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Warnings about investor limitations!
Berkonomics
NOVEMBER 27, 2024
Some businesses just can’t fit within the angel capital or friends and family model for raising funds. Sooner or later, you may need to seek venture capital and accommodate the needs of the venture community in negotiating the terms of an investment.
Snowcap Compute Launches with $23M in Seed Funding to Power the Future of AI, Quantum, and HPC
American Entrepreneurship
JUNE 24, 2025
Quentin Herr , Chief Technology Officer, previously with imec, and one of the foremost researchers in practical superconducting computing They are joined by a powerful advisory board including Brian Kelleher, former SVP of GPU Engineering at NVIDIA, and Phil Carmack, former VP of Silicon Engineering at Google.
Understanding Changes in the Software & Venture Capital Industries
Both Sides of the Table
JUNE 28, 2011
In this three-part series I will explore the ways that the Venture Capital industry has changed over the past 5 years that I would argue are a direct result of changes in the software industry, not the other way around. I will argue that LPs who invest in VC funds will also need to adjust a bit as well. Enter Amazon.
My Role as a VC: What I am and what I am not.
This is going to be BIG.
JULY 16, 2014
I am there, along with other investors and board members to audit their thinking--to make sure they were considerate about the plans *they* came up with, not me. Fourth , I am highly incentivized to provide assistance to my portfolio companies in any way that I can--whether it means connections to talent, PR, other capital, customers, etc.
How to Make Sense of the PPP Loan Program for VC-Backed Startups
Both Sides of the Table
APRIL 6, 2020
But I have been in close contact with the NVCA, many of the major law firms and many of the major VC firms. If your US-based business is adversely affected by Covid-19 such that you would need to lay off employees imminently and having access to capital would enable you to keep more employees on the payroll then you might be eligible.
How to Win Consulting, Board, and Deal Roles with Private Equity and Venture Capital Funds
David Teten VC
JUNE 9, 2021
Would you like to work with private equity and venture capital funds? There are relatively few jobs directly inside private equity and venture capital funds, and those jobs are highly competitive. See How to negotiate a partner role at a VC or private equity firm.) At Versatile VC , we’ve used all these models.
How come VCs are. jerks?
This is going to be BIG.
OCTOBER 3, 2016
That was a question posed to me by a new analyst at a venture capital fund. While there are lots and lots of really kind, generous people working in venture capital--the recently retired Howard Morgan, Hunter Walk, Brad Feld, and Karin Klein for example--it's really tough to argue that there isn't widespread jerkery.
Board Diversity
A VC: Musings of a VC in NYC
JUNE 25, 2020
The board diversity problem is a symptom of a much broader problem around lack of diversity in founders that get funded and lack of diversity in VC firms. Most startup boards are made up of a few founders and a few VCs. No wonder you have no diversity on the board. Boards don’t need three or four VCs on them.
What I Would Look for When Choosing a VC – Knowing What I Know Now?
Both Sides of the Table
JANUARY 22, 2014
Picking a VC is hard. So I thought I’d write about out with what I would look for in a VC knowing what I know now and why. Most VCs are book smart. VCs should be more of a coach than proscriptively telling you what to do. You want a VC who will spar with you but then STFU and let you get on with things.
Is @AngelList Syndicates Really Such a Big Deal?
Both Sides of the Table
SEPTEMBER 29, 2013
If you track the venture capital industry it would be hard to miss the conversation going on this week over AngelList “Syndicates.” My favorite new VC blogger, Hunter Walk, weighed in with some thoughtful comments about how Syndicates might actually pit, “ angel vs. angel.” Bowery Capital).
The Fantastical, Stupendous, Wonkariffic Tale of How Ample Hills Creamery Raised a $4 Million Venture Capital Round
This is going to be BIG.
