Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

If you’re funding the same stuff as everybody else and if you started your activities when the clues were obvious you’re much less likely to drive enormous returns. When Fred Wilson funded Twitter I guarantee you it wasn’t obvious that it was a billion dollar idea. Venture Capital is a tricky industry. Far from it.

Funding 362

Funding Technical Review Ideas Startup 362

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2019

Image via Flickr by ivanpw Some aspiring entrepreneurs are so desperate for funding, or naïve, that they ignore the obvious signs of scams and rip-offs on the Internet, praying for a windfall. But people are still begging for more technology or laws, often to protect them from themselves. Phantom fund investors.

Technical Review 91

Technical Review Funding Email Entrepreneur 91

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 21, 2020

Many of the entrepreneurs I advise or invest with spend considerable time on the Internet, keeping up with technology, customers, and competitors, but very few feel the need for an early personal presence. Consistently review and respond to relevant online feedback. Every future entrepreneur should start by networking.

Product 127

Product Entrepreneur Technical Advisors Technical Review 127

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 26, 2013

Some aspiring entrepreneurs are so desperate for funding, or naïve, that they ignore the obvious signs of scams and rip-offs on the Internet, praying for a windfall. But people are still begging for more technology or laws, often to protect them from themselves. Phantom fund investors. Work at home to fund your startup.

Entrepreneur 80

Entrepreneur Technical Review Funding Email 80

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2014

My first advice for new entrepreneurs is to pick a domain that doesn’t have the sky-high up-front development costs, like online web sites and smart phone apps. Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. Solicit funds from friends and family.

Entrepreneur 113

Entrepreneur Funding Startup Technical Review 113

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2021

Almost every entrepreneur and new business owner I mentor is certain that his/her idea has a very high probability of success, and all find it hard to believe that ninety percent of startups ultimately fail. For example, I believe Bill Gates would have failed without his partners Steve Ballmer and Paul Allen.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Case Study Mentor Software Review 131

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2019

During the holiday season, our tradition over the last few years has been to post reflections on the past year and some predictions for 2019 from Southern California's technology industry. And, many of the presenting companies received sizable funding commitments and offers of ongoing help.

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Software Review Startup Coach 157

socalTECH

OCTOBER 22, 2020

What kinds of areas does the fund make investments in? Krisztina Holly: We are an early stage fund, known for our ability to discovery and cultivate very complex science and technology deals. We just launched a third, $100M fund focused on seed to Series A investments in transformative science and technology companies.

Southern California 124

Southern California Capital Technical Review Startup 124

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 8, 2019

Responding to Elizabeth Warren’s call to regulate and break up some of the nation’s largest technology companies, the venture capitalists that invest in technology companies are advising the presidential hopeful to move slowly and not break anything. This is not a new model, and it makes no sense,” says Narasin.

Technical Review 144

Technical Review Startup Chief Technology Officer Social Media 144

socalTECH

JUNE 3, 2019

For this morning's interview, with caught up with serial entrepreneur James Citron , the founder of Pledgeling (www.pledgeling.com), a startup which enables any business to help connect their business with social causes. If you see all of the examples, like Salesforce, Warby Parker, the companies that do good outperform all of their peers.

Technical Review 113

Technical Review Software Review Mogreet Platform 113

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

My first advice for new entrepreneurs is to pick a domain, such as online web sites and smart phone apps, that doesn’t have the sky-high up-front development costs. Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until real revenue flows. Solicit funds from friends and family.

Startup 136

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 136

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2020

I’ve become fond of saying “if I had a dollar for every person who told me just how much they loooooved Kara Nortman, I’d have a 10x fund.” Our industry needs more female leaders and they shouldn’t have to all quit their respective firms and raise their own funds to get a shot at running things. Does This Mean You’re Retiring?

Venture Capital 361

Venture Capital Startup Invest CitySearch 361

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 19, 2009

(In case it’s not obvious it’s a play on the Nike slogan, “Just Do It.&# ) I believe that being successful as an entrepreneur requires you to get lots of things done. Entrepreneurs make fast decisions and move forward knowing that at best 70% of their decisions are going to be right. This paralyzes most people.

Entrepreneur 414

Entrepreneur Technical Review Slides CTO Coach 414

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2022

I still have to tell some entrepreneurs that even with the best idea, they have to move to Silicon Valley to find the investors they need, or they need to move to the U.S. On the other hand, if you are into solar technologies, there is probably an advantage to being in Arizona or a similar location.

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Oracle Software Review Ideas 123

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2017

Some aspiring entrepreneurs are so desperate for funding, or naïve, that they ignore the obvious signs of scams and rip-offs on the Internet, praying for a windfall. But people are still begging for more technology or laws, often to protect them from themselves. Phantom fund investors. Work at home to fund your startup.

Technical Review 55

Technical Review Entrepreneur Email Tool 55

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

Want to be an entrepreneur? According to a recent Forbes article , UC Santa Barbara''s Technology Management Program offers students a superior startup education over the University of Pennsylvania (home of Wharton), as well Harvard, Northwestern and even its acclaimed southern neighbor, the University of Southern California.

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

I thought I’d try to look at it from a different lens, that of the entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur you should assume that. They’re not in search of price fixing or collusion, they’re in search of diligence information about the company. I’ll give you an example of information flow at its worst.

Pricing 292

Pricing Entrepreneur Technical Review Venture Capital 292

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

We thought today for our interview, that we'd get an update on the angel investment environment here in Southern California from Scott Sangster , the incoming President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Tech Coast Angels , the biggest angel investment group in Southern California. It was actually a really good year last year.

Tech Coast Angels 182

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 182

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 8, 2021

In my experience as an angel investor for new startups, I’m always surprised by how many entrepreneurs are looking for funding without outside advisors. For example, I once was approached by an entrepreneur, passionate that his new algae strain would cure world hunger and make him rich.

