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. Investors who commit early deserve to have a lower price. I argued it in my post on how social proof helps fund raising with angel investors. and not a min.

Finance 286

Finance Term Sheet Technical Review Warrant 286

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 11, 2021

by Swapnil Shinde, Co-Founder and CEO of Zeni. To avoid these common pitfalls — and set up your finances to support your business as it grows — follow these four accounting tips for startups and small businesses. It’s a common misconception that any qualified accountant will be able to handle your business’s finances.

Small Business 180

Small Business Startup Cofounder Vertical 180

View from Seed

AUGUST 13, 2014

We at NextView Ventures invest exclusively in a startup’s seed-stage round , meaning that many if not most of our deals are made alongside individual angel investors. These angels, however, come in many different shapes and sizes. It can also help founders better approach angels in the first place. The Super Angel.

Angel Investor 334

Angel Investor Syndicate Syndication Early Stage 334

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 26, 2019

As an advisor to business owners, and an occasional angel investor, my job is to separate the actual challenges from the common misconceptions that distract many promising entrepreneurs while building the leadership team required for your solution, marketing, and finance success. Partner with experts who share the risk.

Bandwidth 246

Bandwidth Software Review Salary Angel Investor 246

View from Seed

MAY 11, 2016

Investors love the idea of backing second-time founders, especially if they have had success in their last company. etc… In addition, first-time founders I speak to often talk about how much they have learned and how they resolve to do things differently and better the next time. Is there a sophomore slump to avoid?

Founder 159

Founder Cofounder CTO Hire Early Stage 159

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 9, 2014

I just finished a new book, “ Angel Investing ,” by a friend and one of the most active angel investors in New York, David S. David is also the CEO of Gust , which is an online platform for startup financing used by over 50,000 accredited angel investors, 1000 angel groups and venture capital funds, and 250,000 entrepreneurs.

Angel Investor 278

Angel Investor Angel Groups Accredited Investor IRR 278

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

One of the things that founders have the most angst about is whom they should have on their board and at what stage of the business. If the angel board member is hugely valuable you can always keep them on the board at your discretion. As per the chart above, I highly recommend keeping a founder dominated board at the seed stage.

Venture Capital 236

Venture Capital Startup Angel Investor Silicon Valley 236

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 22, 2019

The question of venture capitalist versus angel investor often arises. Venture capital and angel investments offer excellent options to startup businesses. Investor Involvement. They are less likely than angel investors to provide capital to companies that don’t have at least some proven success in their markets.

Angel Investor 122

Angel Investor Venture Capital Accredited Investor Equity 122

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 16, 2017

Rose, according to his latest book, “ Angel Investing.” David is one of the most active angel investors in New York, and also the CEO of Gust , which is an online platform for startup financing used by 500,000 entrepreneurs over the years, and funding over 1800 startups in just the last 12 months. Neither does David S.

Angel Investor 190

Angel Investor Accredited Investor IRR Angel Groups 190

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2018

As a startup advisor and angel investor, I tend to focus on the much longer list of ways your startup can fail, based on my own experience and inside knowledge from peers who you will never see highlighted on the Internet. Plan to and assemble the right team, including co-founders.

Angel Investor 249

Angel Investor Cofounder Finance Operations 249

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 26, 2018

Most healthy businesses need business financing at some point. Startups have to deal with starting costs and ongoing businesses have to finance growth and working capital. Financing options depend on what kind of business you have. Don’t waste your time looking for the wrong kind of financing.

SBA 161

SBA Venture Capital Angel Investor Technical Review 161

Berkonomics

OCTOBER 5, 2023

Many of the start-ups my various angel funds have financed died a slow death , not because of poor concept but because of poor execution, wasting fixed overhead and draining the financial resources from the company coffers. The financial pain of unplanned delays.

Silicon Valley 118

Silicon Valley Burn Rate Angel Investor Down Round 118

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2017

As a long-time business advisor and angel investor, I’m a believer that “two heads are better than one” in building a new business. In fact, I would broaden the definition of partner from co-founder to “business partner.” Look at the big picture first of development, finance, and marketing/sales.

