Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 12, 2022

Back in the early days of the personal computer, Bill Gates and Microsoft were widely recognized and having the strongest technical culture, as well as a commanding marketing presence. Even new and inexperienced entrepreneurs can justify millions in goodwill if they have assembled an engaged and experienced team to support them.

Technical Review 147

Technical Review Social Media Entrepreneur Startup 147

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

Most sophisticated investors ignore them, focusing their attention on an entrepreneur's pitch and presentation materials, financial forecast and executive summary. As noted in Entrepreneurs Shouldn't Pitch Their Ideas To Venture Capitalists , most sophisticated investors place their bets on people rather than opportunities.

Venture Capital 211

Venture Capital Summary Technical Review Template 211

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 29, 2017

Get an NDA before detailed patent disclosures. Entrepreneurs should never disclose the details of a planned or current patent application to any outsiders, until after a non-disclosure or other contract has been signed. Some entrepreneurs avoid the patent process, since patent details become public once a patent is issued.

Technical Review 61

Technical Review Patents Ideas Social Media 61

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 19, 2015

The average length of a funding pitch to Angel investors is ten minutes. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. Some entrepreneurs seem to think that their product pitch is also their investor pitch.

Slides 105

Slides Technical Review Startup Research 105

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 18, 2022

If you are not in that rare category of known and proven entrepreneurs, you should avoid the following list of my top ten turnoffs that I have personally experienced as an angel investor. Every pitch should start with a concise statement of the problem and your innovative solution.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Startup Statistics Social Media 109

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

If you are one of the thousands of entrepreneurs who need equity funding to get your startup going (no loans to repay), you are probably overwhelmed at the prospect of finding, contacting and pitching to the huge number of qualified angels and investment groups around the country. File a provisional patent or other intellectual property.

Platform 94

Platform Equity Invest Technical Advisors 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 29, 2013

On the other hand, if you intend to patent an idea, you need a signed confidentiality agreement from everyone knowing details, or you will legally lose patent rights. If you want advice or funding, and the person you are about to pitch to is a certified investor, or a senior business advisor, skip the NDA. Trade secrets.

Ideas 92

Ideas Demand Patents Entrepreneur 92

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2012

On the other hand, if you intend to patent an idea, you need a signed confidentiality agreement from everyone knowing details, or you will legally lose patent rights. If you want advice or funding, and the person you are about to pitch to is a certified investor, or a senior business advisor, skip the NDA. Trade secrets.

Startup 97

Startup Patents Sample Ideas 97

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2018

Senior business leaders, for example, are unlikely to relate when you pitch your latest web app, highlighting the mashup technology, which you derived from early online social networking applications. Personal privacy protection. Customers are always looking for a better user experience, and they don’t want their privacy compromised.

Social Network 91

Social Network Training Startup Technology 91

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2013

The average length of a funding pitch to Angel investors is ten minutes. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Equally bad is an extended pitch on your new disruptive technology. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. Let the top person do all the talking.

Angel 102

Angel Funding Slides Technical Review 102

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2016

The average length of a funding pitch to Angel investors is ten minutes. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. Some entrepreneurs seem to think that their product pitch is also their investor pitch.

Startup 64

Startup Slides Technical Review Research 64

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 22, 2012

The average length of a funding pitch to angel investors is ten minutes. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Equally bad is an extended pitch on your new disruptive technology. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. Let the top person do all the talking.

Tips 97

Tips Slides Technical Review Startup 97

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 24, 2011

On the other hand, if you intend to patent an idea, you need a signed confidentiality agreement from everyone knowing details, or you will legally lose patent rights. If you want advice or funding, and the person you are about to pitch to is a certified investor, or a senior business advisor, skip the NDA. Trade secrets.

Patents 90

Patents Sample Ideas Entrepreneur 90

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2020

If you are not in that rare category of known and proven entrepreneurs, you should avoid the following list of my top ten turnoffs that I have personally experienced as an angel investor. Every pitch should start with a concise statement of the problem and your innovative solution.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Statistics Startup Social Media 124

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2016

I understand this instinct for more capital and I have two very different personal experiences: In my first company we raised an A-round of $16.5 Each person is the company has to personally do more vs. lead others doing work. million and in my second company we raised only $500,000 by choice.

Startup 292

Startup Software Review Pricing Entrepreneur 292

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2011

The average length of a funding pitch to angel investors is ten minutes. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Equally bad is an extended pitch on your new disruptive technology. Remember you are pitching to investors, not customers. Let the top person do all the talking.

Slides 95

Slides Technical Review Startup Research 95

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 30, 2014

Senior business leaders, for example, are unlikely to relate when you pitch your latest web app that mashes up existing technology derived from early social-networking applications. Personal-privacy assurances. Customer data, as well as internal data, is a key resource for every business that must be secured and protected.

Customer 98

Customer Custom Technology Startup 98

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. Any serious investor will perform a thorough review of your business and personal background before signing the check.

