Steve Blank

APRIL 10, 2019

As Venture Capital emerged as an industry in the mid 1970’s, investors in venture-funded startups began to give stock options to all their employees. And Mark Suster of Upfront Capital has a great post that summarizes these changes. It’s called Growth capital. On its surface this was a pretty radical idea.

Stock Options 333

Stock Options Stock Vesting Common Stock 333

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

As there was no venture capital, these early startups were funded by early sales to weapon systems prime contractors and subcontractors. Within a decade, the rise of venture capital in Silicon Valley enabled startups to find commercial customers rather than military ones.

Government 308

Government Artificial Inteligence Silicon Valley North Korea 308

Steve Blank

MARCH 19, 2018

The book explores the role of gender in the tech industry – at startups and venture capital firms – and the interaction between men and women in the two. While Silicon Valley has grown to have global influence, in many ways the cultural leadership from the venture community has dramatically shrunk in the last decade.

Part-Time VPE 321

Part-Time VPE Leadership Silicon Valley Los Angeles 321

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

When Netscape went public, it unleashed a frenzy from the public markets for anything related to the internet and signaled to venture investors that there were massive returns to be made investing in anything internet related. After the crash, venture capital was scarce to non-existent. Then one day it was over. IPOs dried up.

Lean 335

Lean Burn Rate Startup IPO 335

Steve Blank

APRIL 12, 2013

This post is about the rise of Chinese venture capital and how it helped build the countries entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Rise of Chinese Venture Capital. This helped the startups qualify for funding from banks and venture capital firms. China Customer Development Technology Venture Capital'

Venture Capital 163

Venture Capital China Offshore SBIR 163

Steve Blank

JANUARY 22, 2014

This means that those winning deals have to make a ~30x return to provide the venture capital fund that 20% compound return (the 6x). Focus on capital efficient, scalable startups and founders. Filed under: Customer Development , Lean LaunchPad , Science and Industrial Policy , Venture Capital.

Early Stage 286

Early Stage Silicon Valley Oregon Technical Review 286

Steve Blank

APRIL 11, 2013

Part 3, the next post describes the rise of Chinese venture capital. Torch has four major parts: Clusters, Business Incubators, Seed Funding, and Funds to support Venture Capital firms. Filed under: China , Customer Development , Technology , Venture Capital. Lessons Learned.

Programming 278

Programming Technical Review SBIR China 278

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 7, 2011

Startup Accelerators: Startup Sauna and Vigo which includes Lifeline Ventures , KoppiCatch , and Veturi. Venture Capital: FVCA , NextIt Ventures , Primus Ventures , Open Ocean Capital , Connor VC , and Inventure. 9-to-5 Venture Capital. Startup Blog: Arctic Startup.

Finland 324

Finland Venture Capital Government Russia 324

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

Larry had the DNA I’ve seen common with all the successful entrepreneurs I’ve backed in my 25 years of Venture Capital work—only he had a more exaggerated case than most. Filed under: Technology , Venture Capital. Technology Venture Capital' Without a doubt, Larry was the most potent entrepreneur I’ve known.

Technical Review 333

Technical Review Venture Capital Software Review Database 333

Steve Blank

AUGUST 19, 2013

But what if we could increase productivity and stave the capital flight by helping Life Sciences startups build their companies more efficiently? At the same time, Venture Capital, which had viewed therapeutics, diagnostics and medical devices as hot places to invest, is fleeing the field. Venture Capital Issues.

Venture Capital 301

Venture Capital Startup Lean Philadelphia 301

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

Scalable startups require risk capital to fund their search for a business model, and they attract investment from equally crazy financial investors – venture capitalists. When they find it, their focus on scale requires even more venture capital to fuel rapid expansion. They hire the best and the brightest.

Government 335

Government Silicon Valley Startup Venture Capital 335

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 1, 2011

Every potential early-stage Venture Capitalist should take a year and do it before he or she makes partner. Venture capital as a profession is less than half a century old. Early-stage Venture Capital firms grow their partnerships in different ways, some hire: partners from other firms. Here’s why. ——-.

