Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

When I was new at Venture Capital I was trying to figure out the business. As a VC you want to feel like you have “proprietary sources” of deal flow. ” The other Paul Graham quote from the article is this: “The other thing they say is that they can’t tell on Demo Day which are the good start-ups.

VC 347

VC advice pitching entrepreneurs 347

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 13, 2011

I recently filmed a show for This Week in Venture Capital in which I talked about how to prepare for a VC meeting: whom you’ll meet, who should attend from your side, what materials you should bring and how you should run the meeting. I’m comfortable with introductions and then getting into the demo.&#.

VC 299

VC board pitching venture capital 299

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 11, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series “ Pitching a VC.&#. The “Triple Play&# of VC Presentations. A large part of my series has been outlining what the typical VC PowerPoint presentation should look like. You want to build a dialogue where you get to know the VC with whom you’re meeting. I recommend it.

VC 238

VC advice pitching venture capital 238

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.

VC 255

VC venture capital networking innovation 255

David Teten VC

JULY 27, 2021

We have collected a wide range of freebies, contests, accelerators, online communities, and VCs designed for student tech founders. I have been researching this both to support Versatile VC ’s portfolio companies and also as part of research for my new book, To University and Beyond: Launch Your Career in High Gear. 1) Your school.

founder 144

founder mentorship peer-to-peer pitching 144

This is going to be BIG.

APRIL 3, 2012

meet with tons of companies every week, work hard for their portfolio companies, and are on planes flying around to the important confereneces and demo days". I think Fred was trying to offer some friendly advice to young investors that you're going to "take lumps" and that it's worth learning from those who are more experienced.

VC 274

VC board venture capital ventures 274

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 8, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series “Pitching a VC&# – the outline is here. You’ve pitched several angels and VC’s. Your friends and advisers tell you that this means you need revenue because in this economy VC’s will only fund businesses with revenue. Unfortunately your advisers are wrong.

VC 309

VC pitching advice venture capital 309

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2014

Throughout all of these years I was a full-time VC so Launchpad really came out of evenings and weekends for me. Adam had a full time startup and then was doing consulting (he later raised a VC fund). And Jim & I went on to raise several more venture capital funds in our day jobs. Yeah, he was LA, baby! And Adam his.

accelerator 290

accelerator mentorship peer-to-peer VC 290

TechCrunch

JANUARY 8, 2022

Even to outsiders, the inner workings of startup accelerators has become familiar: pumped up on camaraderie and energy drinks, scrappy founders do product demos onstage before a room full of buzzy journalists and investors. Signaling risk happens when a VC chooses to not do pro rata, or follow-on investing, in an existing portfolio company.

startup accelerator 92

startup accelerator accelerator startup energy 92

David Teten VC

MARCH 21, 2024

However, as far as I know, the great majority of private capital raises for funds and companies are still not using general solicitation. The experience of working with stakeholders on all sides of these transactions – companies, VCs, and their LPs – made me realize how fractured the ecosystem is.

capital 52

capital advice consulting VC 52

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 14, 2018

The idea is simple enough: several female VC partners at top funds will hold 1-hour meetings with 40 promising female entrepreneurs looking to get advice on their business and pitch in a friendly, non-judgmental, safe environment. 8% of VC partnerships, for example). Now 33% of Supreme Court Justices are women (vs.

founder 256

founder peer-to-peer mentorship VC 256

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

When I was new at Venture Capital I was trying to figure out the business. As a VC you want to feel like you have “proprietary sources” of deal flow. There is one source I never liked and no early-stage VC should – investment bankers. They are venture bankers not investment bankers. What stage?

advice 361

advice VC pitching entrepreneurs 361

David Teten VC

AUGUST 20, 2019

A new wave of Revenue-Based Investors are emerging who are using creative investing structures with some of the upside of traditional VC, but some of the downside protection of debt. In addition, their portfolios look far more diverse than VC industry norms. Who are the major Revenue-Based Investing VCs?

founder 74

founder investing investment venture capital 74

TechCrunch

MAY 9, 2023

Now that seemingly every VC has turned their attention to the category he told TechCrunch he’s glad he’s been in it for so long and therefore will not make some of the mistakes newer entrants will. “It’s so easy to throw together a vertical AI demo,” Winfield told TechCrunch.

startup 97

startup incubation strategy SaaS 97

TechCrunch

JANUARY 21, 2023

of all VC funds in 2022, a drop from 2021 Image Credits: Emily Malan Gas Discord has acquired Gas, a compliments-based social media app for teens. Moritz Baier-Lentz joined Lightspeed Ventures as head of gaming, and Nihar Bobba joined Better Tomorrow Ventures as a new principal. Eduardo Saverin’s B Capital raised $2.1

construction 92

construction ventures energy founder 92

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2013

Get yourself in a big demo day competition. Acquihires and Venture Capital. I’m a VC. But that’s not how you make money in the venture capital business. Startup Advice' What kind of message does that send to the party faithful who slave away loyally to hit targets for BigCo? Woo the press.

strategy 357

strategy venture capital advice entrepreneurs 357

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 25, 2010

Most early-stage entrepreneurs who have worked with me (either as an angel or as a seed VC) know that I don’t rely at all on the social proof of other investors. if you need advice on how to find / work with startup lawyers cheaply click that link). When I’m in, I’m in. It goes back to the issue of investor fairness.

financing 286

financing finance advice VC 286

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

Yeah, that was when I changed for me…” “…there was so much positive feedback on demystifying this one element of venture capital. And I would rather, even before the executive summary, have something to play with (a demo)…” It falls in the category of show don’t tell. Brad’s start in Venture Capital. was starting.

venture capital 288

venture capital pitching communities entrepreneurs 288

This is going to be BIG.

