View from Seed

JUNE 23, 2022

Long-term: Influencers across the world with 10K+ followers and across all major verticals (e.g. RH: What’s your favorite thing about being an early-stage founder? DC: Short-term: Do-it-yourself (DIY) social media influencers in the United States with 100K+ followers. And your least?

DC 156

DC Cambodia eCommerce Social Media 156

The Startup Magazine

OCTOBER 30, 2021

There`s a lot of logotypes available, and at this early stage, it`s best not to lock yourself into one single design. Stacked – A vertical parallel logo design, ideal for cloths tags and where horizontal space is tight. 3 – Choose the type of logo. Besides, you’ll need four to ensure your logo’s versatile!

Design 153

Design Audience Early Stage Software Review 153

Hunter Walker

AUGUST 31, 2023

HW: I’m always surprised when someone considering ‘joining a startup’ has put a lot of thought into industry/vertical but not into stage of company. For example, in many ways seed stage companies across different industries are more similar than two companies within the same vertical but one new and one more mature.

Employee 113

Employee Startup Vertical Leadership 113

ReadWriteStart

DECEMBER 15, 2022

This is especially the case if expecting the agency’s client work to provide the bulk of its revenue during the early stages of operations. This broad-based approach ultimately reduces the risk of successfully bootstrapping a startup business, especially when only targeting verticals.

Incubator 188

Incubator Startup Software Developers Software Development 188

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

The functions of an early-stage board are pretty obvious and well understood: Providing introductions to customers, biz dev partners, recruits, the press, other investors, etc. We we’re now a tight board of early-stage VCs, management and two hands-on operational experts in our target markets.

Technical Review 325

Technical Review Early Stage Software Review Los Angeles 325

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2021

Relevancy for an early-stage company is the discovery and understanding of the real addressable market for a product or service. Too many early-stage companies are so desperate for customers that they operate in a frantic and random sales mode. The right partnership strategy can make a company relevant.

Early Stage 379

Early Stage Vertical Sales Global 379

David Teten

APRIL 1, 2021

Similarly, customer introductions are invaluable in the early days, but become less valuable once a company has a fully-formed go to market function.”. A well-organized library of best practices for founders in your vertical, which you can share as appropriate. Organize events in your vertical. AskAnything.VC

Private Equity 78

Private Equity Venture Capital Portfolio Equity 78

Version One Ventures

DECEMBER 18, 2018

Now as projects are developing, it is clear that blockchain technology is still in the early stages. We’re focused on vertically integrated startups that empower consumers and companies to collect health data easily and affordably, to become a “biobank” where this data can power personalized recommendations. Bio/healthcare.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review North America Seattle Deal Flow 124

ConversionXL

MARCH 17, 2021

And while this was a good start, a significant position of these companies were early-stage startups. Our research showed that LTV was much higher compared to other verticals we have worked in the past which made the decision to change our approach a no-brainer.

B2B 150

B2B Sales Cycle Belgium IP 150

ReadWriteStart

MARCH 8, 2021

Are you going to grow vertically or horizontally? In the early stages of your business’s development, you’re going to notice dead weight. How much growth is reasonable to achieve? What are the channels and mechanisms that will help you achieve this growth? . Dead Weight.

Startup 127

Startup Retention Acquisition Agile 127

YoungUpstarts

DECEMBER 7, 2017

These five strategies are proven to work for early-stage companies in a variety of industries — including, perhaps, yours. Instead, use an existing user manual template that’s appropriate for your process and vertical. They quite literally can’t afford to wait. Focus on Your Minimum Viable Product.

Cost 100

Cost Developer Small Business Administration Marketing 100

Austin Startup

NOVEMBER 30, 2017

It follows up on my posts discussing why early stage startups should — or should not — move to Silicon Valley. Should Early Stage Startups Move to Austin because of Competencies? Should Early Stage Startups Move to Austin because of Competencies?

Early Stage 48

Early Stage Austin Silicon Valley Intellectual Property 48

Hippoland

JANUARY 23, 2018

Towards the end of 2017, we noticed that downstream investors were slowing their investment pace, and we felt that it would be incredibly difficult to get our companies to the next point if we were investing only $25k at such an early stage. This will depend A LOT on the idea and vertical.). The market had definitely shifted.

