Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2021

Most entrepreneurs have found by now one or more of the many popular crowdfunding sites , and have the name and contact information for at least one of the big venture capital firms. Each has met legal securities minimums for net worth and professionalism, to reduce the risk to entrepreneurs. Marty Zwilling.

Search 317

Search Accredited Investor Angel Investor Venture Capital 317

View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

As the venture capital industry has evolved, more and more seed investors are passing on traditionally “seed stage” startups because there isn’t enough traction. Belief #1: The best time to invest is early. And by early, we mean pre-traction. Of the last 15 investments we’ve made, 8 have been pre-product or pre-seed style rounds.

North America 120

North America Seed Stage Early Stage Lead Investor 120

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 17, 2020

Each has a process in place to accept applications or recommendations for investment into new companies, and to review these and make decisions based upon their exploration, previous experience in the field, knowledge of the company or industry, or about individual entrepreneurs. Some can supply more when syndicating with other such groups.

Equity 62

Equity Finance Liquidity Event Angel Groups 62

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 25, 2010

A reminder that it is important for all entrepreneurs is to remember to be careful about “deal drift.” We were trying to optimize around a few criteria: price, size of round, number of syndicate partners and, of course, terms. It quickly became impossible to raise venture capital. Yes, this was stupid. Any deal.

Technical Review 301

Technical Review Term Sheet Due Diligence Venture Capital 301

Austin Startup

AUGUST 7, 2017

By connecting Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and the rest of the state into a Texas S tartup Megatropolis we can unlock billions of dollars in capital and unleash thousands of diverse entrepreneurs. More connections means more business, more investors, more revenue, and more growth.

Texas 97

Texas San Antonio Houston Dallas 97

Gust

OCTOBER 20, 2011

In 2011, the valuation of pre-revenue, start-up companies is typically in the range of $1.5–$2.5 million and is established by negotiations between the entrepreneur and the angel investors. Such comparisons can only be made for companies at the same stage of development, in this case, for pre-revenue startup ventures.

Valuation 146

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Intellectual Property Technical Review 146

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. . Small investment firms often have interns and entrepreneurs in residence passing through, each of which is a security risk. When I was single, I registered for (a lot of) dating websites.

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Software Review Analytics Private Equity 78

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2020

As a long-time advisor to entrepreneurs, and a former angel myself, I still find startups confused about the definition of an angel investor, and how and when to attract one. Typically, individual investments will be less than $100K, but a group of angels may syndicate multiples. Thus they don’t live or fly above the clouds.

Angel Investor 322

Angel Investor Valuation Syndicate Syndication 322

Rob Go

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

As the venture capital industry has evolved, more and more seed investors are passing on traditionally “seed stage” startups because there isn’t enough traction. Belief #1: The best time to invest is early. And by early, we mean pre-traction. Of the last 15 investments we’ve made, 8 have been pre-product or pre-seed style rounds.

North America 36

North America Seed Stage Early Stage Lead Investor 36

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2015

Most entrepreneurs have found by now one or more of the many popular crowdfunding sites , and have the name and contact information for at least one of the big venture capital firms. Each has met legal securities minimums for net worth and professionalism, to reduce the risk to entrepreneurs.

Angel Investor 120

Angel Investor Accredited Investor Venture Capital Startup 120

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2015

Even if you work every day in the world of new-venture funding, as I do, the options are confusing, and their meanings seem to change on a regular basis. I challenge any entrepreneur, for example, to define the difference between "seed-stage" and "early-stage" financing. A micro venture capital firm.

Seed Stage 120

Seed Stage Finance Early Stage Startup 120

This is going to be BIG.

MARCH 3, 2014

Are they making real revenue? Will the entrepreneur count that investor among their most helpful? Would the entrepreneur enthusiastically include them in the syndicate of their next venture? Venture Capital & Technology' At what valuation? Are the exit prospects for the company any good?

