VC Cafe

JANUARY 24, 2021

Covid-19 accelerated the adoption of entertainment tech, gaming and commerce. The move to remote work forced quick adoption of cloud technology and tools that were once having difficulties selling to large corporates, saw explosive growth – from Zoom to Hopin, new unicorns were born in record time. 2020… where to start?

Technical Review 207

Technical Review Audio Forecast Social Media 207

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2017

In the old days, every entrepreneur dreamed of easily taking their startup public, and making it big. Today the rate of startups going public (IPO – Initial Public Offering) is up from the dead zone, but is still half the rate of 15 years ago. Startups going public are laid open to competitors and critics.

IPO 218

IPO SEC Prospectus Technical Review 218

Agile VC

SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

AGILEVC My idle thoughts on tech startups. Startup IPO Market: A Fickle Mistress. The IPO market, she is a fickle mistress. In the first half of 2011, the IPO markets were looking strong for VC-backed companies. What will happen for the startup IPO market? How to Evaluate Firms for a Seed VC.

IPO 100

IPO Marketing Silicon Valley Private Equity 100

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 2, 2021

If you’re thinking about starting a tech startup you already know — there are a lot of things to consider. But what if a tech startup uses the LLC structure? And this is not only due to lack of liability protection, though it is a significant factor attracting investors. LLCs vs Corporations.

Technical Review 78

Technical Review LLC IPO Stock 78

YoungUpstarts

MARCH 24, 2017

Growth stocks provide the ideal opportunity as they see earnings and revenues rise at above-average speed. One risk of investing in growth stocks is that future potential is considered instead of current operations. If the Hero 5 sales surpass expectations continuously, there could be a significant pop in the GoPro stock.

Stock 113

Stock United States China Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2015

In the old days, every entrepreneur dreamed of easily taking their startup public, and making it big. Today the rate of startups going public (IPO – Initial Public Offering) is up from the dead zone, but is still less than half the rate of 15 years ago. Startups going public are laid open to competitors and critics.

IPO 120

IPO SEC Prospectus Startup 120

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

2 preamble issues having read the comments on TC today: 1: I know that the prices of startup companies is much great in Silicon Valley than in smaller towns / less tech focused areas in the US and the US prices higher than many foreign markets. Private markets for stocks are the opposite. I acknowledged this in the article.

Pre-Money Valuation 336

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Silicon Valley Stock 336

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

But not everybody has the right skills to build a highly successful and valuable startup from scratch. For some aspiring to be tech entrepreneurs, I often suggest a two-step process, as I argued in this post that “ The First Startup Founder You Need to Invest in Is You.”

Technical Review 150

Technical Review Liquidation Preference Silicon Valley IP 150

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

I find it amusing when a journalist writes an article about a prominent startup (either privately held or preparing for an IPO) and decries that, “They’re not even profitable!” Exec Summary: Most companies (98+%) in the world (even tech startups) should be very profit focused.

Startup 418

Startup Revenue Technical Review Flash 418

Eric Friedman

JANUARY 3, 2020

I am welcoming the 20’s with an enthusiasm I haven’t felt in awhile and more bullish than ever on technology and investing in general. This one directly pulled from Range and the original Game Boy that has the infamous spinach colored screen and still dominated against full color competition due to these constraints.

Technical Review 79

Technical Review Software Review Vertical IPO 79

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 1, 2009

Consumer spending is 70% of the economy and will continue to be stretched – We can look all we want at tech innovation, VC funding cycles and hot M&A deals, but ultimately growth and therefore investment must be underpinned by revenue. Unemployment coupled with a stock market drop will stop this spending cold IMHO.

Technical Review 269

Technical Review Stock Hawaii Early Stage 269

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

Posted on September 14, 2009 by steveblank Over the last 30 years Wall Street’s appetite for technology stocks have changed radically – swinging between unbridled enthusiasm to believing they’re all toxic. Each VC firm/partner has a different spin on what to weigh more.) 3) invest in and take equity stakes in exchange for capital.

Silicon Valley 234

Silicon Valley IPO Technical Review Venture Capital 234

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 16, 2010

But VC is an “illiquid asset&# so funds didn’t disappear quickly - In 2000/01 the stock market quickly adjusted punishing investors in the NASDAQ and in individual public technology stocks. What accelerated this was the collapse of the public stock markets. Team must be purely technical.

