Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2016

Angel investors are still the lifeblood of early-stage startups, despite the surge of activity in crowdfunding and an increasing early interest from venture capitalists. According to the Angel Capital Association , at least 300,000 people have made angel investments in the last two years, totaling $24 billion in the U.S.

Angel 65

Angel Startup Technical Review Social Media 65

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2012

Every new startup I know dreams of being funded early by one of the 318,000 active Angel investors in the USA alone. Most of these investors are members of Angel groups that have a rigorous filtering and screening process, to select the top 3% and most fundable proposals. File a patent and trademarks to show real intellectual property.

Angel 104

Angel Screening Summary Startup 104

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 14, 2023

Deferred payments start with stretching the payables period but, more importantly, include giving employee equity in lieu of a higher salaries and negotiating vendor deferred payments out of future revenues. For example, a software development startup raising $250,000 from angel investors better be able to operate on $25,000 per month.

Search Engine Optimization 103

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 103

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2023

Most universities have a file of patents from project work that they are willing to license to any entrepreneur for business commercialization, with little or no cost up front. Every startup needs to start their funding search looking for grants, with no equity dilution, as well as contests and foundations.

Entrepreneur 110

Entrepreneur Class Startup Resource 110

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2014

The first question I usually get is what percent of the company or equity is that person worth? Just because it was your idea doesn’t mean you “deserve” 90 percent of the equity. The value in a startup is all about tangible results, so there is no equity value in the idea alone. Key to required patents or trade secrets.

Equity 104

Equity Patents Startup CTO Hire 104

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Every new startup I know dreams of being funded by an angel investor. Over the past 10 years, I have had the opportunity to see how the process works, several times from the startup side, and more recently from the angel perspective (as a member of an angel group selection committee). Line up an experienced team.

Invest 99

Invest Angel Technical Review Summary 99

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2010

The reality is that angel investors are humans, and personal traits often make or break the relationship, even before the investment is considered. On the top line, angel investors look to invest in entrepreneurs that have an almost unwavering passion and sense of urgency. Values intellectual property.

Entrepreneur 96

Entrepreneur Angel Technical Review Course 96

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 28, 2013

Helping solicit new business ideas and patents from individuals, federal research labs, universities and other R&D organizations countrywide. After joining, one can search for a company co-founder or head to the platform’s “Jobs” section for opportunities listed by each company, allowing an exchange of services for equity in the company.

El Segundo 76

El Segundo Social Network Startup Patents 76

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 22, 2018

Los Angeles investor Mark Suster, a general partner with Upfront Ventures , has been beating the drum for Los Angeles as a new tech hub for a while — and billion dollar exits for Ring and Dollar Shave Club, in addition to the public offering for Snap, lend credence to his position.

Southern California 224

Southern California Dollar Shave Club SoCal Develop 224

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2020

Deferred payments start with stretching the payables period but, more importantly, include giving employee equity in lieu of a higher salaries and negotiating vendor deferred payments out of future revenues. For example, a software development startup raising $250,000 from angel investors better be able to operate on $25,000 per month.

Search Engine Optimization 124

Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media Equity 124

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

Every new startup I know dreams of being funded by an angel investor. Over the past 10 years, I have had the opportunity to see how the process works, several times from the startup side, and more recently from the angel perspective (as a member of an angel group selection committee). Line up an experienced team.

Angel 89

Angel Funding Technical Review Startup 89

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 23, 2012

One of the first tough decisions that startup founders have to make is how to allocate or split the equity among co-founders. Another common “failure to start” situation I see is one where the “idea person” insists that the idea is 90% of the value (and 90% of the equity). Building a product doesn’t get it distributed and sold.

Startup 101

Startup Entrepreneur Equity CTO Hire 101

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2021

As a long-time advisor to entrepreneurs and occasional angel investor, I often see and hear innovative product pitches that sound exciting, but are missing one or more of the key business elements that investors deem critical for funding consideration. Patents are a good place for you to start.

Funding 132

Funding Template Resource Competition 132

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2020

Most universities have a file of patents from project work that they are willing to license to any entrepreneur for business commercialization, with little or no cost up front. Every startup needs to start their funding search looking for grants, with no equity dilution, as well as contests and foundations.

Class 124

Class Startup Resource Mentor 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2013

Initially, you may be able to rely on friends and family to put you on the top of their list, but eventually you will probably need real professional investors (Angels and VCs). Most Angels I know get their payback from helping others, not from making money. Angel investors look for prior domain and startup experience.

Invest 107

Invest Startup Venture Capital Ideas 107

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 23, 2013

Yet, according to many sources , over 90 percent of all businesses are started and grown with no equity financing, and many others would have been better off without it. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Of course, every company needs these, in due time.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Technical Review Equity 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2015

As an angel investor, what I’m looking for is key data from your business plan, including financial projections, how much money you are looking for and a quantification of my potential return. Patents or other intellectual property are a real competitive advantage for a startup, but first to market and working harder are not sustainable.

Summary 101

Summary Patents Technical Review Competition 101

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

Deferred payments start with stretching the payables period but, more importantly, include giving employee equity in lieu of a higher salaries and negotiating vendor deferred payments out of future revenues. For example, a software development startup raising $250,000 from angel investors better be able to operate on $25,000 per month.

