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The Five "Ups" of Getting Early Stage VC Deal Flow

This is going to be BIG.

How do you get 150+ VCs to show up for something? nextNYC, the startup events platform I run, produces the largest formal VC/Founder intro event at NY Tech Week. Last year, over 150 VCs participated and were looking forward to having even more. No VC on the face of the earth has a magical Good Deals Only stream of opportunities.

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What I Would Look for When Choosing a VC – Knowing What I Know Now?

Both Sides of the Table

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.

VC 364
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Some Reflections on VC Investment Decisions

Both Sides of the Table

I told my friend that I felt that in 2014 too many new VCs feel the pressure to chase deals, to be a part of syndicates with other brand names and to pounce on top of every startup whose numbers are trending up quickly. 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.

VC 374
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My Role as a VC: What I am and what I am not.

This is going to be BIG.

Fifth , as I intend to be a long term participant in the innovation ecosystem, I have a role to support and champion the community at large. This means that it''s important to me to be supportive of everyone''s success, not just those I back, since it''s not a zero sum game.

VC 404
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How to Make Sense of the PPP Loan Program for VC-Backed Startups

Both Sides of the Table

But I have been in close contact with the NVCA, many of the major law firms and many of the major VC firms. Am I ineligible since I’m VC-backed? There is nothing in the rules that state that VC-backed businesses are ineligible. I am not claiming to be the world expert on this. shouldn’t I? The short answer is “no.” It depends.

VC 279
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How to Talk About Valuation When a VC Asks

Both Sides of the Table

VC firms see thousands of deals and have a refined sense of how the market is valuing deals because they get price signals across all of these deals. It’s not uncommon for a VC to ask you how much capital you’ve raised and what the post-money valuation was on your last round. So why does a VC ask you?

VC 324
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How Many Investors Should You Talk to in a VC Fund Raise? And How Do You Prioritize?

Both Sides of the Table

The typical VC process is as follows: They say there are three rules in property: Location, location, location. The surest sign a fund-raising process has stalled is when you aren’t getting follow-up meetings or hearing from the VC or hearing from friends that they got a phone call or email asking about you. Same with VC.

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