Tue, 30 June 2020
In this episode, Hall welcomes Elena-Cristina Conacel, Co-founder and Managing Partner of BootstrapBay. Located in Buzău, Romania, BootstrapBay is a marketplace for premium Bootstrap themes and templates and they “Build beautiful websites in minutes using our feature packed, fully responsive, and customizable themes and templates.” In addition to the marketplace, they publish high-quality content and resources on their blog to help web designers and web developers kick start their next project. While studying for her Master’s degree, Cristina started working as a freelancer. She divided her time between working for clients and started her own open-source projects with a colleague from college. She co-founded NearFish, an application for instructors and small fitness practices to keep track of their members. A mobile check-in solution that instructors and receptionists can use on-the-go was later added. Cristina also helped start Creativeteam.com who subsequently acquired BootstrapBay. Cristina speaks with Hall about the products and services BootstrapBay offers and the direction the company is going in. She also talks about technology and how it is evolving, whether or not people are moving to open-source products, and the challenges businesses face in the sector. You can visit BootstrapBay at www.bootstrapbay.com/. Cristina can be contacted via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/elena-cristina-conacel-a89a436b/, via Twitter at www.twitter.com/conacelelena?lang=en, and via email at contact@bootstrapbay.com. |
Tue, 30 June 2020
This is Investor Perspectives, I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In today’s show, you’ll hear investor perspectives on healthcare and its impact on startups. COVID-19 has changed the landscape for startups giving us a new normal. During the pandemic, it became clear the need for changes in our healthcare system. We have joining us, Jun Deng of Joyance Partners - an investor in the healthcare space. Jun has over a decade of experience in biomedical research and years of experience in venture capital investment. Jun shapes strategy for health-tech and bio-tech related investments, leads the “Inception” program for academies and universities, and has led more than a dozen investments across the US and Europe. So far, Jun has been involved in 50+ investments in technology and life science innovation. Jun received her PhD in molecular physiology at UCLA. She is also an investor at Health Tech Capital, a mentor at Singularity University, and an Investment Partner at Social Starts. I hope you enjoy this episode.
Direct download: June_2020_IP_-_Jun_Deng_of_Joyance_Partners.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:24pm CST |
Tue, 30 June 2020
In this episode, Hall welcomes Denis Coleman of Life Science Angels. Located in Palo Alto, California, Life Science Angels is a not-for-profit corporation with 130-150 accredited investor members, 12-18 highly qualified Fellows, and 12-15 Sponsor organizations. They take no carry or management fees on investments and they do not charge companies any fees. They have invested over $60 million in over 100 startups. Denis earned his B.S. and M.S. in mechanical engineering from MIT and his Ph.D. in management (computer science minor) from Stanford. In 1979 he obtained his CPA and left an academic career that featured teaching positions in Canada, the University of Hawaii, and Stanford. In his first project, he wrote the software and ran a company that sold the first spelling checker for microcomputers. Then in 1983, he co-founded a software company now known as Symantec Corporation, the fourth largest software company in the world in 2007. He spent five years at Symantec, serving as VP of R&D for development of the initial product, Q&A. This productivity software package won many product-of-the year awards and eventually had retail sales of over half a billion dollars. Since 1989, he has served variously as early board member, founder, software designer/developer in ten other startups, two of which had IPO's -- NEOF (online medical supply and equipment marketplace) and VSNR (hardware/software office imaging solutions, now merged with Nuance). Financial Engines (Internet based retirement investments) and Claria (Internet advertising) each achieved profitability and annual revenues in excess of $80 million. C Level Design (C language translated into ASIC hardware designs) and WealthCycle (Internet based investment advice) had successful product development but hasty exit sales to larger entities after the bubble burst of 2001. Since 2004, he has been interested in bioengineering, particularly in the area of drug discovery and has shifted new portfolio investments and startup energies to the life sciences. Denis speaks with Hall about the state of angel investing, particularly in this COVID-19 era, one of the portfolio companies Life Science Angels invests in, what excites him, and he gives advice to both investors and entrepreneurs. You can visit Life Science Angels at https://www.lifescienceangels.com/. Denis can be contacted via email at dcoleman296@gmail.com. |
Fri, 26 June 2020
