Ten Deadly Sins of Writing a Business Plan to Raise Capital
In order to launch a successful business and raise the capital needed to do so, a startup needs to consider several aspects of the business including the management team, the size of the opportunity, the product/service/technology, the market/sales/distribution channels, the competitive environment and several other factors. Another key factor is how these business concepts are […]
Building a High-Tech Startup Team
Aligning the Startup Team Strategy with the Capitalization Strategy The single most important factor to raising capital for any tech startup is the management team. This is true for early stage funding as well as venture capital funding. A bonafide team is the assurance that the idea can be executed and that the business can […]
Seed and Series A Technology Funding Report
Tech Seed and Series A Medians and Averages Show Little Change Despite some notable early-stage Juiced and Jumbo Series A round investments in tech firms such as GitHub and Clinkle, the average and median Seed and Series A transactions are showing little change. Juiced Series A deals typically range between $8M and $15M. Companies raising this type of […]
Top 8 Faux Pas Claims by Entrepreneurs Raising Capital
What Not to Say to Potential Investors Yes, you need to impress an investor if he/she is going to break out the checkbook. However, there are some common claims made by first-time and seasoned entrepreneurs alike that do not resonate well with investors. Some of these claims are infamous buzz words that can be explained […]
Angel Investment Trends in Q1 2013
Angel Investor Valuations Remain Strong Angel investor median deal sizes increased as valuations remained strong in the first quarter of 2013. The majority of deals went to healthcare, mobile and internet startups. Highlights from angel investing in the last quarter include: The median angel deal size for Q1 2013 reached $680K – up 5% since […]
Seed VC Funding in Silicon Valley On The Rise
Seed VC Funding in Bay Area on Pace for Record Year Seed funding in the San Francisco area appears to be on pace for another record year. Seed deals in 2013 have seen a massive push towards the mobile sector with a contraction to the online sector. Seed funding to both San Francisco and Silicon […]
Angel Investor Stewardship
Angel Investor Stewardship – An Underrated Skill One of the most underrated skills that a startup CEO needs to know is how to keep his/her investors updated, excited and engaged. It is through the lens of the CEO that investors know what’s going on, and in some ways, engage with the businesses. Furthermore, if you […]
Angel Investor Portfolio Insight
Angel investors typically invest in seed or early stage startups that are seeking between $150,000 to $1M. Often, a group of six to twenty angels will pool their funds to make such an investment. The average check written by angels is ~$30,000. They are typically accredited investors that are investing with the intention of engaging […]
Hiring the Right Startup Lawyer
You own a young company that is seeking VC, angel or perhaps even seed funding. You want to protect yourself with the right legal documents, ensure that you are taking the right steps and perhaps gain some legal counsel along the way. You turn to your network circles for a recommendation on a good lawyer. […]
Pay to Pitch? NEVER
Your start-up should never have to pay money to pitch to potential investors. Several “angel groups” will express interest in your start-up only to inform you later that they charge a fee, sometimes up to $5,000. Some of these wealthy angels argue that these fees act as a filter. First, a potential investor should be able to tell whether […]
