VC Cafe

JANUARY 15, 2024

With the IPO window closed, growth funding severely dwindled and multiples down as a result of the public market, unicorns face tough choices in 2024. M&A/ Exits – This situation is compounded by a narrowing window for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and initial public offerings (IPOs).

IPO 89

IPO Valuation Private Equity 89

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2014

With the recent apparent successes of several startups in taking their company public (initial public offering) and raising billions of dollars, I’m hearing a groundswell of enthusiasm from new entrepreneurs to follow in their footsteps to fund their companies and become billionaires overnight.

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IPO Initial Public Offering Startup Small Business Administration 236

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2019

Thus I’m getting more questions on new mechanisms, like crowd funding, or going public through the side door as a reverse merger. Being public makes the company more visible to shareholders and potential acquirers, and provides a presumption of future liquidity.

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Merger OTC IPO Due Diligence 303

YoungUpstarts

MAY 31, 2016

Hire smart, ambitious, get-it-done employees and lead them with emotionally intelligent innovation leadership skills. Is a marketing plan important? Yes, cash flow is king and every start-up wants to achieve greatness or hit a sizable IPO, initial public offering sooner than later. Is high yield important?

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Leadership Early Stage Initial Public Offering 100

The Next Web

JANUARY 16, 2014

Secondly, because he had single-handedly managed to achieve something that my adopted startup hometown of London (despite a fair amount of wailing and hand-wringing) has not yet achieved; namely, an incredibly successful public flotation of a homegrown tech company listing on the local market. and RealEstate.com.au

Australia 146

Australia San Francisco IPO Cofounder 146

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2018

Thus I’m getting more questions on new mechanisms, like crowd funding, or going public through the side door as a reverse merger. Being public makes the company more visible to shareholders and potential acquirers, and provides a presumption of future liquidity.

Merger 198

Merger OTC IPO Due Diligence 198

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 26, 2018

Despite the fact that the number of IPOs (Initial Public Offerings) for startups have continued to stay low, I still hear it touted often as the preferred exit strategy. The market for recent IPOs also remains extremely volatile, and as a result many of them are currently trading below their opening price.

Exit Strategy 128

Exit Strategy IPO Initial Public Offering SEC 128

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 3, 2014

A reverse merger is the acquisition of an already public company (usually a dormant shell) to avoid the Initial Public Offering (IPO) process and cost, to quickly get your startup on a public exchange for fund raising through visibility and selling stock.

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Merger OTC IPO Stock 246

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2016

Despite the fact that the number of IPOs (Initial Public Offerings) for startups have continued to decrease, I still hear it touted often as the preferred exit strategy. Concerns over valuations being reset to a new normal, and a soft exit market, are seen as key drivers. Analysts want escalating profits.

IPO 120

IPO Initial Public Offering SEC Stock Options 120

Austin Startup

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

How much you raised during your last round and how many employees you have are viewed primarily through the lens of how much money is at hand, mission of your business be damned. Do I think VCs can be helpful to some businesses? Certainly. startups with billion-dollar valuations) in recent years.

Silicon Valley 48

Silicon Valley Technical Review Venture Capital San Francisco 48

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2012

Assuming your startup takes off, you will probably find that the fun is gone by the time you reach 50 employees, or a few million in revenue. Initial Public Offering (IPO). There may be a natural catastrophe, like 9/11, or the market you counted on could implode. Entrepreneurs love the art of the start.

Exit Strategy 241

Exit Strategy Initial Public Offering IPO Startup 241

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2012

Companies at this stage must have a large market, good traction, and be focused on scaling infrastructure and market adoption. This normally means more then 30 employees, and more then $1 million in revenue. Exit stage.

Investment Bankers 241

Investment Bankers Venture Capital Startup Initial Public Offering 241

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2011

It has been at least a decade since going public via an Initial Public Offering (IPO) has been considered a credible exit strategy for startups. The timing of an IPO is driven heavily by the state of the economy in general and the stock market in particular, in concert with your profitability. How’s the timing?

IPO 223

IPO Social Media Media Exit Strategy 223

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

Entrepreneurs often ask me why investors expect financial projections for a new startup even before the product is built and while the market is still being defined. Five-year revenues, based on your volumes and prices, should penetrate at least 10 percent of the target market segment. You shouldn’t invest in an undefined business.