Investor Connect is proud to introduce a brand new Podcast series: Investor Perspectives. In this, our last episode of part one of our series, we conclude our discussion on the Impact of the COVID-19 Economy on Startup Funding with experienced investors from the TEN Capital network. In today’s installment, we’re focusing on what new investment thesis the COVID-19 pandemic will bring, and what startup sectors will be diminished or eliminated by COVID-19. Today’s episode features insights from: Evan Cohen of Healthbox - 0:42 We hope you enjoy listening to this informative new series. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group
Direct download: Investor_Perspectives_Impact_of_the_COVID-19_Economy_on_Startup_Funding_Part_3C.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:42pm CST |
Tue, 23 June 2020
In this episode, Hall welcomes Grace Belangia, Executive Director and Founding Member of theClubhou.se. theClubhou.se is a co-working and collaboration space in the heart of downtown Augusta, Georgia. Today, theClubhou.se is a co-working space, a makerspace, a code school, a startup accelerator, a prototyping lab, a mentorship network, an organizer of events, and a think tank. It’s also a support resource for organizations in communities across the nation that are working to grow their local innovation economy. theClubhou.se inspires ideas, creates companies, and builds community. Founded in 2012, theClubhou.se is a division of Hack Augusta, inc., a non-profit 501(c)3 dedicated to growing a culture of innovation and collaboration. They have 230 members and have helped grow 100 companies that created over 1000 jobs. Their events and programs serve over 25,000 people and their classes help thousands learn new skills in technology, business, and design, so they can thrive in an innovation economy. Grace is also the Executive Director and co-founder of the non-profit, HACK Augusta that connects leaders and learners in the technology, business and design sector. Grace works with national private and public foundations to engage community and civic leaders to leverage their knowledge, power, and influence in committing to helping citizens thrive. Challenging those in government, education, philanthropy, technology and business to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate, she encourages entrepreneurs with an idea to execute it! She contributes a unique perspective to Augusta, Georgia having grown up in Silicon Valley, a graduate from UCLA, she holds a M.S. degree in Communications and Public Relations. She was an early-stage employee for a digital mobile marketing company and business partner for Innovation Architecture Firm, having raised more than $1,000.000 in funding. She is also an early-stage angel investor in two technology startups, including Sumo Robot League, an educational robotics platform. She was a former Adjunct Professor at Augusta University and is a published writer and associate editor. Grace speaks with Hall about how she has built a local ecosystem for entrepreneurs, the changes she sees coming up in the next five years along with the challenges, and theClubhou.se’s investment thesis. You can visit theClubhou.se at theClubhou.se. Grace can be contacted via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/grace-anne-belangia-85169927/, via Twitter at www.twitter.com/GraceBelangia, and via email at grace@theclubhou.se. |
Mon, 22 June 2020
Investor Connect is proud to introduce a brand new Podcast series: Investor Perspectives. Over the next few weeks, we continue our discussion on the Impact of the COVID-19 Economy on Startup Funding with experienced investors from the TEN Capital network. In today’s installment, we’re focusing on what new investment thesis the COVID-19 pandemic will bring, and what startup sectors will be diminished or eliminated by COVID-19. Today’s episode features insights from: Christian Kameir of Sustany Capital 0:51 We hope you enjoy listening to this informative new series. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group
Direct download: Investor_Perspectives_Impact_of_the_COVID-19_Economy_on_Startup_Funding_Part_3B.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:45am CST |
Fri, 19 June 2020
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Equity funding is just one source of funding for your startup. There are many others such as equipment leasing. Equipment leasing is used to reduce cash requirements for a startup by leasing the equipment rather than buying it. An equipment leasing company owns the equipment and uses it as collateral for buying the equipment and then charges the startup a monthly rental fee. There are two types of leasing. The Finance Lease (also called the Capital Lease) and the Operating Lease. The Finance Lease is a long-term arrangement in which the startup is required to pay the lease rent until the end of the contract, which is usually the life of the asset. The Operating Lease is for a shorter period of time and is often cancelable. Providers of equipment leasing must have a license and cannot hold or offer real estate. The lease period cannot be fixed for less than three years, except for IT and computer equipment. Leased equipment appears as an expense on the income statement rather than on the balance sheet, which would reduce the startups’ liquidity. Over the long term, the cost of the asset will be higher than that of an outright purchase. It’s best to look for a closed-end lease without a balloon payment at the end. An open-end lease requires you to pay the difference between the value of the equipment and what you’ve paid for it so far. Equipment leasing works best for cash- flow management when you have a long-term need for the equipment.