NOVEMBER 16, 2015
But just because you could see them everywhere doesn't make them an obvious venture bet--nor does it tell the story of how the round even came to be. That story actually begins about eleven or twelve years ago, with a little bit of VC mentoring. While this is a company already making millions of dollars, there is so much to be done.
The Double Standard of Female CEOs Moving Fast and Breaking Things
This is going to be BIG.
NOVEMBER 15, 2020
Investors let him control the board as long as he continued to make them paper rich, and then actually rich--so they couldn’t technically force him out. When it happens at companies run by women, the media, disgruntled employees, and their investor board members, burn them at the stake. VC David Sacks tweeted “??
GRP Announces $200 Million Fund. Rebrands as Upfront Ventures
Both Sides of the Table
JUNE 27, 2013
If you’ve been following the press about VC funds you’ll know this is no small feat. Perhaps the biggest piece of new news is that after 17 years of operations we’ve changed our name from GRP Partners to Upfront Ventures. Well, the venture capital industry has changed a lot in the past 20 years … and we have too.
What Would it Look Like if Elon Musk Pitched a VC Today?
Both Sides of the Table
MAY 30, 2013
His imagination of what is wrong with VC has captured perfectly in satirical format what ails our industry. It is Nikolas Tesla pitching a VC firm. The back-and-forth between Andy & me if anything I hope just raised the issue a bit more about entrepreneur & VC relationships. He knew me then. by Dorrian Porter.
Entrepreneur’s Don’t Think Enough. Here’s What You Can Do About It …
Both Sides of the Table
NOVEMBER 20, 2012
Board Meetings. Frankly, I think venture capital is that way, too. How do VCs break out of group think when they are shuttling from one board meeting to the next, from one conference to the other and talking with all the same people? How does the world in Los Angeles intersect differently with venture capital?
Some Reflections on VC Investment Decisions
Both Sides of the Table
APRIL 27, 2014
I was having dinner with a friend last night and we were chatting about venture capital and a bit about what I’ve learned. I know I can’t be in every deal and I know that the easy part of being a VC is writing the first check in a deal. They worry too much about missing out on a deal. I don’t. Price matters.
How to Kick Start Your Community’s Startup Scene
Both Sides of the Table
JUNE 8, 2014
Changes in the Software World & in Venture Capital. But notably you had the following changes: Horizontally scalable computing & storage systems, which meant you required less capital up front for hardware. Venture Capital. And then the world changed. Changes in the Startup Ecosystem. We have invested $17.3
How to Find a Job as a VC Scout: Compensation and Which Firms Are Recruiting
David Teten VC
MARCH 1, 2022
The easiest way to work with and for VC funds is to become a part-time scout, getting paid for sourcing investments. How to win consulting, board, operating, and investment roles with private equity and venture capital funds (video). How to find a job as a VC scout. How to get a job in venture capital.
From Startup Failure to Venture Capital Success - Azriel Nicdao’s Journey
Jason Malki
JANUARY 23, 2023
who is a junior investor in the Venture Capital industry. He hopes to find a fulltime position in venture capital after graduation. He currently serves as a Venture Partner at Mech Ventures where they invest in the future of pop culture. Azriel Nicdao otherwise known as (A.Z.)
The Screwy Logic of Crowdfunding and Venture Fund Regulation
This is going to be BIG.
MAY 11, 2012
Until you realize that vetting and helping companies is actually really hard--or did you not notice all the news that venture capital as an asset class doesn't beat the market. Want to know why there aren't more female partners at VC funds? scratches bald head]. You can't exactly look those people up on Angel List.
Congrats to Backupify! A Great Exit Story for the First Company I Ever Backed
This is going to be BIG.
DECEMBER 11, 2014
I''m super proud of Rob, Ben and the whole Backupify team--and this is particularly special for me because Backupify was the first investment I ever made as a VC, and the first board I ever sat on. I joined the board and I was assuming everything would always be up and to the right, because that''s the way success happens, right?
