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. Rolodex/deal flow (deal sourcing/ability to make connections for the portfolio). Venture Capital is still a “craft business”.

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Early Stage Technical Review Startup 332

Haystack

OCTOBER 2, 2019

It feels like a tsunami of deal flow , and for me, I’ve outlined how I pay attention to inbound flow in terms of what gets priority. And one of the sources of that flow are the new accelerators (I’m lumping incubators, accelerators, etc. But, how possible is that in reality?

Deal Flow 106

Deal Flow Cap Table Early Stage Institutional Investors 106

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

When I was new at Venture Capital I was trying to figure out the business. What kind of deals should I be doing? One of the major calibration pieces for me was where to find deal flow. As a VC you want to feel like you have “proprietary sources” of deal flow. What stage? What price?

Early Stage 361

Early Stage Deal Flow Investment Bankers Technical Review 361

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2011

I just read the Q1 2011 report from CB Insights , which shows venture capital is back. billion to work across 738 financing deals with U.S. billion jump in funding over the same quarter of 2010 with a similar number of deals, so it clearly shows a trend to larger deal sizes for fewer startups.

Venture Capital 233

Venture Capital Revenue Elevator Pitch Silicon Valley 233

ReadWriteStart

AUGUST 20, 2012

Today’s venture capital deal flow to innovative new companies looks a lot like a fat man trying to squeeze into a slim Italian suit. In 2000, venture capitalists poured a staggering $112.2 Today, venture capital deal flow has slowed to a relative trickle, just $28.4 Venture Capital ?

Venture Capital 127

Venture Capital San Francisco Deal Flow Atlanta 127

Steve Blank

MAY 17, 2010

The plan describes the execution strategy for addressing these “knowns.&# In the early days of venture capital, investors and entrepreneurs were familiar with the format of business plans from large company and adopted it for startups. Schools can get Venture Firms to fund prizes for the best business plan.

Business Plan 312

Business Plan Business Model Customer Development Deal Flow 312

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

If you track the venture capital industry it would be hard to miss the conversation going on this week over AngelList “Syndicates.” AngelList 101 : As you know, AngelList is a platform where angels can invest in semi-screened tech deals. lack of traction, lack of downstream financing availability.

Syndicate 356

Syndicate Syndication Cofounder Early Stage 356

Gust

FEBRUARY 22, 2014

As I’ve discussed elsewhere, Gust’s long-term goal is to serve as the infrastructure platform for the entire global, early stage finance industry. Instead, it is our eight years of indefatigable relationship and customer building with large segments of the world’s early stage finance industry.

Belarus 107

Belarus Kazakhstan Portugal Accredited Investor 107

Mucker Lab

AUGUST 27, 2014

In Silicon Valley, given how tightly knit the ecosystem has become, and how well-networked entrepreneurs have learned to be, there is almost no such thing as “proprietary” deal flow. The top tier funds see almost all of the best deals. Furthermore, entrepreneurs don’t necessary build their businesses to be venture-funded.

Los Angeles 138

Los Angeles Southern California Silicon Valley Technical Review 138

ReadWriteStart

AUGUST 20, 2012

Today’s venture capital deal flow to innovative new companies looks a lot like a fat man trying to squeeze into a slim Italian suit. In 2000, venture capitalists poured a staggering $112.2 Today, venture capital deal flow has slowed to a relative trickle, just $28.4 It just doesn’t fit.

Venture Capital 66

Venture Capital Deal Flow Atlanta Incubator 66

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.

Silicon Valley 217

Silicon Valley IPO Technical Review Venture Capital 217

crowdSPRING Blog

JANUARY 3, 2011

The past year saw startups on the rise, an increase in venture capital funding (both in real dollars and numbers of companies funded), a resurgence of IPOs, and the rise of David against Goliath, as best represented by Groupon’s spurning of a $6 billion offer from Google. Investors will be bullish on startups.

Technical Review 93

Technical Review Venture Capital India Startup 93

Gust

SEPTEMBER 27, 2014

To begin with, it is important to understand some basic facts about the world of entrepreneurial finance: There are many more entrepreneurs than there are investors, with the result that only one company out of every 400 that seeks venture funding actually receives it. One of the primary ones is the referral source.

