Tue, 31 March 2026
How To Grow Your Revenue Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors want to see momentum and traction before funding a startup. It’s important to have a growing revenue stream to gain investor interest. Here are some key ways to grow your revenue. Look for disruptions in the market and take advantage of those opportunities. This could be external factors, such as the pandemic, changing the way people buy products. It could be technology changing, such as AI becoming a new platform to use. Consider hiring talent to spur revenue growth. This could be hiring more salespeople or generating more leads through marketing. Research the data in your company to find new opportunities for revenue. Data comes from external sources such as customers who give ratings and reviews. It comes from partners and what they are doing. It also comes from internal sources, such as a breakdown of product sales by channel or location. Explore new areas of the company to grow. If the company is strong on product development, consider focusing on sales. If the company is strong in sales work, consider technology as a potential growth area. Consider these steps on how to grow your revenue.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Mon, 30 March 2026
Reasons To Pivot the Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Pivots are part of the startup journey. Most startups pivot at some point along the way. Here are some reasons to pivot your startup. The revenue traction is simply not coming up. Consider a pivot to a more profitable business model, such as SaaS. This can generate a great deal more revenue for the company Consider moving to a different point in the value chain. Moving closer to those with money enables the startup to charge more. Customers use the product in a way that it was not designed for. Consider a pivot to enhance the new use case. A new business model may be in order, given the new application. Finally, one product does very well while the rest of the line languishes. Consider a pivot to focus on that product alone. Shift to provide extensions of that product as a path to growth. When things aren’t going as planned, consider a pivot to solve the problem.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 27 March 2026
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Lu Zhang, founder and managing partner of Fusion Fund. Calling in from downtown Palo Alto, Lu shares how Fusion Fund, based in the heart of Silicon Valley, backs early-stage companies with difficult-to-copy technology across enterprise AI, healthcare AI, industry automation, edge computing, networking, and data privacy, with an emphasis on heavy engineering, research, and execution. She explains how the firm evaluates deals by starting with market size and timing, then validating defensible technology through in-house technical diligence, and she outlines what makes durable AI in a crowded market, including unique high-quality data access, efficient architecture for cost and deployment constraints, domain expertise to reduce hallucinations, and strong enterprise go-to-market execution. Lu also describes Fusion Fund’s hands-on support through corporate CXO networks, fundraising and board-structure guidance, talent and expert networks, and M&A/IPO preparation, while discussing diversity’s role in innovation, global talent pipelines, their internal AI analyst “Ada,” healthcare AI as a major opportunity, and advice for first-time founders on investor fit, timing, dilution, and milestones.
Visit Fusion Fund at www.fusionfund.com/ Reach out to at www.linkedin.com/in/luzhangvc/ , and on x.com/luzhangvc?lang=en _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 27 March 2026
Disadvantages of Investing in a Fund of Funds Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. While a fund of funds investment approach may have benefits, there are disadvantages. Here is a list: The returns on a fund of funds range widely. It’s rare that a fund of funds makes more than 25% IRR. It’s just difficult to do with the funds spread across so many investment theses. Fund of funds are expensive. Consider the management fees and carried interest before committing to one. Too much access. Some fund of funds offer access to anything and everything. With so much choice, it can be difficult to build a winning fund of funds. Exits often come through the secondary market. These give very poor returns. Before investing in a fund of funds, check for references with other investors who have been in the fund. Talk with those who have been in it for a substantial period of time, say three years or longer. This should provide guidance on how well they work. A fund of funds has benefits and disadvantages.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: 05.disadvantages_of_investing_in_fund_of_funds.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am CDT |
Thu, 26 March 2026
How To Approach a Founder Seeking Funding Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors looking to fund startup investments often receive unsolicited calls from founders. In most cases, the founder is not yet fundable but is making a go of it. To find quality investments, investors need to be proactive in their outreach to founders. Here are some key steps in approaching a founder about funding. An introduction will be helpful, especially if the founder has a great deal of interest from the investment community. A warm introduction will open the door for a call or meeting. Many founders are open to discuss with investors, so a cold email or call will suffice. In taking the call, the investor should ask, “What help do you need?” A startup has many needs, and a founder is always looking for help. The investor can use this as a way of building rapport with the founder. It’s also a good way to learn more about the startup and where they are on the growth path. By providing mentorship and networking, the investor can test out how well the founder takes feedback and, most importantly, how well they execute on it. Consider offering help to a founder in your investing outreach to learn more.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: 04.how_to_approach_a_founder_seeking_funding.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am CDT |