Bolster Your Management Team And Board
A VC: Musings of a VC in NYC
SEPTEMBER 9, 2020
Matt and many members of his leadership team got the band back together early this year and started a new company called Bolster in partnership with Silicon Valley Bank and the early-stage VC firm High Alpha. Bolster also will allow venture capital firms and startup investors to participate in its platform as super users.
Creating Better VCs: An Accelerator for the Dark Side
This is going to be BIG.
MARCH 24, 2014
Not every potentially good VC previously worked for Fred Wilson and Josh Kopelman. Not every VC used to get pitched by VC funds for a living and has seen hundreds and hundreds of VC pitch decks. Venture capitalists play an important role in burgeoning ecosystems. Venture Capital & Technology'
How to find a job as a scout for a VC firm
TechCrunch
FEBRUARY 16, 2022
David Teten is founder of Versatile VC and writes periodically at teten.com and @dteten. Akshat Dixit is a senior at North Carolina State University, an intern at Versatile VC , and a past intern with the HBS Alumni Angels Association and the Innovation Quarter in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Scouts help promote diversity in VC.
Accel, BoxGroup, Cowboy Ventures, Pear VC and Yahoo to judge Startup Battlefield at Disrupt
TechCrunch
OCTOBER 4, 2022
Mar Hershenson , co-founder and managing partner at Pear VC. Mar Hershenson co-founded and serves as managing partner at Pear VC, a seed-stage investment firm in Palo Alto backing companies like Guardant Health, DoorDash, Gusto, Aurora Solar and Branch. He also serves on the board of Friends of Hudson River Park.
Mozilla launches $35M venture capital fund for early-stage ‘responsible’ startups
TechCrunch
NOVEMBER 2, 2022
It seems that every internet company and their dog have at least one venture capital (VC) arm under their wing, with the likes of Google Ventures (now GV), Microsoft Ventures (now M12), Salesforce Ventures , Twilio Ventures , and Zoom Ventures all serving their corporate namesakes potential cash cows via hundreds of equity investments.
Want to Know How VC’s Calculate Valuation Differently from Founders?
Both Sides of the Table
JULY 22, 2010
Back in 1999 when I first raised venture capital I had zero knowledge of what a fair term sheet looked like or how to value my company. I just want to figure out what a fair valuation is.&# I figured all the VC’s talked so we should. But this example above is all entrepreneur math, not the VC’s. million.
Why Draper Esprit doubled down on its status as a publicly listed VC
TechCrunch
AUGUST 3, 2021
We cover a lot of venture capital news here at TechCrunch. Lately, we’ve had to touch on rolling funds, solo GPs and a faster-than-ever investing cadence that has rewritten the rules of venture investing. But there’s another venture capital trend worth discussing: venture capital firms going public.
How VCs Think About Adding New Partners
Both Sides of the Table
NOVEMBER 13, 2014
Investment experience (5 years a VC at Battery Ventures). Operating experience (Helped run parts of CitySearch & UrbanSpoon, tons of product management experience, Board of Hatch Labs which helped spawn Tinder). Upfront Ventures VC Industry' But she also has the temperament, which is important.
European VC firms Amadeus and Apex partner for €80m early-stage ‘deep tech’ fund
TechCrunch
FEBRUARY 21, 2023
based Amadeus Capital Partners and Austria’s Apex Ventures are pooling their collective venture capital (VC) resources for a new fund specifically targeted at early-stage deep tech startups. “This subsequently led to a close relationship with the Amadeus Capital Partners team.
Why Has Seed Investing Declined? And What Does this Mean for the Future?
Both Sides of the Table
FEBRUARY 12, 2019
Over the past month a colleague ( Chang Xu ) and I sifted through data on the venture capital industry (as we do every year) and made a bunch of calls to VCs and LPs to confirm our hypotheses. As a result of the IPO window shifting we saw a massive inflow of public-market capital into the latest stages of venture.
