David Teten

DECEMBER 3, 2019

Tim Friedman, Founder, PE Stack , said, “If I could offer one piece of advice to today’s managers, it would be to take the time to understand the demands of the modern institutional LP. Data companies focused on early-stage startups include Aingel , fundsUP , Preseries , PredictLeads , and Sploda. 3) Raise capital.

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Software Review Analytics Private Equity 78

View from Seed

APRIL 30, 2015

What is it, and how should founders think about it? note: We’d like to be extra clear that founders should not take on venture debt if they don’t have 100% visibility into repaying the loan, as banks that need to recoup their loan my force the company or you as the guarantor into liquidation or bankruptcy.

Term Sheet 120

Term Sheet Equity Startup Seed Stage 120

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 25, 2010

We were trying to optimize around a few criteria: price, size of round, number of syndicate partners and, of course, terms. million at a $15 million pre-money valuation. My co-founder and other management team members wanted us to hold off and see whether we could get the deal done at a higher price. Yes, this was stupid.

Technical Review 301

Technical Review Term Sheet Due Diligence Venture Capital 301

View from Seed

JUNE 10, 2020

of teams’ online pitch decks and recorded videos, as well as loved the dozens of second-round video conversations which we had with Founders working on quite compelling startups. Many of these Founders we wouldn’t have had an opportunity to connect with if we hadn’t launched this program.

Cofounder 177

Cofounder Syndicate Syndication Alabama 177

Agile VC

MAY 26, 2011

Many assume it was a cakewalk, based on the success LinkedIn has enjoyed over time and the current stature of our founder/CEO Reid Hoffman (now Chairman). I thought I’d revisit it and share the story… First, you have to rewind mentally to early 2003. It was a pretty good valuation for the time. It was a $4.7M

Term Sheet 178

Term Sheet Silicon Valley Technical Review Social Network 178

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 23, 2017

In venture capital in particular, early-stage companies are often operating in frontier industries, where the rules are unpredictable and conventional analytic frameworks may be misleading. Signal is a fundraising tool for founders run by NFX Guild, which identifies the most relevant VCs for you. . Pitchbot.vc

Private Equity 60

Private Equity Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 60

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

Seed investors are aplenty and of course they need downstream money to fuel their early-stage bets. I told my friend that I felt that in 2014 too many new VCs feel the pressure to chase deals, to be a part of syndicates with other brand names and to pounce on top of every startup whose numbers are trending up quickly.

Cofounder 374

Cofounder Syndicate Syndication Early Stage 374

View from Seed

JANUARY 26, 2016

With that in mind, let’s look at an illustration of these trends below, which demonstrates what’s been happening to early-stage financing rounds over the last 15 years or so. Series A investors invested quite early, often before product/market fit. FWIW, that is not how we operate.).

Seed Stage 120

Seed Stage Early Stage Cofounder Finance 120

Genuine VC

NOVEMBER 12, 2012

When you compromise on terms in the early stages, you will have to pay the price in the later stages. As a seed stage investor here at NextView seeing our companies progress down fundraising paths, I think it’s extremely important to highlight that terms in early rounds do set precedent for terms going forward.

Finance 128

Finance Mezzanine Valuation Seed Stage 128

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 18, 2015

Cendana founder Michael Kim was amongst the earliest and certainly the most focused LP to spot the changes in venture capital leading to seed stage funds and has backed many of the best in the industry so it’s always a pleasure to come and share thoughts with all of these great peers. 25% “down rounds? is pretty pathetic.

IPO 150

IPO Venture Capital LP SEC 150

Hippoland

SEPTEMBER 17, 2017

Investors say things like: “This founder is very fundable” or “This founder doesn’t pattern match” Ellen Pao talks about this explicitly in the excerpt of her new book. Just a couple of years ago, AngelList announced their syndicate feature. They’re also the only ones who lose money for them.

Silicon Valley 48

Silicon Valley Syndicate Syndication Early Stage 48

Hippoland

SEPTEMBER 17, 2017

Investors say things like: “This founder is very fundable” or “This founder doesn’t pattern match” Ellen Pao talks about this explicitly in the excerpt of her new book. Just a couple of years ago, AngelList announced their syndicate feature. They’re also the only ones who lose money for them.

Silicon Valley 48

Silicon Valley Syndicate Syndication Angel Investor 48

Feld Thoughts

JULY 14, 2015

Assuming equity is raised at or above that cap, the total dilution, before the new money, is 16.6% (equivalent to an equity financing of $1m at a $6m post money valuation. The term sheet converts all the convertible debt into a post-money valuation of $100, essentially making the convertible debt worthless. Sure – it happens.

Recapitalization 70

Recapitalization Pre-Money Valuation Post-Money Valuation Angel Investor 70

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2015

*. If you are a 20-something tech entrepreneur you could be forgiven for thinking that seed-stage investors, Angellist Syndicates and widely available angel money always existed. It is, of course, a very recent phenomenon. I was out to raise my first seed money in my second startup of $500,000.

