VC Adventure

JUNE 14, 2022

Companies looking to raise money turn to venture capital for a variety of reasons. Top among them is generally access to capital, but often on the list is the hope that raising capital from experienced (and well-networked) investors will have other positive impacts on their business.

Technical Review 150

Technical Review Due Diligence Portfolio Venture Capital 150

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 25, 2010

When I first read Paul Graham’s blog post on “High Resolution&# Financing I read it as a treatise arguing that convertible notes are better than equity. Either would be fine with startups, so long as they can easily change their valuation. Photo credit: D. Blanchard/O’Reilly Media. and not a min.

Finance 286

Finance Term Sheet Technical Review Warrant 286

Growthink Blog

MAY 20, 2011

I received an email last week from an entrepreneur (let's call him Mike) Now to begin, I was pretty impressed with Mike since he used a nice technique to get his email in my inbox (due to the volume of emails I receive, they are screened by others before they get to me). Getting a $100 Million valuation is impossible for a startup.

Venture Capital 109

Venture Capital Valuation NDA Non-disclosure Agreement 109

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

At the outset, it is worth noting that when it comes to the world of venture funding, I am a bit of an outsider. Until a handful of years ago, I didn’t even know what venture capital was, let alone anything about the complicated process of actually acquiring VC funding. I don’t know this world on an intimate, personal level.

Venture Capital 82

Venture Capital Lean Cofounder Technical Review 82

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2019

In the US, a nonprofit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). Obviously, these companies still need money to get started, or finance growth, just like a for-profit company. Examples include charitable organizations, trade unions, and public arts organizations. Government grants.

Equity 235

Equity Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy 235

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 22, 2012

Growth will slow, partly due to internal limits and partly because the company is starting to bump up against the limits of the markets it serves.” He also nails the reason why venture capital is still necessary to grow large businesses quickly in a world where the costs of running startups have fallen dramatically.

Silicon Valley 390

Silicon Valley Venture Capital Startup Technical Review 390

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 28, 2018

There are many things a VC is looking for in reviewing your business plan but beyond things the like the quality of revenue, margins, OPEX and CAPEX there’s a really simple rule I call, “Cash In, Cash Out, Milestones Achieved.” Every VC knows that the amount you raise is often a proxy for your valuation. Let me check my plan.”

Burn Rate 247

Burn Rate Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Dilution 247

David Teten

JANUARY 19, 2021

Every Flexible VC structure allows founders to access immediate risk capital while preserving exit, growth trajectory, and ownership optionality. . Our categorization is not a technical one. Additionally, Flexible VC can accommodate all types of companies, not just asset-lite, tech-enabled companies.”. Funder Category.

Cofounder 78

Cofounder Technical Review Equity Dividend 78

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 28, 2018

Until recently it was headquartered 2 blocks from our offices in Santa Monica so we literally saw it emerge under our feet and we proudly invested in the last 3 rounds of financing. Today the company officially announced its most recent round of capital ?—?having Forget the valuation?—?I having raised $300 million?—?less

San Francisco 256

San Francisco Valuation Technical Review Los Angeles 256

David Teten

AUGUST 20, 2019

I’ve been a traditional equity VC for 8 years, and I’m now researching new business models in venture capital. I have been impressed by how these venture capitalists are accomplishing a major social impact goal…without even trying to. I contacted every RBI venture capital investor I could identify, and learned: .

Revenue 60

Revenue Cofounder Founder Venture Capital 60

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

In the US, a nonprofit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). Obviously, these companies still need money to get started, or finance growth, just like a for-profit company. Examples include charitable organizations, trade unions, and public arts organizations. Government grants.

Angel Investor 132

Angel Investor Equity Technical Review Exit Strategy 132

View from Seed

DECEMBER 4, 2019

If you aren’t familiar with these metrics, I recommend reading the original post to get a sense of the numbers that I’ll be reviewing here. Over the last 10 years, we’ve been in a bull market with considerable froth in late stage financing activity and valuations. This would suggest that TVPI would be performing well.