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Early Stage Technical Review Startup 332

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 24, 2010

the wave of semiconductor startups in the 1960’s/70’s, the emergence of venture capital as a professional industry, the personal computer revolution in 1980’s, the rise of the Internet in the 1990’s and finally. The New Structure of the Venture Capital industry. or Euro-centric phenomenon. Happy Thanksgiving.

Silicon Valley 335

Silicon Valley United States Venture Capital Software Review 335

Steve Blank

APRIL 26, 2022

Except, that is, for the bottom feeders of the Venture Capital business – investors who “ cram down ” their companies. Venture capital, like most private equity, is an unregulated financial asset class – anything goes. ” On one hand they’re right.

Cram Down 404

Cram Down Founder Venture Capital Recapitalization 404

Steve Blank

MAY 9, 2017

the wave of semiconductor startups in the 1960’s/70’s, the emergence of Venture Capital as a professional industry, the personal computer revolution in 1980’s, the rise of the Internet in the 1990’s and finally. Venture Capital used to be a tight club clustered around formal firms located in Silicon Valley, Boston, and New York.

Restful 222

Restful Silicon Valley Puerto Rico San Jose 222

Steve Blank

APRIL 16, 2013

Filed under: Big Companies versus Startups: Durant versus Sloan , Business Model versus Business Plan , Customer Development , Customer Development Manifesto , Lean LaunchPad , Teaching , Venture Capital.

Technical Review 327

Technical Review Lean Venture Capital Customer Development 327

Steve Blank

JANUARY 21, 2015

This raises an interesting question: is the credibility of female entrepreneurs in the eyes of New York VC’s something about the venture firms, or is it about the industries they are funding? One can make the case that New York venture capital industry is rooted in the 21 st century not the 20 th.

Silicon Valley 120

Silicon Valley New York City New York Venture Capital 120

Steve Blank

JANUARY 19, 2011

has evolved an entrepreneurial ecosystem with two of the most unlikely partners – venture capital investors and technology entrepreneurs. Every Venture Capitalist I’ve heard talk about founder/board member problems treats them like they only happen in other funds. The venture capital industry is in denial.

Silicon Valley 235

Silicon Valley Venture Capital Software Review Technical Review 235

Steve Blank

APRIL 11, 2013

Part 3, the next post describes the rise of Chinese venture capital. Torch has four major parts: Clusters, Business Incubators, Seed Funding, and Funds to support Venture Capital firms. Filed under: China , Customer Development , Technology , Venture Capital. Lessons Learned.

Programming 170

Programming Technical Review SBIR China 170

Steve Blank

MARCH 5, 2024

It makes me wonder – are startups still founded by people with a passion for creating something new? Or has the motivation changed to accruing the biggest pile of cash?

Vietnam 179

Vietnam Venture Capital Business Model Engineer 179

Steve Blank

JANUARY 4, 2011

Venture Capital. Perhaps it was just who I was meeting, but for a country so focused on innovation and startups the lack of venture capitalists was noticeable. The country needs to build a deeper Venture Capital industry. Filed under: Teaching , Venture Capital. Come To Chilecon Valley.

Silicon Valley 335

Silicon Valley Chile South America Venture Capital 335

Steve Blank

APRIL 16, 2013

Filed under: Big Companies versus Startups: Durant versus Sloan , Business Model versus Business Plan , Customer Development , Customer Development Manifesto , Lean LaunchPad , Teaching , Venture Capital.

Technical Review 219

Technical Review Lean Venture Capital Customer Development 219

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

These are investment vehicles in which central and local government agencies make investments that are combined with private venture capital and State-Owned Enterprises in areas of strategic importance. The result was that by default, private equity and venture capital were the de facto decision makers of U.S. In the U.S.

China 323

China Venture Capital Government Artificial Inteligence 323

Steve Blank

APRIL 19, 2010

Thirty plus years ago when I came to Silicon Valley Asian’s and Indian’s in high technology were a small minority and almost none were running companies or in venture capital. Filed under: Customer Development , Venture Capital. Tags: Customer Development Venture Capital.

