Investor Connect Podcast

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Peter Storment, Co-CEO at Cedar Street Capital.

Cedar Street Capital provides top-tier services to companies seeking growth capital and/or merger and acquisition services. They also assist institutional private equity investors in identifying, assessing, and closing prospective investments. Cedar focuses across industries in emerging and frontier markets and diversified technology in the US and Europe. Sector specialties include digital health, biotech, medical devices, SAAS software, AI, Big data, crypto, alternative energy, and robotics.

Peter brings more than 25 years of experience as an investment banker, entrepreneur, and financial analyst covering multiple industries in the US and around the globe. With significant experience and expertise in emerging and frontier markets, Peter has, over the last decade, led the efforts in strategically positioning and building a leading global middle-market investment banking practice specializing in emerging and frontier markets in Africa, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

Over the past 3-4 years, Peter has pivoted back to the US and Europe in terms of raising funding for tech firms, and he has concentrated on building a robust vertical in biotech, digital health, and medical devices. Key historical transactions include $15 million of convertible preferred equity for a leading micro-finance institution - Blue Financial Services of South Africa - and $161 million in preferred equity for a leading African Universal Bank.

Peter shares with Hall what excites him now, and advises startups and investors. He also discusses how he sees the startup industry evolving and his investment thesis.

You can visit Cedar Street Capital at http://cedarstcapital.com/.

Peter can be contacted via email at pmstorment@gmail.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/peter-storment-a174968/

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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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Direct download: Peter_Storment_of_Cedar_Street_Capital.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Metrics by Stage of Life

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Startups go through three stages of life: product, growth, and operations.

In the first stage, the startup focuses on the product.

The objective is to find product-market fit with the focus entirely on the product and its use by the customer.

Key metrics include number of signups, usage metrics, and number of customers. 

The next stage is growth which includes a go-to-market plan, effective marketing channels, and a scalable business model.

The objective is to find the sales and marketing actions that achieve growth at a reasonable cost.

Key metrics include cost of customer acquisition, retention rates, and sales metrics.

The third stage is operations which focus on the underlying functions supporting the business.

The objective is to tune the business model and the operations for maximum efficiency to allow for scaling. 

Key metrics include margins, sales efficiency, and burn rate.

Each stage of the startup has a focus and a set of metrics. 


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Direct download: Metrics_by_stage_of_life.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Gurdeep Prewal, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Rocana Venture Partners.

Rocana Venture Partners is an LA-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage consumer packaged goods brands. They find truly disruptive, hyper-growth, mission-driven brands that provide consumers with better living choices. Their primary area of focus is in food & beverage, with secondary verticals of focus in beauty and personal care, wellness, pet care, fitness, and fashion/apparel.

Prior to launching Rocana in February 2018, Gurdeep spent 17 years in investment banking M&A and capital markets, in both North America and Asia, with roughly half of his banking career at J.P. Morgan and the other half at BNP Paribas. Gurdeep advised numerous clients over the years on transformative and award-winning landmark M&A deals and IPOs across various sectors, but most notably in transportation and consumer. Gurdeep brings his deep thinking, savvy deal-making and financial acumen to his venture investments.

Gurdeep is also an active angel investor in various industries, including being an early investor in PaTu Wind Farm, Moven, Selina, Relativity Space, Employees Only Aisa, Bai, Kettle & Fire, and Splendid Spoon. He is also an active board member of numerous private companies. Gurdeep is a Canadian citizen and a Singapore permanent resident, residing in both Toronto and Singapore. He holds a BBA degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, is a CFA charter holder, and is a graduate certificate holder of Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.

Gurdeep advises startups and investors and discusses the state of CPG investing and how he sees the industry evolving.

You can visit Rocana Venture Partners at www.rocanaventures.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/rocana-ventures/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/rocanaventures

Gurdeep can be contacted via email at gprewal@rocanaventures.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/gurdeepprewal/.   

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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Direct download: Gurdeep_Prewal_of_Rocana_Ventures.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Metrics by Startup Objective

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

A startup’s objective changes as it moves from early to later stages.

Here’s a list of metrics by stage objective:

In the earliest stages of the startup, look for conversions.  

Basic validation is important to prove the market wants the product.

This exercise will teach you what type of customers to pursue.

In the next stage, measure the CAC:LTV ratio which is the customer acquisition cost and lifetime value of the customer using a minimum viable product.

This exercise will validate you have a profitable business.

In the next stage, use MRR or monthly recurring revenue to test the repeatability and predictability of your business model.

This exercise will help you refine your business processes.

Next, measure retention.

This exercise will validate you have a business that can grow revenue rather than just maintain it.

Finally, measure recognized revenue which is the revenue for which you have provided the service while the remainder is deferred revenue.

This exercise will validate you have a self-sustaining business. 

In each stage, focus on the metric that helps you prove you are on the right track.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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Direct download: Metrics_by_startup_objective.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Craig Martin, Founder, and President at The Family Wealth Consulting Group.

The Family Wealth Consulting Group is a family-owned and operated fee-only financial planning firm that has been a fiduciary with clients in Silicon Valley, California, for over 35 years. This family-centric team focuses on helping families maximize financial resources for today, as well as for generations to come. FWCG’s unique expertise is building portfolios including alternative investments that give clients more money during their retirement years, as well as helping families manage the tax and estate planning issues that are top of mind for many clients who have a net worth.

Craig has been coordinating estate and income tax planning with investments and cash flow for high-net-worth clients of Silicon Valley since 1976.  He was an early adopter in 1990 when he converted his firm to fee-only because of his conviction to being a fiduciary so he could remain agnostic to which product or ideas he was advising, only with a dedication to helping clients make informed decisions. 