Seed Stage 150

Seed Stage Silicon Valley Syndicate Syndication 150

www.paulgraham.com

APRIL 28, 2010

I think it would help founders to understand funding better—notjust the mechanics of it, but what investors are thinking. And if trouble withinvestors is one of the biggest threats to a startup, managing themis one of the most important skills founders need to learn. Another concept we need to introduce now is valuation.

Technical Review 76

Technical Review Startup Software Review Angel Investor 76

Agile VC

FEBRUARY 28, 2012

Startups in NextView’s portfolio frequently receive inbound interest from other VC investors who are intrigued about what they’re doing, and I often talk with other early-stage entrepreneurs how to approach similar situations. If you start receiving inbound interest from VCs within the first couple months (or even weeks!)

Early Stage 100

Early Stage Syndicate Syndication Silicon Valley 100

Feld Thoughts

AUGUST 10, 2010

In this case neither Niel (nor I) had any interest in creating a traditional syndicate to fund the company. We did a second financing by ourselves at an increased valuation – this was the “Series B&#. The meat of the funding story follows: “Of course coming up with the idea is the easy part.

Syndicate 120

Syndicate Syndication Angel Financing Finance 120

View from Seed

JUNE 30, 2015

The cliff notes behind the idea is that what used to be considered a series A is now actually a seed round because… Capital efficiency allows founders to get further with less. Some funds (and angels) are explicitly trying to invest before seed rounds, which suggests there is a stage before seed. Where do I send the check?”

Seed Stage 120

Seed Stage Syndicate Syndication Dilution 120

Berkonomics

APRIL 3, 2014

There are three classes of equity investors for early stage businesses that we have not yet considered. And even though angel groups syndicate their best deals within their respective associated networks, it is always best to apply to the angel groups nearest your physical location.

Equity 92

Equity Finance Liquidity Event Angel Groups 92

Professor VC

APRIL 1, 2010

It had a good mix of viewpoints with east ( James Geshwiler, Common Angels ) and west coast (yours truly) angels, early stage venture capitalist ( Jason Mendelson, Foundry Group ), and a couple of attorneys ( Dan Hansen and Mario Rosati ). It is obviously too late to dial-in to the call, but you can still order a CD of the session.

Term Sheet 32

Term Sheet Angel Investor San Jose Venture Capital 32

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 3, 2010

Third, he notes that even if they do invest they’re likely to do so at a lower price because you can’t truly get an independent valuation. So if a VC wants to work with really talented early-stage entrepreneurs there are times where they have to be willing to seed fund them in order to be in the deal. is now a VC.

Venture Capital 265

Venture Capital Term Sheet Early Stage Silicon Valley 265

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.

Liquidation Preference 48

Liquidation Preference Common Stock Valuation Silicon Valley 48

Hunter Walker

DECEMBER 21, 2014

17 core investments have been made, I’d say our investment model was, and continues to be, consistent with the type of firm we want to build but if you’re not constantly evaluating how to get better and serve entrepreneurs, you won’t last very long in the early stage venture business. No more, no less.

Cofounder 102

Cofounder Seed Stage Syndicate Syndication 102

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 1, 2010

There is a structural reason that VCs are investing at early stages, 2. It’s just that he’s a “super seed&# investor in a firm, Founder Collective , that I really respect (and with whom I’ve done two deals and hope to do a third) and I’m a partner in a venture capital firm, GRP Partners.

Post-Money Valuation 298

Post-Money Valuation Term Sheet Warrant Partner 298

Professor VC

JANUARY 17, 2008

One of my comments was that we would likely see more institutionalization of angel groups and syndication of deals among groups. Another comment which probably deserves more discussion is around valuation. He also said they typically only invest at a $1 million pre-money valuation or less. My facebook can beat up your facebook.

Pre-Money Valuation 28

Pre-Money Valuation Angel Investor Angel Groups Valuation 28

www.paulgraham.com

APRIL 28, 2010

Mechanics Angel investors often syndicate deals, which means they join togetherto invest on the same terms. In a syndicate there is usually a"lead" investor who negotiates the terms with the startup. Dont feel like you have to join a syndicate, though. The valuation determines how much stock you get. million, and youget.05/1.05,

Angel Investor 63

Angel Investor Syndicate Syndication Dilution 63

Rob Go

JANUARY 7, 2013

As a founder, it feels like a long time, but it’s really a blip on the radar in the scheme of things. We don’t have such a section on our website (yet) and in some ways, the seed/early stage is more amorphous. Founders: Repeat Founders: 8. First Time Founders: 9. A Stroll Through Our Portfolio.

Portfolio 49

Portfolio Seed Stage Cofounder B2B 49

Professor VC

JUNE 20, 2011

Since the iControl system chronicles all meetings, I was able to find the automatic picture snapped from my first meeting with the founders, Reza Raji and Chris Stevens on April 22, 2004. 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