Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2021

A while back I received a discouraging note from an entrepreneur with a patent and a medical software application who couldn’t find a dime of investment, and was grousing that seed funding just wasn’t available anymore. Fundraising is indeed brutally tough at all stages, and seed funding is the hardest to find.

Software Review 123

Software Review Seed Funding Funding Startup 123

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 23, 2015

Crosscut Ventures has just announced their 3rd fund and clocking in at $75 million , which will be focused heavily on Los Angeles – FTW. This week Michael Dubin’s startup Dollar Shave Club announced a $75 million funding round at a rumored $650 million valuation. LA has grown up a lot over the past 5 years.

News 150

News Funding Venture Capital Dollar Shave Club 150

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

I’m over-paying for every check I write into the VC ecosystem and valuations are being pushed up to absurd levels and many of these valuations and companies won’t hold in the long term. However, to be a great VC you have to hold two conflicting ideas in your head at the same time. Seed has become an option factory for many.

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 11, 2021

million seed round, including investments from CRV, Abstract Ventures, Crossbeam (Ali Hamed), id8, Michael Ovitz (founder of CAA), Michael Bosstick, Diaspora Ventures and others. Linktree has been around since 2016 and has more funding than its up-and-coming competitors. Now, Snipfeed enters the ring with its own $5.5 With its $5.5

Platform 286

Platform Commerce Startup Tool 286

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 26, 2022

Considering that many of our funds are in the $200–300 million range, these returns were more meaningful than if we had raised billion dollar funds. Obviously the funding environment has changed considerably in 2022 but as early-stage investors our daily jobs stay largely unchanged. What do you do with a $650 million platform?

Startup 408

Startup Venture Capital Writing Invest 408

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2015

Even if you work every day in the world of new-venture funding, as I do, the options are confusing, and their meanings seem to change on a regular basis. I challenge any entrepreneur, for example, to define the difference between "seed-stage" and "early-stage" financing. Business accelerator funding.

Funding 104

Funding Venture Capital Startup Seed Funding 104

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2017

Every year Upfront Ventures surveys Limited Partners (LPs) who are the main source of capital that invests in VC funds and thus the main source of capital that goes to startups to get an early-warning sense of the year ahead, leaving aside any Black Swans. link] So here are some details (please thank & follow! Will it last?

Startup 286

Startup Venture Capital Seed Funding Capital 286

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2023

I always answer that there isn’t any magic, and contrary to the popular myth, nobody is waiting in the wings to throw money at you, just because you have a new and exciting business idea. Thus it is always a question of what you qualify for, and what you are willing to give up, to turn your dream idea into a viable business.

Startup 106

Startup Capital Equity Funding 106

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2013

A while back I received a discouraging note from an entrepreneur with a patent and a medical software application who couldn’t find a dime of investment, and was grousing that seed funding just wasn’t available anymore. Fundraising is indeed brutally tough at all stages, and the seed funding is the hardest to find.

Software Review 106

Software Review Funding Startup Seed Funding 106

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2021

They dream of appearing at the door, with their idea on the back of a napkin, and popping out a few months later with investor money to burn. Y Combinator , led by Paul Graham, claims success with 3000 companies over 15 years, with a combined value of over $300 billion. Initial funding. Follow-on funding and connections.

Incubator 146

Incubator Technical Review Entrepreneur Mentor 146

socalTECH

APRIL 10, 2018

It's a term to help people understand that we're here to help companies get ready to scale. Most of our mentors are people who have been successful entrepreneurs and investors, who have been there, and understand how to get a company to the next sage. We are there to take that promising company, and propel them to the next stage.

Startup 172

Startup Seed Funding Mentor Ideas 172

socalTECH

JUNE 18, 2013

The two were roommates at UC Santa Barbara and hatched the idea because they are diehard sports fans. The startup is now in the midst of seed funding efforts, after seeing uptake and large numbers of downloads of the app.

Santa Monica 227

Santa Monica Santa Barbara Statistics Seed Funding 227

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

I always answer that there isn’t any magic, and contrary to the popular myth, nobody is waiting in the wings to throw money at you, just because you have a new and exciting business idea. Thus it is always a question of what you qualify for, and what you are willing to give up, to turn your dream idea into a viable business.

