Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2011

But this mania to not miss out on the next big thing is driving some investors to pay growth-equity prices for traditional market risk (as in, they’re paying up before it is clear there is product / market fit). And for some that means that despite waiting they may see worse valuations in the future than now. Have a cushion.

Saudi Arabia 309

Saudi Arabia Valuation IPO Technical Review 309

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 7, 2010

Bottom line, early stage equity is very, very expensive. So at any point, if you are trying to raise money, and you are hearing from investors that you are too early and have too little validation, it may be a good thing. Sub-$2 million pre-money, it is better to bootstrap.

Valuation 119

Valuation Silicon Valley Pre-Money Valuation Bootstrapping 119

David Cohen

AUGUST 1, 2018

The reason the entrepreneur want a high cap is to signal a high price for the next equity financing of a larger amount of money. If they accept convertible notes now at a low cap, how could they possibly justify a higher equity price in a few short months when this larger financing is bound to happen? What a deal!

Pre-Money Valuation 83

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Equity Finance 83

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2012

As the company grows and the second or third group of investors comes in, the terms of each subsequent financing grow in size, scope, and the number of lawyers’ fingerprints on them. The price is the percent of ownership given to the investor, calculated as “investment/post-money valuation.” Define equity type.

Term Sheet 223

Term Sheet Pre-Money Valuation Due Diligence Post-Money Valuation 223

Gust

OCTOBER 21, 2011

For convertible notes, the only liquidity event we need be concerned with is an acquisition of the startup in the near future, before the maturity date; otherwise, the notes will convert to equity of one kind or another, and the eventual sale of that equity (in a public offering, acquisition, or private sale) is a different subject for another day.

Finance 79

Finance Pre-Money Valuation Term Sheet Liquidity Event 79

Scott Edward Walker

APRIL 22, 2012

This post is the second part of a three-part primer on convertible note seed financings. Part 1, entitled “ Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Convertible Note Seed Financings (But Were Afraid To Ask) ,” addressed certain basic questions, such as (i) what is a convertible note? (ii) What Is a Conversion Discount?

Pre-Money Valuation 72

Pre-Money Valuation Finance Liquidation Preference Founder 72

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2010

As the company grows and the second or third group of investors comes in, the terms of each subsequent financing grow in size, scope, and the number of lawyers’ fingerprints on them. The price is the percent of ownership given to the investor, calculated as “investment/post-money valuation.” Define equity type.

Term Sheet 227

Term Sheet Pre-Money Valuation Due Diligence Post-Money Valuation 227

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2009

This came in part due to the huge influx of money into VC but also because hedge funds and private equity shops with no VC experience wanted part of the action. The pricing problem – So an investor put $5 million at a $10 million pre-money valuation in a company with a great beta product but no real customers.

Burn Rate 263

Burn Rate Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Private Equity 263

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2015

” Today I want to talk about how a VC thinks about equity pricing on your round and particularly if you’re coming off of a convertible note. In the old days VCs funded off of a “pre-money” valuation. So how DOES a VC think about financings at early stages? It’s very simple.

Pre-Money Valuation 150

Pre-Money Valuation Option Pool Post-Money Valuation Dilution 150

Gust

OCTOBER 12, 2011

Last week , we took the plunge and began dissecting an example term sheet for a convertible debt financing round piece by piece. In Part II, we looked at the mandatory conversion language that is at the heart of any convertible debt financing. First, a word about the maturity date.

Finance 107

Finance Term Sheet Pre-Money Valuation Early Stage 107

Gust

OCTOBER 17, 2011

As the company grows and the second or third group of investors comes in, the terms of each subsequent financing grow in size, scope, and the number of lawyers’ fingerprints on them. The pre-money valuation is company value today, while the post-money valuation is the pre-money valuation plus the investment amount.

Term Sheet 158

Term Sheet Pre-Money Valuation Due Diligence Post-Money Valuation 158

The Startup Lawyer

FEBRUARY 4, 2011

The following are some issues to consider and actions to take before accepting an incubator’s offer: (1) Calculate Valuation and Determine Value. Pre-money valuations startups receive from incubators are typically low…really low. 2) Scrutinize the Investment Structure.

