Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

Reading the NY Times article “ Jeffrey Katzenberg Raises $1 Billion for Short-Form Video Venture, ” I realized it was time for a new startup heuristic: the amount of customer discovery and product-market fit you need to find is inversely proportional to the amount and availability of risk capital. ” Fire, Ready, Aim.

Lean 335

Lean Burn Rate Startup IPO 335

David Teten

MARCH 14, 2018

(These are a different creature than “ annex ” funds, which are typically used to support existing portfolio companies after the VC has run out of capital in its core fund to do so.). I’ve listed a few more below which require meaningful startup and ongoing costs. For more, see the Startup Studio Playbook.

Private Equity 60

Private Equity Venture Capital Equity Cofounder 60

Up and Running

MARCH 11, 2015

Fortunately, many of the top VCs share their thoughts on their blogs and are full of advice for startups, both big and small. Inside the Minds of Top Venture Capitalists: Blogs You Need to Read to Understand How VCs Think. Eric Ries of The Lean Startup has called Andrew Chen’s blog “one of the best entrepreneurship blogs of all time.”

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Technical Review Silicon Valley Cofounder 60

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 22, 2012

I think I’ve read Paul Graham’s post on “ Startup = Growth ” three or four times now. Viewing the article through the lens of a venture capitalist there’s much to agree with under the mantra of “growth!” Eventually a successful startup will grow into a big company. Growth, again.

Silicon Valley 390

Silicon Valley Venture Capital Startup Technical Review 390

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2023

Thus, based on my experience as an entrepreneur as well as a startup investor, there are indeed situations where a non-disclosure is highly recommended, and others where the potential good far outweighs the risk. Here are the key considerations from my perspective: Dealing with known or trusted investors and advisors.

Non-disclosure Agreement 254

Non-disclosure Agreement Technical Review Due Diligence Angel Investor 254

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

If you haven’t raised any money or if you raised a small round from angels or friends & family I would suggest you avoid setting up a formal board unless the people who would join your board are deeply experienced at sitting on startup boards. What happens at the A-round of venture capital? But it’s quite rare.

Venture Capital 236

Venture Capital Startup Angel Investor Silicon Valley 236

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 6, 2015

And they should be; the feeding frenzy in the innovation economy is in some cases because startups are eating the lunch of more established companies. Mari is now building a new venture in human-machine interaction within the Samsung accelerator, currently in stealth mode. New York Times’ timeSpace is a good example.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Balance Sheet Technical Review Portfolio 60

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2019

Personal loans from individuals, employees and board members. As in any company, they can lead to employee problems, or messy legal issues. This could work to get you legal or accounting services, but won’t get you cash to pay employee salaries. Personal loans are certainly an option, but should be avoided if possible.

Equity 235

Equity Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy 235

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2022

Personal loans from individuals, employees and board members. As in any company, they can lead to employee problems, or messy legal issues. This could work to get you legal or accounting services, but won’t get you cash to pay employee salaries. Personal loans are certainly an option, but should be avoided if possible.

Angel Investor 327

Angel Investor Equity Technical Review Exit Strategy 327

ReadWriteStart

FEBRUARY 21, 2021

Launching a new startup is always exciting. When you have the right idea at the right time, a startup that begins life as two people in a garage can eventually become a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. Early in your startup’s development, you’ll likely be low on capital. Employees are Your Largest Investment.

Startup 106

Startup Software Review Open Source Technical Review 106

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

Yet despite the overarching negative outlook, startups seem to be weathering the storm. Quartz mentions that startups seem to be dealing with the pressures of the pandemic far more effectively than larger businesses and conglomerates. Much of this success is due to the flexibility of startups and their ability to adapt.

Bankruptcy 165

Bankruptcy Startup Agile Technical Review 165

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. The only problem that faces startup investors now is how to mine this new data layer efficiently to increase returns.”. But we’re doing it slowly. are using AngelMob.co

Private Equity 60

Private Equity Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 60

The Startup Magazine

AUGUST 11, 2023

These investments are a tremendous help to your startup because they will serve as a stepping stone to reach your target eventually. Some return value must be offered to the investors for startup seed funding to be considered acceptable. When considered, “seed funding” describes the initial sums of funds a startup raises.