Software Review 106

Software Review Funding Startup Seed Funding 106

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

A popular approach these days seems to be for founders to regale investors early with a pitch touting the newest “million-dollar idea.” A C-corporation is more complex and expensive, and is recommended only if you expect to pitch to professional investors who demand preferred stock, or to more than 100 potential shareholders.

Entrepreneur 59

Entrepreneur Startup Technical Review Ideas 59

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2016

Senior business leaders, for example, are unlikely to relate when you pitch your latest web app, highlighting the mashup technology, which you derived from early online social networking applications. Personal privacy assurances. Customers are always looking for a better user experience, and they don’t want their privacy compromised.

Social Network 58

Social Network Startup Training Technology 58

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2012

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. Any serious investor will perform a thorough review of your business and personal background before signing the check.

Seed Funding 100

Seed Funding Software Review Entrepreneur Funding 100

socalTECH

JULY 18, 2012

It provides a more personalized and interesting video card, and can also be used to enhance a text message. We have our secret sauce in there, and we're figuring out if all of that is patent-able or not, and are jumping through the hoops to do all of that. What kind of clips can people access? Finally, what's the next step for you?

Social Network 246

Social Network Mobile Media Examples 246

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

You’ll refine your sales and investor pitch. Instead go in knowing what you will share and won't share with this person. Some resources on this: Intellectual Property is More Than Patents Does My Startup Have Intellectual Property? You’ll learn about competitive products that exist or are being built. False Confidence.

Startup 211

Startup IP Ideas Patents 211

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. Convincingly presents a patent, trademark, or other “secret sauce” that can create equity value, not just current cash flow for the owners. Listens before answering questions.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Entrepreneur Course Patents 109

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011

You’ll refine your sales and investor pitch. Instead go in knowing what you will share and won't share with this person. Some resources on this: Intellectual Property is More Than Patents Does My Startup Have Intellectual Property? You’ll learn about competitive products that exist or are being built. False Confidence.

Startup 198

Startup IP Ideas Patents 198

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 30, 2010

On the other hand, if you intend to patent an idea, you need a signed confidentiality agreement from everyone knowing details, or you will legally lose patent rights. If you want advice or funding, and the person you are about to pitch to is a certified investor, or a senior business advisor, skip the NDA. Trade secrets.

Startup 48

Startup Patents Sample Entrepreneur 48

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2016

As a startup advisor and investor, I find that more and more entrepreneurs avoid using the term “profit” in pitching their new venture. They seem to feel it conveys a message of personal enrichment at the expense of others. The best differentiation is a patent or other intellectual property that also provides a barrier to entry.

Entrepreneur 58

Entrepreneur Ideas Pricing Customer 58

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. Any serious investor will perform a thorough review of your business and personal background before signing the check.

Software Review 98

Software Review Funding Seed Funding Startup 98

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. Convincingly presents a patent, trademark, or other “secret sauce” that can create equity value, not just current cash flow for the owners. Listens before answering questions.

Entrepreneur 117

Entrepreneur Technical Review Course Patents 117

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 18, 2010

The average length of a funding pitch to investors is ten minutes. I suspect the real problem is that they are often pitching the wrong point. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point.

Tips 56

Tips Slides Startup Research 56

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 3, 2011

If you have not seen the Firm’s recent music video entitled I’m A VC , take a moment to watch it now – it will give you a window into Brad and Jason’s respective personalities and the degree to which they do not conform to the stereotypical stick-up-the-ass venture capitalist. Don’t Overemphasize Patents. Things I Loved.

Venture Capital 205

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Writing Guide 205

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2015

If you are not in that rare category of known and proven entrepreneurs, you should avoid the following list of my top ten turnoffs that I have personally experienced as an angel investor. Every pitch should start with a concise statement of the problem and your innovative solution.

Technical Review 109

Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup Statistics 109

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

If you are not in that rare category of known and proven entrepreneurs, you should avoid the following list of my top ten turnoffs that I have personally experienced as an Angel investor. Every pitch should start with a concise statement of the problem and your innovative solution.

Entrepreneur 119

Entrepreneur Technical Review Statistics Startup 119

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

On December 2nd, 2006 I wrote the blog post published later in this post when I was CEO of startup Koral about my experiences in pitching VCs. I had kept a personal blog for more than a year and was new at keeping a professional blog. You have an “hour” to pitch in your first meeting. My blog was wiped out.

Venture Capital 274

Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 12, 2012

What you say speaks volumes about how you think about your startup, how smart you are, and your personal integrity. I’ve spent hours talking to startup founders, and heard a thousand startup pitches, and I always listen carefully to what is said (or not said) about competitors. Don’t say “Product x is more expensive and hard to use.”

Startup 100

Startup Competition Patents Training 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 5, 2018

If you are not in that rare category of known and proven entrepreneurs, you should avoid the following list of my top ten turnoffs that I have personally experienced as an angel investor. Every pitch should start with a concise statement of the problem and your innovative solution.

Funding 62

Funding Technical Review Entrepreneur Startup 62

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2010

Yesterday 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. Any serious investor will perform a thorough review of your business and personal background before signing the check.

Software Review 95

Software Review Startup Seed Funding Funding 95