Early Stage 48

Early Stage Convertible Security Seed Stage SEC 48

Hippoland

JANUARY 23, 2018

Towards the end of 2017, we noticed that downstream investors were slowing their investment pace, and we felt that it would be incredibly difficult to get our companies to the next point if we were investing only $25k at such an early stage. This will depend A LOT on the idea and vertical.). The market had definitely shifted.

Early Stage 48

Early Stage Convertible Security Seed Stage SEC 48

VC Cafe

JANUARY 29, 2024

Spoiler alert: I believe that 2024-2025 will be an amazing time to invest in early stage startups. Enterprise adoption of generative AI is still in its early days, but according to Accenture , it is expected to unlock an additional $10.3 trillion in economic value against the baseline by 2038.

Generative AI 171

Generative AI Global Venture Capital Valuation 171

Steve Blank

MAY 11, 2021

billion in early funding. Dozens of outreach programs across the military now offer quick revenue to early-stage companies. For example, “flying taxi” startup Joby Aviation aligned its electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft with the Air Force’s stated interest in advancing the market for air mobility vehicles.

Artificial Inteligence 326

Artificial Inteligence Marketing Startup Silicon Valley 326

Version One Ventures

DECEMBER 3, 2019

This was not our early-stage sweet spot and the $100M valuation felt rich. Unfortunately, at the time we had a few DTC / vertically integrated commerce companies in our portfolio that didn’t do super-well, so we decided that we didn’t want to add another investment. Early-stage investors are more wrong than right.

Portfolio 202

Portfolio Cap Table Early Stage Valuation 202

David Teten

JANUARY 21, 2021

VI: Revenue-based financing: The next step for private equity and early-stage investment. —– Reformation Partners is a new investment firm founded by three partners who spun out of FirstMark Capital ($3B AUM firm which was an early investor in Shopify, Pinterest, and Riot Games). 20% initial ownership.

Equity 78

Equity Revenue Cofounder Colorado 78

VC Cafe

JUNE 30, 2022

I love landscapes as they help organise the categories needed to define the vertical. We’re excited to partner with early stage founders who see the future in the same way, and are working on the technologies that will help bring this vision forward.

Cloud 200

Cloud Venture Capital Cofounder Non-Compete 200

Mucker Lab

OCTOBER 12, 2016

Vertical integration of different funding risks. I also believe that the ebb and flow of the venture investment cycle has been exacerbated by the recent vertical integration of early, growth, and even late stage venture funds. The investment thesis wasn’t wrong — it’s just that they bet on the wrong horse.

Harvest 60

Harvest Vertical IPO Early Stage 60

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 6, 2019

Relevancy for an early-stage company is the discovery and understanding of the real addressable market for a product or service. Too many early-stage companies are so desperate for customers that they operate in a frantic and random sales mode. The right partnership strategy can make a company relevant.

Startup 242

Startup Early Stage Vertical Sales 242

Hunter Walker

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

Or they’ll give a portfolio startup a window of exclusivity of a few years before considering more companies in the vertical. Then some of these firms began raising their own Growth funds, a mix of extending their pro rata into existing portfolio company’s later rounds but also entering into new investments at later stages of their evolution.

Early Stage 114

Early Stage Cofounder Vertical Portfolio 114

Version One Ventures

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

So most early-stage VCs have started to evaluate investment opportunities with an imaginary benchmark in mind: can this company become a $100 million opportunity? A great product is always the foundation but a clear distribution strategy becomes essential to cut through the noise.

Churn Rate 168

Churn Rate Viral Acquisition Cofounder 168

SoCal CTO

MARCH 18, 2010

Our current focus is Actors and Actresses and we are moving into other verticals. I also serve as CEO of a small media companies that profile “Tomorrow’s Most Exciting People Today”.

Los Angeles 225

Los Angeles Revenue Southern California Social Network 225

A Crowded Space

AUGUST 12, 2011

By this, I really just mean what I look for in entrepreneurs and companies at early stages. Start with a niche in a city, demographic, or vertical. But I wanted to organize my thoughts on this primarily for my own purposes. It’s helpful to force yourself to write down your principles. That’s the name of the game.