Silicon Valley 219

Silicon Valley Venture Capital China New York 219

Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 11, 2010

Filed under: Customer Development , Venture Capital. Tags: Customer Development Venture Capital. Early sales from board members or friends are great for morale and cash but may not be indicative of learning and discovering a business model.

Burn Rate 248

Burn Rate Silicon Valley Marketing Boston 248

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

Over the same 30 years, Venture Capital firms have honed their skills and strategies to match Wall Streets needs to achieve liquidity for their portfolio companies. 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

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 10, 2011

The country needs to figure out a long term privatization strategy for Venture investing. Filed under: Business Model versus Business Plan , Customer Development , Teaching , Venture Capital. Finnish culture makes risk-taking and sharing hard.

Finland 324

Finland Naming Russia Government 324

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 21, 2015

Existing companies are starting to feel the pressures of new technologies and the massive wave of new entrants fueled by the explosion of investment from a recent form of financing – venture capital. Venture capital firms, as we know them only date back to the 1970s.)

Silicon Valley 120

Silicon Valley Venture Capital United States Technical Review 120

Steve Blank

MARCH 16, 2016

Founders can now access the largest pool of risk capital that ever existed –in the form of Private Equity (Angel Investors, family offices , Venture Capitalists (VC’s) and Hedge Funds.). At its core Venture Capital is nothing more than a small portion of the Private Equity financial asset class.

Liquidity Event 120

Liquidity Event Founder Liquidation Preference Venture Capital 120

Steve Blank

APRIL 14, 2013

Filed under: China , Customer Development , Technology , Venture Capital. China Customer Development Technology Venture Capital' They are the signs of a leadership frightened not by external enemies but by their own people. It usually doesn’t end well.

China 323

China Silicon Valley Non-Compete Intellectual Property 323

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 29, 2019

The cycle of creative destruction of the old being replaced by the new continues, fueled by angel and venture capital. Meanwhile cultural taste, technology and platforms evolve, and new things are possible that might not have been just years ago. When you’re describing the future, most of them are remembering the past.

Bandwidth 281

Bandwidth Database Venture Capital Demand 281

Steve Blank

DECEMBER 10, 2009

Posted in Technology, Venture Capital. Tags: Technology Venture Capital. You need a plan for trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, contracts/NDA’s and patents before you get funded. Your intellectual property may be an additional revenue stream or may add substantial value to your company.

Intellectual Property 213

Intellectual Property IP Software Review Non-disclosure Agreement 213

Steve Blank

MAY 6, 2013

Filed under: Big Companies versus Startups: Durant versus Sloan , Business Model versus Business Plan , Customer Development , Customer Development Manifesto , Lean LaunchPad , Teaching , Venture Capital.

Lean 330

Lean Venture Capital Customer Development Startup 330

Steve Blank

JANUARY 27, 2011

Filed under: Business Model versus Business Plan , Teaching , Venture Capital. And they are ready to share! Keep your eye out for more details about creating your own competition, or contact Nathan Furr directly.

Business Model 275

Business Model Utah Intellectual Property Agile 275

Steve Blank

MAY 29, 2011

Filed under: Customer Development , Teaching , Venture Capital. Download the full Startup Genome report here. ——-. I can’t wait to see what Max does by the time he’s 21.

Technical Cofounder 333

Technical Cofounder Early Stage Startup Silicon Valley 333

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 24, 2017

Filed under: Venture Capital. Some VC’s are reaping the downside of the unintended consequences of “Founder Friendly” Until the consequences exceed the rewards they will continue to be Founder Friendly.

Founder 245

Founder Technical Review CTO Hire IPO 245

Steve Blank

JANUARY 25, 2011

Filed under: Customer Development , Technology , Venture Capital. This is when you need to understand 1) what problem are you solving (hint it’s not the code) and 2) how to creatively fix what’s needed. Making the wrong choice can crater your company. This is worth a brawl at the board meeting.

Part-Time VPE 318

Part-Time VPE Agile Engineer Startup 318