Angel Groups 159

Angel Groups Elevator Pitch Software Review Deal Flow 159

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2010

The dinner parties now are filled with self-righteous angel investors bragging about how many deals they are in on. They have marked-up paper gains propped up by an over excited venture capital market that has validated their investments. Logic tells me the following: It is hard to make money angel investing.

Florida 299

Florida Technical Review San Antonio Los Angeles 299

This is going to be BIG.

DECEMBER 3, 2020

Having a better overall portfolio of venture capital by adding funds into the mix. Are investors allowed to come into deals that the fund does side by side with the fund? This creates a source of deal flow for investors who aren’t out there full time creating opportunities. Access to the partner.

Portfolio 134

Portfolio Syndicate Syndication Deal Flow 134

Haystack

JULY 4, 2019

I spend a good deal of time sharing deal flow up and downstream with Series A and B investors, and when they ask me about opportunities coming down the pipeline in 6-12 months, I usually share what I’ve been told from the founders themselves over email or phone — I become their subtle pitch man. Yes, of course.

Early Stage 167

Early Stage Deal Flow Finance Metrics 167

Gust

APRIL 23, 2014

When you realize that the platform operates in half a dozen languages and has investors or entrepreneurs in over 200 countries engaging in both local and cross-border investments, you can begin to see the outlines of the future of finance.

Angel Groups 127

Angel Groups Accredited Investor Private Equity Deal Flow 127

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 11, 2013

If you’re an associate, an assistant, in finance or a new partner interviewing with the firm – you know what we expect! Hamet is a 3x entrepreneur and also former EIR with True Ventures. So what else have we done to live up to our brand changes? Well, for starters I had two business trips (SF & Dublin, Ireland).

Ireland 324

Ireland Jordan Portfolio Flash 324

This is going to be BIG.

NOVEMBER 29, 2012

So perhaps what I learned at Fordham that benefitted me post wasn't necessarily my Finance classes--it was trying to live my life for others. Is it no accident, then, that one of the founding fathers of venture capital, Don Valentine of Sequoia, also came from Fordham? There's no magic flow of great deal flow.

Venture Capital 107

Venture Capital Deal Flow Europe Early Stage 107

Haystack

APRIL 10, 2018

OK, so microVC funds and smaller pre-seed financings could really be a thing. This narrative was laced through the event, especially with the founder of Thumbtack, Marco Zappacosta, recounting his company’s financing story. Um… wow. 4/ LPs noted that the term “pre-seed” is really a U.S.

Seed Stage 60

Seed Stage San Francisco Ratchet Silicon Valley 60

ReadWriteStart

APRIL 13, 2011

The investment analysts at CB Insights have released their quarterly report on venture capital activity, and in terms of deal-flow and funding levels, the news is good. The first quarter of 2011 saw these return to their pre-recession levels with financing for Internet companies up 83% from the last quarter of 2010.

Illinois 124

Illinois Massachusetts Deal Flow California 124

Haystack

DECEMBER 18, 2019

This has led to some very competitive financing rounds, which from afar is a signal various groups see the market potential of these models. These are examples of high-growth B2B marketplaces that earned competitive financing rounds — of course, there are others, these are not the only ones!

B2B 90

B2B North America Malaysia Warrant 90

Gust

JANUARY 22, 2014

Gust is the infrastructure that underlies much of the professional world of early stage finance.

Angel Investor 150

Angel Investor Angel Groups Accredited Investor Early Stage 150

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. . She answered, ‘We see a lot of deals.’ I said we had a lot of deal flow. Fund/SPV management services specifically are provided by Assure Services and Proteus Capital.

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Software Review Analytics Private Equity 78

Gust

JANUARY 22, 2014

Gust is the infrastructure that underlies much of the professional world of early stage finance.

Angel Investor 89

Angel Investor Angel Groups Accredited Investor Early Stage 89

K9 Ventures

MAY 14, 2011

The limited partners may themselves run the gamut from individuals, family offices, venture capital funds to institutional LPs. This now means that they will slowly start behaving less like Angels, and more like institutional venture capital funds. However, there is a difference.