Because Craig is dedicated to continuous education in an evolving financial industry, he is convinced of the importance of building risk-managed portfolios using dissimilar price movement asset classes. He considers alternatives as some of the most efficient risk-management tools, so he offers alternative investments to his clients now using two different funds, where he is now co-investing with clients as an angel investor in start-up businesses. He has extensive experience in performing due diligence on start-up businesses because he has participated in dozens of due diligence teams along with other members of Keiretsu Forum, the largest angel investment group in the world. He teaches due diligence to entrepreneurs and other angel investors in the Keiretsu Academy as well as leading focused academies on this topic for the angel investment community of both angels and entrepreneurs. 

Craig earned the Master of Science in Financial Services (MSFS) in 1989 from The American College out of Bryn Mawr, PA, the largest and oldest institution exclusively dedicated to the financial industry. He also has qualified for several undergraduate level designations from that same college, including the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and then earned the mark of Certified Financial Planner (CFP) from the CFP Board of Standards.  He has taught financial planning classes at the University of California at Berkeley. 

Craig speaks about the state of angel investing and the biggest change he thinks we will see in the next year or two. He also discusses some of the challenges startups and investors face. 

You can visit The Family Wealth Consulting Group at www.fwcg.net and www.fwcgfunds.net, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/family-wealth-consulting-group

Craig can be contacted via email at craig@fwcg.net, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/fwcgcraigmartin/.  

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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Direct download: Craig_Martin_of_The_Family_Wealth_Consulting_Group.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

3X in 3 Terms

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

I analyzed the results of several angel networks and found that 65% of the investments after three years were still in business but were no longer on the venture track. 

In most cases, they were growing businesses but were not going to be bought out for a significant return to the investor as the market conditions had changed, competition had taken over, or the founder was no longer interested in keeping pace to achieve a venture exit.

The best-case scenario was the entrepreneur would sell the business for 2-3X after 10 years, in which case the investor would get a minimal return on investment.

In my investing experience, three years into the investment, it becomes clear if the company will continue on the venture path or not.  

I often saw the entrepreneur signal their departure from the venture path by taking above-market rate salaries. 

I called this taking the “payroll exit”, in which case they no longer needed an “equity exit”.  

This left the investor stranded on the equity plan with no way out.

I set up a deal structure that would allow the investor to go on the payroll exit in the event the startup chose that path.

In this structure, the investor receives 3 times their investment 3 years from the date of investment.  So $100K in, yields $300K out.

If the company continues on the equity exit, then the investor may choose to stay in the investment. 


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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Direct download: 3X_in_3_Terms.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Maan Hamdan, Managing Director at Hexa Ventures.

HEXA provides its portfolio partner companies with a scope of services that support the entrepreneur and help to accelerate the growth of their early-stage investments, while at the same time, de-risking the investments made and increasing the return on investment.

The goal is to match the needs of the entrepreneur with these core services. This unique approach allows the entrepreneur to focus on his/her core products and competencies and complement them with proven, low-cost, HEXA services and help accelerate time to market.

Maan is an innovator, investor, philanthropist, and entrepreneur with a wealth of experience providing focused leadership, building effective management teams, and creating and developing profitable businesses. During his 43-year career, Maan built and exited many successful companies, and invested in, and mentored many others.

As a philanthropist, Maan recently founded Hexa, an innovation eco-system consisting of 6 global companies. As an investor, he founded TrenData, an AI-based, predictive analytics company, and acquired Insala, an HR tech company. Globally, Maan founded over 12 companies in all 5 continents and invested in over 30.

As a corporate executive between 1980 and 1994, Maan held senior positions with PageNet, the largest paging company in the world at the time, and telecommunications conglomerate GTE (currently Verizon).

Maan received his BEEE in computer systems engineering from the American University in Beirut and an M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. He also pursued doctoral studies in economics at the University of South Florida.

Maan sits on the board of a few companies and is a philanthropist, having established, with the help of his wife Weeda, a global education foundation (www.EducationUnbound.com) for the benefit of disadvantaged kids. The nonprofit acquired NuMinds Enrichment and works on promoting STEAM education globally.

Maan advises startups and investors, discusses how he sees the startup industry evolving, and shares his investment thesis. 

You can visit Hexa Ventures at https://hexagv.com and https://hexatx.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/hexavc/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/hexagv.  

Maan can be contacted via email at maan@hamdans.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/maan-hamdan-37880

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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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Direct download: Maan_Hamdan_of_Hexa_Ventures.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Startup Success Rates

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

The early-stage failure rate of startups is quite high.

Out of 100 startups, only 40% go to the next level at Series A.

Only 22% of startups reach Series B.

Only 15% of startups reach Series C.

Only 8% of startups reach Series D.

As for the success rate, only 9% of pre-seed companies reach an acquisition.

Only 12% of Series A companies reach an acquisition.

Only 14% of Series B companies reach an acquisition.

The most any startup can reach an acquisition is 16%.

The failure rate is near exponential.

It’s a hit business. You have a hit or you most likely will lose your investment.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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Direct download: Startup_Success_Rates.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Payback Plans

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Not every funded startup continues on the venture path to a high payoff from the sale of the business. 

For those startups, investors using an early-exit term sheet can find a path out of the deal.

There are several options for the startup to pay back the investors.

The company can use a revenue share agreement.

While the funds may not be available immediately for payback, the company can pay out of incoming revenue over time.

This is typically 2-3% of top-line revenue and is paid monthly.

In many cases, this will take more than a year to pay off.

Other options include the following:

  • The CEO can put the company up for sale and pay off the investors with the proceeds.
  • The CEO can pay off the debt or assume the note with a personal guarantee.
  • Other investors in the company can buy out the early-exit investors as well. 
  • The follow-on investors can pay off the debt to remove the investors from the cap table. 
  • The company could declare a dividend to the investors and pay it out over time. 

The purpose of the early-exit term sheet is to provide the investor a path out of the deal.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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Direct download: Payback_plans.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Thank you for joining us today for our TEN Capital Fundraise Launch Program.