LP 256

LP IRR Distribution Portfolio 256

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2011

Responses ranged from, “hey, they’re in a HUGE market&# to “it is an amazing company and their technology rocks.&# It’s like people arguing that there’s a beautiful beach house in 2006 that represents great long-term value due to scarcity of similar property. Or worse yet they may never get financed.

Saudi Arabia 309

Saudi Arabia Valuation IPO Technical Review 309

thebarefootvc

JANUARY 27, 2014

Do I think we are in a valuation bubble? I think that later stage valuations are frothy (for reasons I explain below) while earlier stage valuations are starting to stabilize from previous highs (with the exception of the superstar serial entrepreneur) - turns out scaling in a sea of competition (both startup and entrenched) is not so easy.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Valuation Venture Capital Investment Bankers 63

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 13, 2013

In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). Obviously, these companies still need money to get started, or finance growth, just like a for-profit company. Examples include charitable organizations, trade unions, and public arts organizations. Government grants.

Equity 207

Equity Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy 207

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2012

In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). Obviously, these companies still need money to get started, or finance growth, just like a for-profit company. Examples include charitable organizations, trade unions, and public arts organizations. Government grants.

Angel Investor 218

Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy Equity 218

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 21, 2013

In the Ad Tech world PS revenue often means providing “media services” as a value-add to using your product. The closest analogy I have for a PS person is a “sales engineer” who is normally a technical staff member who assists in sales campaigns. rollout support. integration with other systems. configuration.

Software Review 321

Software Review Software IP Technical Review 321

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2011

In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). Obviously, these companies still need money to get started, or finance growth, just like a for-profit company. Examples include charitable organizations, trade unions, and public arts organizations. Government grants.

Angel Investor 238

Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy Equity 238

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2014

Prorata rights are one of the most important rights of a private market technology investors and yet are seldom fully understood. In the old days there weren’t many fights about whether angels would take their prorata rights in financing rounds. Because tech companies are getting bigger more quickly than at any time in history.

Technical Review 336

Technical Review Later Stage Early Stage LP 336

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2015

In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). Obviously, these companies still need money to get started, or finance growth, just like a for-profit company. Examples include charitable organizations, trade unions, and public arts organizations. Government grants.

Angel Investor 120

Angel Investor Equity Technical Review Exit Strategy 120

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

2 preamble issues having read the comments on TC today: 1: I know that the prices of startup companies is much great in Silicon Valley than in smaller towns / less tech focused areas in the US and the US prices higher than many foreign markets. As the risks below get eliminated the higher the valuation investors are prepared to pay.

Pre-Money Valuation 336

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Silicon Valley Stock 336

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 12, 2010

In the technology world there are a few websites that most startups track to keep up with the latest financings, acquisitions, product announcements and gossip: BusinessInsider, TechCrunch, Mashable, GigaOm, etc. Specifically we talked about Slide having gotten a $550 million valuation before being sold to Google for $182 million.

Seed Stage 232

Seed Stage Valuation Private Equity Venture Capital 232

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 23, 2012

Many observers of the venture capital industry have questioned whether its best days are behind it. I have been close to the tech & startup sectors for more than 20 years and I can’t think of a period in which I felt more optimistic about the innovation and value creation I see in front of us.

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Technical Review LP Mobile 347

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

When I was new at Venture Capital I was trying to figure out the business. I tapped my friends at big tech companies (Salesforce, Google, Oracle). And they have access to some of the most talented technology entrepreneurs so this is a worthy goal for them. What kind of deals should I be doing? What stage? What price?

Deal Flow 347

Deal Flow Early Stage Investment Bankers Technical Review 347

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

Posted on September 14, 2009 by steveblank Over the last 30 years Wall Street’s appetite for technology stocks have changed radically – swinging between unbridled enthusiasm to believing they’re all toxic. One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is misunderstanding the role of venture capital investors. What Do VC’s Do?

