Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 28, 2018

Today the company officially announced its most recent round of capital ?—?having Capital of course drives scale advantages and when you have “winner take most” markets it also has a way of scaring away some investors from investing in the 3–5th “me too” competitors. having raised $300 million?—?less There is nothing viral!

Santa Monica 256

Santa Monica Funding Startup Course 256

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

The most important advice I could give you before you set out in fund raising mode is to understand that fund-raising a sales & marketing process and needs to be managed. I always tell founders … “An investors job is to deploy capital and make a return. You can short-hand this as “engagement.” Why 8–10 and not just 3–4?

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2010

Modern investors love to first read a two-page summary of your business plan, formatted like a glossy marketing collateral sheet, with text well laid out in columns and sidebars, and a couple of relevant graphics. You may have already found several articles, web pages, or books about writing the perfect executive summary.

Summary 55

Summary Writing Competition Metrics 55

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 15, 2010

I was on This Week in Venture Capital (TWiVC) again this week with Jason Calacanis. You can watch this week’s TWiVC episode by clicking on the link and my summary notes are below. {if Especially when he’s surrounded by Danny Rimer (who funded Skype, MySQL, Last.FM PLUS RELATED FUNDING …. M&A Discussion.

Venture Capital 271

Venture Capital Capital Google Platform 271

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 28, 2018

He or she wants to know how long the money you will raise will last and whether this is long enough to warrant taking a risk on funding you. Are you raising an appropriate amount of capital relative to your progress, relative to your team size and relative to your needs? Yes, I see plans this pedestrian.

Venture Capital 247

Venture Capital Capital Funding Demand 247

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

With the current volatile economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. Thus I’m getting more questions on new mechanisms, like crowd funding, or going public through the side door as a reverse merger. Marty Zwilling.

Funding 104

Funding Summary Entrepreneur Acquisition 104

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 1, 2010

There has been much discussion about VCs doing seed funding in the past year. I’ve written about it myself (Is VC Seed Funding Dead?) and (Is There Really a Signaling Problem with VC Seed Funding?). Short summary of my posts: 1. Knowing What the Seed Funding Policy of your VC is. More on this later.

Seed Funding 298

Seed Funding Funding Venture Capital GRP Partners 298

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2009

I recently wrote a post on angel financing covering the topic of convertible notes but I realized I was thinking about the issue more from investor perspective and a very narrow topic of how to price the round. Very few people fund individuals. This post is for those who want to raise angel money. Team: You need a team.

Angel 291

Angel Funding Venture Capital Startup 291

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2016

I understand this instinct for more capital and I have two very different personal experiences: In my first company we raised an A-round of $16.5 I was always fond of saying about fund raising, “When the hor d’oeuvres tray is passed take two and put one in your pocket for later. I have this “How much should I raise?”

Startup 292

Startup Software Review Pricing Entrepreneur 292

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2014

There has been much discussion in the past few years of the changing structure of the venture capital industry. The rise of “micro VCs” or seed-stage funds. The rise of alternative sources of capital (crowd funding and the like). ” Stated simply – if you seed funded Uber at $4.5m

Venture Capital 398

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Seed Funding 398

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 12, 2015

Thus founders seeking funding for a good cause or a new technology often seize on grants from universities, government agencies and philanthropic organizations as free money to solve their problems. After months of preparation, you should expect another six to nine months for reviews and funding cycles. In the U.S.

Pricing 100

Pricing Equity Technical Review Research 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 6, 2023

If ten percent of these numbers, multiplied by your average product price, will get you the revenue you need to scale your business, you will get the love you need from angel and venture capital investors. On the other hand, spending your entire startup budget on market research won’t improve your odds of success or funding.

Statistics 120

Statistics Research Report Newsletter 120

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2010

I’ve written about the topic of convertible debt at length before specifically about how angels & entrepreneurs should think about pricing. Convertible debt is an investment that “converts&# into equity in the future usually at a discount to your next funding round price and sometimes has a “cap&# (maximum price).

Equity 319

Equity Pricing Venture Capital Entrepreneur 319

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 3, 2014

With the uptick in the economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. Thus I’m getting more questions on new mechanisms, like crowd funding, and an old one long out of favor, the so-called “reverse merger.” Marty Zwilling.

Funding 98

Funding Startup Entrepreneur Summary 98

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2021

Here is a summary of each: Complementary strengths allows extended market penetration. Capitalize on shared costs and common distribution. With the proper contracts, it’s quicker and simpler to extend your product line with coopetition, rather than funding new development. The auto industry learned this a long time ago.

Startup 173

Startup Outsource Development Examples Customer 173

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2019

With the current strong economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. Thus I’m getting more questions on new mechanisms, like crowd funding, or going public through the side door as a reverse merger. Marty Zwilling.

Summary 121

Summary Startup Entrepreneur Funding 121

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2021

I like the summary of the competitive reality in a new book, “ Rethinking Competitive Advantage: New Rules for the Digital Age ,” by Ram Charan, who relates a wealth of current experience from global clients: Customers expect a personalized experience. Features, availability, and brand are just the price of entry.

Competition 142

Competition Software Review Social Media Customer 142

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 22, 2010

Back in 1999 when I first raised venture capital I had zero knowledge of what a fair term sheet looked like or how to value my company. Brad Feld hadn’t written his seminal “ term sheet series &# and The Funded hadn’t yet been created. Industry standard post your first round of funding will be 15-20%.