Direct download: EG_Apr_2020_Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Equipment_Leasing_2.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:24pm CST |
Fri, 19 June 2020
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Equipment leasing lets you borrow funds to obtain assets such as computers, machinery, and other items you may need to build your product and run your business. Instead of raising equity funding to buy the equipment, you can lease the equipment. Equipment leasing spreads the payments over a period of time rather than funding the equipment upfront. This works well for businesses that are capital-intensive. Equity funding is expensive funding. Equipment leasing reduces the amount of equity funding you need to raise.
Direct download: EG_Apr_2020_Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Equipment_Leasing_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:18pm CST |
Fri, 19 June 2020
In this episode, Hall welcomes Olusegun Okubanjo, Managing Partner of Obsidian Capital. Based in London, Obsidian Capital is a boutique investment banking firm that arranges infrastructure-oriented, transaction-based funding for mid-sized clients in West Central and East Africa. They are excited about Emerging Africa's economic potential and are committed to supporting private-sector led growth on the continent by providing onshore institutional clients access to the best global investment banking services. They create, incubate and invest directly in high-growth businesses in the region, and are less focused on specific sectors and more focused on investing in the right people - who have ambitious ideas, foresight and passion to change the world. Olusegun has over 20 years of experience in wealth management and investment banking and is skilled in crafting and implementing sophisticated financial solutions to the uniquely complex personal and corporate investment structures that are typical of the entrepreneurial clients in emerging Africa. Prior to joining OBSIDIAN, Olusegun was Executive Director, Africa at UBS, London. He began his career with ARM Investment Managers, Lagos and went on to head the West Africa offshore private client divisions at Standard Bank and Renaissance Capital and led a team covering West Africa at Barclays Wealth in London. Olusegun has a BSc in Business Administration and an MBA in International Business from the Gardner School of Business & Technology, Wayne State College. He studied Law (Juris Doctor) at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and is a member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, London. Olusegun speaks with Hall about the state of investing in Africa, what excites him as an investor and what Obsidian Capital’s investment thesis is. You can visit Obsidian Capital at www.obsidian.capital. Olusegun can be contacted via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/segunokubanjo/, via Twitter at www.twitter.com/segunokubanjo and via email at ooo@obsidian.capital. |
Thu, 18 June 2020
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In fundraising, milestones are specific goals you have accomplished. In crafting your fundraise story, focus on key milestones both those you just hit and those you are striving for. This demonstrates you are making progress. There are four types of milestones to consider:
While you may not always hit the milestones you planned for, you will most likely find success along the way which demonstrates accomplishment to showcase to investors.
Direct download: Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_the_importance_of_milestones.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:18pm CST |
Thu, 18 June 2020
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Equity funding is just one source of funding for your startup. There are many others such as licensing. You may be able to reduce the amount of funding needed to grow your business by licensing your technology to others. Instead of building and selling a product, you can license to others who will build and sell a product. In licensing, you must have a patent to protect your technology and oftentimes a series of supporting tools to help those who license your technology for using it. Licensing brings the following benefits:
The disadvantages are:
Licensees can also bring you new ideas for improvements on the technology. For applications requiring high capital expenditures for building and selling the product, licensing is a good fit.
Direct download: EG_Apr_2020_Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Licensing.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:10pm CST |
Thu, 18 June 2020
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Equity funding is just one source of funding for your startup. There are many others such as factoring. Factoring is selling your accounts receivables to a finance company at a discounted rate. It’s not a loan, so you are not taking on debt but rather selling your invoices for cash, albeit at a discount. A typical factoring arrangement gives the business 85% of the value of the invoices and keeps 15%. The factoring company often charges a processing fee and a fee for however many days it takes the customer to pay the invoice. These two costs add up to be the discount the business is paying for the receipt of cash. Factoring works well for the company as it comes with long payment terms. Businesses with a cash flow shortage often use factoring as it’s a fast way to access capital without taking on debt. The factoring company will look at the credit history of the customer paying the invoice rather than the startup providing the product. The cost is giving up a portion of the profits which makes fast cash expensive. Your customers will know you are factoring, as the invoice will be retitled into the name of the factoring company. Slow-paying customers will become more expensive as the cost of collecting their payment will take longer. Factoring works best for short-term cash flow management when you have predictable payments from customers that take some time.
Direct download: EG_Apr_2020_Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Factoring_2.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:00pm CST |
Thu, 18 June 2020
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. When you sell a physical product and invoice the customer, it can take 30, 45, 60 days or more before they pay. Factoring provides funding by reducing your accounts receivable by selling the invoice. The factoring company gives you cash immediately when you sell and takes a transaction fee on the use of their funds. The factoring company is now at risk for non-payment. Factoring works well for consumer product companies that have cash-flow challenges as the business requires capital to build the product, sell, and ship the product only to collect payment later. Factoring reduces the amount of working capital needed and may reduce the amount of funding you need from equity capital raises.