Funding 107

Funding Startup Equity Examples 107

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 9, 2011

A while back I received a discouraging note from an entrepreneur with a patent and a medical software application who couldn’t find a dime of investment, and was grousing that seed funding just wasn’t available anymore. Fundraising is indeed brutally tough at all stages, and the seed funding is the hardest to find.

Software Review 98

Software Review Funding Seed Funding Startup 98

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2014

I always answer that there isn’t any magic, and contrary to the popular myth, nobody is waiting in the wings to throw money at you, just because you have a new and exciting business idea. Thus it is always a question of what you qualify for, and what you are willing to give up, to turn your dream idea into a viable business.

Startup 113

Startup Entrepreneur Funding Equity 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2023

Direct seed funding, for a share of the equity, and introductions to investors. If you don’t need these common resources, but need specialized technology services, you should look for technology parks and research facilities, often sponsored by leading companies in specific technologies, like Intel Capital and Google Ventures (GV).

Organization 92

Organization Incubator Startup Resource 92

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 8, 2016

The company--which is led Dr. Renee Dua--said McCourt was already a founding investor in the company, having invested in the company's seed funding via Jamie Enterprises. Dua said McCourt will be "an invaluable asset" in the growth and success of the company.

SoCalTech 100

SoCalTech Seed Funding Demand Los Angeles 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 9, 2012

In recent months, a dozen accelerators and incubators have emerged in the Southern California area, looking to help take the new generation of technology startups to funding and beyond. Representative companies: Look.io, Getbonkers, Invested.in, Tidepool, Stacksocial. Funding: Yes. Representative companies: Funding: No.

Southern California 246

Southern California Incubator Guide Startup 246

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2009

Good idea & plan: You must start with a good idea and a PowerPoint deck (my outline is here , scroll down mid way). Very few people fund individuals. Great companies are built by having great products. One great company, AppFolio , filmed all of this user interaction and made the DVD available to me.

Angel 291

Angel Funding Venture Capital Startup 291

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Direct seed funding, for a share of the equity, and introductions to investors. If you don’t need these common resources, but need specialized technology services, you should look for technology parks and research facilities, often sponsored by leading companies in specific technologies, like Intel Capital and Google Ventures (GV).

Resource 159

Resource Startup Incubator Seed Funding 159

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2011

Recently I heard a talk by Dave McClure, a long-time angel investor, who also proclaims to be one of the “new breed” of venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, as CEO of 500Startups , which is either a micro-VC seed fund, or a startup incubator, or both. Today, if you do well in this mode, you will get funded if and when you need it.

Startup 92

Startup Funding Seed Funding Incubator 92

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 30, 2014

As I’ve written about recently, at Upfront Ventures we started talking a couple of years ago about wanting to fund stuff with more meaning. I think this is a combination of being realists as venture capitalists that outsized returns in our funds must come from taking on bigger, more impactful projects that can move markets.

Technical Review 418

Technical Review Software Review CTO Hire IP 418

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 8, 2022

With the cost of entry at an all-time low, and the odds of success equally low, more and more entrepreneurs are starting multiple companies concurrently. In your weekly meetings, it’s as easy to cover multiple company issues as one. Products need not be tied to a given company. Optimize your advisers and investors.

Entrepreneur 145

Entrepreneur Startup Resource Course 145

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 3, 2010

I recently wrote a blog post on understanding how the size and age of a venture capital fund might affect you when you’re raising money. Because it is a “series&# I plan to get into some of the deeper complexities of funds such as “cross over funds&# and “why VC’s hate to price their own deals&# at a later stage.

Venture Capital 265

Venture Capital Seed Funding Pricing Invest 265

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2014

and I thought if we brought the community together for common purpose we could create more of a sense of community to help new entrepreneurs get funded, assemble teams, raise profiles and help with biz dev, product, etc. Companies were getting funded more easily and many more companies were actually being created.