In this program, we help startups prepare for a fundraise. 

We provide templates, tools, eGuides, and advice to founders who are working towards raising funding.

We'll kick off the session with a short overview on a fundraising topic, then we'll answer questions from the founders.

I hope you enjoy this episode.
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Thank you for joining us for the TEN Capital Fundraise Launch Program where we help startups prepare for a fundraise. 

For more episodes, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ 

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Kate Mitselmakher, CEO and General Partner at Bloccelerate VC.

Bloccelerate VC is a platform for blockchain products and services to actualize their true potential, providing them with world-class mentoring, go-to-market solutions, access to peers, developers pool, academic evaluation and research, access to markets, regulatory compliance, and funding necessary for them to succeed. 

Prior to starting Bloccelerate, Kate spent 10 years with global market research leader Gartner, where she supported CIOs of Fortune 500 enterprises, mentored enterprise software startups, and advised venture capital and private equity firms. Kate is a renowned public speaker at global gatherings such as the World Economic Forum in Davos. She has also been featured on Forbes, GeekWire, and other publications as the leading investor in this space. Kate graduated with honors from Harvard University.

Kate shares with Hall what excites her now and advises startups and investors. She discusses some of the challenges they face and the state of startup investing.

You can visit Bloccelerate VC at www.bloccelerate.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bloccelerate, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/bloccelerate

Kate can be contacted via email at kate@bloccelerate.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/kate-mitselmakher/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/KMitselmakher.  

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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
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Direct download: Kate_Mitselmakher_of_Bloccelerate_VC.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Redemption Strategies

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In an early-exit term sheet, the investors have the right to redeem their stake in the company before an acquisition.

There are several redemption exercise strategies.

The first strategy is to recover the principal investment.  

This makes the investor whole and now lets them play with "house money".

The second strategy is to place a third of the shares into a cash redemption to recover the initial investment, a third into the company as an equity stake, and a third as a cash redemption to place into the next startup.

This keeps the investors’ fund evergreen, supports the current company, and expands the portfolio.

The third strategy is to take half in debt and leave the other half for equity.

This evenly divides the funds into both sides of the investment options.

These are the most common strategies investors use to redeem their stake in an early exit term sheet.  

It’s important to take into consideration the needs of the startup and how best to support them.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
____________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ 
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Direct download: Redemption_strategies.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding.

In our final Investor Perspectives episode on Impact Investing in a Post-COVID World, you’ll hear about changes expected in the coming 12 months and our guests’ final thoughts.

As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new era. The impact space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift to a post-COVID world. Impact investing in the areas of sustainability and the environment takes precedence in the financial industry. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up.

Our guests are:

Brad Gurrie, CEO, Socialsuite [01:13]
Luni Libes, Founder and Managing Director, Fledge [02:31]
Vishal Arora, Managing Partner, VDOSH [06:45]
Chelsea Burns, Principal, Escaladora Ventures [10:43]
Richard Samuelson, Chief Investment Officer, SWAN Venture Group [12:40]

We hope you enjoy the show.
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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org    

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/  
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/   
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Direct download: IP_Impact_-_Show_4.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Key to Facilitation Is Operational Involvement

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In managing an early exit term sheet, it’s important to facilitate the ongoing information rights due to the investors.

Most term sheets provide rights to the company’s financial statements, including the income statement and balance sheet as well as the cap table.

This duty is often left up to the founder to follow up.

In the rush to close sales, hire employees, and make the company successful, the founder sometimes leaves the information rights duty undone.

For an early exit term sheet, it’s important to maintain this duty.

It’s best to set up a service that accesses this information regularly, say monthly to provide the investors the information.

Most investors believe that legal control is the best way to enforce the terms and conditions of the term sheet.

A better way, though is operational control.  

By gaining access to the company’s accounting system and bank account, the investors gain a better understanding of the company.

The more the investors know the company’s situation, the more they can help the company achieve its goals.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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Direct download: Key_Facilitation_process_is_operational_involvement.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Mark H. Goldstein, Managing Partner at Advisors.Fund LLC.

Advisors.Fund LLC invests in hyper-focused entrepreneurs that are disrupting entrenched legacy incumbents and an accepted status quo. They love the entrepreneur that is “all in”, knows the business that he or she wants to break, and can surf and grow through a few pivots.

To date, they have made over 100 investments in the SaaS, enterprise software, AI/ML, and digital health sectors.

Mark has been involved in online services since he got his first job at Apple and was put in charge of home investing, banking, and online gaming. He enjoys the rush of being the underdog with a new project and changing people's perception of the status quo. Mark has led industry trade associations, been a member of numerous founding teams, and personally started a dozen companies, the bulk with solid outcomes. He’s been driven to solve interesting, marketing-related problems in big-known sectors (i.e. retail, investing, health care, gaming, accounting) and being a part of a smart heads-down team where everyone has dirty fingernails.

Over the last seven years, Mark is all in for digital health and transforming healthcare as a full-time investor and advisor, runs a lit' seed fund, and is a partner at a Series A venture fund.  Mark is also the Founder and Chairman of UCSF Health Hub, UCSF's innovation center that helps the country's next best healthcare inventors and companies scale and grow.

Mark shares how he helps startup and growth companies, discusses some of the challenges they face, companies who under and over-invest, and more.

You can visit Advisors.Fund LLC at www.advisors.fund, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/advisors-growth-formula/.  

Mark can be contacted via email at mark@advisors.fund, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/mgoldstein1
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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Redemption Facilitation Process

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In an early-exit term sheet, it’s important to have a redemption facilitation process.

This includes the steps for setting up the bank accounts, capturing the investor’s interest, providing payouts, and investor updates.

The process also tracks escrow of repayment funds and later revenue share payments to complete the redemption process.