Wed, 25 March 2026
What Investors Look for in a Biotech Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Biotech startups bring a unique set of value propositions and exit opportunities to the startup investor. Here’s what investors look for in a biotech startup: Investors look first and foremost for a novel target to pursue. These receive outsized funding rounds at the early stage. Investors look for platform-based approaches rather than individual products. The platform promises multiple products at a lower cost to develop. Some investors look for a fast follower of a recently proven therapeutic. This could be an alternate target with the same mechanism of action. Given the amount of funding required to take it all the way to the market, most investors look to exit sooner in a clinical trial or upon FDA approval. Investors look for exits in the 5 to 7-year window. They look at how much additional funding will be required to reach the exit. They avoid substantial follow-on raises as it causes dilution. Finally, they look for an experienced team, both on the technical side and the business side. The customer in the biotech industry is not the patient who uses the therapeutic, but rather the pharma company that buys the startup.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: 03.what_investors_look_for_in_a_biotech_startup.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am CDT |
Tue, 24 March 2026
How To Introduce Yourself to an Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In engaging investors, startup founders should master the self-introduction. It’s important to make a good first impression. While some introductions come from others, most often the founder will be introducing themselves. Here are some key points in introducing yourself to an investor: Begin with gratitude for their time. Avoid the entitled attitude, as most founders are not entitled to anything from the investor. Introduce your name, company, and what your company does. Use a five to seven-word tagline to describe your company. Based on the person you are meeting, customize the next sentence to show how the startup is relevant to the investor. For example, if they are a fit for your fund, indicate that your research shows that. Avoid the long-winded explanation of what you do and instead engage the investor in the conversation. The goal is to elicit what interests them the most and take the introduction in this direction. Investors look for the following in founders to fund: They have good communication skills. They know how to prioritize the talking points, putting the most important at the beginning. They know how to make their information relevant to the one they are speaking to. They are not nervous or uptight. They know how to build rapport with the investor. Finally, they demonstrate confidence even though startups come with a great deal of uncertainty.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: 02.how_to_introduce_yourself_to_sn_investor_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am CDT |
Mon, 23 March 2026
The Best Pitch Wins the Lion’s Share of the Funding Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The power law drives the startup investment return. Only a small number of startups are going to have an outsized return. The power law also applies to startup pitching. The best pitch in a group wins the lion’s share of the funding. While investors may view each startup differently, the overall best pitch will typically capture the majority of the funding. In pitching a group of investors, it’s important to bring your best effort as you must first win out over other deals in the room. The investor has only so much time for diligence and follow-up. Most investors choose one or two deals to pursue, no matter how many pitches they hear. Since the pitches came at the same time, investors compare each deal to the other. It’s not often the startup has the ability to choose who they pitch against. To the extent possible, avoid pitching in a group of very strong startups, as investors will compare your deal to their deals.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: 01.The_best_pitch_wins_the_lions_share_of_funding.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am CDT |
Fri, 20 March 2026
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes PPaola Torre, venture partner at Acquilus Ventures and board member at Life Science Angels. Located in the United States, Life Science Angels invests exclusively in early-stage life sciences companies at the seed and early Series A stages, combining capital with deep operational, scientific, and clinical expertise and hands-on mentoring beyond the check. The group emphasizes translational credibility, unmet medical need, team quality, and risk management, pressure-testing IP, regulatory strategy, and timelines, and increasingly values pharma partnerships as predictive for 2026; it also collaborates through syndicates with other angels, VCs, and strategics. Paola is a PhD scientist with hands-on R&D experience at BioMarin Pharmaceutical across fibrosis, neurometabolic disorders, and cardiovascular disease, and she works at the intersection of biotechnology, venture capital, and healthcare innovation. She shares LSA’s approach to deal structures and valuation discipline (including a $15M pre-money cap and use of convertible notes), how angels help de-risk capital-intensive biotech, what makes founders successful, and her views on next-generation therapies, AI-enabled platforms, non-animal models, and AI risks, standards, and FDA priorities.
