David Teten

JUNE 10, 2020

David is also Founder of HBS Alumni Angels of NY , the largest angel group on the East Coast. – Learn how to sell/raise money virtually; see How to Make Sales as Easy as Online Dating. The roadmap for SOP is here: Syllabus for how to launch, manage, and invest a VC fund. – Evaluate service providers.

New York 60

New York Venture Capital Technical Review Due Diligence 60

NZ Entrepreneur

DECEMBER 10, 2020

Kiwi inventory forecasting software StockTrim achieved international sales in the UK, Australia and US immediately after launching in 2017. Ice Angels chair Michael Murphy liked what StockTrim were doing and was happy to become chair of StockTrim’s board of directors and become one of the first investors. “He

Technical Review 103

Technical Review Software Review Due Diligence Startup 103

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2012

I’m on the selection committee of our local Angels group, so I know that every CEO approaching our group for funding goes through ten minutes of creative “dancing,” to give us a basis for selecting startups that are most qualified and “ready” to proceed to the next level. Dress appropriately and professionally.

Technical Review 223

Technical Review Startup Angel Groups Audience 223

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2011

I’m on the selection committee of our local angels group, so I know that every CEO approaching our group for funding goes through ten minutes of creative “dancing,” to give us a basis for selecting startups that are most qualified and “ready” to proceed to the next level. Dress appropriately and professionally.

Technical Review 230

Technical Review Entrepreneur Angel Groups Audience 230

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

Email readers, continue here…] Almost always, professional investors, including angel groups and venture capitalists, also require at least one seat on the corporate board. A seat on your board?

Cost 62

Cost Covenant Angel Groups Angel Investor 62

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 14, 2019

Angel investors are people too. They probably won’t respond well to high pressure sales tactics, information overload, or bribes. Angels like to “touch and feel” their investments, so they are generally only interested in local opportunities. Angel Capital Association (ACA).

Angel Investor 241

Angel Investor North America Accredited Investor Angel Groups 241

David Teten

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

One of the impact initiatives I’m proudest of is founding Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of New York , a nonprofit and now the East Coast’s largest angel group. When we launched in 2010, I saw a white space: a burgeoning NY tech ecosystem, but only one angel group regularly writing checks.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Partner Technical Review Cofounder 60

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2018

by either angel groups or VCs alone. Professional investors like to keep tight control of capitalization tables and all stock owners, to facilitate their own payoff when a sale, merger, or public stock offering is held. That exceeds the amounts contributed in the U.S.

Equity 180

Equity Due Diligence Angel Groups Liquidity Event 180

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2009

Professional angel associations – This one is the source of much controversy. Some angel groups have a reputation for slow decision making processes and not enough value add. There are more sales oriented tools like JigSaw that tech savvy people hate but sales savvy people love. It creeps people out.

Silicon Valley 291

Silicon Valley Ireland Technical Review Valuation 291

Up and Running

AUGUST 19, 2014

The type of deals and industries they invest in, the company stages, and the amount they invest depends on the individual or angel group. I have pitched to hundreds of angel investors over the years as a result of co-founding two tech companies and raising just shy of $1M in angel capital.

Angel Investor 161

Angel Investor Technical Review Due Diligence Startup 161

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 18, 2010

I’m on the selection committee of our local angels group, so I know that every CEO approaching our group for funding goes through ten minutes of creative “dancing,” to give us a basis for selecting startups that are most qualified and “ready” to proceed to the next level. Dress appropriately and professionally.

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Startup Angel Groups Audience 123

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2014

Angel investors are people too. They probably won’t respond well to high pressure sales tactics, information overload, or bribes. Angels like to “touch and feel” their investments, so they are generally only interested in local opportunities. Angel Capital Association (ACA).

North America 289

North America Rhode Island Accredited Investor Angel Investor 289

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2017

Angel investors are people too. They probably won’t respond well to high pressure sales tactics, information overload, or bribes. Angels like to “touch and feel” their investments, so they are generally only interested in local opportunities. Angel Capital Association (ACA).