Venture Capital 405

Venture Capital Pricing Startup Funding 405

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2020

If ten percent of these numbers, multiplied by your average product price, will get you the revenue you need to scale your business, you will get the love you need from angel and venture capital investors. On the other hand, spending your entire startup budget on market research won’t improve your odds of success or funding.

Marketing 157

Marketing Statistics Research Report 157

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

To grow faster businesses need resources in today’s financial period to fund growth that may not come for 6 months to a year. You have to understand whether they’re likely to yield revenue growth in the near term OR whether you have access to cheap enough capital to fund your losses until your investments pay off.

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2014

Fund raising ? He came to me months ago asking about a “strategic round” of capital for his startup at a high price. I told him that a high price now wasn’t always the best solution. “ Level Up ” 9. How to network better ? “ 50 Coffee Meetings ” 10. Take more advice.

Startup 407

Startup Framework CTO Coach Sales 407

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 25, 2019

cash & unallocated stock options) Should we raise capital, from whom, how much and at what price? One board member comes from a small VC fund hoping to exit early while another has written a $50 million check and expects different decisions to be made. Summary: Making Your Board More Effective Chose the right members.

Startup 269

Startup Venture Capital Layoffs Resource 269

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 1, 2015

. “the ecommerce company gained fauxmentum by raising artificially high amounts of venture capital and spent lavishly on customer acquisition despite long payback periods and questionable LTV” __. get out and raise money now because when markets change they change on a dime and capital completely dries.

Startup 150

Startup Marketing Customer Custom 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2015

With the uptick in the economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. Thus I’m getting more questions on new mechanisms, like crowd funding, or going public through the backdoor as a reverse merger. Marty Zwilling.

Funding 102

Funding Summary Startup Entrepreneur 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2018

With the current strong economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. Thus I’m getting more questions on new mechanisms, like crowd funding, or going public through the side door as a reverse merger. Marty Zwilling.

Summary 79

Summary Startup Entrepreneur Funding 79

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

Or read the quick, informative summary below the image! What better than to have capital from somebody who has actually done it in the trenches? Matt’s commitment to re-investing in tech startups is reminiscent to this great Fred Wilson post of “recycling capital. &#. Here’s a summary of our interview.

Acquisition 304

Acquisition Startup Customer Custom 304

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 25, 2013

“I don’t know the exact math, but I hear it again and again: the top 2% of firms generate 98% of the returns in venture capital.” According to FLAG Capital there are 100 active VCs (as defined by making at least $1 million in VC per quarter for 4 consecutive quarters). Yet their next fund had Facebook in it.

Venture Capital 374

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Invest Funding 374

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2018

If ten percent of these numbers, multiplied by your average product price, will get you the revenue you need to scale your business, you will get the love you need from angel and venture capital investors. On the other hand, spending your entire startup budget on market research won’t improve your odds of success or funding.

Research 87

Research Marketing Statistics Report 87

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 21, 2009

On the third Wednesday of every month I co-chair a meeting called the SoCal VCA (venture capital alliance), which represents participants from all of the top venture capital firms in Southern California as well as prominent members of the Tech Coast Angels (TCA). What have been your experiences in the past 6 months?

Venture Capital 241

Venture Capital Technical Review Southern California Company 241

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 16, 2015

Why raise funds? This seems like an obvious question but you need to be clear why you’re looking to raise in order to come up with an effective game plan and determine your best funding option. And when it comes to timing, wait until you’ve come up with a working prototype and developed your product before you seek external funding.

Startup 40

Startup Venture Capital Equity Funding 40

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 2, 2015

For a well-funded seed company I have controversially recommended hiring a great office manager that doubles as an administrative assistant. For a well-funded A or B round company I have recommended “ leveling up ,” which entails many things but in summary I tell people to “act your stage.”

Outsource Development 150

Outsource Development Metrics Startup Sales 150

InfoChachkie

JUNE 23, 2011

What follows is a summary which paraphrases Jason’s responses. You guys did a lot of self-funding before you approached the venture capital community. Within the first three-months of starting the company, we had our first IO and were able to fund the first year and a half of our business.”. It was a typical storyline.

Yahoo 210

Yahoo Startup Advertising Summary 210

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2014

Here is a summary of each: Complementary strengths allows extended market penetration. Capitalize on shared costs and common distribution. With the proper contracts, it’s quicker and simpler to extend your product line with coopetition, rather than funding new development. The auto industry learned this a long time ago.

Startup 103

Startup Outsource Development Examples Customer 103

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 28, 2018

If a consumer will pay a fixed price for a product or service then the battle over who gets the margin in any sale is between the person who merchandises a product and the person who manufactures it. Summary It’s hard to build a successful product company?—?even I also often tell people the simple hack is to watch Brain Games.

Product 296

Product Course Customer Custom 296

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

No investor wants to wait that long for his payback, or fund the years of waiting. Describe your market penetration strategy, sales channels, pricing, and strategic partnerships. You can bolster this position by including a Letter of Intent (LOI), contract summaries, or even testimonials. Funding requirements.

Competition 116

Competition Metrics Startup Sales 116

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

No investor wants to wait that long for his payback, or fund the years of waiting. Describe your market penetration strategy, sales channels, pricing, and strategic partnerships. You can bolster this position by including a Letter of Intent (LOI), contract summaries, or even testimonials. Funding requirements.

Competition 113

Competition Metrics Startup Invest 113

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 22, 2014

If 10 percent of these numbers, multiplied by your average product price, will get you the revenue you need to scale your business, you will get the love you need from angel and venture capital investors. On the other hand, spending your entire startup budget on market research won’t improve your odds of success or funding.

Marketing 97

Marketing Entrepreneur Statistics Research 97