Incubator 105

Incubator Pre-Money Valuation Option Pool Advisory Board 105

K9 Ventures

MARCH 23, 2011

I may be well be in the minority in the Valley to think this way — especially so as a seed stage investor — but I have a strong preference for doing priced equity rounds for funding companies at any stage. Since the financing would likely happen in short order, there was no need to have a valuation cap in the note.

Pre-Money Valuation 132

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Equity Liquidation Preference 132

Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

The investors and the entrepreneurs are – or should be – aware that the price of the company’s equity is set by the market – in simplest terms, what an informed buyer is willing to pay. For angel groups, the distinction between groups and VCs on this issue is dwindling, especially as angel groups do bigger rounds of financing.

Term Sheet 68

Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

The Startup Lawyer

JANUARY 22, 2013

Depending on the delta between the price cap and the pre-money valuation of the qualified equity financing, the convertible note investors could receive a windfall in terms of liquidation preference. The Potential Problem Let’s say Series A investors invest at a pre-money valuation that [.].

Liquidation Preference 54

Liquidation Preference Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Equity 54

ithacaVC

DECEMBER 13, 2013

There are many reasons for this, but fundamentally, it is impossible to calculate a share price for the investment round unless you have complete agreement on how many shares are outstanding pre-money. The share price is calculated by taking the pre-money valuation and dividing it by the number of shares outstanding pre-money.

Cap Table 67

Cap Table Pre-Money Valuation Option Pool Liquidation Preference 67

Scott Edward Walker

APRIL 9, 2012

Introduction We are in the golden age of seed financing. Venture capital funds, seed funds, super angels, angel groups, incubators, and “friends and family” are all playing the seed financing game and investing early in startups in an attempt to land the next Facebook. A convertible note is short-term debt that converts into equity.

Preferred Stock 87

Preferred Stock Finance Common Stock Liquidation Preference 87

The Startup Lawyer

JUNE 22, 2010

The main feature of the convertible note is that the debt investment made by the angel investor will typically later convert into equity. For this article, let’s assume this equity is the Series A Preferred Stock purchased by a venture capital fund. Convertible Note Discount. As a sweetener to the angel investor (i.e.,

Pre-Money Valuation 82

Pre-Money Valuation Angel Investor Preferred Stock Valuation 82

Gust

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Entrepreneurs and investors who have spent any time dealing with convertible debt seed financing transactions are likely to have encountered the subject of valuation caps. The cap is irrelevant if the next equity financing is at a valuation below the cap amount.) Read on for a fuller explanation. (At

Valuation 98

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Merger Vesting 98

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

This time by the efforts of Adeo Ressi to introduce a new kind of structure called “ convertible equity.” My initial reaction to Adeo when we spoke was that while it may have solved some issues (debt versus equity) it didn’t solve the ones that I’ve been warning entrepreneurs about most loudly.

Ratchet 354

Ratchet Liquidation Preference Equity Stock 354

The Startup Lawyer

AUGUST 24, 2010

Just like the preferred equity financing process, the convertible debt financing process can start with a term sheet, rather than a full set of financing documents. Closing : Is there a specific date that the convertible debt financing will close, or will there be an open round of seed investment ? 2X/3X, etc.)

Term Sheet 62

Term Sheet Pre-Money Valuation Liquidity Event Warrant 62

The Startup Lawyer

JANUARY 10, 2012

In most equity financing rounds, an investor will ask for (and get) a term called a liquidation preference. If it were up to me, I’d rather have the startup and investor come to terms on the pre-money valuation rather than toying with anything other than a 1x non-participating liquidation preference.

Liquidation Preference 73

Liquidation Preference Pre-Money Valuation Participating Preferred Preferred Stock 73

Professor VC

JANUARY 17, 2008

Again, I see nothing wrong with this, although entrepreneurs often prefer convertible debt as it defers the valuation discussion and leaves the Series A price for the venture firm to set. He also said they typically only invest at a $1 million pre-money valuation or less.

Pre-Money Valuation 28

Pre-Money Valuation Angel Investor Angel Groups Valuation 28

dondodge.typepad.com

JANUARY 15, 2011

Community is more powerful than money or technology » August 11, 2007 How much equity for investors and employees? Should I take Angel or VC money? How much money should I raise? How much equity should I give up? How much equity should I grant to early employees?