LP 311

LP Technical Review Early Stage Silicon Valley 311

David Teten

JANUARY 19, 2021

More and more startups are pursuing Revenue-Based VCs , but “RBI” doesn’t fit everyone. Our categorization is not a technical one. Additionally, Flexible VC can accommodate all types of companies, not just asset-lite, tech-enabled companies.”. His work on VC and small communities can be found at greatercolorado.vc/blog.

Cofounder 78

Cofounder Technical Review Equity Dividend 78

Steve Blank

APRIL 10, 2019

A version of this article first appeared in the Harvard Business Review. VC’s have just changed the ~50-year old social contract with startup employees. In doing so they may have removed one of the key incentives that made startups different from working in a large company. Why Startups Offer Stock Options.

Stock Options 334

Stock Options Stock Vesting Common Stock 334

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2011

Responses ranged from, “hey, they’re in a HUGE market&# to “it is an amazing company and their technology rocks.&# It’s like people arguing that there’s a beautiful beach house in 2006 that represents great long-term value due to scarcity of similar property. But everything has intrinsic value.

Saudi Arabia 309

Saudi Arabia Valuation IPO Technical Review 309

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 1, 2016

We All Know That Dollars into Venture Have Gone Up … As a starting point, we know that the dollars into venture have steadily rebounded to pre great-recession levels, with just under $30 billion committed to US technology venture capital in 2015. That’s money that fuels our startup ecosystems.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital LP Silicon Valley Marketing 150

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2014

Prorata rights are one of the most important rights of a private market technology investors and yet are seldom fully understood. Also, because the entire industry has changed because it is cheaper to start a tech company these days – there are simply way more angel rounds. Why prorata rights are becoming a bigger deal to angels.

Technical Review 336

Technical Review Later Stage Early Stage LP 336

David Teten

MARCH 14, 2018

The firm attracts deal flow by promising a decision (positive or negative) in under 2 weeks, with minimal paperwork and without repeating due diligence. I’ve listed a few more below which require meaningful startup and ongoing costs. For more, see the Startup Studio Playbook. This requires a real financial sacrifice.

Private Equity 60

Private Equity Venture Capital Equity Cofounder 60

ReadWriteStart

JULY 18, 2011

Jeff Clavier was the first tech investor I ever met; he was introduced to me years ago by some hip engineers in a bar as "one of the few cool VCs." Clavier spoke last week at the International Startup Festival in Montreal on the topic of raising money - with a special emphasis on the numbers that a startup should keep an eye on.

Investment Bankers 153

Investment Bankers Technical Review Cofounder Due Diligence 153

prosperati.com

OCTOBER 23, 2010

Prosperati HOME BLOG ABOUT CONTACT Blog Can A Startup Do OffShore Development? Part 2 Posted 07.15.2009 in Blog In my previous article ( Can a Startup Do OffShore Development? There is this delusion that certification in a computer language or vendor technology (Microsoft etc) equates to mastery of the art of programming itself.

Offshore 40

Offshore Malaysia Developer Stock Options 40

Agile VC

APRIL 17, 2011

AGILEVC My idle thoughts on tech startups. GameFly filed in 2010 and remains in registration, though 2011 has seen a positive start for VC-backed IPOs with 14 in Q1 2011. Pre-IPO Funding History: Kayak has raised approximately $235M in VC funding to date. How to Evaluate Firms for a Seed VC. How To Think About The Future.

Pre-Money Valuation 113

Pre-Money Valuation Liquidation Preference Dividend Common Stock 113

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 25, 2020

The last thing a new entrepreneur wants to think about for a new startup is how it will end. Equity is stock, but private company stock has no market value until the company goes public or is sold or merged with another company. Startups with no exit planned will minimize investor returns.

Exit Strategy 376

Exit Strategy Startup Private Equity Equity 376

mashable.com

OCTOBER 16, 2010

During a presentation at Startup School at Stanford University earlier today, the prolific investor discussed the state of startup funding with a packed auditorium of students and entrepreneurs. These investors usually raise a smaller fund and make investments into startups that range in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Angel Investor 84

Angel Investor Venture Capital Social Media Technical Review 84

mashable.com

OCTOBER 16, 2010

During a presentation at Startup School at Stanford University earlier today, the prolific investor discussed the state of startup funding with a packed auditorium of students and entrepreneurs. These investors usually raise a smaller fund and make investments into startups that range in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Angel Investor 83

Angel Investor Venture Capital Social Media Technical Review 83

Agile VC

MAY 26, 2011

AGILEVC My idle thoughts on tech startups. Google is still a private company (their IPO was Aug 2004). Silicon Valley is still emerging from the tech bubble and massive downturn of late 2000-2002. Salesforce.com is a startup with 76,000 subscribers (over 2.1M How to Evaluate Firms for a Seed VC. May 26, 2011.