JULY 30, 2012

A number of VC firms have hired specialists in the area of recruiting. Interacting with a venture firm these days can feel like ordering from Seamless. One of my potential investors called me the "lean VC". Others have partners with expertise in PR. Firms have networks of advisors, too--with particular expertise in your area.

VC 272

VC incubation construction networking 272

TechCrunch

OCTOBER 21, 2022

Moscone Center did not look like we’re experiencing a downturn in tech: The Expo Hall and demo booths were buzzing, and attendees were networking with enthusiasm in the hallways (are business cards making a comeback?). 2023 VC predictions: Finding an exit from the ‘messy middle’. Full TechCrunch+ articles are only available to members.

SaaS 67

SaaS strategy VC disruption 67

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 25, 2009

This is part of my blog series “ Pitching a VC.&#. I’ve sat through a lot of VC pitches and having been CEO of an enterprise software firm for many years I’ve also sat through many customer meetings with sales teams. The following are some tips for the debate style VC meeting. Tips in a debate led VC Meeting.

VC 275

VC peer-to-peer pitching advice 275

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 11, 2011

If you want a very quick primer on all the stuff nobody ever tells you about raising venture capital check out this video where Mark Jeffrey & I break it down on This Week in VC. All of this is covered in more detail on the TWiVC video above (and much of it is covered in text on this blog on the “ Raising VC &# tab).

VC 340

VC venture capital leadership pitching 340

This is going to be BIG.

APRIL 20, 2012

I think this is great advice. That's all they have--no demo no code--and they get funding. Entrepreneur + Kinda Workable Demo/Alpha + Little to No Data on Traction. Could Jack have raised money on is own without the demo? He built the demo first and if you were interested in mobile payments, he won you over.

entrepreneurs 371

entrepreneurs advice VC ventures 371

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2012

There is all sorts of advice on the Internet about how to raise capital. I’ve raised money as a “hot company” and I’ve raised capital when no one would return my phone calls. And of course I’ve sat on the other side of the table: As a VC. Raising money is hard. Executive Summary. Why buy me?

strategy 366

strategy development VC advice 366

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 31, 2010

If you demo your product (which is always great) then tell us part of the story while you’re demo’ing. I spotted my fellow VC Leo Spiegel (from Mission Ventures) who had spoken previously to the same group and asked about his experiences. NEVER lead with features. My dual approach solves both needs.

advice 362

advice VC entrepreneurs education 362

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 15, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series Startup Advice. This is a story of one of the risks of venture capital. But some companies have entrepreneurs that seem talented on paper, are in a space that seems interesting to investors and are able to raise venture capital early in the company’s existence.

startup founder 299

startup founder founder startup VC 299

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 13, 2009

I’m not going to cover in this post the obvious post-show marketing tasks such as following up on all those business cards you grabbed, communicating with all those people who registered at your site and leveraging your new found fame to score venture capital. If you need VC, no better time than the present.

media 310

media advice VC energy 310

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 6, 2010

But in my experience as an entrepreneur and now spending my time amongst investors I can generalize that almost all VC investments in early stage technology & Internet investments come down to just four key factors. But if you identify investors with whom you’d like to work here’s my advice: 1. That’s OK, too.

startup 360

startup VC advice entrepreneurs 360

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 22, 2010

File this under both Startup Adivce and Sales & Marketing Advice. Oh, and Demo charges the startups $18,000. Use the fact that you were on an anointed list to build credibility when you eventually approach journalists (and VC’s, customers, employees). Robert’s article is worth reading. It started socially.

advice 307

advice media startup SaaS 307

Angel Capital Association

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

By: Dror Futter, Legal and Business Adviser to Startups, Venture Capital Firms and Technology Companies The SEC announced a series of amendments (likely to be effective early next year) to the rules governing private offering exemptions – by far the most frequent path for venture fundraising.

frameworks 52

frameworks incubation venture capital angel capital 52

This is going to be BIG.

JUNE 26, 2012

I always get asked how to get into VC and so I think a lot about what it takes to do the job well. In venture capital, you say "no" a lot. Practicing the word no as many times as a VC does means you have to fight not to have your mind close on you. For some, VC is about the picking rather than the fostering and growing.

VC 397

VC pitching venture capital creativity 397

TechCrunch

APRIL 26, 2022

Left Lane making a right turn when it comes to investments : It was the gift that keeps on giving for Left Lane CEO and managing partner Harley Miller, who closed the venture capital firm’s $1.4 Startups and VC. Klaviyo co-founder Ed Hallen’s 3 top pieces of advice for launching a startup. billion fund on his birthday.

advice 98

advice mix-use communities venture capital 98

David Teten VC

JUNE 14, 2021

At my prior firm, ff Venture Capital, we invested in a company co-founded by Nate Jenkins , who had a successful exit, but not quite enough to buy a private plane. Angel Investing, Venture Capital, and Mentoring. Talk with VCs in your space. Many VCs keep a list of ideas they think have high potential.

consulting 119

consulting founder investing investment 119

TechCrunch

APRIL 10, 2021

“Most of the startups I give advice to about how to raise venture capital shouldn’t be raising venture capital,” an investor recently told me. Venture capital is still a heavily white, male-led industry, and as a result contains bias that disproportionately limits access for underrepresented founders.

venture capital 104

venture capital culture advice ventures 104