Agile VC

MAY 26, 2011

AGILEVC My idle thoughts on tech startups. Salesforce.com is a startup with 76,000 subscribers (over 2.1M I also joke with Reid Hoffman that this was back in the days before he was “Reid” Reid’s an incredible entrepreneur, startup investor, and human being. Ok, now you have the context for early 2003.

Term Sheet 178

Term Sheet Silicon Valley Technical Review Social Network 178

thebarefootvc

MAY 8, 2012

The best VCs are the ones that balance their optimism, vision and enthusiasm for startups with realism based on very real constraints (the primary one being his/her own time, but also includes market development and exit timing). As an entrepreneur at heart, I often innately grasp the potential of entrepreneurs and ideas that I meet with.

Venture Capital 78

Venture Capital Syndicate Syndication Bandwidth 78

View from Seed

JUNE 10, 2020

of teams’ online pitch decks and recorded videos, as well as loved the dozens of second-round video conversations which we had with Founders working on quite compelling startups. We proactively look to build friendly syndicates for our Seed investments, and welcome collaborating to build together.

Cofounder 177

Cofounder Syndicate Syndication Alabama 177

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 23, 2017

In venture capital in particular, early-stage companies are often operating in frontier industries, where the rules are unpredictable and conventional analytic frameworks may be misleading. The only problem that faces startup investors now is how to mine this new data layer efficiently to increase returns.”.

Private Equity 60

Private Equity Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 60

Gust

OCTOBER 12, 2011

During the summer of 2010, I developed a workshop, A New ACEF Valuation Workshop for Angels and Entrepreneurs. To provide some reference points, I surveyed thirteen angels groups in North American to determine their recent experience in negotiating the pre-money valuation of pre-revenue companies. 2011 Angel Group Valuation Survey.

Angel Groups 125

Angel Groups Valuation Pre-Money Valuation St. Louis 125

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

Seed investors are aplenty and of course they need downstream money to fuel their early-stage bets. I told my friend that I felt that in 2014 too many new VCs feel the pressure to chase deals, to be a part of syndicates with other brand names and to pounce on top of every startup whose numbers are trending up quickly.

Cofounder 374

Cofounder Syndicate Syndication Early Stage 374

View from Seed

AUGUST 20, 2014

If the company is doing really well, the VC will have an incentive to try to do more of the next round at perhaps not the highest possible valuation. Lots of credibility, even at a very early stage. It should be noted however that some angels belong to syndicates that allow them to speak for larger amounts of capital.

Startup 301

Startup Syndicate Syndication Boston 301

Gust

OCTOBER 20, 2011

In 2011, the valuation of pre-revenue, start-up companies is typically in the range of $1.5–$2.5 Scorecard Valuation Methodology. This method compares the target company to typical angel-funded startup ventures and adjusts the average valuation of recently funded companies in the region to establish a pre-money valuation of the target.

Valuation 146

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Intellectual Property Technical Review 146

View from Seed

JANUARY 26, 2016

It’s become increasingly common for startups to raise several seed rounds, and this has led to a bifurcation in the seed stage between what are known as “pre-seed” (or “genesis”) and institutional seed rounds. Series A investors invested quite early, often before product/market fit.

Seed Stage 120

Seed Stage Early Stage Cofounder Finance 120

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2015

If you are a 20-something tech entrepreneur you could be forgiven for thinking that seed-stage investors, Angellist Syndicates and widely available angel money always existed. I was out to raise my first seed money in my second startup of $500,000. Startup Lessons' It is, of course, a very recent phenomenon.

Seed Stage 150

Seed Stage Silicon Valley Syndicate Syndication 150

Agile VC

FEBRUARY 28, 2012

AGILEVC My idle thoughts on tech startups. Startups in NextView’s portfolio frequently receive inbound interest from other VC investors who are intrigued about what they’re doing, and I often talk with other early-stage entrepreneurs how to approach similar situations. February 28, 2012.

Early Stage 100

Early Stage Syndicate Syndication Silicon Valley 100

David Teten

DECEMBER 3, 2019

See Bessemer Venture Partners’ A comprehensive guide to security for startups. Data companies focused on early-stage startups include Aingel , fundsUP , Preseries , PredictLeads , and Sploda. For more on gathering data and using it to assess companies, see How to Assess Startups Using Machine Learning. 2) Market .

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Software Review Analytics Private Equity 78

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 17, 2020

Let’s take a few minutes to examine the kind of equity financing available to small or early stage businesses. There are other classes of equity investors for small or early stage businesses that we have not yet considered. Some can supply more when syndicating with other such groups. Friends and family investors.

Equity 62

Equity Finance Liquidity Event Angel Groups 62

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 3, 2010

Third, he notes that even if they do invest they’re likely to do so at a lower price because you can’t truly get an independent valuation. So if a VC wants to work with really talented early-stage entrepreneurs there are times where they have to be willing to seed fund them in order to be in the deal.

Venture Capital 265

Venture Capital Term Sheet Early Stage Silicon Valley 265

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 1, 2010

There is a structural reason that VCs are investing at early stages, 2. Like Brad Feld I’m syndication agnostic but I have a slight preference toward working with others. Tags: Startup Advice Tech Market Analysis VC Industry. I’ve written about it myself (Is VC Seed Funding Dead?) Short summary of my posts: 1.