For the redemption exercise, here is the timeline and steps:

180 days from Note maturity:

  • Capture the current version of the cap table and financials, including the current income statement and balance sheet
  • Send a notice to the investors to consider their decision to redeem

90 days from Note maturity

  • Confirm the investors’ decision to redeem
  • Prepare payment options for the company to consider 

60 days from Note maturity date

  • Send notice to the investors of impending maturity and confirm their decision on redemption

30 days from Note maturity date

  • Update investors with status on a regular basis
  • Send notice of redemption to the company and ask for payment due in one week

23 days from Note maturity date

  • If payment is not received, then a payment plan will be due in one week by the company

16 days from Note maturity date if no payment plan is provided

  • Set up a follow-up meeting with the company to discuss options

Upon maturity of the Note or in the event of a Corporate Transaction payment

  • Create a promissory note of the debt due
  • Elect a board of directors with investors having a majority control


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.


Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

What Is a Cap Table?

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In raising funding, investors will ask for a cap table.

Cap table stands for Capitalization Table and is a document that tracks the capital structure of the company. In essence, it shows who owns how much of the company’s equity.

So, a company that has had multiple rounds of funding will have different investors in those rounds of funding (seed, angel, Series A, B, C...etc.), which needs to be kept in one place.

For presentation purposes, the cap table typically gives a high-level summary of the current percent ownership by each investor.

As the company plans future fundraising, the cap table shows the impact of those raises on the investors’ ownership. Current investors will have lower percent ownership but should make up for it in an increased valuation.

Cap tables include convertible debt, options, and warrants as well as equity. If an investor asks for a “fully diluted” cap table, then all of these are added to the calculation.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Seren Rumjancevs, CEO, and Rain Kivisik, Founder at Dealum.

Dealum provides a superior investor group collaboration platform to build a vibrant early-stage investing ecosystem. Their objective is to become the leading global deal-flow source for early-stage investors by creating meaningful connections between investors and startups.

Seren has been involved in the technology and startup scene from the very beginning of her professional life. In over a decade in Tartu Science Park, building a career from Project Manager to Board Member, she saw first-hand how technology-intensive companies are built, how they succeed, and also learned how they fail. This didn’t stop her from falling in love with the fast-paced high-tech startup scene and eventually starting her own fashion tech company, Heelosophy, developing mass-customisation technology for high-heeled shoes’ insoles.

Rain is an Estonian entrepreneur and investor focusing on the technology and software sector. He has been one of the founders of several successful companies such as Playtech (listed in LSE), Contriber, and Dealum. He has also mentored and invested in 30+ early-stage software companies. Rain is currently working on software service for angel groups, with the goal of streamlining and making investing into startups more easier and transparent.

Seren and Rain advise investors about automating their investment process, discuss the state of investing in early-stage companies, the main change they see happening in the market, and some of the challenges investors face. 

You can visit Dealum at www.dealum.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/dealum/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/dealum_.   

Seren can be contacted via email at seren@dealum.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/serenrumjancevs.

Rain can be contacted via email at rain@dealum.com.  
________________________________________________________

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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Challenges in Building the Startup Community

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

There are challenges in building a startup community.

It doesn’t happen by accident and it takes a focused effort over a period of time.

Here are some challenges to watch for and overcome:

Choosing another community’s strategy instead of your own.

It’s common for startup communities to look to Silicon Valley and adopt their strategy.

Silicon Valley has a unique set of skills, resources, and conditions.

Instead of adopting the Silicon Valley strategy, it’s best to review your community’s unique skills and resources and then choose your own strategy.

While your startup ecosystem should be inclusive to all who want to join, startup builders should focus on the ones with the highest potential for scale-up success.

Focus on the needs of the high-performing startups with your resources.

Apathy or lack of leadership can slow the formation of a startup ecosystem.

Rally the stakeholders around the startup community cause.

Identify the limitations and recruit the area leadership to help remove those barriers.

Recruit founders who have achieved success to give back and help foster the effort.

Reach out to the local university to gain their support as well. 

Build collaborative relationships among the various parties involved.

It takes several years and a great deal of community building to create a startup ecosystem.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

TEN Capital Presents AMA: Supporting and Partnering with Diverse Founders

This is the TEN Capital AMA show. I'm Hall T Martin, the host of the show in which we interview investors and founders on current topics. 

Our guests are:

  • J.P. Keating of VU Venture Partners
  • Kim Folsom of Founders First Capital Partners
  • Diane Yoo of Parliament Ventures

I hope you enjoy this episode.
_______________________________

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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Shahab Samimi, Senior Associate at 7 Gate Ventures.

7 Gate Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Vancouver, Canada, and Silicon Valley, investing in early-stage startups from Seed to pre-Series A in the technology industry, with a sector focus on software, SaaS, cloud services, marketplaces, mobile apps, and solutions, big data/analytics, blockchain, fintech, and healthtech. Assembled by a group of serial entrepreneurs specializing in tech, operational expertise, and venture capital, 7 Gate Ventures brings key industry connections, decades of international venture-building experience, and foresight to effectively strategize, mentor, and scale new businesses.

Shahab has very unique and diverse experience from fund formation, full deal life cycle, and working with early-stage founders. Shahab is responsible for expanding the firm’s local presence in Canada, deal origination, reviewing, executing, monitoring, and reporting on direct investments and partnerships, primarily in the Canadian market. 

Shahab serves on the Young Professionals’ Committee of the Association of Corporate Growth and is a board member at the Vancouver Enterprise Forum (VEF). He has over ten years of experience in entrepreneurial ventures, business development, and capital markets, co-founding Pura Foods and Northstar Endurance.

Previously, Shahab was at Performance Capital Advisors, a boutique capital markets firm, and Gravitas Securities, an investment bank.

Shahab advises startups and investors and discusses some of the challenges they face. He also speaks about his investment thesis, and how he sees startup investing evolving.

You can visit 7 Gate Ventures at https://7gate.vc/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/7gate-ventures/about/.   

