Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 29, 2014

This week I wrote about obsessive and competitive founders and how this forms the basis of what I look for when I invest. I had been thinking a lot about this recently because I’m often asked the question of “what I look for in an entrepreneur when I want to invest?” I had invested in myself for years.

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Startup Invest Venture Capital Writing 409

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2010

They had received a term sheet from a VC and were wondering whether to work with this firm. I often tell people that raising venture capital is more difficult than getting married. Not so in venture capital. You’re tied at the hip to your VC. But what was the VC like when the chips were down?

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Venture Capital Entrepreneur Capital Help 298

InfoChachkie

MAY 22, 2012

The steps outlined below represent an ideal approach to raising capital from sophisticated investors. You might be at Step 2 with one VC and Step 3 with another. Step 2: Get Personal & Give Freely – Once you identify a handful of potential VC partners, stealthily cyber stalk them. Prep Steps. Subscribe to their blog.

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Venture Capital Capital Research Customer 236

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 8, 2011

I recently reviewed Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson’s book Venture Deals , in THIS ENTRY. I have subsequently recommended the book to number of students as well as emerging entrepreneurs, all of whom expressed positive feedback. . Writing a book is very different from writing a blog. There were a couple motivations.

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Venture Capital Writing Entrepreneur Blogging 224

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. For the full year 2012, venture-backed initial public offerings raised $21.5 Identify the right people in the right venture firms.

Venture Capital 101

Venture Capital Startup Capital Seed Funding 101

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 1, 2009

In my previous post, The VC Ice Age is Thawing (for now) I wrote about the reasons why the VC market came to a screeching halt in September 2008 and remained largely shut until at least April 2009. There are now signs the VC market has gathered pace meaning it’s a great time to be fund raising.

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Venture Capital Marketing Startup Social Network 255

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 24, 2021

 —  @jasonlk How the Long Game Has Benefitted Upfront I was thinking about it this morning in particular and thinking about my own personal investment history. sold to Disney for $670 million and since our first investment was at < $10 million valuation we did quite well. Entrada Ventures? —?that

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Venture Capital Capital Funding Startup 363

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 14, 2010

I believe the rise in angel investing is here to stay and the professionalization of this class (aka “super angels&# or “micro VC&# ) is a good thing for the VC industry and for entrepreneurs. But I fear that for most angel investors who invest over the long haul angel investing will not be a profitable endeavor.

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Invest Angel Venture Capital Slides 306

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

We have significant VC commitments (listed below) – every entering company will get $50,000 in funding, mentorship from top VCs and successful entrepreneurs plus free office space. To provide an opportunity for VCs and senior executives to engage with the community by giving back rather than just attending more cocktail parties.

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Venture Capital Funding Startup GRP Partners 287

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 22, 2018

Los Angeles- and Austin-based Moonshots Capital , the new venture investment fund founded by Kelly Perdew and Craig Cummings, is on an investment roll, and has made another investment from its fund. Moonshots Capital has been on a roll, having just announced the lead on two other companies earlier this month.

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Capital Invest Develop Development 113

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

I came across this blog post about getting a computer science degree as the best degree for getting into venture capital or working at a VC-backed start up. I just completed an exercise where I went out to hire a new associate for my VC firm, GRP Partners. I had to laugh a bit reading it. So back to MBAs.

Startup 337

Startup Venture Capital Study Course 337

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2009

When venture capitalists scale back investing activities it can be very swift and leave many companies that are in the process of fund raising hung out to dry. I would argue that the shut-down of September 2009 was equally severe yet there are signs that this “VC Ice Age” has begun to thaw. Short answer – yes.

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Venture Capital Startup Invest Funding 263

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. In fact, most of the most active investment firms are located there, although NY now has moved solidly into second place (ahead of Boston).

