Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2011

And this is happening in mezzanine (pre-IPO) deals as well. And post IPO deals, although these tend to correct more quickly. If everybody is over-paying for early-to-mid stage deals you’d imagine that these all need to feed into a frenzied M&A and IPO market that will garner big returns for these risks investors are taking.

Saudi Arabia 309

Saudi Arabia Valuation IPO Technical Review 309

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

Early-stage investors in technology startups are only looking for growth-oriented companies that can achieve an “exit&# someday – either via selling your company to a larger company or via an IPO. That’s the deal you get when you’re raising in a good market for startup financing. That’s fine.

Pre-Money Valuation 336

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Silicon Valley Stock 336

VC Cafe

JANUARY 2, 2023

On a global level, venture financing of private companies dropped 33% year over year, from a record $733B in 2021 to $490B in 2022. The ten biggest exits of the year included a mix of IPOs and acquisitions. As growth investments (and valuations) go down, unicorns might struggle to survive, according to Globes.

Valuation 158

Valuation Down Round Venture Capital 158

abovethecrowd.com

APRIL 20, 2016

Why the Unicorn Financing Market Just Became Dangerous…For All Involved. 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.

IPO 40

IPO Term Sheet Silicon Valley Valuation 40

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

At an accelerator … Me: Raising convertible notes as a seed round is one of the biggest disservices our industry has done to entrepreneurs since 2001-2003 when there were “full ratchets” and “multiple liquidation preferences” – the most hostile terms anybody found in term sheets 10 years ago. A down round?

Venture Capital 417

Venture Capital Liquidation Preference Valuation Term Sheet 417

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 18, 2015

As I pointed out in this post about the changing structure of the VC industry , private tech companies are delaying IPOs and thus privately held tech investors are reaping more of the value prior to an eventual IPO so public investors must have felt compelled to respond. 25% “down rounds? The response?

IPO 150

IPO Venture Capital LP SEC 150

ithacaVC

FEBRUARY 1, 2018

The treatment of the friends, family and angels (FFA) as the startup matures and raises larger rounds of financing over time is interesting. In short, they own a smaller piece of a larger valuation pie. Or the economy tanks or stock market tanks moving valuations down at inopportune times for the startup.

Preemptive Right 45

Preemptive Right Cap Table Valuation Dilution 45