Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2017

The “venture capital” model is the only option they know, where they feel they get no mercy, giving up equity and control. Document the investment types you are willing to consider. The basic categories include equity, straight debt, convertible debt, services, and agreements for future equity.

Technical Review 88

Technical Review Equity Capital Entrepreneur 88

SoCal CTO

APRIL 8, 2010

How do the sample Series Seed financing documents differ from typical Series A financing documents? Startup Company Lawyer , March 14, 2010 After the recent announcement of the Series Seed Financing documents by Marc Andreesen, Brad Feld points out that there are now four sets of “open source” equity seed financing documents.

Startup 150

Startup Software Review Competition SoCal 150

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2010

Things that make it investment-grade for outside investors will also benefit you, since you are the ultimate investor. Many people seem to use the social network advertising model for revenue, but forget it requires at least 100M users and $50M investment. Investors invest in people - not just ideas. Executive team.

Invest 74

Invest Tips Competition Metrics 74

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 16, 2015

If you go this route, be careful to make the stakes clear: i.e., that they could lose their whole investment. Angels (invest their own money) and super angels. If you’re raising funds from angels you’ll likely need to get investments from several different players. Venture debt.

Startup 40

Startup Venture Capital Equity Funding 40

socalTECH

MARCH 31, 2014

Bitvore is based in Irvine, and is backed by serial entrepreneur Yuri Pikover, as well as other angels. One of the folks was the CTO of an investment bank in New York, who immediately saw what we did, and said he had a problem he wanted us to approach. To give you an overview, there are something like 6,000 equities in the U.S.

Orange County 245

Orange County Startup News IBM 245

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2016

Most entrepreneurs I know are so passionate about their new idea that they are surprised when family and friends don’t line up to invest in their new venture. They don’t realize that most Angel investors and venture capitalists will also decline to be first, if you have no commitment from friends and family.

Funding 60

Funding Startup Ideas Slides 60

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 2, 2016

Unfortunately, as a startup advisor and angel investor, I’ve seen too many ventures with great potential get destroyed or set back by legal and other shortcuts that should never have been allowed to happen. Trade secrets need to be documented and dated, and business plans labeled as confidential. Late surprises lead to lawsuits.

Startup 62

Startup Patents Entrepreneur Writing 62

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2012

As a member of the local Angel group selection committee, I’ve seen a lot of startup presentations to investors, and I’ve never seen one that was too short - maybe short on content, but not short on pages! What equity is the company willing to give in return for the investment? What is the timeframe of return on investment?

Slides 99

Slides Competition Sample Sales 99

socalTECH

MARCH 26, 2014

We''ve raised around $72 million now in equity capital. We then added a scheduling tool and document routing to handle all basic office tasks, and to interface with clients. They are an LP, which is 75 percent of their fund, but they make direct investments for 25 percent. So, we got to know the healthcare industry.

Startup 160

Startup El Segundo CTO Hire Outsource Development 160

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Based on my experience as an angel investor and a mentor to dozens of entrepreneurs, having no business plan is the quickest way to define yourself as just a dreamer, or at best a hobbyist. Project revenues, costs and investment needs. The details can be added later. Now let’s talk about the bases that need to be covered.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

Things that make it investment-grade for outside investors will also benefit you, since you are the ultimate investor. Many people seem to use the social network advertising model for revenue, but forget it assumes at least 100M users and $50M investment. Investors invest in people - not just ideas. Executive team.

Competition 113

Competition Metrics Startup Invest 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2012

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. A dysfunctional team, or even one naysayer in a critical position can stall your investment.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Startup Writing Competition 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2011

As a member of the local Angel group selection committee, I’ve seen a lot of startup presentations to investors, and I’ve never seen one that was too short - maybe short on content, but not short on pages! What equity is the company willing to give in return for the investment? What is the timeframe of return on investment?

Slides 93

Slides Competition Sample Sales 93

socalTECH

JUNE 17, 2009

Companies we've selected are those that are the most exciting, and high profile, that people will want to invest in. Greg Brogger: Where we're starting today, is angel investors and founders--the senior management team of the company. tools available, not to mention the growth and size of the private equity market--it's a 2.5

Startup 124

Startup Zag Venture Capital Equity 124

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2010

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. A dysfunctional team, or even one naysayer in a critical position can stall your investment.

Technical Review 90

Technical Review Writing Competition Tips 90

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 19, 2010

As a member of the local angel group Selection Committee, I’ve seen a lot of startup presentations to investors, and I’ve never seen one that was too short - maybe short on content, but not short on pages! What equity is the company willing to give in return for the investment? What is the timeframe of return on investment?

