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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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. The “Triple Play&# of VC Presentations. But take prompts from the VC.

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TechCrunch

FEBRUARY 11, 2023

Maybe it’s just the way I’ve been experiencing San Francisco, but it feels like the more social energy around us is less cocky, more present. In the rest of this newsletter, we’ll talk about pitch deck teardowns and artificial intelligence. Let’s start with the good: First, women-founded AI startups are seeing a boost in VC funding.

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Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series Startup Advice. My main advice to you if you’re considering it is don’t waste much equity on it. Frankly, they don’t have enough skin in the game to warrant the time & energy. You can go as high as 1% because they’re going to get diluted when you bring in VC.

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TechCrunch

NOVEMBER 4, 2022

Startup pitching has become an existential drama, in part because so many founders exaggerate the size of the total addressable market (TAM) in which they hope to compete. Kara Nortman, a managing partner at Upfront Ventures, said the TAM numbers given in a pitch do not control whether she’s likely to invest. “I Walter Thompson.

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TechCrunch

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

These events aren’t just a chance to review the latest cohort of hopeful entrepreneurs — they also showcase the technology, products and services that will compete for VC and consumer attention over the next few years. I covered one demo day in person, spending most of my time backstage where founder teams practiced their pitches.

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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. Here’s why it’s important: When Clubhouse first rose to fame, investors and founders alike were abuzz with energy around the opportunity for innovation in the consumer social space.

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AsiaTechDaily

MAY 17, 2023

Register When starting a company, founders often underestimate the amount of time and energy required to fundraise. Moreover, founders must learn to embrace the challenges of fundraising, honing their pitching and networking skills in the process. Interview transcript below: What background and domain expertise do you have?

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Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 5, 2012

I have sat through countless pitches with Ivy League grads spewing off intellectual descriptions of the details of their product or service and why it will win in the market. In a VC pitch this type of messaging will do just fine. These messages need to pass the cocktail party pitch. And I think this is a mistake.

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Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 7, 2009

Business Etiquette Tips for dealing with VCs and Corporates at Conferences. This is part of my ongoing series with Startup Advice. He gives the example of Roelof Boetha, a very well known VC from Sequoia, who always (re) introduces himself to Michael and reminds him who he is even though Michael has met him several times.

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TechCrunch

APRIL 12, 2022

Startups and VC. Russian hackers tried to take down a Ukraine energy provider , showing a new frontier of cyber warfare. Arvind Gupta, an investor at Mayfield Fund and founder of accelerator IndieBio, reviews several hundred pitch decks each year. “In “I expect that to start happening as well in the next year.”.

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Both Sides of the Table

MAY 21, 2011

Will you get the TechCrunch bump, the tier-1 VC anointment, followed by great PR firm support and then the NY Times or WSJ story that follows? Not every problem has to be a huge VC-fundable business. They pitch me features, not value. The challenge that many startups face today is: Are you really providing enough value?

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transportation VC networking energy 309

TechCrunch

FEBRUARY 24, 2023

Ukraine’s startup ecosystem was thriving before the war and making great progress, with Ukrainian startups raising $832 Million in VC funding in 2021. VC Funding was steadily growing before the war and there are more than 50 VC firms continuing to operating in the country. Secured seed finding from SMRK VC. It raised €2.5

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Andreessen Horowitz

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

Where are we putting our energy? Are we putting our energy into meeting new executives? Are we putting our energy into sustaining those relationships by being there to offer counsel or introductions? Are we putting our energy into being on search from update calls? The mission is the elevator pitch.

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energy entrepreneurs leadership advice 82

TechCrunch

APRIL 16, 2021

But since I’ve never actually done those things, I would encourage you to ignore any advice I have to offer. Trusted advice comes from experience. Founder and investor Melissa Bradley outlines how to nail your virtual pitch meeting. At TechCrunch Early Stage, she led a session on how to nail your virtual pitch meeting.

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StartupNation

DECEMBER 10, 2021

A combination of university talent pipelines, top-rated quality of life, growing startup ecosystem, and growing VC funding has Tree Town topping lists as one of the best places to start a tech company or find a top tech job. EverActive. EverActive is an IoT startup with offices in Santa Clara, Charlottesville (VA), and Ann Arbor.

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StartupNation

MAY 5, 2021

These 11 entrepreneurs share the number one piece of advice their closest mentor ever gave them: Time is the most valuable thing you have. I vividly remember his best advice: He asked about my goals, and I replied, “To earn $250,000 in commissions.” I think about that every time I raise a fund or hear an entrepreneur pitch me. —

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TechCrunch

AUGUST 27, 2021

Partners in well-known VC firms spoke, they were accessible, and they shared smart, insightful nuggets. With the emergence of concepts such as NFT and GameFi, socialization prosperities are bringing new energy to the crypto world. Korea Pavilion Pitch Session – Hosted by KOTRA. Michael McCarthy, CEO of Repositax.

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disruption advice leadership energy 100

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 17, 2012

In fact, I think those around me must tire of my repetitive advice, “Be careful of wanting to be liked too much. He has so much negative energy it was draining. I recently was with a group of investors and watched an entrepreneur try to pitch his concept. When he pitches he seems like a dog ready to be kicked.