Equity 40

Equity Employee Dilution Valuation 40

www.mattbartus.com

DECEMBER 9, 2012

Let’s say you receive a term sheet for a $1 million investment at a $3 million fully diluted pre-money valuation, and you’re kind of disappointed. Take a look at the numbers: Pre-Money. One possibility is to negotiate a higher valuation and offer warrants (i.e., Post-Money. Option Pool.

Warrant 40

Warrant Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Term Sheet 40

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 14, 2010

Or you find out that management has been through a few rounds of dilution such that the management team only has 10-15% of the total equity of the company and as a new investor you know a priori that management is either going to quit soon after your investment or are going to ask you for a big increase in their equity package.

Venture Capital 289

Venture Capital Liquidation Preference Common Stock Dividend 289

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

The use of a cap table for a company comes into play when it has to track the total amount of shares, the value of shares, and the equity ownership of all the shareholders. The data of the company, such as debt and the company’s equity ownership, is laid out with the help of a cap table. Convertible notes.

Cap Table 112

Cap Table Pre-Money Valuation Stock Options Option Pool 112

K9 Ventures

MAY 14, 2011

The incubators invest usually for an equity stake and buy equity at a extremely low valuation (for example, 7% for $15,000, which implies a pre-money valuation of less than $200,000). The Series A is now the third round of financing for a company, but the nomenclature hasn’t been changed.

Preferred Stock 125

Preferred Stock Seed Stage Incubator Early Stage 125

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2012

But Paul Graham really did have a point in his “ high resolution fundraising ” post – that there is a problem – particularly in angel financing – with herding cats. We plan to raise at a $5 million pre-money valuation. million pre-money. You can do it with equity & a price.

Pre-Money Valuation 294

Pre-Money Valuation Finance Liquidation Preference Warrant 294

Pascal's View

AUGUST 21, 2011

Does the primary and secondary capital raising prowess of companies such as Facebook, Linked In, Pandora, Twitter, Groupon, Zynga, and others, mean that we have finally crossed the threshold and reached a sustainable new valuation paradigm (it’s different this time, really), or is this another accident now happening in real time?

Valuation 50

Valuation Social Media Media IPO 50

venturehacks.com

OCTOBER 21, 2010

If you don’t keep your eyes on the option pool while you’re negotiating valuation, your investors will have you playing (and losing) a game that we like to call: Option Pool Shuffle You have successfully negotiated a $2M investment on a $8M pre-money valuation by pitting the famous Blue Shirt Capital against Herd Mentality Management.

Option Pool 68

Option Pool Pre-Money Valuation Dilution Warrant 68

Altgate

MAY 24, 2012

Mark Zuckerberg and his executive team have been extremely successful at retaining equity in their company. On the one hand, founders fear that they will be forced to shut down their startup if they run out of money, which leads them to rush to raise new capital. million, with a valuation of $10 million. As shown in Figure 9.5

Pre-Money Valuation 43

Pre-Money Valuation Cofounder Dilution Valuation 43

Feld Thoughts

JULY 14, 2015

A company raises $1m of seed money from angels in a convertible note with a $6m cap. Assuming equity is raised at or above that cap, the total dilution, before the new money, is 16.6% (equivalent to an equity financing of $1m at a $6m post money valuation. ” They are running out of money.

Recapitalization 70

Recapitalization Pre-Money Valuation Post-Money Valuation Angel Investor 70

David Teten

NOVEMBER 15, 2013

The average equity fund investor earned a market return of only 4.25%. I have frequently heard the expression from other investors, “We can put a lot of money to work here.” By spending more money, investors can justify managing more money, which in turn increases their fees.

Management 114

Management Pre-Money Valuation Venture Capital New Hampshire 114

www.currentlyobsessed.com

MAY 28, 2010

Instead of “We are worth about $5m because we have done XYZ and we need to raise $1m, so let’s sell 20%&# it’s better to think about valuation as an output variable, like “Let’s raise $2mm and sell 33%, our (pre-money) valuation is therefore $4mm.&# That’s a nice way of putting it.

Valuation 42

Valuation Channel Pre-Money Valuation Term Sheet 42

Startup Lessons Learned

JUNE 19, 2019

Previously, on the venture side you wanted to invest as early as possible, because the first round of financing got you to a product, and then you'd get beta-type customers, and then you'd raise a second round at a much higher price, and the business could immediately take off from there. It's literally impossible. That sounds ideal.

Silicon Valley 159

Silicon Valley Lean Venture Capital Pre-Money Valuation 159