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Even the Smartest VCs Sometimes Get it Wrong – Bill Gurley and Regulated Markets

Steve Blank

Bill’s closing line, “The reason why Silicon Valley is so successful is that it’s so fxxxng far away from Washington” received great applause. It’s the antithesis of how founders want to build a business. Unfortunately, for startups entering a regulated market following this advice this might not be the optimum path. (You

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The Shift from FOMO to FOLD in Early Stage Investing

View from Seed

VCs are always founder focused no matter the market environment. But in a FOMO world, more investors are willing to take a chance on a founder that they don’t know, but seems to match some of the heuristics of other high quality founders. This gets really challenging if it remains difficult to meet in person or to travel.

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The Secret History of Silicon Valley Part VI: Every World War II.

Steve Blank

—————- The next piece of the Secret History of Silicon Valley puzzle came together when Tom Byers , Tina Selig and Mark Leslie invited me to teach entrepreneurship in the Stanford Technology Ventures Program ( STVP ) in Stanford’s School of Engineering. What Does WWII Have to Do with Silicon Valley?

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Leaving Government for the Private Sector – Part 2

Steve Blank

Laura Thomas is a former CIA operations officer. Strategy and Operations roles: These roles help make sure vision, resources (budgets and people), and the market opportunity are aligned. Reading how she moved in 2021 from CIA ops to a quantum technology company offered insightful career transition advice for those leaving her agency.

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Is Going for Rapid Growth Always Good? Aren’t Startups So Much More?

Both Sides of the Table

“Why do founders want to take the VCs’ money? The constraint between good ideas and growth operates in both directions. And the wrong message is frankly strewn all over Silicon Valley. And this is fueled by the VC culture in Silicon Valley. Growth, again. Or pivoted too quickly.

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A heartbreaking story about time and money.

Berkonomics

Helping the founder create a company and build a much-needed product in an industry I knew very well, I served as chairman for the newly formed company, and along with my several rounds of early investment, led rounds of other angel investors in what I knew as a successful opportunity to fill a need in an industry I understood.

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Corporate Acquisitions of Startups: Why Do They Fail?

Steve Blank

For decades large companies have gone shopping in Silicon Valley for startups. Silicon Valley – a Corporate Innovation Candy Store. Corporate business development and strategic partner executives are flocking to Silicon Valley to find these five types of innovation. Lessons Learned.