Syndicate 124

Syndicate Syndication Venture Capital Valuation 124

Pascal's View

JULY 9, 2017

Andrew Krowne and I recently co-wrote an article in Tech Crunch , Why SAFE Notes Are Not Safe for Entrepreneurs. At its core, this issue points to the lack of understanding about the importance of post-money valuation by both entrepreneurs and investors. Many entrepreneurs lose track of what they have been cooking up in the cap table.

Post-Money Valuation 49

Post-Money Valuation Valuation Cap Table Covenant 49

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 18, 2015

There is a lot of uncertainty about the state of the private, high-growth technology markets and the venture capital markets that underpin them. Technology riches yield bumper crops in venture capital with new firms and new largesses – the rewards of LPs rediscovering our asset class. Are LPs to blame? Not so fast.

IPO 150

IPO Venture Capital LP SEC 150

mashable.com

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

The concept poses both great benefits and significant challenges to entrepreneurs. If you’re a startup entrepreneur, you risk facing a competitive disadvantage if you wait too long to expand your operations. With that in mind, here are four tips for entrepreneurs looking to expand globally.

France 77

France Marketing Social Media Startup 77

Agile VC

AUGUST 12, 2011

For entrepreneurs seeking to build big companies on a rapid trajectory, raising larger scale venture capital rounds is likely a necessity at some point after the initial seed funding. For many entrepreneurs, even very savvy and experienced ones, this is a dissatisfying or even frustrating answer and I can appreciate that.

Seed Stage 113

Seed Stage Silicon Valley B2B Acquisition 113

VC Cafe

JULY 27, 2017

According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, podcast industry ad revenue will reach $220 million in 2017, up 85 percent from 2016’s $119 million ( source ). The success of Serial, inspired a new wave of entrepreneurs. The show starts with the history of Podcasts and ends with where they may be headed. The third wave of podcasting.

Audio 109

Audio Silicon Valley Curation Cofounder 109

Gust

OCTOBER 12, 2011

During the summer of 2010, I developed a workshop, A New ACEF Valuation Workshop for Angels and Entrepreneurs. To provide some reference points, I surveyed thirteen angels groups in North American to determine their recent experience in negotiating the pre-money valuation of pre-revenue companies. 2011 Angel Group Valuation Survey.

Angel Groups 125

Angel Groups Valuation Pre-Money Valuation St. Louis 125

VC Cafe

JULY 27, 2017

According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, podcast industry ad revenue will reach $220 million in 2017, up 85 percent from 2016’s $119 million ( source ). The success of Serial, inspired a new wave of entrepreneurs. The show starts with the history of Podcasts and ends with where they may be headed. The third wave of podcasting.

Audio 60

Audio Curation Silicon Valley Media 60

Rob Go

JANUARY 7, 2013

Actually, growth equity firms I find are best at this, because they have very specific financial criteria that they look for, such as ranges for revenue, ebitda, growth, etc. Here’s a good example from Volition Capital. Tom Brady Entrepreneurs: 8. Introduced by other entrepreneurs: 6. First Time Founders: 9.

Portfolio 49

Portfolio Seed Stage Cofounder B2B 49

Professor VC

JUNE 20, 2011

But of course, the model had us requiring only $10M equity to breakeven and to achieve $185M in revenues in 2008 (the magic Year 5 in all business plans). There are definitely some lessons in the story for entrepreneurs and angel investors, but before discussing, I thought Id share a bit about the early financing history for iControl.

San Jose 28

San Jose Angel Investor Term Sheet Venture Capital 28

This is going to be BIG.

NOVEMBER 29, 2010

Put great entrepreneurs together with large, tough problems, fund the company appropriately and you can be successful. However, what I do see happening are instances of entrepreneurs ignoring what the market is telling them about their idea. In fact, that’s what we tell entrepreneurs. They’re stupid.

Marketing 108

Marketing Syndicate Syndication Angel Investor 108