Startup Lessons Learned

AUGUST 24, 2009

One is explaining the world as it used to work: the importance of gatekeepers, the scarcity implied by limited distribution, and the resulting quality bar that the industry is so proud of. Mostly it is the time and expense required to create the means of distribution for that industry. It’s just taking some longer than others.

San Francisco 113

San Francisco Lean Technical Review Distribution 113

Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

Next, they carefully consider the range of multiples being used today to value companies being acquired or doing IPOs in the market that the business is in. A liquidation preference means that the investors receive their investment back (plus dividends) prior to a distribution of the proceeds to stockholders. times the investment.).

Term Sheet 68

Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 11, 2011

GoTo.com went on to ink huge distribution deals with Microsoft, AOL & Yahoo! Secondly, they had an owned & operated (O&O) website – Google.com – and Overture had shut down GoTo.com at the request of their very profitable and large distribution partners. Too many entrepreneurs focus on dilution.

Product 350

Product Tuvalu Dilution Incubator 350

The Equity Kicker

APRIL 13, 2012

Throughout our evolution, from privately held start-up to large, publicly listed company, we have managed Google for the long term — enjoying tremendous success as a result, especially since our IPO in 2004. Having the flexibility to use stock without diluting our structure will help ensure we are set up for success for decades to come.

Dilution 87

Dilution Stock Government SEC 87

Professor VC

DECEMBER 8, 2015

I think we will see more of these in 2016 and beyond as IPOs are still far and few between and unicorns struggle to justify their stratospheric valuations. Obviously, Musk and Thiel both did fine off the eventual Paypal IPO (and even better subsequently with Facebook and Tesla). At the IPO, Musk held a 14.2%

Merger 28

Merger LP IPO Redemption 28

Scott Edward Walker

JUNE 9, 2011

The investor would thus be entitled to the first $10 million pursuant to its liquidation preference, and the remaining $90 million would be distributed ratably to the common stockholders. two or three times the Original Purchase Price) to create more flexibility with regard to an IPO.

Term Sheet 60

Term Sheet Conversion Rights Venture Capital Liquidation Preference 60

Scott Edward Walker

JULY 7, 2011

Redemption rights are principally designed to protect investors from a situation where, after a period of time, their portfolio company is just moving “sideways” and, accordingly, is not an attractive acquisition target or IPO candidate. What Does a Redemption Rights Provision Look Like?

Term Sheet 49

Term Sheet Redemption Venture Capital Preferred Stock 49

Austin Startup

AUGUST 1, 2017

By driving the valuation up, you’re usually not reducing your dilution in the round; you’re just increasing the size of the check they need to write in order to get to their desired %. This is the distributed portfolio mindset; i’ve got stakes in a lot of companies, so it’s OK if most fail, as long as I get at least one unicorn.

Liquidation Preference 48

Liquidation Preference Common Stock Valuation Silicon Valley 48

Austin Startup

MARCH 7, 2021

In 2019 and 2020, we saw hundreds of millions of dollars in non-dilutive funding go to Texas startups, most of which had never worked with the government before. In short, the first wave of internet companies were widely distributed and brought people online (AOL in Virginia, Microsoft in Albuquerque and Seattle, Dell in Austin, etc.)

Texas 90

Texas San Antonio Houston Dallas 90

abovethecrowd.com

APRIL 20, 2016

The pressures of lofty paper valuations, massive burn rates (and the subsequent need for more cash), and unprecedented low levels of IPOs and M&A, have created a complex and unique circumstance which many Unicorn CEOs and investors are ill-prepared to navigate. In Q1 of 2016 there were zero VC-backed technology IPOs.

IPO 40

IPO Term Sheet Silicon Valley Valuation 40

Professor VC

JUNE 20, 2011

The business model (OEM through broadband and home security companies for mass distribution) if not specific product functionality has remained largely the same. One truth of start-up financing is that it generally takes twice as long and twice as much money to accomplish your milestones. So what does this all mean.

San Jose 28

San Jose Angel Investor Term Sheet Venture Capital 28