SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 5, 2019

Tuesday, June 11, 2019 -- San Diego FundingPost VC and Angel Investor PitchFest + Pitch Workshop. Due to the overwhelming demand to pitch at our last event in San Diego, we're throwing an exclusive PitchFest speed dating event where you will be pitching to over 20 investors one-on-one! We're doing it again! See [link] (more)

San Diego 100

San Diego Venture Capital Angel Summary 100

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 1, 2016

At the Upfront Summit in early February, we had a chance to have many off-the-record conversations with Limited Partners (LPs) who fund Venture Capital (VC) funds about their views of the market. In fact, if you add the capital flows of the past ten years, there have been just shy of $50 billion in net cash outlays.

Venture Capital 150

Venture Capital Capital Marketing Seed Funding 150

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 30, 2021

Pilot-authors tell their stories in the first person, and all of us readers slow down to think while reading of these events, wondering “what if” or whether this could happen to me. We ask ourselves “what if?”. In aviation circles, we read in our pilot magazines about “Never again!” or “I learned about flying from that.”

Entrepreneur 156

Entrepreneur Training Invest Email 156

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 18, 2014

I don’t think I need to make the case for raising capital for your startup. For many companies, bootstrapping will only get your company so far…and then, in order to grow bigger, faster, it’s likely that you’ll need some additional capital from an outside investor. You don’t have your pitch materials at the ready.

Startup 95

Startup Capital Company Companies 95

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 15, 2021

People listen and remember a personal story and impact more than a large chart of facts. Highlight a personal anecdote and keep it in sight to make your message hit home and become real. Pre-pitch discussions and warm introductions are a key practice for drawing people in, and building advocacy.

Entrepreneur 174

Entrepreneur Examples Google Funding 174

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 8, 2020

I still hear too many excuses for not working early on the elevator pitch, like wanting to fly under the radar, don’t have the team together yet, or can’t afford an agency. Craft and hone your elevator pitch early. Follow up personally on every new connection. Capitalize on yourself early. Marty Zwilling.

Ideas 124

Ideas Tips Marketing Social Media 124

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 16, 2020

Over their longtime personal and professional relationship, the two Los Angeles-based serial entrepreneurs have invested in each other’s companies and investment firms, but never worked together until now. “We want to connect them to the right person at those companies to create a commercial relationship.

Funding 230

Funding Southern California Los Angeles Invest 230

Tech Coast Venture Network

MARCH 9, 2011

Last year, venture capitalists and angels who co-invested with them placed $7 billion into seed and early-stage deals, an 11 percent increase from 2009, according to the most recent PricewaterhouseCoopers/National Venture Capital Association MoneyTree report. Let investors help you refine your pitch. million in 2010. million in 2010.

Tips 100

Tips Capital Tech Coast Angels Screening 100

socalTECH

OCTOBER 11, 2016

What's the difference between pitching your startup on television, versus pitching your startup in real life? Can you talk about the difference between pitching on TV versus pitching in real life to investors? You want to make sure to capitalize on that. Hatched recently started into its second season.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Invest Competition 100

TechCrunch LA

JULY 29, 2019

When Stackin initially pitched itself as part of Techstars Los Angeles accelerator program two years ago, the company was a video platform for financial advice targeting a millennial audience too savvy for traditional advisory services. It turns out that consumers didn’t want another video platform.

Services 212

Services Mobile Platform Los Angeles 212

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 3, 2021

Every one of these probably has a unique story, but in my years as a startup advisor I only remember hearing a few who capitalized on their story. I say that because I’ve heard too many abstract pitches about the next paradigm-shifting technology, which I can’t relate to, and only a couple with stories that really grabbed me.

Startup 125

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 125

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 26, 2020

Startups across the nation and around the world are looking for ways to relieve shortages of much-needed personal protective equipment and sanitizers used to halt the spread of COVID-19. In fact, Kentucky was outbid by the federal government for personal protective equipment. “We break it up into three different programs. .