Angel Investor 167

Angel Investor North America Accredited Investor Angel Groups 167

David Teten

DECEMBER 3, 2019

A major angel group uses Influitive , an advocate management tool, to track, activate and motivate their members. I previously posted a detailed presentation with sales technology tools useful for B2B sales. – angel investor networks ( AngelList , FundersClub , OurCrowd , Republic *, SeedInvest ). .

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Software Review Analytics Private Equity 78

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 7, 2018

Essential numbers or your financial plan might be simpler for an initial assessment than the projected sales, spending, and cash flow that are normally part of a Lean Business Plan. For an initial assessment, just do a sales forecast. Can you make the sales you need to break even? You answer these questions with a simple list.

Lean 182

Lean Business Plan Angel Groups Curation 182

Berkonomics

JUNE 2, 2022

Looking for an entrance into a VC, an angel group, a bank, a CxO for a sales opportunity, or any other entity? Few of your contacts will be willing to use their valuable social or political capital helping you with a sales effort, and you will definitely strain your relationship with the intermediary if not a close friend.

Angel Groups 62

Angel Groups Naming Sales Partner 62

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 23, 2017

A major angel group used Influitive , an advocate management tool, to track, activate and motivate their members. I previously posted a detailed presentation with sales technology tools useful for B2B sales. is an AI bot which helps companies refine their sales pitch to VCs. Pitchbot.vc 3) Originate investments.

Private Equity 60

Private Equity Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 60

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2013

Angel investors are people too. They probably won’t respond well to high pressure sales tactics, information overload, or bribes. Angels like to “touch and feel” their investments, so they are generally only interested in local opportunities. Angel Capital Association (ACA).

Angel Investor 270

Angel Investor North America Rhode Island Accredited Investor 270

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

My suggestion is to get some of the angel groups – notorious for slow decision-making and hat passing – and pool their money into a small fund structure of say $5-10 million. It creates a feeder system of local businesses that get their first biz dev deals or sales contracts.

Community 378

Community San Diego Silicon Valley Los Angeles 378

Berkonomics

APRIL 20, 2023

The Angel Capital Association recently published a study contributed to by several of my friends quoting that seventy percent of investments made by angel investors to date return less than the amount invested – upon a sale or closing of the business – the great majority of these outright losses as businesses die.

SBA 62

SBA Angel Investor Early Stage Liquidity Event 62

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 21, 2017

Almost always, professional investors, including angel groups and venture capitalists, also require at least one seat on the corporate board.

Covenant 97

Covenant Cost Angel Groups Angel Investor 97

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2012

As a member of the local Angel group selection committee, I’ve seen a lot of startup presentations to investors, and I’ve never seen one that was too short - maybe short on content, but not short on pages! Marketing, sales, and partners. Describe marketing strategy, sales plan, licensing, and partnership plans.

Elevator Pitch 247

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 247

Berkonomics

MARCH 9, 2017

The Angel Resource Institute (ARI) recently published a study conducted by well-respected Rob Wiltbank, quoting that seventy percent of investments made by angel investors to date return less than the amount invested – upon a sale or closing of the business – the great majority of these outright losses as businesses die.

Angel Investor 106

Angel Investor Angel Groups Liquidity Event Early Stage 106

Up and Running

MARCH 18, 2010

So this post is my opinion only, not to be taken as expression of the angel group. Does it take doubling headcount to double sales? Our behind-the-scenes process to review companies, and particularly our discussions, are confidential. Although there are always exceptions, and I do everything case by case, what gets my vote?

Technical Review 60

Technical Review Oregon Venture Capital Software Review 60

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2011

As a member of the local Angel group selection committee, I’ve seen a lot of startup presentations to investors, and I’ve never seen one that was too short - maybe short on content, but not short on pages! Marketing, sales, and partners. Describe marketing strategy, sales plan, licensing, and partnership plans.