Liquidity Event 120

Liquidity Event Startup Initial Public Offering Equity 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2015

Thus I’m getting more questions on new mechanisms, like crowd funding, or going public through the backdoor as a reverse merger. In fact, the quality of companies taking the back door into a public exchange seems to be getting stronger, and has become the avenue of choice for Asian companies seeking to go public in the American market.

Merger 120

Merger OTC IPO Due Diligence 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 5, 2011

Assuming your startup takes off, you will probably find that the fun is gone by the time you reach 50 employees, or a few million in revenue. Initial Public Offering (IPO). There may be a natural catastrophe, like 9/11, or the market you counted on could implode. Entrepreneurs love the art of the start.

Exit Strategy 231

Exit Strategy Initial Public Offering Startup IPO 231

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 13, 2010

Companies at this stage must have a large market, good traction, and be focused on scaling infrastructure and market adoption. This normally means more then 30 employees, and more then $1 million in revenue. Exit stage.

Investment Bankers 231

Investment Bankers Venture Capital Startup Initial Public Offering 231

YoungUpstarts

MARCH 11, 2015

But it’s an important consideration, especially for companies that plan to offer alternative compensation such as employee stock options, which will usually require a 409A valuation. Startup companies are often cash poor and have little in the form of current monetary compensation to offer their employees.

Valuation 100

Valuation Stock Options CPA Merger 100

Reid Hoffman

MARCH 19, 2019

There are times when small and slow is the right strategy for a specific market opportunity. But in today’s world, speed-to-scale entrepreneurship is what we need to improve society, transform industries, and create massive value for customers, employees, and investors. Blitzscaling is a response to market dynamics, not the cause.

Cofounder 28

Cofounder Business Model IPO Non-Compete 28

Gust

NOVEMBER 22, 2011

Companies at this stage must have a large market, good traction, and be focused on scaling infrastructure and market adoption. This normally means more then 30 employees, and more then $1 million in revenue. Exit stage.

Venture Capital 171

Venture Capital Investment Bankers Angel Investor Initial Public Offering 171

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

by Christopher Wallace, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Amsterdam Printing. For years, the most desirable exit strategy for startup companies was to go public through an initial public offering. A volatile stock market and economic recession have since changed much of this thinking. Unprofitable.

IPO 162

IPO Exit Strategy San Francisco Startup 162

online.wsj.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Loading… Markets. Loading… Market Data. Media & Marketing. Marketing & Strategy. At its peak, in 2010, Goodmail had roughly 40 employees. Both studies counted only incorporated companies with employees. Marketing Services. » More. Loading… Business. » More. Management.

Venture Capital 107

Venture Capital Software Review Rhode Island North Dakota 107

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2018

At the other extreme, I don’t condone greedy and unethical business practices to unjustly shake down customers and employees alike. Tiny markets may excite your passion but won’t sustain a business or leave you with a long-term positive legacy. Includes balanced and hard-hitting marketing and sales.

Intellectual Property 48

Intellectual Property Initial Public Offering Merger Acquisition 48

Rob Go

OCTOBER 1, 2014

It’s the eve of Wayfair’s Initial Public Offering, and I’m so excited for the company. I hope every employee and alum feels immense pride about having reached this milestone. And this is all bolstered by a humble, scrappy, and hungry culture that pervades the entire company. Congrats Wayfair!

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Initial Public Offering Metrics Revenue Operations 51

Growthink Blog

MAY 10, 2012

If it's not your plan to get venture capital down the road, then you'll probably stop in Stage 2-receiving enough funding to boost your marketing, sales, and infrastructure to grow organically from there to the point where you are satisfied or ready to sell. Series B is the round that follows series A in early stage financing.

Equity 88

Equity Mezzanine Later Stage Venture Capital 88

online.wsj.com

JULY 11, 2012

Loading… Markets. About 14% of the technology firms that have held initial public offerings between January 2011 and the end of June 2012 went public with at least two share classes—more than twice the 6.4% Marketing Jobs. Market Data Center. Market View. » More. Footnotes*.

Silicon Valley 42

Silicon Valley Founder Software Review Technical Review 42