Direct download: EG_Apr_2020_Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Factoring_1.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:41am CST |
Thu, 18 June 2020
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Equity funding is just one source of funding for your startup. There are many others such as loans. Loans are debt instruments that must be repaid. Startups can find it difficult to get a traditional loan from a bank. The Small Business Administration offers several loan types for early-stage companies. These loans come with personal guarantees and cannot be closed out with the dissolution of the business. There’s also debt through the use of credit cards and microloans. It’s difficult to use debt to pay for your core product development. Debt makes sense when you have some revenue coming in to pay for the loan. There are other types of debt including accounts receivable factoring in which you raise money on what customers owe you. There’s also equipment financing in which the equipment collateralizes the debt. Factoring works when you have paying customers and want to shrink the cash float from the time you build the product till the time you receive payment. Equipment financing works well if you need machinery to build your product or run your business.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.
Direct download: EG_Apr_2020_Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Loans.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:29am CST |
Thu, 18 June 2020
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Equity funding is just one source of funding for your startup. There are many others such as accelerators and incubators. Accelerators and incubators provide startups with workspace, mentorship, pitch practice and in some cases funding. They are sponsored by universities, companies, and entrepreneur collectives. Accelerators provide an intensive program to help the entrepreneur prepare their business and product for an initial investment. The classes are usually small, around 5-10 companies. At the end of the program, the participants pitch to investors for funding. Incubators offer a physical workplace with offices, administration, and meeting rooms. Universities offer accelerators and incubators for students and faculty who want to commercialize research. The accelerator or incubator may have a fund from which it invests in startups who complete the initial program. This often takes the form of equity funding but some programs structure it as a grant. They often sponsor demo days in which you pitch to prospective investors. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.
Direct download: EG_Apr_2020_Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Accelerators__Incubators.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:23am CST |
Thu, 18 June 2020
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. So how do Venture Capitalists make money? VCs charge the limited partners a management fee on the funds raised. This is traditionally 2% which is paid out every year for the life of the fund. Some funds stop the management fee around year six or seven as proceeds from the investments start coming in. MicroVCs often charge 2.5 or 3% of the funds raised since the amount of funds is lower than standard. The second source is called “carry” and is a percentage of any proceeds going back to the investor from the investments. This is traditionally 20%. Some funds start taking carry at the beginning of the investment returns, while other funds start this after the investor receives their initial investment.
Direct download: EG_Mar_2020_Startup_Funding_Espresso--_How_VCs_Make_Money.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:00am CST |
Wed, 17 June 2020
In this episode, Hall welcomes Tarek Assaad, Managing Partner of Algebra Ventures. Algebra Ventures is Egypt’s leading technology VC firm. Based in Cairo, the company is a $50-million venture capital fund that invests in early-stage technology companies in Egypt and the MENA region. Its LPs include Cisco, the European Commission, EAEF, EBRD, IFC, and private family offices. Algebra has invested in 15 transformative technology companies in MENA, including HolidayMe, Trella, Elmenus, GoodsMart, and Halan. Tarek started his career as an engineer at Lucent Technologies then as a software developer for SAQQARA Systems, an internet startup in Silicon Valley. He later became General Manager of CID Consulting where he led the company’s high growth, helping it to become one of the leading local consulting firms in Egypt. Apart from his role at Algebra Ventures, Tarek is Managing Partner at Ideavelopers where he has been managing $50m of VC investments since 2009, including some of Egypt’s most prominent technology startups. Tarek is a director of Smart Card Applications, Siwareand IdealRatings. In this role, he was also responsible for the investment in Fawry, the leading bill payment and presentment company in Egypt, which realized a $100m exit in 2015. Tarek holds a B.Sc. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Ain Shams University in Cairo and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. Tarek speaks with Hall about the state of investing in Egypt and what excites him as an investor. He also talks about Algebra’s investment thesis, some of the startups they have funded, and the general challenges his startups have faced. You can visit Algebra Ventures at www.algebraventures.com. Tarek can be contacted via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/tassaad/, via Twitter at www.Twitter.com/tassaad?lang=en, and via email at tarek@algebraventures.com. |