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Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2010

I’ve written about the “elevator” pitch before. It’s hard to imagine that somebody pitching a content business business in LA really could have captured my attention – there are so many of them. Know your pitch and make your ask count.” Once they have buy-off from David Cohen, Brad and others they have their 60-second pitch.

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Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 7, 2011

VC Pitches. Having been an entrepreneur for near-on a decade and having pitched in 100 VC meetings I hated getting no feedback. To try and save you wasted energy, help you avoid bad decisions and to make you that much better in your next VC meeting. ” but I cared more about the outcome and the lesson.

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Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 22, 2011

When this first ran on TechCrunch I got the greatest comment in the world that I had to repeat here, “VC’s are like martinis: the first is good, the second one great, and the third is a headache.&# I understand the appeal of having many VC firms on your cap table. In my second company I had only 1 investor. I love that.

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Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2012

There is all sorts of advice on the Internet about how to raise capital. And of course I’ve sat on the other side of the table: As a VC. I’ve tried to make this advice as well-rounded and biased free as I can. This is not just the perspective of a VC although I can’t say I have zero VC bias.

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Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 19, 2010

I’m writing this post as part of my series with Advice on Raising Venture Capital but will file it under Sales Tips as well since it applies equally to both scenarios. You’ve found a VC partner or principal who has invited you to the Monday partners’ meeting. You need to let the energy of the room guide you.

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David Teten VC

DECEMBER 4, 2019

Haystack VC runs almost entirely on Notion. A more efficient approach to fundraising than haphazard networking is to mine the data exhaust from the limited partner universe to identify those LPs most likely to find your fund attractive, and focus all your energy on them. Pollen VC offers a LTV calculator.

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technology investing investment ventures 81

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 10, 2018

Sure, you need to learn what the common theme of the no’s are and be willing to make adjustments to your pitch. In the next post I’m going to talk about “funnel management” and how to handle all of your VC pipeline discussions and how to keep your process alive but the first step is to keep your confidence alive.

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David Teten VC

DECEMBER 3, 2019

Tim Friedman, Founder, PE Stack , said, “If I could offer one piece of advice to today’s managers, it would be to take the time to understand the demands of the modern institutional LP. Most funds open data rooms to share previous reports, performance data, pitch decks, legal docs and other fundraising material with LPs. Her answer? ‘I

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TechCrunch

FEBRUARY 25, 2022

Shayle Kann, partner, Energy Impact Partners. David Frykman, general partner, Norrsken VC. Advice and strategy for early-stage sex tech startup founders. Pleasure has a very large TAM, but “vice clauses” prevent many VC firms from even considering a sex tech startup. Heidi Lindvall, general partner, Pale Blue Dot.

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Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 31, 2010

It’s a shame because the ability to nail these presentations at key conferences can be once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to influence journalists, business partners, potential employees, customers and VCs. This was evident at the Twiistup pre-event company pitch last week at UCLA. Show some energy!

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advice VC entrepreneurs education 362

TechCrunch

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

“There’s no question that running an effective board, or serving as an effective director, takes serious time, energy and diligence,” he says. Pitch Deck Teardown: Party Round’s $7M, er, party round deck. Its founders recently shared its unredacted 10-slide pitch deck with us so TC+ members can see what worked: Cover.

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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. Practicing the word no as many times as a VC does means you have to fight not to have your mind close on you. I want your pitch to be the one I say yes to--and I want you to solve the inherent problems in your business model.

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Hunter Walk

AUGUST 23, 2023

Specifically I’ve had the chance to spend meaningful time over the years with Michael Mignano as he went from startup CEO to Executive/Angel Investor and now VC Partner at Lightspeed. I can vouch for his genuine optimism Hunter Walk: You got to work with a number of different VCs on your cap table for Anchor. Was I right?

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propel(x)

MARCH 2, 2017

From energy storage to waste management, clean technologies are transforming the way we interact with our environment. And right now the handful of cleantech entrepreneurs that are still out there have been hearing the mantra: “Don’t even bother with VC money.” The first funnel is thematic alignment with the investor.

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TechCrunch

NOVEMBER 5, 2022

I just have empathy for the people who lost, or might lose, their jobs after investing time, energy and care in building Twitter. Meagan Loyst announced this week that she is leaving venture firm Lerer Hippeau to go full time on a community she’s been building for years: Gen Z VC. Investor’s advice during a downturn: Don’t panic.

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This is going to be BIG.

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

In some ways, it’s a bit like VC funds that are setup to empower certain groups through investing that don’t actually acknowledge the structures and impact of venture capital itself on different populations. Even if these investors were skilled in such things, I’m not sure how much Audrey would have paid attention to their advice anyway.

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David Teten VC

JUNE 14, 2021

At Versatile VC , our new VC fund, we’re creating an online community just for founders who are in transition, Founders’ Next Move. Talk with VCs in your space. Many VCs keep a list of ideas they think have high potential. Versatile VC posts publicly our list of startup ideas we want to fund. . Work as a VC Scout.

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TechCrunch

OCTOBER 26, 2022

From the earliest pitch decks I had ever created. Today, Daye is announcing a £10 million (~$11.5M) Series A round — which includes investment from London-based Hambro Perks, global VC firm MassMutual Ventures and Canadian VC Cross Border Impact Ventures — and brings its total raised to £19M (or just under $22M) to date.

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