Startup 89

Startup Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 89

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. For example, “I just patented a new cell-phone technology that will double battery life for half the cost.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Deferred payments start with stretching the payables period but, more importantly, include giving employee equity in lieu of a higher salaries and negotiating vendor deferred payments out of future revenues. For example, a software development startup raising $250,000 from angel investors better be able to operate on $25,000 per month.

Startup 108

Startup Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 108

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Yet, according to many sources , over 90 percent of all businesses are started and grown with no equity financing, and many others would have been better off without it. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Of course, every company needs these, in due time.

Technical Review 95

Technical Review Startup Equity Entrepreneur 95

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2013

The reality is that angel investors are humans, and personal traits often make or break the relationship, even before the investment is considered. On the top line, angel investors look to invest in entrepreneurs that have an almost unwavering passion and sense of urgency. Values intellectual property.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Entrepreneur Course Patents 109

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Yet, according to many sources , over 90 percent of all businesses are started and grown with no equity financing, and many others would have been better off without it. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Of course, every company needs these, in due time.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup Equity 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2012

The reality is that angel investors are humans, and personal traits often make or break the relationship, even before the investment is considered. On the top line, angel investors look to invest in entrepreneurs that have an almost unwavering passion and sense of urgency. Values intellectual property.

Entrepreneur 117

Entrepreneur Technical Review Course Patents 117

socalTECH

MARCH 31, 2014

Bitvore is based in Irvine, and is backed by serial entrepreneur Yuri Pikover, as well as other angels. That''s really where the genesis of this comes from, and we have patents around the idea of continually analyzing both structure and semistructured data from a wide variety of sources, simultaneously. How did you end up raising both?

Orange County 245

Orange County Startup News IBM 245

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2016

Most universities have a file of patents from project work that they are willing to license to any entrepreneur for business commercialization, with little or no cost up front. Every startup needs to start their funding search looking for grants, with no equity dilution, as well as contests and foundations.

Entrepreneur 55

Entrepreneur Capital Class Startup 55

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2018

As an occasional angel investor, I always ask for a business pitch to get me in the mood. Patents, trade secrets, and trademarks are very attractive to investors, since these are not easily overcome by competitors. Specific investment size request, and equity offered. Solo entrepreneurs have a hard time finding an investor.

Product 58

Product Slides Entrepreneur Invest 58

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 5, 2014

Deferred payments start with stretching the payables period but, more importantly, include giving employee equity in lieu of a higher salaries and negotiating vendor deferred payments out of future revenues. For example, a software development startup raising $250,000 from angel investors better be able to operate on $25,000 per month.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Search Engine Optimization Outsource Development Social Media 105

socalTECH

DECEMBER 7, 2016

Orange County startup Beatshare --backed by the Tech Coast Angels, Pasadena Angels, Harvard Business School Angels, and Archangels, among others�thinks it's figured out the formula to make music the message in its mobile app. That's what really started to get us interest from the angel community. All are separate.

Tech Coast Angels 100

Tech Coast Angels CTO Coach Startup Pasadena Angels 100

socalTECH

MARCH 28, 2014

Los Angeles-based mobile advertising company Airpush has quietly grown to around $100M in annual revenues, according to a recent ranking from Forbes--a big surprise, as the company was completely bootstrapped by founder Asher Delug , who eschewed the usual use of venture capital and private equity to build a company to those revenue levels.

Startup 196

Startup Mobile Advertising Organization 196

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 22, 2013

According to Quipa, using a patented approach that’s more agile and secure than traditional VPN technologies, its QuipaLoop software segments a network into “loops” of trusted devices. The Los Angeles based firm in November secured Series A financing from FF Angel, Siemer Ventures, 500 Startups, and Peter Thiel among others.

Yammer 72

Yammer Journal Networking Software 72

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! Describe your technology patents and “secret sauce”. What equity is the company willing to give in return for the investment?

Slides 99

Slides Competition Sample Sales 99

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. Filing a provisional patent costs very little if you do it yourself, and it holds your place in line for a year.

Startup 62

Startup Patents Entrepreneur Writing 62

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2013

VCs and angel investors hear this one all the time. That’s probably the soft way of saying, we don’t have a patent or any “secret sauce” for a competitive advantage. Investors expect the founder and other principals to have “skin in the game,” over and above “sweat equity.” We have no competitors.” No need to risk my own funds.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Startup Social Network IBM 111

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 25, 2016

If you expect an equity investment from reputable investors for your new startup, you need to know the boundaries that often limit their interest. As an active angel investor, here are some key ones I have seen, with some guidance on how to improve your odds. It costs very little to file a provisional patent to begin your protection.

Funding 57

Funding Social Media Startup Patents 57

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! Describe your technology patents and “secret sauce”. What equity is the company willing to give in return for the investment?

Slides 93

Slides Competition Sample Sales 93

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2012

VCs and angel investors hear this one all the time. That’s probably the soft way of saying, we don’t have a patent or any “secret sauce” for a competitive advantage. Investors expect the founder and other principals to have “skin in the game,” over and above “sweat equity.” We have no competitors.” No need to risk my own funds.

Startup 95

Startup Social Network IBM IBM 95