Partner 140

Partner Software Review CTO Hire Cofounder 140

The Startup Magazine

AUGUST 11, 2023

The following is a condensed explanation of seed funding: Seed money is a form of early-stage financing that new businesses receive from investors in exchange for a share of ownership in the company. The term “seed financing” refers to the stage of funding that comes from first equity.

Seed Stage 125

Seed Stage Technical Review Early Stage Due Diligence 125

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 12, 2017

Securing adequate financing for any new venture nowadays is an exceptionally difficult proposition, which is why angel investors are considered so valuable to the startup ecosystem. This due to equity ownership interest often requiring an exchange for the early stage funding provided by the investor.

Angel Investor 100

Angel Investor South America Early Stage Africa 100

View from Seed

OCTOBER 21, 2014

Sharing these pricing expectations early with potential lead investors fundamentally qualifies your conversations, but it also runs the risk of prematurely losing a potential financing partner, or else it can reduce options to maximize your fundraise outcome. But, also by definition, that just can’t be the case.

Valuation 336

Valuation Founder Seed Stage Angel Investor 336

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2016

Thus the top priority of every entrepreneur who wants funding should be to build and highlight their “dream team” of co-founders, executives and advisers, to attract the biggest and best investors. Solo entrepreneurs rarely find an investor. Team members have investor relationships.

Sweat Equity 152

Sweat Equity Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Software Review 152

Up and Running

AUGUST 30, 2021

Entrepreneurs have to get really comfortable with rejection, especially as a first-time founder. This is what most founders do. Angel investors, venture capital firms, accelerators, and (maybe) the newer equity crowdfunding will look to see if you have previous experience in startups. Solve the rest later.

Entrepreneur 132

Entrepreneur Lean Colorado Engineer 132

ReadWriteStart

MAY 22, 2012

When it comes to financing a brand-new startup, most founders find themselves stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place. While some lucky startups attract angel investors or have access to money from friends and family, the vast majority are on their own, at least at first. Beware Revolving Credit Charges.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Software Review Angel Investor Startup 118

Up and Running

AUGUST 18, 2014

In comparison to traditional business ventures, startups are expected to grow rapidly, at a rate of between 5% and 7% per week in their initial stage – Paul Graham, co-founder of Y Combinator. Startups have some unique struggles, especially in regard to financing. Key difference #2 – the relationship with funding.

Small Business 154

Small Business Exit Strategy Cofounder Angel Investor 154

Up and Running

JULY 2, 2014

We developed a kick-ass investor pitch and we started pitching it to family, friends, angel investors, and even venture capitalists for feedback. We soon got interest from an angel investor, and he wanted to invest $300,000 in our startup. We were targeting to raise around $3 million in investment capital.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Angel Investor Due Diligence Dilution 118

Austin Startup

MAY 14, 2021

The company is also backed by International Accelerator and a group of Angel Investors. Diego Roel, Founder and CEO of Strap Technologies said, “STRAP is the first assistive technology on the market that replaces the white cane that’s been in use for over 100 years.

Technical Review 70

Technical Review Technology Angel Investor Software Review 70

View from Seed

MARCH 24, 2021

Doing Reference Checks on VCs “Try to speak to at least one founder that the investor has worked with in a failed investment. The Seed VC Decision Tree “If the market is attractive and there just isn’t great founder/market fit, we will be open minded as well. This is not always easy to do. ” (Rob Go).

Seed Stage 177

Seed Stage Hiring IPO Analytics 177

Feld Thoughts

JUNE 2, 2010

I wasn’t able to make it to Boston yesterday for the Angel Boot Camp as I was running around NYC with the CEO of a company I invested in last week introducing him to a bunch of potential customers and partners. It sounds like Angel Boot Camp rocked. I generally made about one investment a month when I was active as an angel.

Angel Investor 167

Angel Investor Boston Due Diligence Cofounder 167

The Startup Magazine

OCTOBER 14, 2019

According to Founder and CEO of Dood Inc., Your options for financing a startup company include crowdfunding, small business loans and grants, angel investors, and traditional bank financing. Have a Solid Business Plan. Without a business plan, lenders will not meet with you.