Silicon Valley 217

Silicon Valley IPO Technical Review Venture Capital 217

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

When I was new at Venture Capital I was trying to figure out the business. I tapped my friends at big tech companies (Salesforce, Google, Oracle). And they have access to some of the most talented technology entrepreneurs so this is a worthy goal for them. What kind of deals should I be doing? What stage? What price?

Early Stage 361

Early Stage Deal Flow Investment Bankers Technical Review 361

Cracking the Code

AUGUST 3, 2011

Thoughts from a Venture Capitalist on Software, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Cloud Computing, Internet and more. In search of Europes next tech stars. A short interview on Bloomberg about where I see venture opportunities in Europe. Detailed SaaS Spreadsheet (Valuation and CAC benchmark). SaaS 13 Index Valuation.

Software Review 67

Software Review Europe Technical Review Search 67

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. . When I met my now-wife, I realized that any technology that can find me a spouse is a killer app. I previously posted a detailed presentation with sales technology tools useful for B2B sales.

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Software Review Analytics Private Equity 78

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 26, 2016

The key to being able to run a business that isn’t yet profitable (on operating margin) is availability of capital to finance losses and preferably at a cost that isn’t too punitive to the founders and employees. Sustaining short-term losses is all predicated on ability to finance the losses through venture capital or other means.

Metrics 150

Metrics Cost Acquisition Startup 150

Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

Term-sheets and Valuations: Thinking about Negotiations.   I’ve sat down with entrepreneurs and a copy of a term sheet guide I like [ “Term Sheets & Valuations - A Line by Line Look at the Intricacies of Venture Capital Term Sheets & Valuations ” by Alex Wilmerding, Aspatore Press.]

Term Sheet 68

Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

Cracking the Code

FEBRUARY 23, 2011

In comparison, the overall technology sector growth was projected at 9-10% in early 2010 and this forecast did not change significantly today. To justify a 60pts difference, we have to believe that the current growth rates of 10% for technology and 20% for SaaS will continue to hold for the next 9 years before converging. anecdotes.

Software Review 101

Software Review Technical Review Valuation Europe 101

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2009

I recently wrote a post on angel financing covering the topic of convertible notes but I realized I was thinking about the issue more from investor perspective and a very narrow topic of how to price the round. So if you’re casually reading and don’t really care about angel financing – abort now! That’s OK.

Silicon Valley 291

Silicon Valley Ireland Technical Review Valuation 291

This is going to be BIG.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

How else can you explain this headline matching a story about a professional social network still trying to explore revenues raising $17mm on an $80mm valuation? Well, they did ask David Chao of Doll Capital, who said that the " frothy bubble is over ". Perhaps I need to rethink that. Needless to say, he's having some trouble raising.

Venture Capital 114

Venture Capital Marketing Term Sheet Software Review 114

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2010

In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). Obviously, these companies still need money to get started, or finance growth, just like a for-profit company. Examples include charitable organizations, trade unions, and public arts organizations. Government grants.

Angel Investor 143

Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy Equity 143

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

Capital investments are like gasoline on a startup business’s metaphorical fire. They allow you to hire more people, purchase new technology, and establish new business connections, among many other benefits. Takeaway lesson: A shocking number of technology startups never even get their first product out the door.

Private Equity 94

Private Equity Pre-Money Valuation Equity Startup 94

Cracking the Code

JANUARY 16, 2012

Detailed SaaS Spreadsheet (Valuation and CAC benchmark). SaaS 13 Index Valuation. Venture Capital. (3). In search of Europe's next tech stars. Churchill Club 2008 Top 10 Tech Trends. Best Venture and Technology Podcasts for 2007. Explore Venture Capital. Yahoo Finance.

Software Review 95

Software Review Europe Technical Review Spain 95

K9 Ventures

JUNE 5, 2015

Low supply of companies with traction drove the valuations and deal sizes up. The risk here is what I refer to as the curse of over-capitalization. In that presentation, I said that Seed is not the first round of financing any more and that K9’s investments were mostly “pre-seed”. Valuations are rising to match.

Seed Stage 48

Seed Stage Venture Capital Early Stage Valuation 48