Shahab can be contacted via email at shahab@7gate.vc, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ssamimi/.  

_________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

How to Launch a Startup Ecosystem

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

For those who want to launch a startup ecosystem, follow these steps:

  • Start with a group interested in startups and meet regularly.
  • Encourage startups to share their projects and invite others to support through coaching and making introductions.
  • Set up a blog and publish a newsletter each week on startup activities in the area.
  • Interview startups and investors.
  • Build a resource list for all startups to use.
  • Recruit lawyers, accountants, and other professionals to join the meetings and provide support to the early-stage companies.
  • Set up events such as pitch sessions and happy hours to expand the network and recruit more people into the community.
  • Put the group on website lists for startup communities to generate awareness.
  • Set up a coworking space to give startups a place to work.
  • Recruit startup programs to your area, such as the 3-Day Startup, to provide additional programming.

Start small and grow your startup community through regular meetings and consistent newsletter mailings.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Signs of a Strong Tech Ecosystem

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In building out your startup ecosystem, look for these signs to know if you are on the right track:

  • Does the ecosystem have strong clusters of founders and developers that meet up regularly?
  • Does the local community foster the startup ecosystem?
  • Is failure acceptable or not an option?
  • Is there a local university that is providing education and other resources to budding founders?
  • Are there a number of startup programs available in the form of accelerators and incubators?
  • Are there events around the startup community including weekly, monthly and annual events?
  • Are founders and developers moving to the area to participate?
  • Is there media coverage of the startup ecosystem in various forms such as news sites, topical blogs, and listicles?
  • Are there venture capital and angel investors active in the area?
  • Are there service providers available for legal, accounting, and financial services?

Look for these signs that you have a growing entrepreneur ecosystem.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.

___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding.

In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “Impact Investing in a post-COVID World”, you’ll hear about participation in the impact investing space and what investors look for.

As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new era. The impact space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift to a post-COVID world. Impact investing in the areas of sustainability and the environment takes precedence in the financial industry. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up.

Our guests are:

Brad Gurrie, CEO, Socialsuite [01:13]
Luni Libes, Founder and Managing Director, Fledge [02:50]
Vishal Arora, Managing Partner, VDOSH [05:34]
Chelsea Burns, Principal, Escaladora Ventures [07:05]
Richard Samuelson, Chief Investment Officer, SWAN Venture Group [08:53]

We hope you enjoy the show.
_______________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org    

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/  
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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Redg Snodgrass, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of 5of5.vc.

5of5.vc is a partnership of multi-exit founders across a range of industries including Saas, e-commerce, mobile, wearables/IoT, logistics, fintech, and APIs. As senior-level subject matter experts and analysts, 5of5.vc provides market intelligence, actionable recommendations, and skilled support around the 5 core elements of a business: technology/product, marketing/PR, sales/business development, operations/finance, and culture and hiring. 

With over 15 years of experience in early-stage technology for startups and large corporations, Redg has leveraged an appetite for business development around large distribution technology. His early successes focused on building strong senior collaborative teams for large new technology ecosystems around mutually respectful business models - first with Squaretrade, then with Skout, Alcatel-Lucent/Bell Labs Global Telecom API business, Taploid, Wearable World IOT / ReadWrite, and Sheeva.AI. Redg is best known for working with founders on their business tech stack, helping them identify the right people/partners to make their business work, and helping them identify the right sources of capital to successfully grow their business. 

Redg discusses crowdfunding as an investment option and fundraising tool, how crowdfunding cooperates/competes with angel and venture capital funding, and much more.

You can visit 5of5.vc at https://5of5.vc/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/5of5/

Redg can be contacted via email at redg@5of5.vc, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/redgiesnodgrass/#

_________________________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Assessing Your Startup Ecosystem 

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In building your startup ecosystem, take time to assess its effectiveness.

Here are some key points to look for:

Do entrepreneurs connect and learn from each other?

If not, set up events to increase the interactions and foster interactions.

Do the entrepreneur groups share resources?

If not, foster collaboration among the groups and help set up resource sharing such as job boards, funding sources, and other tools.

Do experienced entrepreneurs provide coaching and mentorship?

If not, engage the serial entrepreneurs to capture their experience and share with others.

Does the community have leaders with entrepreneur experience?

If not, help recruit experienced entrepreneurs into the leadership roles.

Do the investment groups provide financial support to a range of companies or only a select few?

If only a select number receive funding, help set up pitch competitions to bring funding to a broader number of startups.

Do the coworking spaces support the startups beyond providing a place to work?

If not, then integrate support organizations with the coworking spaces by having their offices at the coworking space to provide more support. 


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Direct download: Assessing_your_startup_ecosystem.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Gary Nacht, Co-founder at Sterling Advisory Services, dba CAFÉ Central.

Sterling Advisory Services, dba CAFÉ Central, advises troubled and underperforming companies, helping them return to cash-flow positive. They also acquire "corporate orphans," distressed and underperforming companies no longer wanted by their owners and looking for a fast, under-the-radar solution to a quick exit with no strings attached. In addition, they help pre-revenue and early-stage SMBs use a CAFÉ ("Continuous Agreement for Future Equity") to raise capital, either stand-alone or in conjunction with other fundraising activities.

Gary has been acquiring and advising companies for over 30 years, specializing in helping companies improve profitability, cash flow, and liquidity. His acquisitions included Kmart Canada ($1.2 billion Canadian big-box retailer), Gemini Industries ($160 million Philips-branded consumer electronics distributor), GPX Inc. ($180 million private label CE company), AmerTac ($60 million distributor of lighting accessories), and Northern Reflections ($100 million, 150-store Canadian womenswear retail chain). In most cases, the companies acquired were either 1) “pre-bankruptcy” corporate orphans no longer wanted by their owners (private equity, corporate parents, etc.) looking for a fast-track, off-the-radar exit with high certainty of closing, or 2) companies in private equity portfolios at the end of the fund’s life that were never sold.

