Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 1, 2009

In the first post in this three part series I described why I believe the VC market froze between September 2008 – April 2009. I’m not a doomsday guy, but just believe that we won’t see a V shaped recovery, which could make VC funding more difficult for tech start-ups (don’t shoot the messenger!).

VC

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2013

He pinged me that he was thinking about joining a startup based in LA with the CEO in NYC and would I be willing to meet him and give him advice on this process. Of course he pitched me the entire ride down. Come to entrepreneur pitches. So I had a sense that I knew who he was. I was planning to take a taxi – so perfect!

pitching

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. People say this all the time.

advice

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 3, 2011

But last week I noticed a blog post by a woman, Tara Tiger Brown, that asked the question, “ Why Aren’t More Women Commenting on VC Blog Posts? She has a quote from literally every major VC from whom you’d want to hear. My guess is that probably only 2-3 out of every hundred pitches I receive are from women.

entrepreneurs

Startup Grind

AUGUST 15, 2018

He has worked with several startups, invested in companies like Mayvenn, Gimlet Media, Blavity, Airspace Technologies, Codeverse, and many others Pitch your startup for a chance to meet with Cross Culture VC Q&A: What is your / your fund's mission? What is one piece of advice you’d give every founder? BUILD and EXECUTE!

culture

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 26, 2010

With VCs my strong suggestion is that you be open & realistic. Leaving your real competitors off of you presentation to a VC is not recommended. Think back to the slides in the VC deck where you define the customer problem you’re solving and what your solution does. “Our competition sucks&#.

VC

This is going to be BIG.

AUGUST 8, 2011

How about as a VC? Fred has basically always been a VC, Mike was a reporter, and Jim worked in product marketing and management consulting. Surely--but then I realize how difficult it is to be an early stage VC in NYC. At least then you'd imagine that your advice isn't *that* bad because at least you've got some experience.

VC

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

This is an updated post from my ongoing series on Startup Advice that I learned from founding two companies. . On Losing in VC. I know I won’t win every deal I want to in VC. We assumed they would take our advice and upgrade. Tags: Start-up Advice Startup Advice. I HATE LOSING. I hate it.

consulting

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 25, 2010

This is an updated post from my ongoing series on Startup Advice that I learned from founding two companies. . On Losing in VC. I know I won’t win every deal I want to in VC. We assumed they would take our advice and upgrade. Tags: Startup Advice. I HATE LOSING. I hate it. It chaps my hide. Losing sucks.

consulting

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

TechCrunch

APRIL 25, 2023

But dealmaking is idiosyncratic: a few investors might be content to make a deal over coffee, but early-stage teams still need a sturdy pitch deck or memo they can leave behind. Similarly, one VC may encourage newly minted CEOs to eat ramen and ride the bus, while another might suggest a salary in the low six-figures, depending on geography.

pitching

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?

transportation

Jason Malki

MARCH 9, 2023

Then, I stumbled upon PE/VC after chatting with a good college buddy of mine. What is your advice for someone trying to break into tech investing? VC is a patient capital asset class — you won’t know how good of an investor you are until several years down the road. I would break it down into 3 steps. This was very insightful.

VC

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

StartupNation

MAY 24, 2021

Part of this could be the result of the pitch. That pitch needs to be on point, with a clear and concise executive summary, a detailed business plan and a killer pitch deck that makes a compelling case to invest. While we’ve been strongly supported by our VC backers during the pandemic, the same can’t be said for every startup.

VC

Entrepreneur's Handbook

APRIL 13, 2022

A Very Honest Guide to Writing Your Fundraise Pitch Deck How to optimise yours for success Congratulations! You know you need a pitch deck to do this and so fire up your slide software of choice and crack your knuckles, ready to wow. I’m an investor at Supernode Global , an early-stage VC fund based in London.

pitching

TechCrunch

DECEMBER 16, 2021

I’ve sat at both sides of the table as a founder and a VC, and I understand how difficult it is to get them on the same page. I’ve participated in a number of accelerators, including Disney and Techstars, and these programs gave me a noticeable advantage when I stepped into VC.

accelerator

TechCrunch

AUGUST 27, 2021

Partners in well-known VC firms spoke, they were accessible, and they shared smart, insightful nuggets. Korea Pavilion Pitch Session – Hosted by KOTRA. Buy one here and check out the breakout sessions for trends, advice and opportunities to help grow your business. Michael McCarthy, CEO of Repositax.

disruption

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

I want to make sure that my sixth year as a VC doesn’t just become an automatic continuation of what I’ve done in my first 5 years. Every so often I find myself caught up in a really hectic 3-4 week schedule where it seems like I float endlessly betweens meetings. Board Meetings. Conferences. Startups Are for Doers.

creativity

TechCrunch

JUNE 10, 2022

As I’ve said previously, if your name doesn’t appear on the team slide of your company’s pitch deck, this is a time to be cautious: Update your resume, dial back your summer vacation plans and start adding more to your rainy day fund. Pitch Deck Teardown: Lunchbox’s $50 million Series B deck. This might take a little time.”.