Venture Capital 290

Venture Capital Startup Idealab Funding 290

TechCrunch LA

MAY 13, 2020

Sharon stresses that his company is based on the latest science and that nothing that’s included in Taika’s coffee-based drinks is a novel compound or regulated substance. “ We are, as a company, we’re very much science aware and science supported,” said Sharon. “We have no added sugar in the coffee. .”

Startup 284

Startup Los Angeles Seed Funding Product 284

socalTECH

AUGUST 19, 2014

We recently spoke with co-founder and CEO, Justin Wu to learn more about the company, which so far has received a small seed funding from Warner Bros. as part of that company''s Warner Media Camp accelerator. Justin Wu: Last year, we talked to Media Camp about our idea, when it was at a much earlier stage.

Commerce 153

Commerce Content Downey Media 153

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 7, 2015

I save room in literally every deal to invite angels (or seed funds) to co-invest with me. Another founder … “When I pitched the idea to Adam, he was super on board,” Mr. Sloyan said. I actually think a strong lead with some well-placed and experienced angels is the right mix. All of my partners at Upfront do.

Angel 150

Angel Startup Seed Funding Invest 150

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2018

I always answer that there isn’t any magic, and contrary to the popular myth, nobody is waiting in the wings to throw money at you, just because you have a new and exciting business idea. Thus it is always a question of what you qualify for, and what you are willing to give up, to turn your dream idea into a viable business.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Startup Equity Funding 96

TechCrunch LA

DECEMBER 19, 2018

million in seed funding to begin building a manufacturing facility and expand its presence in Los Angeles as the city continues to grow as a hub for robotics and automation. . That was around 2017, when the two first began brainstorming how they would build their company. Elementary Robotics has raised $3.6

Los Angeles 207

Los Angeles Angel Artificial Inteligence CalTech 207

socalTECH

MARCH 8, 2013

DatAllegro was one of the first companies in what is now the "big data" industry, and helped to pioneer the entire segment. Now, Frost has set up shop buildling out a whole series of companies in the industry, and we caught up with him to learn more about the companies (Predixion Software, Cirro, Lineage, Kumo, etc.)

Incubator 208

Incubator Startup CTO Hire Ideas 208

socalTECH

JANUARY 29, 2020

This week, Los Angeles-based Crosscut Ventures announced a brand new effort to provide health and wellness to the founders of companies it invests in, helping those founders with well being, mental health, stress management, coaching, and leadership development. Any lessons you have learned now that you're now on your fourth fund?

Invest 113

Invest Framework Coach Startup 113

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

The frantic pace of technology cycles, the amount of tech news, the blogs, the conferences, the demo days, the announcements, the fundings, the IPOs. Any longtime readers of this blog will know that I often try to simplify complex ideas into a simple parable that is easier to remember to set the tone of one’s behaviors.

Startup 317

Startup Technical Review Venture Capital Email 317

socalTECH

JULY 16, 2012

The firm already has seed funding from such investors as Kelly Perdew, Sugarmaker Media, and support from talent agency ICM Partners. Gocke told us more about the company and what it's doing. Jeremy Gocke: The first incarnation of the idea for Fliptu started to gel between 2008 and 2010. What is Fliptu?

Social Media 268

Social Media Media Social Network Seed Funding 268

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2012

A while back I heard a talk by Dave McClure, a long-time angel investor, who also proclaims to be one of the “new breed” of venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, as CEO of 500Startups , which is either a micro-VC seed fund, or a startup incubator, or both. He is going gangbusters, and is now targeting a $50M second round of funding.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Seed Funding Incubator 101

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 6, 2020

A few of the highlights include biking as one of the few bright spots, how some companies have pivoted to providing rides to healthcare workers and insights on how the industry and cities might have reacted had the pandemic occurred two years in the future. These times have sparked a host of new ideas. A novel rewards program.

Layoffs 136

Layoffs Startup Newsletter Santa Monica 136

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 10, 2011

When I meet with Tom offline it’s obvious that he immediately is thinking about product issues, technology trends, funding rounds, etc. A very big thanks to Alexandra Harris, the founder of FanCause , a company that aims to connect entertainment brands with their fans to raise money. Sounds like a noble cause. Hope you all enjoy.

Angel 302

Angel Startup Ideas .Net 302