Gary discusses his new investment structure - Continuous Agreement for Future Equity (CAFE) - what inspired him to create it, who the primary user is, and who else can benefit from it.

You can visit Sterling Advisory Services, dba CAFÉ Central, at www.cafecentral.us, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/sterling-advisory-services

Gary can be contacted via email at gary@cafecentral.us and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/garynacht/. _________________________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

How to Get the Most From Your Startup Ecosystem 

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

For those who want to engage with the startup ecosystem, here are some key points to consider:

Know why you want to engage with the community and what you want to take away from your experience.

The best way to meet people is to join groups and engage with their activities.

Many groups have volunteer and other positions available.

Reach out to group leaders and offer support.

If asked for advice or mentorship, provide it as well.

These roles provide opportunities to learn the space and identify resources that can be helpful later.

It’s important to stay engaged in order to progress with the community.

After you have some experience with the startup ecosystem you may want to set up your own group.

Look at other startup ecosystems for ideas that would apply to your area. 

Look for gaps to fill rather than copying what others are already doing. 

Before launching it, check with the other groups for feedback.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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Direct download: How_to_get_the_most_from_your_startup_ecosystem.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Building Your Startup Ecosystem Resource List

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In building out your startup ecosystem, start by identifying the resources in your area.

Search for the groups that foster and support startups.

This includes the following:

  • Incubators and accelerators.
  • Coworking spaces catering to early-stage companies.
  • Local media organizations that feature startups.
  • Blog sites that post on startups such as fundraises, hirings, and exits.
  • Networking groups that foster technologies or businesses. 
  • Education programs including the local university as well as coding schools. 
  • Funding sources including venture capitalists and angel groups.
  • Entrepreneurship programs run by foundations, the city or the state.
  • Grant programs available to those in your area.
  • Job sites for posting and finding workers for startups.

Capture this information in one place and promote it to the community.

Encourage contributions from the community to grow the resource site. 


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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Direct download: Building_your_startup_ecosystem_resource_list.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Gerardo Legorreta, CEO at Altum Capital. 

Founded in 2014, Altum Capital is a senior secured private debt fund manager (managing three funds, one private fund in Mexican pesos, another private fund in USD, and an ALTUMCK-19 public fund in Mexican pesos) focused on structuring and managing credit investments while giving investors access to the direct lending sector in Mexico. The company designs and tailors each loan and investment to meet the particular needs of the borrower or counterparty in question.

Gerardo has a law degree with honors from Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM). Finishing his degree in 1989, Gerardo started his career as an associate in Creel, Garcia-Cuellar y Muggenburg S.C. in corporate finance and banking. Later, he worked in the capital markets area in Skardden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom in New York, advising Latin American companies to access the global capital markets. As a lawyer, Gerardo gained relevant experience in credit transactions, capital markets, due diligence process, structured financing, among others.

Gerardo has a master’s in finance from London Business School, terminating his master’s degree in 1995. From that moment he has worked for more than 25 years in the financial sector, working in Oppenheimer & Co. in New York from 1995 to 1997 as an associate in the investment banking area. In 1997, Gerardo joined UBS in the investment banking area. Between 1997 and 2001, he worked in a numerous set of transactions, including the privatization of the main airports in Mexico as well as M&A advisory for Latin American companies. In 2002, Gerardo was designated to lead the Corporate Debt team in UBS, where he advised some of the most important companies in Mexico and Latin America in their debt issuances. Finally, from 2008 to 2013, he was Managing Director in UBS for Latin America, supervising more than USD 18 billion in AuM and a team of 180 employees.

Gerardo discusses his investment thesis and some of the challenges investors and entrepreneurs face. 

You can visit Altum Capital at www.altumcapital.mx, and via LinkedIn at  www.linkedin.com/company/altumcapital/.

Gerardo can be contacted via email at glegorreta@altumcapital.mx, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/gerardo-legorreta

_______________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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Direct download: Gerardo_Legorreta_of_Altum_Capital.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Bill Reichert, General Partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures.

Pegasus Tech Ventures is a global venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley with over $1.5 billion in assets under management. Pegasus offers intellectual and financial capital to emerging technology companies around the world. In addition to offering institutional investors a top-tier venture capital investment approach, Pegasus also offers a unique Venture Capital-as-a-Service (VCaaS) model for large, global corporations that wish to partner with cutting-edge technology startups. Some of the 35+ corporate partners that have partnered with Pegasus include ASUS, Aisin, SEGA, Sojitz, and Omron. These corporations are able to have access to over 200 Pegasus portfolio companies such as SpaceX, 23andMe, SoFi, Bird, Color, Carbon, Vicarious, and many more.

Bill has led Pegasus investments in AI, robotics, quantum computing, neuromorphics, space, life science, and other sectors. He is also the Chief Evangelist for Startup World Cup, a platform that connects and supports startup ecosystems all over the world.

Bill started his investment career as the co-founder and Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures and has served on the boards of many startups. He also has several years of experience as a serial entrepreneur and operating executive. Prior to Garage, Bill was a co-founder or senior executive in several venture-backed technology companies, including Trademark Software, The Learning Company, and Academic Systems. Earlier in his career, Bill worked at McKinsey & Company, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., and the World Bank.

He has authored many articles and delivered many speeches on entrepreneurship, venture capital, innovation, and other topics. Most recently, he co-authored a book for entrepreneurs called, “Getting to Wow! Silicon Valley Pitch Secrets for Entrepreneurs.” The book premiered as “#1 New Release in Venture Capital” in 2020.

Bill holds a B.A. degree from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Stanford University. He has been a member of the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley, where he taught Venture Finance. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and is a former Chairman of the Churchill Club in Silicon Valley. He is a Beachheads Advisor for New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and is also an Advisor to the Women’s Startup Lab, Nordic Innovation House, and the Korea Innovation Center.