Company 281

Company Companies Mobile Organization 281

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2014

Contrary to popular opinion I actually believe crowd-funding is best used after seed capital or venture capital. They get pitched by so many blowhards that more genuine people who aren’t in it for just a story stand out from the crowd. It super charges a business that is closer to product delivery.

Press 319

Press Startup Writing Training 319

socalTECH

AUGUST 21, 2012

Path.To , which operates a service to match up companies with software engineers, interactive designers, and other IT professionals by matching personalities, skills, and social graph, said Tuesday that it has expanded support into the Los Angeles area.

Los Angeles 157

Los Angeles eHarmony Services Angel 157

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2022

Perhaps a close personal friend can be both (the earliest stage and first tier investors should be “friends and family”). But for angel investors and venture capital investors, just remember that investors are not on your team (yet). Offer to give your executive presentation, but he may want just the elevator pitch.

Slides 126

Slides Outsource Summary Conference 126

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 2, 2022

Use personal networking. The best angels you will find are the ones who know you personally, or know a member of your team or advisory board. If you can earn an archangel's confidence, he or she will invite you to pitch the group, and you'll have an edge in the voting. If you need more, you need VCs or a flock of angels.

Invest 153

Invest Angel .Net Startup 153

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2013

Based on the final report for 2012 from Thomson Reuters and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), it may appear that IPOs are back as a viable startup exit strategy. The dot.com heydays of free flowing venture capital and supercharged IPOs are not back. Make a personal connection, directly or indirectly.

Venture Capital 101

Venture Capital Startup Capital Seed Funding 101

InfoChachkie

MAY 7, 2012

Although it is tempting to overly intellectualize modern-day venture capital, its underlying construct has been part of human society for thousands of years. If you are fortunate to pitch a sophisticated investor in person, assume they already believe in the veracity of your idea, the market and the underlying technological trends.

Ideas 251

Ideas Venture Capital Education Entrepreneur 251

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

As an introvert myself, I remember worrying that I could never be comfortable giving a sales pitch, or networking to find clients. Every entrepreneur, especially an introvert, can benefit from the perspective of another business person, ideally one who has prior experience in the domain you are about to enter.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Mentor Activity Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2011

I just read the Q1 2011 report from CB Insights , which shows venture capital is back. Back to VCs, Silicon Valley venture capital firms are still the most active. So what can you do to get to the head of the venture capital investment queue? Practice every step, including the elevator pitch to get the first meeting.

Venture Capital 93

Venture Capital Startup Capital Seed Funding 93

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 27, 2012

While this post is written about raising venture capital (which I always remind entrepreneurs IS a sales process) the lessons can be applied to any sale or biz dev deal. This lesson on NINAs applies to VC pitches as well as any sale. Every person with authority has a vote. Some people have authority (A).

Venture Capital 308

Venture Capital Sales Entrepreneur Startup 308

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

Instead, he’s launched a new delivery service that has just raised $3 million from Casa Verde Capital , the $45 million venture firm founded by hip hop impresario Snoop Dogg, and Kevin Durant’s Durant Company — among others — to take advantage of the growing demand for marijuana delivery.

Services 259

Services Venture Capital Startup Los Angeles 259

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2023

Different types of investors tend to specialize in capitalizing on businesses at different stages. Venture capital firms look for the most mature companies they can find, Angel investors typically deal a tier lower, while friends and family are most likely to help you get started.

Funding 125

Funding Startup Ideas Equity 125

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

I owe ya’ a 20 minute call (or in person next time I’m in San Diego). Yeah, that was when I changed for me…” “…there was so much positive feedback on demystifying this one element of venture capital. Are Pitch Decks becoming obsolete? But, in fact, I would rather have an executive summary than a pitch deck.

Venture Capital 288

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Software Review 288

Tech.Co

JULY 24, 2017

Especially in the early days of your startup, when you’re often only months from running out of money, hiring the wrong person can be disastrous. And if, like us, you spend the first six months of your startup under a rock, your social capital may begin to dry up. But how do you go about pitching your friends?