Startup 142

Startup Technical Review Equity Entrepreneur 142

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 24, 2020

As a frequent advisor to new entrepreneurs and startups, I often hear your frustration with being treated differently from other startups by investors, on expectations for valuation , traction, and market size. Valuations here are always low, and funding generally depends on friends and family, or a few forward-thinking angels.

Marketing 174

Marketing Startup Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 174

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2022

My first advice for new entrepreneurs is to pick a domain that doesn’t have the sky-high up-front development costs, like online web sites and smart phone apps. Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. Solicit funds from friends and family.

Tips 104

Tips Startup Technical Review Equity 104

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Los Angeles-based Signal Sciences (www.signalsciences.com), which develops web application firewall software, just inked a big, $35M series C funding round a few weeks ago, and now has plans to dramatically expand its hiring in Los Angeles. The easiest example is for an online banking system. Tell us a little bit about this round?

Startup 113

Startup Funding Technical Review Software Review 113

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 12, 2009

They are issues, though, that your VC would certainly find out during due diligence or at a minimum you’d be ethically obliged to tell them. Some examples: A large company has told you that you need to change your brand name or they’ll sue you for trademark infringement (this is a real world, recent example).

Venture Capital 311

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Examples 311

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2015

My first advice for new entrepreneurs is to pick a domain, such as online web sites and smart phone apps, that doesn’t have the sky-high up-front development costs. Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until real revenue flows. Solicit funds from friends and family.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Equity 105

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2013

Every early-stage startup should explore this new funding alternative. Examples of some leaders in this space include Mike Maples in Silicon Valley and David S. Due to the struggling economy as well, traditional individual Angel investors haven’t been able to fill the gap. New “up-and-comer” VCs focus on early-stage companies.

Angel 92

Angel Entrepreneur Venture Capital Startup 92

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2019

My first advice for new entrepreneurs is to pick a domain, such as online web sites and smart phone apps, that doesn’t have the sky-high up-front development costs. Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until real revenue flows. Solicit funds from friends and family.

Startup 128

Startup Technical Review Equity Incubator 128

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2009

Very few people fund individuals. In most cases if you can’t get a prototype done you’re probably not an entrepreneur. Professional angels / former entrepreneurs / seed funds – In Silicon Valley there are people like Ron Conway, Jeff Clavier, Mike Maples and many more. Team: You need a team.

Angel 291

Angel Funding Venture Capital Startup 291

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2023

If you aren’t willing to take some risk as an entrepreneur, then don’t expect any gain. If you need investors, it’s important that you understand their filters, and even if you are funding your own efforts, you need to recognize the red flags. Things such as driver-less cars and new medicines are far more than a technology challenge.

Invest 98

Invest Sites Technical Review Social Media 98

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 29, 2020

One of the myths I often hear as an advisor to many entrepreneurs is that their lifestyle would somehow be better if they could more easily find other people’s money to build their startup. Most entrepreneurs never forget for a moment that having investors means owing money, even if they can legally argue that equity is not debt.

Startup 124

Startup Satisfaction Venture Capital Entrepreneur 124

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 30, 2017

The key is to look hard outside the world of “professional investors,” to regular people who share your vision and dreams, friends and family who believe in you, and crowd funding your ideas that have a popular appeal. Complete and heed fund-raising legal compliance requirements. Methodically address every obstacle head on.

Technical Review 88

Technical Review Equity Capital Entrepreneur 88

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

A nonprofit organization is generally defined as an organization that does not distribute its surplus funds to owners or shareholders, but instead uses them to help pursue its goals. Examples include charitable organizations, trade unions, and public arts organizations. Individual and institutional philanthropy. Government grants.

Angel 52

Angel Funding Equity Technical Review 52

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

For some aspiring to be tech entrepreneurs, I often suggest a two-step process, as I argued in this post that “ The First Startup Founder You Need to Invest in Is You.” He or she has worked at some very successful big technology or media companies and went to a great school.

Technical Review 150

Technical Review Startup Venture Capital IP 150

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2016

Thus the top priority of every entrepreneur who wants funding should be to build and highlight their “dream team” of co-founders, executives and advisers, to attract the biggest and best investors. Solo entrepreneurs rarely find an investor. Do your networking with investors well before the funding pitch.

Startup 60

Startup Entrepreneur Software Review Technical Review 60

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2019

A nonprofit organization is generally defined as an organization that does not distribute its surplus funds to owners or shareholders, but instead uses them to help pursue its goals. Examples include charitable organizations, trade unions, and public arts organizations. Individual and institutional philanthropy. Government grants.

Equity 94

Equity Startup Technical Review Organization 94

InfoChachkie

MARCH 18, 2013

Angel investors are often the sole source of funding for startups at the critical pre-launch stage. There are a variety of factors entrepreneurs should consider when evaluating a potential early-stage investor. In such instances, take their money and work diligently to convert them into a disengaged investor.

Angel 217

Angel Technical Review RSS Entrepreneur 217

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2015

Great technology leads to innovative solutions that are possible, but not necessarily great businesses. For example, hydrogen-fueled engines were invented over a century ago, with a continuing promise of breathing air and exhaling pure water vapor and having over 200 companies active in the hydrogen sector today.

Technical Review 54

Technical Review Product Activity Technology 54

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 2, 2010

I’m writing this post to explain to entrepreneurs what you should be thinking about in terms of the VC’s you approach and the size and stage of their funds. VC’s often talk about this term as in the total amount of funds EVER raised by that VC. What is a VC fund? What is total assets under management? -

Venture Capital 269

Venture Capital Funding Invest GRP Partners 269