Bill advises investors and startups and discusses the state of startup investing. 

You can visit Pegasus Tech Ventures at www.pegasustechventures.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/pegasus-tech-ventures/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/PegasusTech_V

Bill can be contacted via email at bill@pegasusventures.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/billreichert/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/billreichert

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Direct download: Bill_Reichert_of_Pegasus_Tech_Ventures.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Organizations of a Startup Ecosystem

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Take inventory of your startup ecosystem for what currently exists and what does not.

Here’s a list of organizations to look for:

  • Universities that provide the founder talent.
  • Angel groups and other investor networks for funding the startups.
  • Venture capital funds providing funding.
  • Incubators and accelerators for coaching the startups.
  • Service organizations to provide legal, accounting, and financial services.
  • Coworking spaces to provide spaces for startups.
  • Government groups providing funding such as grants and loans.
  • Startup and business plan competitions providing funding for startups.
  • Event programs that bring the community together.
  • News and media companies covering the startup community.

In building your startup ecosystem, seek to recruit or build these organizations.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

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Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding.

In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “Impact Investing in a post-COVID World”, you’ll hear about the primary trends and what makes for a successful company.

As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new era. The impact space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift to a post-COVID world. Impact investing in the areas of sustainability and the environment takes precedence in the financial industry. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up.

Our guests are:

Brad Gurrie, CEO, Socialsuite [01:13]
Luni Libes, Founder and Managing Director, Fledge [02:58]
Vishal Arora, Managing Partner, VDOSH [08:35]
Chelsea Burns, Principal, Escaladora Ventures [11:39]
Richard Samuelson, Chief Investment Officer, SWAN Venture Group [13:49]

We hope you enjoy the show.
_________________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org   

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/  
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Direct download: IP_Impact_-_Show_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

How to Attract Startups to Your Startup Ecosystem 

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In building your startup ecosystem, recruit startups to move to your area.

Here are some best practices to attract them:

It takes technical and business talent to build and grow startups.

Highlight the talent available in the area, both experienced and those fresh out of university.

Set up programs to foster virtual access to developers and others as work increasingly goes online.

It takes someone building the business as well as someone selling it to create a complete founder team. 

Foster founder and co-founder connections through special events. 

Attract venture capital to the area and foster a local angel network to fund the startups.

Set up coworking spaces to give the startups a place to work and connect with others.

Set up events to celebrate startup successes such as companies raising funding or going public.

Connect your startup ecosystem to the larger startup ecosystems around the country to foster an exchange of ideas.

Create a branding and promote it to the rest of the world about the value of your startup ecosystem.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
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Direct download: How_to_attract_startups_to_your_startup_ecosystem.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes SC Moatti, Managing Partner at Mighty Capital.

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Mighty Capital is an early-growth Silicon Valley venture capital firm. They deliver exceptional returns by investing in great products that are also great businesses, like Airbnb, MissionBio, and Amplitude.

SC is the Founding Managing Partner of Mighty Capital, the Founding CEO of Products That Count, the most influential product acceleration platform, and a lecturer at Stanford and Columbia Universities. Prior, SC built products that billions of people use at Facebook and Nokia. Andrew Chen, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, called SC “a genius at making products people love.” SC serves on the boards of public and private companies, earned a master’s in electrical engineering, a Stanford MBA, and is a Kauffman Fellow.

SC shares with Hall what excites her now and discusses the disruption of the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem. She advises investors and startups and explains some of the challenges they face.

You can visit Mighty Capital at www.mighty.capital, and via LinkedIn at  www.linkedin.com/company/mighty-capital.   

SC can be contacted via email at sc@mighty.capital, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/scmoatti, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/scmoatti
_____________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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Direct download: SC_Moatti_of_Mighty_Capital.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Where to Focus Your Startup Ecosystem

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In building your startup ecosystem, focus on the strengths of the community.

Interview the local economic development group to find out what startups already exist.

Talk with investors to find out their interest in startups to fund.

Review the local businesses in the community to see what skills their employees have.

Based on those interviews, determine the strengths of the community, the types of businesses, skill availability, and past successes.

Focus your startup ecosystem on these strengths.

Successful serial entrepreneurs should be at the foundation of your activities.

Invite those entrepreneurs to share their experiences with others.

Interview them to find out what additional opportunities in their industry are open for innovation.

Foster that strategy with the investors and other companies for growing the ecosystem.

There are many hot topic areas in the startup world.

Those topics change yearly.

Don’t chase the latest hot topic but instead focus on the founders, investors, and successful startups in your area to build your ecosystem.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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Direct download: Where_to_focus_your_startup_ecosystem.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Zacary Sherman, Director of Strategy and Business Development at cielo24.

Headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, cielo24 has blended the best of human intelligence with AI technology to create caption, transcription, and intelligence data at scale to make video and audio accessible, searchable, and more engaging. They are one of the leading providers of scalable compliance and professional-grade video accessibility solutions (captions, subtitles, transcription, translation, audio description, data tagging, video exploration, and more) for mostly mid-to-large organizations within the education, enterprise, and entertainment verticals.

Zac has been an investment and business strategist for his entire professional career. Prior to cielo24, Zac spent four years on the investments team at Pereg Ventures, a Manhattan and Israel-based venture capital firm investing in early-stage tech startups focused on AI/ML and big data solutions disrupting consumer-driven industries. At Pereg, he led sourcing, research, and due diligence efforts for potential new investments, as well as participated heavily in the active management of the existing portfolio as a board observer on five companies. Zac began his career by spending three years at a special situations hedge fund doing equity and credit research. He graduated from Rutgers University with bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Economics, and is a CFA charterholder. 

Zac advises startups and investors and shares some of the challenges they face. He also discusses the state of startup investing and its evolution.