Limited Liability Company 82

Limited Liability Company Startup Angel Investor Small Business Administration 82

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2014

Then you don’t have to worry about the fact that most Angel investors and venture capitalists won’t take a bet on you if none of your friends and family have given you a vote of confidence with money. Treat the transaction as you would expect to be treated by an Angel investor or VC. Be professional about it.

Founder 254

Founder Cram Down Angel Investor Equity 254

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2020

Then you don’t have to worry about the fact that most angel investors and venture capitalists won’t take a bet on you if none of your friends and family have given you a vote of confidence with money. Treat the transaction as you would expect to be treated by an angel investor or VC. Be professional about it.

Management 308

Management Cram Down Angel Investor Equity 308

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2014

This is important for nearly every institutional investor because once you have 25-50 investments being able to “follow” the investments that are working well is critical to making money. New investors sometimes want early investors to put in money to “prove” they have confidence in the new price.

Technical Review 336

Technical Review Later Stage Early Stage LP 336

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 1, 2016

by Krista Morgan, CEO and co-founder of P2BInvestor. Full disclosure – any kind of financing comes with costs, whether it’s interest payments, equity, and/or your very valuable time which, as an entrepreneur, is the thing you will always wish you had more of. Purchase order financing. Angel Investors.

Finance 100

Finance Angel Investor Cofounder Later Stage 100

ReadWriteStart

JUNE 1, 2020

Equity investors. The third source of funding is from equity investors. Under this category, you have the angel investors who would invest their own money and Venture Capital or VC firms, who manage funds aimed towards specific startup sectors and stages. Now here are some of the things that investors won’t tell you.

Startup 150

Startup Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Seed Stage 150

Version One Ventures

JULY 22, 2014

More money is flowing in from a new crop of angels, newly wealthy from a number of tech IPOs. AngelList makes it easier for founders to reach angels and there are hundreds of accelerators and incubators to choose from. If not, revenue from your customers will be your best source of financing.

Finance 167

Finance Seed Money Bootstrapping Angel Investor 167

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2012

Don’t be embarrassed, since even professional investors are often confused these days by the new terms, as well as old terms used with new meanings. For a startup founder, this stage is when the “big idea” has become a passion for him, but he hasn’t written anything down yet. Early-stage startup.

Early Stage 253

Early Stage Finance Seed Stage Entrepreneur 253

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

” From the hyperbolic Jason Calacanis weighing in that “The petty VC’s did everything to deride [Naval, the co-founder of AngelList]” as though the industry was collectively s g its pants that AngelList was going to put us out of business. founder fighting. Social proof can be helpful. strategic direction.

Syndicate 356

Syndicate Syndication Cofounder Early Stage 356

David Teten

MAY 9, 2012

We are in the midst of two great disruptions to American business: the internet’s ongoing disruption of most traditional industries: finance, healthcare, retail, finance, fashion, etc. the shift of America to a majority minority country by 2050. Competitiveness Project and its call for HBS alumni to help continue U.S. competitiveness.

Venture Capital 154

Venture Capital Programming Accredited Investor New York 154

Feld Thoughts

MAY 28, 2015

For example, from a post in 2008 about Rally’s $16.85m financing , I riffed on the origins of the company. About a year after he got started, he was ready to raise a venture financing. Ryan was encouraged to team up with Tim and shortly after that happened we co-led the first round VC financing with Boulder Ventures.

Software 70

Software Technology Agile SCRUM 70

Berkonomics

AUGUST 10, 2023

Investor-friendly clauses in agreement There are also clauses in many such investor documents that allow the investor to override the founder and force a sale of the company if a proposed sale is attractive to an investor for liquidity, even if the founder feels that there is much more potential if the business is not sold at the present time.

Liquidity Event 116

Liquidity Event Initial Public Offering Dividend Valuation 116

Feld Thoughts

NOVEMBER 18, 2013

Here’s the punchline: if you run your company as if you have closed a VC equity financing round even though you actually closed a convertible debt round, you’ll be in much better shape when it comes time to raise your Series A financing. The investors, founders, and “community” are all super excited about ASC.

Burn Rate 152

Burn Rate Equity Software Review Early Stage 152