Post-Money Valuation 298

Post-Money Valuation Term Sheet Warrant Partner 298

www.paulgraham.com

APRIL 28, 2010

Want to start a startup? A typical startup goes throughseveral rounds of funding, and at each round you want to take justenough money to reach the speed where you can shift into the nextgear. Few startups get it quite right. 1 ] A startups life will be more complicated, legally, if any of theinvestors arent accredited.

Technical Review 76

Technical Review Startup Software Review Angel Investor 76

Rob Go

JANUARY 7, 2013

Amidst the mass of new initiatives, new firms, new strategies, etc that constantly pop up in the early stage investing landscape, it’s helpful to have a clear articulation of what VC’s are focused on and how they see the world. Syndicate Composition: NextView + Seed Funds + Angels: 9. Premium Service: 5. Commerce: 5.

Portfolio 49

Portfolio Seed Stage Cofounder B2B 49

Tim Keane

APRIL 12, 2006

Startups and angels: Along the way to success. It also gives investors information about your intellectual integrity and some glimmer of how you will face adversity in the startup process. this stage when the company can justify a higher. valuation than the previous round. How do you approach valuation?

Entrepreneur 60

Entrepreneur Valuation Sweat Equity Common Stock 60

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 25, 2010

We were trying to optimize around a few criteria: price, size of round, number of syndicate partners and, of course, terms. million at a $15 million pre-money valuation. Morgan Stanley had proposed a higher valuation to let them in. I’ve offered to fund an early stage company where I promised cash in bank in less than 30 days.

Technical Review 301

Technical Review Term Sheet Due Diligence Venture Capital 301

Hunter Walker

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

When a High Flying Startup Implodes. In fact, losing money on a meaningful percentage of startups isn’t just expected, it’s potentially evidence that you’re taking enough risk to hit some of the power law winners which will pay back your LPs many times over! Relationship Cost of SPVs/Direct Co-Investment and LP Credibility.

Vertical 48

Vertical LP Syndicate Syndication 48

Berkonomics

APRIL 3, 2014

There are three classes of equity investors for early stage businesses that we have not yet considered. And even though angel groups syndicate their best deals within their respective associated networks, it is always best to apply to the angel groups nearest your physical location.

Equity 92

Equity Finance Liquidity Event Angel Groups 92

Austin Startup

AUGUST 1, 2017

This is most clearly highlighted in the “unicorn” boom we all saw over the past few years, where founders raised very large rounds, with terms very onerous to the underlying common stock, hoping they could eventually justify billion dollar valuations to skeptical acquirers or public market investors. Angels/Seed Funds v.

Liquidation Preference 48

Liquidation Preference Common Stock Valuation Silicon Valley 48

David Teten

NOVEMBER 15, 2013

Each new investor tends to raise valuations and lower returns for all the other competitive investors. This is the psychology that drives VCs to load up a company with more capital, rationalizing that $5m at a $20m pre-money valuation is little different than $10m at a $40m pre-money valuation.

Management 114

Management Pre-Money Valuation Venture Capital New Hampshire 114

www.paulgraham.com

APRIL 28, 2010

When we sold our startup in 1998 I thought one day Id do some angelinvesting. You give a startup money and they give you stock. Thats how you win: by investing in the right startups. Mechanics Angel investors often syndicate deals, which means they join togetherto invest on the same terms. million, and youget.05/1.05,

Angel Investor 63

Angel Investor Syndicate Syndication Dilution 63

Feld Thoughts

AUGUST 1, 2018

The $750 million fund combines all of our prior fund strategies – our early stage, early growth, and partner fund investments – into a single fund. For historical reference, our early-stage funds (FG 2007, FG 2010, FG 2013, and FG 2016) are all $225 million in size. We now have seven equal partners.

Syndicate 17

Syndicate Syndication IRR Canada 17

Hunter Walker

DECEMBER 21, 2014

17 core investments have been made, I’d say our investment model was, and continues to be, consistent with the type of firm we want to build but if you’re not constantly evaluating how to get better and serve entrepreneurs, you won’t last very long in the early stage venture business. No more, no less.

Cofounder 102

Cofounder Seed Stage Syndicate Syndication 102

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 18, 2015

“Trade in an asset at a price that strongly deviates from an asset’s intrinsic value” The arguments against that, “This time the startups have real revenues!” Either we’ve discovered magical beans and elixir or perhaps we’ve gotten ahead of ourselves on valuation. ” ring hollow.

IPO 150

IPO Venture Capital LP SEC 150

Hippoland

SEPTEMBER 17, 2017

It’s something that startup investors talk about in vague terms. As an early stage investor, I know that if I can invest in a team that fits exactly what Ellen describes (OR MIT / Stanford, OR Facebook / Google, etc), I’ll win in the short term. This was an incredible innovation in startup investing.

Silicon Valley 48

Silicon Valley Syndicate Syndication Early Stage 48

Hippoland

SEPTEMBER 17, 2017

It’s something that startup investors talk about in vague terms. As an early stage investor, I know that if I can invest in a team that fits exactly what Ellen describes (OR MIT / Stanford, OR Facebook / Google, etc), I’ll win in the short term. This was an incredible innovation in startup investing.

Silicon Valley 48

Silicon Valley Syndicate Syndication Angel Investor 48

Agile VC

FEBRUARY 9, 2012

AGILEVC My idle thoughts on tech startups. There are more similarities with early-stage VC than public investing, but in these asset classes you still see somewhat more uniform access to investment opportunities and less information asymmetry. How to Evaluate Firms for a Seed VC. How To Think About The Future. February 9, 2012.

Seed Stage 100

Seed Stage Framework Silicon Valley Early Stage 100