Mon, 15 June 2020
Investor Connect is proud to introduce a brand new Podcast series: Investor Perspectives. Over the next few weeks, we continue our discussion on the Impact of the COVID-19 Economy on Startup Funding with experienced investors from the TEN Capital network. In today’s installment, we’re focusing on their preparation for the market after the lockdown, what new investment thesis the COVID-19 pandemic will bring, and what startup sectors will be diminished or eliminated by COVID-19. Today’s episode features insights from: Ash Kaluarachchi of StartEd & EdTech Week 0:45 We hope you enjoy listening to this informative new series. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group
Direct download: Investor_Perspectives_Impact_of_the_COVID-19_Economy_on_Startup_Funding_Part_3A.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:22am CST |
Fri, 12 June 2020
In this episode, Hall welcomes Eyal Lifschitz, Co-Founder & General Managing Partner at Peregrine Ventures. Peregrine Ventures is Israel's leading venture capital fund and they invest in promising early-stage high-tech companies with a strong emphasis on Life Sciences, Digital Health and Information Technology. Eyal has been an entrepreneur since the ‘90s and prior to founding Peregrine Ventures, he co-founded and led the business development efforts of a number of medical technology companies including PharmaSys (acquired by Elan Corp. NYSE:ELN), ECR (acquired by AVX Corp. NYSE:AVX), Visioncare Ophthalmic Technologies, and BioControl Ltd. From 2003-2007 Eyal also served as a Director of Given Imaging (NASDAQ: GIVN). Eyal speaks at length about robotics in the field and he is very excited about medical devices. He gives insight into the evolution of the industry, his fund’s investment thesis, and he advises both entrepreneurs and investors. You can visit Peregrine Ventures at www.Peregrinevc.com. Eyal can be contacted via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/eyal-lifschitz-459285134/ and via email at eyal@peregrinevc.com. |
Wed, 10 June 2020
Investor Connect is proud to introduce a brand new Podcast series: Investor Perspectives. Over the next few weeks, we continue our discussion on the Impact of the COVID-19 Economy on Startup Funding with experienced investors from the TEN Capital network. In today’s installment, we’re focusing on what our investors are doing to prepare for the market after the lockdown and what their new investment thesis is. Today’s episode features insights from: Evan Cohen of Healthbox 0:42
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org
Direct download: Investor_Perspectives_Impact_of_the_COVID-19_Economy_on_Startup_Funding_Part_2C.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:07am CST |
Mon, 8 June 2020
In this episode, Hall welcomes Mireya Manigault founder and CEO of Foundation LLC, founder at WeDemption, and an angel investor at 37 Angels. Located in Chicago, Foundation, LLC provides end-to-end support for targeted business needs in corporate culture, behavioral risk management and executive team coaching. WeDemption is its own ecosystem and has all your angel investing needs in one place. From learning to researching, tracking, storing and communicating, it all happens in one mobile space. Designed to bring founders and investors together, WeDemption is helping more, deserving companies succeed and getting more equity in your hands. Their goal is to positively change the lifetime and generational economic gaps by making angel investing more efficient, accessible and friendly for all. Mireya is an innovation and brand strategist who is passionate about corporate culture and executive team development. She has helped large organizations, nonprofits and start-ups define their strategic goals and optimize their people, processes and infrastructure for relevancy. Mireya speaks about the future of angel investing, her investment thesis, what excites her and she gives advice to both investors and entrepreneurs. You can visit Foundation LLC at https://bethefoundation.com/ and WeDemption at https://www.wedemption.co/. Mireya can be reached via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mireyamanigault/ and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/mireyasunshine. For VCs wanting to identify and mitigate cultural risk in their portfolios, they can reach Mireya or her team at contact@bethefoundation.com. For angels, would-be angels and those preparing for funding, they can reach Mireya or her team at hello@wedemption.co.
