Gust

SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

Incubators I hear mentioned most often include YCombinator , led by Paul Graham in Silicon Valley, and TechStars , located in Boston, Boulder, New York City, and Seattle. The incubation period is very short and intense, usually intending to drive entrepreneurs from ideas to marketable products in a matter of months.

Incubator 147

Incubator Entrepreneur New York City Silicon Valley 147

Gust

JANUARY 19, 2014

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the best entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and elsewhere. On the average, the entrepreneurs I know are living on Ramen noodles. I’ve never known any successful entrepreneurs or investors who were not happy to share their insights. Join us if you dare.

Entrepreneur 70

Entrepreneur Silicon Valley Social Network Restful 70

Gust

OCTOBER 12, 2011

During the summer of 2010, I developed a workshop, A New ACEF Valuation Workshop for Angels and Entrepreneurs. Silicon Valley. Valley Angel Fund. Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley. c) Silicon Valley (3 groups) – $3.1 Sand Hill Angels. up ~ 20%/yr. Virginia Active Angels.

Angel Groups 125

Angel Groups Valuation Pre-Money Valuation St. Louis 125

Gust

MAY 15, 2015

Entrepreneurs seem genuinely surprised to find that investors in Peoria or Little Rock are not willing to invest in startup companies at Silicon Valley prices. After all, they just read in TechCrunch that investors funded a company similar to theirs at an $8 million pre-money valuation!

Pre-Money Valuation 70

Pre-Money Valuation Silicon Valley Valuation Startup 70

Gust

MAY 15, 2015

Entrepreneurs seem genuinely surprised to find that investors in Peoria or Little Rock are not willing to invest in startup companies at Silicon Valley prices. After all, they just read in TechCrunch that investors funded a company similar to theirs at an $8 million pre-money valuation!

Pre-Money Valuation 70

Pre-Money Valuation Silicon Valley Valuation Startup 70

Gust

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

If you are a first-time entrepreneur, I recommend that you team with a co-founder with experiences, connections, and a skill set that complements, but doesn’t duplicate yours. Even experienced entrepreneurs need a partner to back up each other and improve fundability. Sergey Bin and Larry Page image via Wikipedia for Google.

Cofounder 170

Cofounder Silicon Valley Non-Compete Startup 170

Gust

OCTOBER 17, 2012

In addition, angels were up against a selection problem: All the best entrepreneurs and opportunities would naturally gravitate to the best venture capital funds, leaving only the “scraps” for angel investors. Valuable lessons learned from Andy’s personal experience venture investing in Silicon Valley. So which is it?

Angel Investor 152

Angel Investor Venture Capital Seed Stage Silicon Valley 152

Gust

OCTOBER 8, 2014

This is something I think entrepreneurs don’t totally understand and it’s worthwhile they do. A-rounds back then seemed to be anywhere from $2-3 million (LA or NYC) or up to $5 million in Silicon Valley. $5 Entrepreneurs started demanding that VCs call their first-round financings “seed” rounds even if they were $3 million.

Cap Table 136

Cap Table Silicon Valley Term Sheet Non-Compete 136

Gust

JULY 18, 2012

You and seventy of the world’s most carefully scrutinized emerging companies will debut your product in Santa Clara, among the best and the brightest in Silicon Valley.

Silicon Valley 142

Silicon Valley Differentiation Lead Investor Distribution 142

Gust

DECEMBER 1, 2011

New Company Formation – According to the Kauffman Foundation, entrepreneurs start about 700,000 companies per year in the US. We have no measure of the changes in available capital resources from entrepreneurs and their friends and family, but we have no reason to believe they have changed radically over the past few years.

SBIR 120

SBIR Startup New York City Angel Investor 120

Gust

OCTOBER 5, 2011

At least one well-known Silicon Valley venture accelerator is using a document referred to as a “ convertible security ” rather than “convertible promissory note.” This may seem like a no-brainer now that you understand the basic structure of a convertible debt financing. In fact, there is a recent variation on this theme.

Finance 79

Finance Preferred Stock Term Sheet Early Stage 79

Gust

NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Department of State and several other private sector partners to launch The GIST Network (GIST Net), an interactive online network connecting science and technology entrepreneurs in emerging economies. GIST Net will provide entrepreneurs with the resources and mentorship they need to collaborate, seek funding, and grow their businesses.

.Net 152

.Net Morocco Silicon Valley Global 152

Gust

OCTOBER 22, 2014

In particular, getting to critical mass (of entrepreneurs, angel investors, engineers, et al) is perhaps the most important thing you can do. In the US (particularly in tech centers such as Silicon Valley or New York), failure is almost a badge of honor, and is largely perceived to be a great learning experience.

Australia 130

Australia Community Silicon Valley Angel Investor 130

Gust

NOVEMBER 25, 2012

The popular view of a real entrepreneur is someone with a big vision, and a stubborn determination to charge straight ahead through any obstacle and make it happen. His popular book on this subject, “ The Lean Startup ,” lays out how today’s entrepreneurs use continuous innovation to create radically successful businesses.

Silicon Valley 187

Silicon Valley Architecture Startup Channel 187

Gust

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

When we originally conceived of a single platform tying together the world’s entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists and supporting organizations , it quickly became apparent that the biggest challenge had nothing to do with technology.

Angel Investor 79

Angel Investor Silicon Valley Venture Capital Finance 79

Gust

OCTOBER 26, 2011

I have to admit my West Coast bias here, having learned the ropes at a large Silicon Valley firm ; it makes little sense to me to have investor’s counsel drafting documents that are woven into the fabric of a company’s governance and capital structure, with which the company will likely be living for years after the investment is made.

Finance 79

Finance Term Sheet Covenant Accredited Investor 79