Early Stage 60

Early Stage Vertical Social Media Acquisition 60

Steve Blank

JUNE 3, 2009

Simulation to Reduce Invention Risk If you’re in a vertical where “invention risk” is dominant, then you want to do everything you can to manage and reduce those risks. When I wrote the Four Steps to the Epiphany , the Customer Development text, I hadn’t yet thought about what vertical markets it might be appropriate for.)

Vertical 128

Vertical Silicon Valley Marketing RSS 128

Steve Blank

JUNE 11, 2009

Yet for every founder there are 10-20 other employees who take the near-equivalent risks in joining an early-stage company. If you’re not a founder (by choice, timing or temperament,) you may be an early employee or a later stage startup employee. This means you still need to have a resilient personality, and be agile.

Cofounder 219

Cofounder Founder Silicon Valley Technical Cofounder 219

David Teten

JANUARY 9, 2018

Many VCs focus on specific verticals, usually based on the sector in which a VC initially made her reputation. That said, one limitation in early-stage investing particularly is that 2022’s growth sectors probably don’t fit neatly into a vertical we can define today. This model certainly makes sense.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Private Equity Silicon Valley Differentiation 60

David Teten

JANUARY 9, 2018

Many VCs focus on specific verticals, usually based on the sector in which a VC initially made her reputation. That said, one limitation in early-stage investing particularly is that 2022’s growth sectors probably don’t fit neatly into a vertical we can define today. This model certainly makes sense.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Private Equity Silicon Valley Differentiation 60

View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 14, 2021

For context, seed-stage pre-money valuations are up 24% from H1 2020 to H1 2021. Early-stage valuations are up 70%, and late-stage valuations are up 103% (source Pitchbook ). Seed investors are being compensated for the risk because later-stage investors are paying higher prices, and diluting early-stage investors less.

Valuation 319

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Distribution Early Stage 319

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 5, 2009

Unfortunately in early stage startups the drive for financing hijacks the corporate DNA and becomes the raison d’etre of the company. What are Early Stage VC’s Really Asking? Chasing funding versus chasing customers and a repeatable and scalable business model, is one reason startups fail.

Customer Development 262

Customer Development Developer Customer Silicon Valley 262

ConversionXL

JANUARY 28, 2021

While early-stage companies may not see an immediate need for using a CDP, setting the groundwork before reaching accelerated growth can save time and frustration down the line. Both Segment and Mparticle work to keep your teams aligned so you can deliver the best experience possible and know exactly how to serve your customers best.

Technical Review 86

Technical Review Software Review Analytics Technical Cofounder 86

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. The Pocket Negotiator is very early-stage attempt to aid in the negotiating process itself. . Accompany focuses on this use case.

Private Equity 60

Private Equity Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 60

View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 14, 2021

For context, seed-stage pre-money valuations are up 24% from H1 2020 to H1 2021. Early-stage valuations are up 70%, and late-stage valuations are up 103% (source Pitchbook ). Seed investors are being compensated for the risk because later-stage investors are paying higher prices, and diluting early-stage investors less.

Valuation 295

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Distribution Early Stage 295

Gregg Fraley, Author of Jack's Notebook

FEBRUARY 13, 2013

Some five years into an early stage technology company, I found myself, an experienced technology manager, as a CEO in search of competent manufacturing. It wasn’t like we were packaging software we were producing the highest performing vertical axis wind turbine. Thanks Pamela. Where is the innovation workforce? –

Technical Review 102

Technical Review Engineer United States Government 102

Austin Startup

JUNE 22, 2020

The phrase, “missionaries, not mercenaries,” applies just as equally to early-stage investors as employees. The product is a complex AI service in an industry vertical that is large and growing fast. Didn’t make sense to him that the industry vertical had revenue anywhere near their forecast.

Vertical 64

Vertical Early Stage Forecast Revenue 64

Version One Ventures

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

In a deep ocean of early stage investors, it’s important to signal to the market that you have specific areas of interest, even if you look to invest in everything. In the early days, I focused on anything data science related, then healthcare, and now I proactively look at climate/energy. Be a generalist and a specialist.

Cofounder 182

Cofounder Portfolio Capital Gains Vertical 182