You can visit cielo24 at www.cielo24.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/cielo24/,  and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/cielo24.  

Zac can be contacted via email at zacary.sherman@cielo24.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/zacary-sherman-cfa-

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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

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Direct download: Zacary_Sherman_of_Cielo24_inc.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

How to Build Out a Startup Ecosystem

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In building out your startup ecosystem, consider these points:

Start with five successful serial entrepreneurs.

Identify their sector and type of business.

Interview them on how to multiply those businesses.

Target their sector for growing new businesses.

Figure out what additional resources are needed.

Set up leadership resources to carry the program over a sustained period of time, such as two five-year programs.

Recruit other startups to join through meetups, events, and communications.

Bring in programs and speakers from outside the area to foster the community.

Cater to the non-technical skills as well as the technical ones.

Identify sponsorship support from the local service providers and engage them in the programming.

Showcase the core serial entrepreneurs throughout the program but take care of the administrative and tactical support.

Grow your startup community on those strengths and resources.

Put the entrepreneurs at the foundation of your program.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.


Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

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Direct download: How_to_build_out_a_startup_ecosystem.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Ashmeet Sidana, Founder and Chief Engineer at Engineering Capital.

Founded in 2015, Engineering Capital partners with great entrepreneurs driven by technical insights and boldly invest before traditional venture firms are willing. They lead and anchor the seed round in companies with the ambition to shape the future of information technology and define new categories.

Ashmeet’s experience includes running venture capital funds and leadership positions helping build industry-leading products VMware ESX Server and Silicon Graphics WebFORCE. Ashmeet came to venture capital from VMware, where he ran product management for their flagship product - ESX Server. His successful investments include Azure and SignalFx, recently acquired by Splunk for $1 billion, Tubi.tv (acq: FOX). He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Concentric, Evinced, and ShiftRight. His active investments include Asimily, Baffle, Kentik, Menlo Security, Nexla, Prismo Systems, Robust Intelligence, vFunction, and YotaScale – in all of which he was the seed investor.

Ashmeet received an MBA from Wharton with Honors, MS in Computer Science from Stanford University, and a BS in Computer Science summa cum laude from USC. In his spare time, he can be found planning his second trip to Mt. Everest.

Ashmeet shares with Hall what excites him now as an investor and explains his investment thesis. He discusses the state of startup investing and what he thinks will be the biggest change we will see in the next 12-24 months. 

You can visit Engineering Capital at www.engineeringcapital.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/engineering-capital, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/engineeringcap

Ashmeet can be contacted via email at sidana@engineeringcapital.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/sidana, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/ashmeetsidana

____________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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Direct download: Ashmeet_Sidana_of_Engineering_Capital.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Steps to Building a Startup Ecosystem 

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In building the startup ecosystem, the entrepreneurs drive it.

The role of the ecosystem builders is to create connections and networks.

Here are some tools for building connections in your startup ecosystem:

Robust set of meetings, happy hours and coffees, and activities that bring the founders, investors, and providers together.

Meetings foster education and awareness about the topics relevant to startups.

Happy hours and coffees foster networking and making new connections.

Activities such as hackathons attract creatives and developers who want to build new things.

Capture the history behind the startup community.

Tell the stories about entrepreneurs including their successes and failures.

Provide support through the local university and government programs.

This includes coworking spaces, coding schools, Chamber of Commerce programs, and more to support startups.

Finally, keep startups in the community dialog through blog posts, PR announcements, and economic updates.


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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usic courtesy of Bensound.

Direct download: steps_to_building_a_startup_ecosystem.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

Components of a Startup Ecosystem

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

A startup ecosystem is a network of startups, investors, and others who come together to foster startup formation and growth.

It is fueled by talent, funding, and customers.

In building your startup community, tap successful serial entrepreneurs to lead.

Use their star power to capture attention and draw investors and startups to your area.

Focus your efforts on the strengths of the local community and build startups in those domains.

Develop clusters of startup activity to create density as it’s the interactions between the startups, investors and providers that count.

Foster collaboration with other startup ecosystems to share resources.

Generate publicity for your ecosystem through events and articles.

Metric your results by capturing the number of startups formed, funded, and exited.

Building a robust startup ecosystem takes a decade, but the results will last many more years.   


Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.
___________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org 

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ 
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Direct download: components_of_a_startup_ecosystem.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Joe Tonnos, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Ketch Ventures.

Headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, Ketch Ventures partners with early-stage entrepreneurs and management teams to add value and grow businesses to the next level. Ketch focuses on emerging consumer-facing businesses that have established a foundation, are differentiated, and/or solve a problem and engage with customers and followers. 

While they will consider all kinds of investments, Ketch Ventures primarily invests in post-revenue seed and pre-series capital raises, with a quality over quantity approach. They focus on ambitious and authentic companies that are already proving out a thesis.

Joe has over ten years of experience investing in and advising companies across a number of different sectors. He previously worked at Mistral Equity Partners, a consumer and retail-focused investment platform including growth equity and middle-market buyouts. While at Mistral, Joe was also a Senior Vice President of three consumer-focused SPACs under the Haymaker Acquisition Corp. banner. He also worked in consumer and retail investment banking at Lazard and Bank of America Merrill Lynch and started his career as a foreign exchange trader at CIBC Capital Markets. In addition to Ketch Ventures, Joe also serves as a Principal and Associate Portfolio Manager at Meteora Capital and a Venture Partner at Natureza Growth Partners.

Joe details his background before investing in early-stage companies, and shares what excites him now in the consumer industry. He explains some of the challenges startups and investors face and discusses his investment thesis.

You can visit Ketch Ventures at www.ketchventures.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/ketch-ventures

Joe can be contacted via email at jt@ketchventures.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/joetonnos/.

___________________________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org  

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ 
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ 
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Please follow, share, and leave a review.

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Direct download: Joe_Tonnos_of_Ketch_Ventures.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CST

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