Term Sheet 178

Term Sheet Silicon Valley Technical Review Social Network 178

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 25, 2023

The last thing a new entrepreneur wants to think about for a new startup is how it will end. Equity is stock, but private company stock has no market value until the company goes public or is sold or merged with another company. Startups with no exit planned will minimize investor returns.

Exit Strategy 264

Exit Strategy Private Equity Equity Technical Review 264

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 24, 2017

A version of this article is in the Harvard Business Review. — Unremarked and unheralded, the balance of power between startup CEOs and their investors has radically changed: IPOs/M&A without a profit (or at times revenue) have become the norm. The startup process has become demystified – information is everywhere.

Founder 273

Founder Technical Review CTO Hire IPO 273

Hearpreneur

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

The sales helped them raise $30K and the attention of a startup incubator, which offered them training and another $20K in funding. Later they failed to keep up with technologies and the digital boom and have even filed for bankruptcy twice. Thanks to Jason Baker, Emerald House Cleaning ! #17- 17- General Motors.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Bankruptcy Southern California South Africa 96

Startup Lessons Learned

AUGUST 2, 2008

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Saturday, August 2, 2008 Paul Graham on fundraising I have found no better primer on the current realities of starting a new technology company in a startup hub like Silicon Valley than Paul Grahams essays. How to Fund a Startup [link] Its obvious why investors delay. Investing in startups is risky!

San Francisco 125

San Francisco Software Review Technical Review Continuous Deployment 125

The Next Web

JANUARY 24, 2014

As a startup hub, Amsterdam grabs the same amount of attention as the girl with braces at the high school dance. Slowly but surely, however, we have a quietly emerging ‘ecosystem’ (as it is often called in tech lingo). So is the Dutch tech startup story sold short? So let’s take stock: What do we offer?

Netherlands 143

Netherlands Technical Review Stock Silicon Valley 143

Startup Lessons Learned

AUGUST 26, 2009

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Wednesday, August 26, 2009 Building a new startup hub Last week, I had a unique opportunity to spend some time in Boulder at the behest of TechStars. It was a great experience to see a relatively new startup hub in action - and thriving. Their model looks like a key ingredient in the startup brew there.

San Francisco 113

San Francisco Silicon Valley Startup Lean 113

Startup Company Lawyer

AUGUST 31, 2012

Over the past few years, convertible debt has emerged as a quick and inexpensive method for startup companies to raise money from angel investors and early stage venture funds. ” As a result, Ted introduced the Series Seed preferred stock documents as an alternative to convertible debt for early stage investments. Background.

Convertible Security 73

Convertible Security Equity Security Preferred Stock 73

Altgate

JUNE 25, 2012

Facebook’s IPO minted many millionaires and even billionaires. Thanks to that one decision, he owns nearly four million shares of stock, worth in excess of $100 million. Choe’s equity is a headline-grabbing example of “dead equity”: equity owned by people who are no longer actively working for the startup.

Equity 44

Equity Vesting Cap Table Technical Review 44

www.entrepreneur.com

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Entrepreneur Homepage Startups Starting a Business Home How-To Guides Startup Basics Business Ideas Business Planning Startup Financing Success Stories Home-Based Business Starting a Business Play Video How to Take a New Product from Just an Idea to a Business (Video). Startup Basics Does College Matter for Entrepreneurs?

Sweat Equity 55

Sweat Equity Equity Fractional CTO CTO 55

Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

Startups and angels: Along the way to success. 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. Term-sheets for preferred stock offerings are designed to protect the investor in case things don’t go as well as planned.

Term Sheet 68

Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

Altgate

AUGUST 25, 2012

Facebook’s IPO minted many millionaires and even billionaires. Thanks to that one decision, he owns nearly four million shares of stock, worth in excess of $100 million. Choe’s equity is a headline-grabbing example of “dead equity”: equity owned by people who are no longer actively working for the startup.

Equity 28

Equity Vesting Cap Table Technical Review 28