Slides 94

Slides Competition Sample Sales 94

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

Things that make it investment-grade for outside investors will also benefit you, since you are the ultimate investor. Many people seem to use the social network advertising model for revenue, but forget it assumes at least 100M users and $50M investment. Investors invest in people - not just ideas. Executive team.

Competition 116

Competition Metrics Startup Sales 116

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money. Join an existing angel investor group.

Invest 89

Invest Entrepreneur Startup Equity 89

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.

Startup 354

Startup Pricing Equity Venture Capital 354

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2022

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money. Join an existing angel investor group.

Startup 120

Startup Invest Equity Incubator 120

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

Here are some tips which will signal traction and fundability to investors, as well as to your team: Document your business plan. Funding for pre-revenue startups used to be the domain of angel investors, but they have moved up-stage. Show personal investment. Register some intellectual property.

Funding 112

Funding Entrepreneur Startup CTO Hire 112

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 21, 2010

When to get a lawyer - If you plan to be a venture or angel backed technology company (what I mostly write about) the best time to start meeting and getting to know lawyers is long before you ever start your company. You never got around to agreeing exact equity splits but you had many conversations about it.

Startup 318

Startup IP Southern California Entrepreneur 318

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money. Join an existing angel investor group.

Invest 73

Invest Startup Equity Incubator 73

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2012

Here are some tips which will signal traction and fundability to investors, as well as to your team: Document your business plan. Funding for pre-revenue startups used to be the domain of angel investors, but they have moved up-stage. Show personal investment. Register some intellectual property.

Startup 104

Startup CTO Hire Press Customer 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2011

Here are some tips which will signal traction and fundability to investors, as well as to your team: Document your business plan. Funding for pre-revenue startups used to be the domain of angel investors, but they have moved up-stage. Show personal investment. Register some intellectual property.

Startup 101

Startup CTO Hire Press Customer 101

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money. Join an existing Angel investor group.

Startup 87

Startup Invest Incubator Ideas 87

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2010

Here are some tips which will signal traction to investors, as well as your team: Document your business plan. Funding for pre-revenue startups used to be the domain of angel investors, but they have moved up-stage. Show personal investment. If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient.

Tips 88

Tips Startup CTO Hire Press 88

Jason Nazar

MAY 2, 2016

Find sources of capital— friends & family, business bank loans , angel investment , venture capital or even crowdfunding ( Crowdfunder , Fundable ). Set up a collaboration method for business documents, spreadsheets and presentations ( GoogleApps ). Clarify who gets equity , and how much. Recommended.

Outsource Development 40

Outsource Development Startup Google Mentor 40

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. Since 2009 I have been counseling people to offer discounts to the first angel investors. You can do it with equity & a price.

Pricing 294

Pricing Venture Capital Writing Equity 294

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2015

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money. Join an existing Angel investor group.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Startup Invest Incubator 102

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

When an entrepreneur takes on investors who take equity (i.e. The board is where large equity investors get their representation. It’s why the best angels and seed investors are local and why the best independents are, too. not debt where they have to be paid back) they are actually co-owners in the business you created.

Startup 187

Startup Writing Venture Capital Oracle 187

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2012

Reuters TV Interview by Rhonda Schaffler Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money.

Startup 91

Startup Invest Incubator Ideas 91

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 5, 2011

500 Hats , January 10, 2010 Developing new startup ideas - Chris Dixon , March 14, 2010 Batch Processing Millions and Millions of Images - Code as Craft , July 9, 2010 jQuery Plugin: Give Your Characters a NobleCount - The Product Guy , March 23, 2010 How do the sample Series Seed financing documents differ from typical Series A financing documents?

Startup 378

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Coach 378

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

As an advisor to many entrepreneurs, I still hear frequently the irrational exuberance that crowdfunding is the quick alternative for startups that are passed over by overly demanding angels or venture capital investors. In reality, crowdfunding has become a major startup funding vehicle, expected to reach $3.62

Startup 100

Startup Equity Entrepreneur Demand 100

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2020

As an advisor to many entrepreneurs, I still hear frequently the irrational exuberance that crowdfunding is the quick alternative for startups that are passed over by overly demanding angels or venture capital investors. Crowdfunding is just the beginning of your business launch. Crowdfunding success does not mean business success.

Startup 151

Startup Equity Funding Demand 151

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 16, 2015

Boy wearing Oculus Rift via Wikipedia As an advisor to many entrepreneurs, I still hear frequently the irrational exuberance that crowdfunding is the quick alternative for startups that are passed over by overly demanding angels or venture capital investors. Crowdfunding is just the beginning of your business launch.

Startup 53

Startup Equity Entrepreneur Demand 53