VC

StartupNation

JUNE 1, 2021

Oftentimes, I read articles offering tips for entrepreneurs that revolve around generic advice on getting started. As part of my role as a partner of HealthInc, I sit on the jury for the startup competition in which 20 finalists pitch their ventures, with 10 then selected to enter the program. Keep it simple, stupid (KISS). Franklin D.

entrepreneurs

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 9, 2014

If I had to put a number on it I’d say 1 in 20 pitches – maybe 1 in 30 – are by an entrepreneur who comes across as truly passionate about her project. On reflection of the role that I want to play as a VC it is clearly in the camp of passion. I’m a VC. But the two can of course go hand-in-hand.

peer-to-peer

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.

VC

TechCrunch

JANUARY 21, 2022

500 Global’s Christine Tsai shares her 2022 VC predictions. 500 Global’s Christine Tsai shares her 2022 VC predictions. Will quantum computing remain the domain of the specialist VC? Will quantum computing remain the domain of the specialist VC? If you want startup funding, don’t make VCs feel ignorant.

VC

TechCrunch

MARCH 6, 2021

Next up is TechCrunch Early Stage, our yearly event that is all about tactical advice to help new and first-time founders navigate the Wild West world that is venture capital and startups. Announcing the Early Stage Pitch-Off judges. 11 words and phrases to cut from your VC pitch deck. Across the week. Okta-Auth0 deal.

pitching

TechCrunch

AUGUST 27, 2021

Tapping into someone else’s experience is a tried-and-true method, which is why two-time Y Combinator participant Chris Morton wrote a guest post for Extra Crunch with advice for founders hoping to be accepted by the famed accelerator. Corporate venture capital follows the same trend as other VC markets: Up.

pitching

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?

VC

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 8, 2014

What is a principal at a VC firm and how does it work at Upfront Ventures? ” Associates have different functions at different VCs. VC firm admin. VC firm policy or fund analysis. Helping be the VC “presence” at key events. inside insight into VC decision-making. Industry reviews.

investing

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2009

We assumed they would take our advice and upgrade. You can try to convince them of your “pay no more once you’ve signed up&# model but they fall for the other guy’s pitch every time. I know I won’t win every deal I want to in VC. Tags: Start-up Advice. and that people should upgrade.

consulting

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2013

By spending more time educating your board on your business you get more valuable advice from them. Your goal should be to turn your VCs into extended members of your team to get real value from them. He did it yesterday, “Mark, I’m going to write a blog post following on from your VC’s aren’t dumb.

board

TechCrunch

FEBRUARY 19, 2021

TechCrunch, in collaboration with these organizations and VC firms like Kleiner Perkins, Salesforce Ventures and Initialized Capital, provide these young founders with educational resources and mentorship over the course of a year. Tune in a get ready to take notes — the advice you hear could help you improve your pitch deck.

founder

TechCrunch

MARCH 24, 2023

During this one-day startup bootcamp, you’ll learn about legal issues, fundraising, marketing, growth, product-market fit, pitching, recruiting and more. Dayna will talk about how, beyond the idea, founders can pitch investors on their TAM, including how they will wedge into the market and how they will eventually disrupt it.

incubation

Entrepreneur's Handbook

NOVEMBER 29, 2022

You’ll receive practical startup advice straight to your inbox every week. Are you actually ready to pitch? When pitching, the startup has to put a number on the table. Thankfully, seasoned investor DC Palter offers some advice: Find the deal lead?—? Did you know the average new business pitch costs $450,000?!

venture capital

TechCrunch

APRIL 15, 2023

Zuckerberg, a co-organizer, part-time DJ and investor at Long Journey VC, says that they’re thinking of making it an annual event. In the rest of this newsletter we’re talking about Amazon’s new bed, and bad advice from investors. Pitch decks and term sheets welcome too. No pitches, please. Are we surprised? At just 2.1%

health

TechCrunch

OCTOBER 22, 2020

Today, pitch competitions, incubators, accelerators, VCs and angel groups proliferate. Olaf Hannemann, partner, CV VC AG. What is your advice to startups in your portfolio right now? Ten years ago startups were unusual. Philipp Stauffer, partner, FYRFLY Venture Partners. Claude Donzé , partner, Tomahawk.VC.

startup

AsiaTechDaily

NOVEMBER 16, 2022

As the team is not from a VC background, the typical investment strategy for seed or early-stage fund on diversifying into a portfolio of companies and then follow-on investments into potential winners is simply not in our DNA who came from corporate finance and business advisory background. Build trust. front seat now to drive the valuation.

ventures

TechCrunch

MARCH 15, 2022

Further investment into renewable energy will be likely as Ecosia evaluates community energy projects and pitches from founders and these may take place in other countries,” a spokesperson told us. World Fund is a new €350M climate VC fund incubated by green search engine Ecosia.

energy