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Venture Capital Startup Capital Seed Funding 93

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 14, 2010

And we all know that Ron Conway is considered the savviest of angel investors and yet by definition not all of his investments succeed. I like to invest where I have a personally strong connection with the entrepreneur and/or a strong intuition on the market from prior experience. Who ultimately invested in FourSquare?

Invest 288

Invest Angel Web 2.0 SEO 288

socalTECH

JUNE 17, 2020

Los Angeles-based Allset , a startup which allows users to book a table and pre-order food at restaurants, said it has launched a new app and website. The company said the upgraded app and website will make it easier for its users to find and gte food they want from local restaurants. The new app works on both iOS and Android. READ MORE>>.

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Funding Venture Capital Los Angeles Invest 113

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 7, 2014

I had dinner this week with a top new customer at one of our enterprise software investments. I wish I did more enterprise software investing because when I attend meetings like this I realize that this is my core DNA – rolling out business software solutions to customers. Contrast that with a VC conversation I had.

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Customer Custom Venture Capital Software Review 341

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Capitalism is fundamentally about timing, since market competition is about finding opportunities before others. When should a VC invest? Between TechCrunch today and my former roles in venture capital, I’ve had the opportunity to practice timing a lot. Mithril Capital, management fees, and VC strategic drift.

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Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Invest 202

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 3, 2010

This was really a fun week at TWiVC because we decided to have an entrepreneur come and talk about raising capital rather than having a VC come on. In particular I tried to do most of the “entrepreneur advice on VC” up front so that if you don’t want to watch our views on the deals you don’t have to. Orchard for e-Books”.

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Venture Capital Startup Design S3 214

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 17, 2017

He eventually founded and sold consumer health firm ViSalus to a public company and is now back making investments, in technology companies, as a venture capitalist here at Los Angeles-based HashtagOne (www.hashtagone.com). What's the theme of your investments? That's why we have investments in Heal, Saucey, and FragMob.

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Technical Review Software Review 100

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 21, 2019

Hello and welcome back to Startups Weekly, a weekend newsletter that dives into the week’s noteworthy news pertaining to startups and venture capital. Landline , the operator of a bus network in the Midwest, is one of the latest companies to raise venture capital. Ginkgo Bioworks raises capital at a $4B valuation.

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Services Startup Venture Capital Redpoint 207

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 9, 2014

Generally speaking in venture capital financings the legal documents will specify that only “major investors” (a threshold set in the agreement – which can be $500,000 investor or more). We led an investment round in a company a while ago in which we wrote a seven-figure check and have taken a board seat.

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Venture Capital Seed Funding Email Blogging 352

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

San Diego-based HouseCall , which develops mobile software to let consumers book home services appointments, along with offering up home services contractors with scheduling and related tools, has raised $6M in a funding round. The company disclosed the funding on Tuesday, saying that August Capital led the funding.

Mobile 100

Mobile Services Software San Diego 100

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 22, 2012

He also nails the reason why venture capital is still necessary to grow large businesses quickly in a world where the costs of running startups have fallen dramatically. “Why do founders want to take the VCs’ money? .” After all, growth equals high valuations and loads of venture capital!

Startup 390

Startup Venture Capital Entrepreneur Technical Review 390

socalTECH

OCTOBER 11, 2018

Los Angeles-based Moonshots Capital , the venture capital investment firm led by Kelly Perdew and Craig Cummings, has raised its first official fund, a $19M seed stage venture fund.

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Artificial Inteligence Capital Funding Social Media 133

socalTECH

JANUARY 19, 2016

LeisureLink which provides booking and distribution software for the vacation rental industry, announced today that it has raised $17M in a funding round. The funding came from Clearstone Ventures, Kinderhook Industries, and Escalate Capital Partners.

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Clearstone Pasadena Funding Capital 100

Berkonomics

MAY 15, 2014

Each one of these terms includes aspects of fairness, ethics, law, business, entrepreneurship, psychology and investing. Angel investing today is similar to where venture capital investing was in the mid-1980s. Very often, the initial opinions of the people around the table are radically different.