Networking 83

Networking Startup Software Review Conference 83

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

Most sophisticated investors ignore them, focusing their attention on an entrepreneur's pitch and presentation materials, financial forecast and executive summary. As noted in Entrepreneurs Shouldn't Pitch Their Ideas To Venture Capitalists , most sophisticated investors place their bets on people rather than opportunities.

Venture Capital 211

Venture Capital Summary Technical Review Template 211

Berkonomics

JUNE 8, 2017

The subject of raising money is critical to many businesses and a passing option to others, depending upon the capital efficiency of the enterprise. But few businesses grow into the sweet spot of $20 million to $30 million in worth to an ultimate buyer without the injection of outside capital.

Venture Capital 266

Venture Capital Class Invest Equity 266

socalTECH

OCTOBER 5, 2009

The issue seems to be coming to a boil in recent weeks, with another high profile public debate over the issue between TechStars' David Cohen and startup pitching outfit FundUniverse spilling out into the open a couple of weeks ago. In Calacanis' personal blog, he called for bloggers to launch a public campaign against Keiretsu.

Keiretsu 157

Keiretsu Santa Monica Venture Capital Blogging 157

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2014

I had witnessed a number of early-stage tech startups in LA raise seed capital from the Bay Area and relocate. We decided we would only take our accelerator to the next level if we found the perfect person to run it. When we started talking to Sam Teller we knew we had the perfect person. We had a specific goal in mind.

Venture Capital 290

Venture Capital Startup Idealab Funding 290

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 Because investors need to imagine making a minimum of 10x their invested capital and early-stage investors are shooting for even higher multiples. I have this “How much should I raise?”

Startup 292

Startup Software Review Pricing Entrepreneur 292

socalTECH

OCTOBER 13, 2009

A personal campaign by Santa Monica-based Mahalo.com 's CEO, Jason Calacanis, to put pressure on for-profit angel investment firms to stop charging entrepreneurs to pitch, has ramped up, as Calacanis said Tuesday that he has been informed that Keiretsu Forum is filing a lawsuit against him.

Keiretsu 140

Keiretsu Mahalo Santa Monica Venture Capital 140

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2017

One of the most common complaints I hear from new business owners and startups is about the pain and difficulty raising capital. The “venture capital” model is the only option they know, where they feel they get no mercy, giving up equity and control. Block out sufficient time on your calendar for raising capital.

Technical Review 88

Technical Review Equity Capital Entrepreneur 88

SoCal Tech Calendar

OCTOBER 5, 2011

The event features our premier Speed Dating* program where you can personally meet one on one and present your idea to Angel Investors, Venture Capitalists, and Private and Public Equity Investors. See [link].

Ideas 124

Ideas Funding Conference Equity 124

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

How do you handle it when a venture capitalist rejects your pitch? When a pitch fails, it's tempting (and emotionally satisfying) to blame the audience. go in person. Steve Reich , a Southern California angel investor, tells the story of how one startup handle dit, and gives some advice. A billion dollar established market.

Venture Capital 133

Venture Capital Southern California Ideas Entrepreneur 133

SoCal Tech Calendar

OCTOBER 5, 2011

The event features our premier Speed Dating program where you can personally meet one on one and present your idea to Angel Investors, Venture Capitalists, and Private and Public Equity Investors. See [link] (more)

Funding 124

Funding Conference Ideas Startup 124

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 16, 2010

I’m a high-volume person. What that means is that in a typical week I might see 10-15 new company pitches. When I see you I’m probably thinking, “damn, I know that person. Tags: Raising Venture Capital Startup Advice. That doesn’t make me important. Sometimes more. I’m less good at names.

Venture Capital 288

Venture Capital Blogging Conference Email 288

socalTECH

JULY 9, 2019

We generally aren't the first institutional investors in, so these are companies that have gone out and pitched and raised capital from investors that know the space. How did you get into venture capital, and how did you make that leap from scientist to venture capital? Chris Bostick: That's always a great question.

Venture Capital 113

Venture Capital Invest SaaS Entrepreneur 113