Preferred Stock 125

Preferred Stock Seed Stage Incubator Early Stage 125

Professor VC

FEBRUARY 26, 2010

Was amused to read about Right Side Capital this week. Rather than going through their networks or targeting specific sectors for deal flow, they are going to rely on an algorithm to select companies. Labels: entrepreneur , seed investing , venture capital , venture financing. Steve Bennet.

San Jose 28

San Jose Silicon Valley Venture Capital Angel Investor 28

BeyondVC

MARCH 20, 2006

There is an article in the Wall Street Journal (sorry-requires subscription) today on pre-emptive financings or financings that happen when a company is not actually looking for capital. It is common wisdom amongst the investment community for entrepreneurs to "eat when dinner is being served."

Deal Flow 60

Deal Flow Finance Early Stage Valuation 60

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

MARCH 11, 2014

You have your general management meeting and in your general management meeting you talk about product development, about marketing and about finance. But assuming it’s a fair exit, a venture capitalist, and I’m explicitly not saying angel because we could talk about angel and they’re sort of special so that might work out.

Technical Cofounder 220

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Software Review Management 220

Austin Startup

MAY 19, 2018

Just as you look at deal flow as a funnel, a good CEO disqualifies and moves on. If you’re an associate then most of your work is on deal flow and analysis. Many VCs have backgrounds in finance. There is no such thing as “not right now” there is just “yes” and “no”. A good CEO is likely a sales person by nature.

Founder 75

Founder Early Stage Software Review Deal Flow 75

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2011

I believe AngelList is capable of managing deal flow by acting as a filter. I personally like meeting teams very early on and wish I could get more proprietary deal flow from it. My Personal Take on AngelList. My personal concern is for that of the inexperienced angel.

Valuation 292

Valuation Deal Flow Lead Investor Cofounder 292

VC Cafe

NOVEMBER 3, 2010

billion put into 1,025 deals during the same period last year. Venture investment in some major investment hubs, such as Europe, has not regained its footing following the economic downturn in 2008. Europe Sees Lowest Deal Count on Record. For a detailed venture financing report on Europe, visit [link].

China 74

China Europe North America India 74

David Teten

MARCH 18, 2021

of venture capital deals. Those companies have garnered only about 2% of all capital invested. ” In venture capital, the industry- or sector-focused funds specifically disavow diversification: Andreessen Horowitz, which is a generalist as a whole, has launched dedicated funds across Crypto , Bio , and Fintech. .

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Cofounder Venture Capital Deal Flow 78

Professor VC

MARCH 12, 2015

I already own stock in Twilio indirectly through a limited partnership interest in a venture fund and don''t need to bet more on Twilio. I don''t know the reasons for selling, but presumably Authy felt their prospects weren''t promising as a standalone entity and may have had difficulty raising further financing.

Syndicate 28

Syndicate Syndication Silicon Valley Common Stock 28

Rob Go

NOVEMBER 30, 2012

The venture capital market continues to be in transition, and a lot of changes have occurred in the early stages of the market. Given this definition, we continue to see dedicated seed funds providing strong benefits for founders, including: Minimal signaling risk at the next round of financing. See that original post here.

Seed Stage 55

Seed Stage Pre-Money Valuation Dilution Early Stage 55

mashable.com

NOVEMBER 3, 2010

Qualcomm Ventures is invested in a number of startups including Livescribe, Obopay , Arieso and Zeebo. Brad Feld: Feld is co-founder and managing director of Foundry Group, a Boulder, Colorado venture capital firm that focuses on early stage investments ranging from $250,000 to $500,000.

Angel Investor 80

Angel Investor Startup San Francisco Social Media 80

Version One Ventures

MAY 15, 2013

Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo are helping fill the financing void for startups that struggle to find traditional financing. Crowdfunding can also be a way for startups to finance parts purchasing and manufacturing by taking customer pre-orders. Generally speaking, I’m a huge fan of crowdfunding.

Angel Investor 148

Angel Investor Equity Venture Capital Deal Flow 148