Seed Stage 130

Seed Stage Technical Review Early Stage Due Diligence 130

YoungUpstarts

MAY 24, 2018

In today’s business environment where innovation and technology converge and the modern day entrepreneur has more support and incentive than ever to begin their dream startup company, more often than not discussions about state and local business taxes have a similar tone: “The company is losing money; we don’t owe any taxes.”.

South Dakota 160

South Dakota North Dakota Wyoming United States 160

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 1, 2011

None of that can compare with being the CEO of a startup facing a rapidly diminishing bank account, your best engineer quitting, working until 10pm and rushing to the airport and catching a redeye for a “ Hail Mary ” close of a customer, with your board demanding you do it faster. venture/operating partners to get them into new industries.

Venture Capital 333

Venture Capital Early Stage Technical Review Startup 333

YoungUpstarts

MARCH 4, 2020

But, just an importantly, they’re also in business to put food on the table for their families and employees. They aren’t operating on big bankrolls of venture capital (at least initially), and they don’t have trust funds to fall back on if the business fails. Think you might fit this definition of entrepreneurial success?

Entrepreneur 205

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Silicon Valley Bandwidth 205

Haystack

DECEMBER 29, 2018

It’s that time of year, time to look back and reflect on the most significant storylines in the tech, startup, and VC world. And, with that warning, I offer to you, the big stories in the startup and investing ecosystem of 2018, written in ascending order of importance and magnitude…. 6/ Venture Capital In Expansion Phase.

Technical Review 165

Technical Review Venture Capital Russia China 165

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 21, 2019

Managing Your Startup Board?—?A A Short Presentation I was invited to do a keynote presentation at the Khosla Ventures CEO Summit this week in Sausalito. My talk was about “ managing your startup board ” and the full deck is on that SlideShare link and embedded below. link] Managing Your Startup Board?—?A

Management 234

Management Startup Dividend Early Stage 234

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 5, 2023

It’s helpful to think of startups as proceeding through several stages, which I have defined a long time ago from a funding perspective. Their real value is your access to senior advisors with experience, and other startups in the same stage. This normally means more than 30 employees, and more than $1 million in revenue.

Startup 305

Startup Incubator Exit Strategy Institutional Investors 305

Steve Blank

APRIL 23, 2014

For decades large companies have gone shopping in Silicon Valley for startups. What can companies learn from others’ failed efforts to integrate startups into large companies? The answer - there are two types of integration strategies, and they depend on where the startup is in its lifecycle. The Innovation Portfolio.

Acquisition 333

Acquisition Intellectual Property Silicon Valley Startup 333

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

On the phone … Me: So, you raised venture capital? Less than you’ll probably grant your most junior employees in stock options? Startup Lessons' We raised a seed round. About $1 million. Me: At what price? Him: It wasn’t priced. We raised a convertible note. Me: With a cap? Him: Yes, $8 million.

Venture Capital 417

Venture Capital Liquidation Preference Valuation Term Sheet 417

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 29, 2016

Looking for some venture capital funding to fuel the growth of your startup? If you find yourself in this situation, there are several things you should keep in mind before picking up the phone or sending an email to a venture capitalist… Is your value proposition interesting enough?

Venture Capital 133

Venture Capital Startup Revenue Hiring 133

Steve Blank

APRIL 26, 2022

At the turn of the century after the dotcom crash, startup valuations plummeted, burn rates were unsustainable, and startups were quickly running out of cash. Except, that is, for the bottom feeders of the Venture Capital business – investors who “ cram down ” their companies. Why do VCs Do This?

Cram Down 414

Cram Down Founder Venture Capital Recapitalization 414

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 30, 2016

I love the fast-paced, see-my-work-have-a-big-impact nature of a new startup. Despite this, I have been drawn by the siren call of the startup once again. I am now neck-deep in Startup No. We received a venture capital investment. Our little business grew from four employees to over 30. 9, FilterSnap.

Software Review 188

Software Review Technical Review Due Diligence Startup 188

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 7, 2011

I spent the month of September lecturing, and interacting with (literally) thousands of entrepreneurs in two emerging startup markets, Finland and Russia. —— I was invited to Finland as part of Stanford’s Engineering Technology Venture Program partnership with Aalto University. Startup Blog: Arctic Startup.