Elevator Pitch 234

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 234

This is going to be BIG.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

2) You’re not a specialist—so a company at that stage would be hard pressed to hire you as a head of sales or marketing, for example, because there are plenty of people out there who already have that specific skill set with startup leadership experience behind it.

Startup 191

Startup Cofounder Angel Groups Limited Partner 191

David Teten

DECEMBER 12, 2017

Some early stage investors mine data from crowdfunding sites, angel group platforms, and product launch lists to identify investment opportunities. We asked which tools they find particularly helpful to improve processes like board management , recruitment , sales and financial management.

Early Stage 60

Early Stage Technical Review Software Review Venture Capital 60

This is going to be BIG.

OCTOBER 5, 2012

He shepards you through a sales process and the family nets about $390 million after taxes. Angel groups started dropping their application fees or making them minimal. Open Angel Forum created a costless way for the best startups to get in front of the best capital. remember Woody Harrelson on Cheers?

LP 97

LP Venture Capital Technical Review Nebraska 97

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 19, 2010

As a member of the local angel group Selection Committee, I’ve seen a lot of startup presentations to investors, and I’ve never seen one that was too short - maybe short on content, but not short on pages! Marketing, sales, and partners. Describe marketing strategy, sales plan, licensing, and partnership plans.

Elevator Pitch 235

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 235

YoungUpstarts

MARCH 31, 2016

Delegating sales to someone else. Think about sales as the opportunity to help a customer solve a problem. If your solution doesn’t help potential customers reduce cost, increase sales, or improve their service to their customers, you don’t have a business anyway. Thou shalt not! Get over it. Get a different job.

United Kingdom 100

United Kingdom Entrepreneur Oklahoma Ohio 100

David Teten

JANUARY 21, 2021

He is also a serial fintech entrepreneur with two exits; Founder of HBS Alumni Angels of NY , the largest angel group on the East Coast; and Founder of PEVCTech.com , an online community for investors in private companies who use technology to do their jobs more effectively. He writes periodically at teten.com. .

Equity 78

Equity Revenue Cofounder Colorado 78

SiliconHills

OCTOBER 6, 2015

million in seed stage funding form angel groups, strategic partners and Capital Factory. The three year old company recently completed an Indiegogo campaign in which it raised nearly $118,000, more than 400 percent of its sales goal and sold hundreds of units […] The post CURB Lands $1.25

Seed Stage 48

Seed Stage Angel Groups Austin Campaign 48

Austin Startup

JUNE 26, 2019

Or, I’d recommend consumer-facing founders start networking with the Angel groups in Silicon Valley immediately. Like all relationships, they take time. Spend your time with customers who have proven they buy what you’re selling: California has shown the capacity both in capital and in imagination afforded by that capital.

Silicon Valley 54

Silicon Valley Startup B2C Sweat Equity 54

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 17, 2020

Angel groups invest from $250,000 to $1,000,000 or more in qualified investments. Some can supply more when syndicating with other such groups. How many angel groups are there? All angel groups will want to see the founders in person or by Zoom at sometime early in the process.

Equity 62

Equity Finance Liquidity Event Angel Groups 62

Gust

AUGUST 19, 2012

As a member of the local Angel group selection committee, I’ve seen a lot of startup presentations to investors, and I’ve never seen one that was too short – maybe short on content, but not short on pages! Marketing, sales, and partners. Describe marketing strategy, sales plan, licensing, and partnership plans.

Elevator Pitch 146

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 146

Up and Running

JUNE 25, 2014

You may be a manufacturer or a distributor and you can buy the products that you sell for pennies on the dollar because one of your suppliers is having a fire sale. It’s a really great way to get funded from an angel perspective, and also get introductions to that angel group. No minimum sales from the sales standpoint.

Small Business 89

Small Business SBA Finance Bankruptcy 89

David Teten

MARCH 13, 2015

Developers and designers are in especially high demand, but our portfolio companies are also hiring in sales, marketing, operations, accounting, business development, security, media, customer service, recruiting, engineering, and QA. Informally advise some university-based angel group initiatives.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Angel Groups Private Equity New York 60