Venture Capital 228

Venture Capital Examples Invest Conference 228

socalTECH

APRIL 5, 2011

Santa Monica-based TrueCar , the online car pricing site headed by Scott Painter, has scored a new, equity investment and partnership with direct marketing firm Guthy-Renker , the firm announced today. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed. READ MORE>>.

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Truecar Invest Edmunds Santa Monica 232

InfoChachkie

JUNE 3, 2013

John Lusk, along with his Co-Author Kyle Harrison, leveraged their humble company''s newsletter into The MouseDriver Chronicles , a New York Times bestselling book. However, a number of them wanted to vicariously experience the startup world through John and Kyle''s venture. Saying, ''Hey, we want to pay you to write a book.’

Newsletter 233

Newsletter Startup Entrepreneur Writing 233

Berkonomics

JUNE 8, 2017

Email readers, continue here…] Bootstrapping: This term describes your ability to start a business with little investment and grow it using internally-generated funds. Dave’s book and ebook on raising money available on Amazon.com. composed of these investors and management.

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Venture Capital Class Invest Equity 266

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2021

You can listen to the entire conversation above or via this link , but I also wanted to highlight one topic we discussed that I feel strongly about, which is how I think enterprise sales and venture fundraising are basically the same muscle. OK, so you’ve found your target LPs who invest in funds at your stage. Why Buy Me?

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Sales Startup Invest Funding 375

From the Venture Trenches

APRIL 11, 2013

Ask any venture firm or accelerator which investments get done in their shop and they will tell you the deals that come through their personal network. At Kline Hawkes & Co, the venture firm where I worked for 14 years, the “personal relationship” deals comprised approximately 90% of the entire portfolio.

Venture Capital 45

Venture Capital Capital Startup Invest 45

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 3, 2011

As the authors make clear in the book’s preface, their goal is to create a “definitive guide to venture capital deals” and “demystify the venture capital financing process.” They are both former entrepreneurs and current Partners at Foundry Group , a highly successful, early stage venture firm.

Venture Capital 205

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Writing Guide 205

socalTECH

APRIL 12, 2017

Wallach on investments out of a new fund, Inevitable Ventures. How did you end up here in Los Angeles doing investments? I booked a one-way ticket to LA to visit my only friend in the city and crash on his couch. Hollod is now joined up with Burkle and recording artist D.A. We brought in a third partner, Guy Oseary.

Invest 157

Invest Startup Hollywood Echo Park 157

From the Venture Trenches

APRIL 11, 2013

Ask any venture firm or accelerator which investments get done in their shop and they will tell you the deals that come through their personal network. At Kline Hawkes & Co, the venture firm where I worked for 14 years, the “personal relationship” deals comprised approximately 90% of the entire portfolio.

Venture Capital 40

Venture Capital Capital Startup Invest 40

socalTECH

MARCH 19, 2009

Los Angeles-based AdventureLink , the new adventure travel booking site run by Kelly Tompkins, announced this morning that it has acquired a competitor, Adventure Central. According to AdventureLink, the all-stock deal also included a new investment from Allegis Capital. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

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Allegis Invest Anthem Venture Capital 124

TechCrunch LA

DECEMBER 4, 2018

The $45 million Series A was co-led by FitLab, Causeway Media Partners and JAZZ Venture Partners, with participation from Courtside Ventures, Elysian Park Ventures and ward.ventures. “ Or they are turning to books or very restrictive diets. ” Freeletics chief executive officer Daniel Sobhani.

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Coach Mobile Training Netflix 264

Berkonomics

AUGUST 10, 2017

Helping the founder create a company and build a much-needed product in an industry I knew very well, I served as chairman for the newly formed company, and along with my several rounds of early investment, led rounds of other angel investors in what I knew as a successful opportunity to fill a need in an industry I understood.

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Venture Capital Product Resource Marketing 243