Finland 328

Finland Venture Capital Government Russia 328

Steve Blank

APRIL 14, 2013

I just spent a few weeks in Japan and China on a book tour for the Japanese and Chinese versions of the Startup Owners Manual. This left an open playing field for Chinese software startups as they “copy to China” existing U.S. If you’re a software startup competing in China, the words that come to mind are “ruthless and relentless.”

China 327

China Silicon Valley Non-Compete Intellectual Property 327

Hunter Walker

SEPTEMBER 3, 2023

Holiday weekend here in the US means links for you to read Playing Different (Stupider) Games The Other End Of The Valuation Stick [Kyle Harrison, Contrary Capital] – Kyle puts out a new essay (almost) every Saturday and I really enjoy his consistent and clear eyed POV on venture capital.

Technical Cofounder 78

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Coder Canada 78

crowdSPRING Blog

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

startup ecosystem for many decades. Despite repeated efforts, only a few cities outside the Valley (New York and Boston) have historically had the critical mix of VC funding, network, and talent to fuel vibrant startup centers. Best startup city rankings have reflected this truth for a long time. Austin, TX. Boulder, CO.

United States 113

United States Las Vegas San Francisco Denver 113

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2020

It’s helpful to think of startups as proceeding through several stages, which I have defined a long time ago from a funding perspective. Their real value is your access to senior advisors with experience, and other startups in the same stage. This normally means more than 30 employees, and more than $1 million in revenue.

Incubator 429

Incubator Startup Exit Strategy Institutional Investors 429

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

According to the Angel Capital Association: Angels (private money) invest in 55,000 startups each year versus 1,500 companies by VC (venture capital) funding. ” Yes, the JOBS Act (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) is exciting, and it will bring a lot more potential investors into the marketplace.

Angel Investor 159

Angel Investor Technical Review Software Review Accredited Investor 159

Feld Thoughts

JULY 15, 2013

Richard Florida continues to write amazing stuff about Startup Communities in The Atlantic Online. Two of his latest articles talk about entrepreneurial density and venture capital. The Connection Between Venture Capital and Diverse, Dense Communities. High-Tech Challengers to Silicon Valley.

Venture Capital 164

Venture Capital San Francisco Silicon Valley San Jose 164

thebarefootvc

MAY 8, 2012

The best VCs are the ones that balance their optimism, vision and enthusiasm for startups with realism based on very real constraints (the primary one being his/her own time, but also includes market development and exit timing). As an entrepreneur at heart, I often innately grasp the potential of entrepreneurs and ideas that I meet with.

Venture Capital 78

Venture Capital Syndicate Syndication Bandwidth 78

Up and Running

AUGUST 30, 2021

Your startup becomes irrelevant. One way to do this before starting your own business is by working for a startup or small fast-paced company in your field. Work at a startup before building your own. It can be a small and nimble startup like Origin, or a company with 50 employees and hiring more every quarter.

Entrepreneur 132

Entrepreneur Lean Colorado Engineer 132

SiliconHills

MARCH 19, 2019

OJO Labs, an artificial intelligence startup, has raised $45 million in additional funding. It plans to hire more employees in the areas of engineering, data science, product and design. The Series C funding round is being led by LiveOak Venture […]. The Series C funding round is being led by LiveOak Venture […].

Venture Capital 123

Venture Capital Artificial Inteligence Austin Engineer 123

www.geekwire.com

JULY 10, 2012

Startup Resources. Posts Comments Startups. STARTUP SPOTLIGHT. VENTURE CAPITAL. You are here: Home / Startups / Bad returns be damned: Venture capital fundraising jumps 31 percent in U.S. Bad returns be damned: Venture capital fundraising jumps 31 percent in U.S. GeekWire Events.

Venture Capital 42

Venture Capital Seattle Cofounder Software Engineering 42

ReadWriteStart

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

Virtually every startup has to find funding somewhere. Although some founders take venture capital in exchange for equity, that’s not the only way to do it. To learn more about the pros and cons of venture capital — and founders’ funding alternatives — I caught up with Mark McKee. Why or why not? Oftentimes, it is.

Venture Capital 105

Venture Capital Equity SBA Finance 105

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 21, 2021

When you see startups like SpaceX and Pinterest grow from a low valuation to a billion dollars in just a few years, it’s easy to assume that if you just keep doing what you are doing, you can get there as well.

Merger 379

Merger Due Diligence SEC IPO 379