How to Raise First Dollars in a Difficult Market: The Venture Perspective
TechCrunch
JULY 6, 2022
Raising venture capital is rarely an easy lift for startups, but 2022 is turning out to be a more challenging year than we’ve seen for some time. As venture capital continues its slowdown after an aggressive 2020 and record-breaking 2021 , it’s clear that early-stage founders looking for their first dollars will require a new approach.
African tech took center stage in 2021
TechCrunch
DECEMBER 30, 2021
Two years ago, the African tech ecosystem saw newfound attention from global players that translated to the continent’s best year of receiving venture capital. Venture capital investment in Africa predicted to reach a record high this year. The European VC also led the pre-seed rounds of Kippa and Edukoya.
Improving startup results through female leadership
TechCrunch
OCTOBER 5, 2021
Leah Edwards is a passionate fan and connector in technology and impact, a lecturer at UC Berkeley and Stanford and a partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures , a Silicon Valley-based VC firm. As a partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures , I’m aware that the VC industry boasts about finding teams with outlying and industry-changing ideas.
How to win consulting, board and deal roles with PE and VC funds
TechCrunch
JUNE 2, 2021
David Teten is founder of Versatile VC and writes periodically at teten.com and @dteten. 5 innovative fundraising methods for emerging VCs and PEs. Paulina Symala is a consultant at Oliver Wyman and a past intern of Versatile VC. Would you like to work with private equity and venture capital funds? Venture capital.
Big Cabal Media, parent company of TechCabal and Zikoko, raises $2.3M seed funding
TechCrunch
MARCH 17, 2022
However, for all their effort and importance to the tech ecosystem, raising significant venture capital seemed elusive to startups in Africa’s digital media landscape that rely on grants and personal funding to scale. million in seed funding to expand its audience and build new verticals. market of the mid-2010s.
Equal access to capital and entrepreneurship is the final civil rights movement
TechCrunch
JANUARY 12, 2021
But despite my privilege, I’m also confident that my Black heritage made it more difficult for me to raise venture capital. Today — and the data proves this — if you are a white male, you have an unfair advantage when looking to raise venture capital. And really, this was where my race became an obstacle.
The Return of Play
This is going to be BIG.
DECEMBER 2, 2013
If I was going to start a venture capital fund around a theme, I''d pick something a little different. Scarcity + high demand = Happy VC all too willing to fund playful things and entrepreneurs ready to play. These companies are not only getting millions in VC investments, but huge revenues as well. No geographic focus.
The VC Inclusion Clause #MovingForward
Both Sides of the Table
MARCH 8, 2018
If you’re an entrepreneur who would like to see this clause in more startups please ask your VC to include it in future term sheets and link to it from their home page. “We Ours is: upfront.com/inclusion. We strive to invest in companies that are consciously working to create a diverse leadership team?—?
How do you attract family offices and other large investors to your direct investing platform?
David Teten VC
MAY 19, 2021
Rob Leclerc, Founding Partner, AgFunder , said, “We think of ourselves as a media company with VC as a business model. Arno Niazi, CEO, GoingVC said, “Take, for example, our Venture Capital learning and development program, which now has more than 250 global alumni. Ongoing information rights. Strong internal tech stack.
rali_cap gets backing from global VCs and launches $30M fintech fund for emerging markets
TechCrunch
MAY 5, 2022
Rali_cap , an early-stage venture capital firm focused on emerging markets fintech, has launched a $30 million fund. Last month, the firm, formerly known as Rally Cap Ventures, reached its first close of $20 million (its initial target) before increasing the fund size, signaling a strong LP appetite.
Governments should invest in their diaspora founders
TechCrunch
AUGUST 17, 2021
Prabhat Gusain is currently the chief of staff at Caffeinated Capital and was previously an intern with Versatile VC. David Teten is founder of Versatile VC and writes periodically at teten.com and @dteten. How to win consulting, board and deal roles with PE and VC funds. Next are VC firms looking for founders.
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