Direct download: Mireya_Manigault_of_Foundation_LLC-WeDemption.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:50am CST |
Fri, 5 June 2020
Investor Connect is proud to introduce a brand new Podcast series: Investor Perspectives. Over the next few weeks, we continue our discussion on the Impact of the COVID-19 Economy on Startup Funding with experienced investors from the TEN Capital network. In today’s installment, we’re focusing on the short-term impact of COVID-19 on startup funding and what our investors are doing to prepare for the market after the lockdown. Today’s episode features insights from: Christian Kameir of Sustany Capital We hope you enjoy listening to this informative new series. ________________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org
Direct download: Investor_Perspectives_Impact_of_the_COVID-19_Economy_on_Startup_Funding_Part_2B.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:26pm CST |
Tue, 2 June 2020
Investor Connect is proud to introduce a brand new Podcast series: Investor Perspectives. Over the next month, we continue our discussion on the Impact of the COVID-19 Economy on Startup Funding with experienced investors from the TEN Capital network. In today’s installment, we’re focusing on what our investors are doing to prepare for the market after the lockdown. Today’s episode features insights from: Ash Kaluarachchi of StartEd & EdTech Week We hope you enjoy listening to this informative new series. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org
Direct download: Investor_Perspectives_Impact_of_the_COVID-19_Economy_on_Startup_Funding_Part_2A.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 11:12am CST |
Tue, 2 June 2020
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. When a Venture Capitalist makes an investment, they place a portion of their allocated investment upfront in the first round and save the rest for a follow-on round. Most VCs put criteria on the startup’s progress before joining the follow on round. This means the startup must achieve milestones such as revenue generated to get the follow-on funding. VCs have some of their funds invested in startups, some reserved for follow-on rounds on those startups, and some funds that are available for new startups. The funds for new startups are referred to as dry powder. This is the number you need to know before pursuing a fund because you could spend your time selling to an investor that has no money to invest. The last thing an entrepreneur wants to hear from an investor is, “That’s great, we’ll call you when we raise our next round of funding.”
Direct download: EG_Mar_2020_Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Funds_held_in_Reserve.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:58am CST |
Tue, 2 June 2020
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Both angels and venture capitalists often invest in syndicates. In a syndicate, one of the investors leads the round and the other investors follow. Sometimes the syndicate is a formal group in which the lead investor receives compensation from other investors who join the round. Angel investors often join syndicates in which they pay a portion of their carry to the lead investor for organizing the deal. Other times, the syndicate is informal with investors sharing deals with each other for no compensation. VCs also syndicate deals with each other to help fill out the round as a way of attracting the better deals. They bring not only their own funding but can also attract additional capital.
Direct download: EG_Mar_2020_Startup_Funding_Espresso_-_Syndicates_and_Syndication.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:52am CST |
Tue, 2 June 2020
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. A venture fund brings a fiduciary responsibility to those raising the funds from limited partners. A fiduciary means the VC must act in the best interest of the investors. VCs who sit on the boards of their portfolio companies also have a fiduciary duty to that company. There are times when the two fiduciaries come into conflict. It’s best to have your duties to the investors stated in the PPM such as liquidation preferences, preferred shareholder treatment, etc. The VC must appear to be following a fair treatment of both parties and may need to engage in negotiations to resolve conflicts. VCs often use incentives such as offering additional equity to either the startup or the fund’s investors to resolve that conflict. For example, the investors may want to see an exit sooner rather than later. The startup founders want to wait to potentially gain a bigger exit. The VC can offer additional equity to the founders if they agree to an exit now.
Direct download: EG_Mar_2020_Startup_Funding_Espresso_--_Fiduciaries.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 7:47am CST |
Mon, 1 June 2020
In this episode, Hall welcomes Steve Hoffman, Chairman, Founder & CEO of Founders Space. Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Founders Space has created an international network of incubators, entrepreneurs, and investors, with over 50 partners in 22 countries. They offer corporate innovation programs, an online startup incubator, tours, and seminars. Steve is an angel investor, limited partner at August Capital, serial entrepreneur, and author of several award-winning books. He was the Founder and Chairman of the Producers Guild Silicon Valley Chapter, Board of Governors of the New Media Council, and founding member of the Academy of Television’s Interactive Media Group. While in Hollywood, Hoffman worked as a TV development executive and went on to pioneer interactive television with his venture-funded startup Spiderdance, which produced interactive TV shows with NBC, MTV, Turner, Warner Brothers, History Channel, Game Show Network, and others. In Silicon Valley, Steve founded two more venture-backed startups, in the areas of games and entertainment, and worked as Mobile Studio Head for Infospace. Steve has a BS from the University of California in Computer Engineering and an MFA from the University of Southern California in Cinema Television. He currently resides in San Francisco but spends most of his time in the air, visiting startups, investors, and innovators all over the world. Steve explains his investment theses, tells Hall what business model excites him, and gives advice to entrepreneurs and investors. Visit Founders Space at www.foundersspace.com. Steve can be reached via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/captainhoff/, on Twitter at https://twitter.com/captainhoff, and via email at vc@foundersspace.com. |