Why is it now more feasible to use technology in the VC investing process?

Private Equity 60

Private Equity Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 60

David Teten

MARCH 14, 2018

Another example is Correlation Ventures ($300M+ AUM), a VC firm which co-invests in financings with at least one other new outside VC. The firm attracts deal flow by promising a decision (positive or negative) in under 2 weeks, with minimal paperwork and without repeating due diligence. For more, see the Startup Studio Playbook.

Private Equity 60

Private Equity Venture Capital Equity Cofounder 60

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 6, 2018

Just as with any company, the most important issue is the team; see “ How to Negotiate a Partner Role at a Venture Capital or Private Equity Firm “ . Another critical design consideration is your tech stack. See How Private Equity and Venture Capital Investors Are Eating Their Own Dogfood. .

Technical Review 60

Technical Review Private Equity Management Cap Table 60

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 6, 2018

Just as with any company, the most important issue is the team; see “ How to Negotiate a Partner Role at a Venture Capital or Private Equity Firm “ . Another critical design consideration is your tech stack. See How Private Equity and Venture Capital Investors Are Eating Their Own Dogfood. .

Technical Review 60

Technical Review Private Equity Management Cap Table 60

YoungUpstarts

FEBRUARY 6, 2017

Further down the financing path, VCs will ask for additional information, known as due diligence materials. If a VC offers you a term sheet, expect their lawyers to ask you for more information like capitalization tables, contracts, material agreements, employment agreements, and board meeting minutes.

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Term Sheet Technical Review Due Diligence 100

Up and Running

JULY 29, 2019

and the process of raising angel investment for high-tech or high-growth startups. We should also point out that angel investment is different from venture capital. People often use “ venture capital ” as a bucket term to include angel investment, but that’s unnecessarily confusing. Finish your business plan.

Angel Investor 119

Angel Investor Venture Capital Technical Review Software Review 119

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2017

One of the most common complaints I hear from new business owners and startups is about the pain and difficulty raising capital. The “venture capital” model is the only option they know, where they feel they get no mercy, giving up equity and control. Block out sufficient time on your calendar for raising capital.

Technical Review 220

Technical Review Accredited Investor Due Diligence Equity 220

Rob Go

JUNE 23, 2015

When an investor “does work” on a potential investment, it usually means engaging in some form of due diligence. Especially in the early stages of investing, it’s super easy to do due diligence to the point where a “no” is obvious. There is a place for some due diligence.

Technical Review 28

Technical Review Due Diligence Early Stage Venture Capital 28

Rob Go

JUNE 23, 2015

When an investor “does work” on a potential investment, it usually means engaging in some form of due diligence. Especially in the early stages of investing, it’s super easy to do due diligence to the point where a “no” is obvious. There is a place for some due diligence.

Technical Review 28

Technical Review Due Diligence Early Stage Venture Capital 28

Version One Ventures

JULY 24, 2019

and also has the imagination to picture what the world *could* be with technology. In fact, I came into VC with little experience beyond academia but had a love for tech. – as long as s/he has a passion for technology and is aligned with our core beliefs and values. what can be better?)

Technical Review 125

Technical Review Advisory Board Due Diligence LP 125

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 30, 2016

In a flash of brilliance, we took our dial-up filter technology and built a software product that would run on any computer regardless of its Internet connection type. The best part was that it was a blind review. We received a venture capital investment. We had to pivot if we were going to survive.

Software Review 188

Software Review Technical Review Due Diligence Startup 188

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 6, 2015

She had so much insight to share that we broke the interview into two parts, 1) Corporate Venture Capital and more broadly, 2) How the Fortune 500 Can Buy, Invest and Partner with the Innovation Economy (coming soon). . It can help develop applications for the startup’s technology in its early days.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Balance Sheet Technical Review Portfolio 60