Visit www.lifescienceangels.com Reach out to at www.linkedin.com/in/paola-torre-phd/?locale=en_US ________________________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: 03_20Paola_Torre_of_Life_Science_Angels.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am CDT |
Fri, 20 March 2026
Founders Should Show Credibility to the Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors see many pitches from a wide range of founders. To stand out, the founder should show credibility to the investor. Those with exits should put that first in the pitch. This shows you know how to reach a successful exit for your investors. Those who were part of companies that exited should also bring up that win. This shows you know what success looks like and have a hand in it. Those who have achieved success in their previous job, such as leading a business unit at a major corporation. This shows you know how to lead people and manage projects. Those who have substantial technical experience, such as building a significant product. This shows you know how products are built. Those who have led successful marketing or sales initiatives. This shows you know what it takes to run a successful sales and marketing operation. Founders should showcase their experience to build credibility with the investor.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _______________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: 05.founders_should_show_credibility_to_the_investor.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am CDT |
Thu, 19 March 2026
When Investors Turn You Down Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors say no to most of the deals they see. Founders should take ‘no’ in stride and do the following: Review the deal for the risks the investors see. Some investors worry about risks that don’t exist, as they are not familiar enough with the company or the market. Founders should show how they mitigate those risks anyway. Founders can also review the valuation to see if it’s out of market. If only some investors have a problem with the valuation, then the founder can use warrants with those investors to help close the gap. Founders can also review the business to see if all the values in the business are coming through on the pitch deck. Finally, the founder should review the positioning of the startup. There are many ways to position the deal so it is attractive to the investor. Potential positionings include financial. This shows how the business makes money and can scale to make a great deal of money. Other positionings include impact. This shows how the business is providing a community benefit. Another position is the low-risk option. This shows how the business is running a known business model, with a proven team that has already exhibited significant success. Consider the valuation, the values in the business, and the positioning of your startup when the investors say no.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _______________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 18 March 2026
Why Brokers Are Not a Fit for Startup Fundraising Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising is a time-consuming challenge for founders. Some consider outsourcing the fundraising process to brokers who will take a success fee for what they raise. This works well in later-stage funding but is not a fit for startup fundraising. Portions of the fundraising process can be outsourced, such as the following: Outbound marketing to prospective investors to generate initial interest. Investment document preparation, including the pitch deck and financial forecasts. Advisory work on how to raise funding. But the actual fundraise needs to be done by the CEO. The investor will lean heavily on the qualities of the CEO in making an investment. The founder must build a relationship with the investor to achieve funding. Brokers try to gloss over the relationship aspect of the fundraise. For later-stage rounds where there’s ample financial data to show traction and product market fit, a broker can be effective. For the early stage, building a relationship with the CEO is a must. The broker is not a fit.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _______________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: 03.why_brokers_are_not_a_fit_for_startup_fundraising.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am CDT |
Tue, 17 March 2026
Challenges in Running a Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Running a startup brings many challenges. Here’s a list of key challenges to overcome: The startup is a rollercoaster ride from the highs to the lows. Be prepared to have your emotions go through turmoil. The founder must move everything. There’s no corporate flywheel behind you. There’s no brand that attracts customers. Every single customer must be won with hand-to-hand sales combat by the founder. Sales is filled with many no’s and a smattering of yes’s here and there. Hiring people is a challenge. There’s an infinite number of prospective employees and contractors, but only a few that fit. It’s a full-time and a half job. The hours are long and intense. The founder must build the culture from the start and carry it through to all new hires. Building culture takes time, as nothing is won quickly. Investors should take this into account when considering funding the startup. Going from nothing to something is one of the biggest challenges in the business world.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _______________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Mon, 16 March 2026
Key Risks in a Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors reviewing a startup for a potential investment know there are many risks to consider. Here’s a list of key risks to look for in a startup: Team risk. Does the startup have the right team with the right skills, and can they work together? Market risk. Will the market provide enough opportunities for the startup to succeed? Competition risk. Will the competition outrun the startup? Timing risk. Is now the right time to launch this startup? Funding risk. Will the startup be able to raise enough funding to accomplish the milestones? Marketing risk. Will the startup be able to get its message across? Sales risk. Will the startup choose the appropriate sales channels and hit the forecast? Technology risk. Will the technology landscape move against the startup and obsolete their technology? Product risk. Can the team build the proposed product? Hiring risk. Can the team hire the right people based on their location and position in the market? Consider these risks in making a startup investment decision.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _______________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 13 March 2026
In this episode of Investor Connect, we welcome David Vulcano, Vice President for clinical research, compliance and integrity at HCA Healthcare and president of Music City Angels, who shares how the Nashville chapter fits within the multi-city Community Equity Partners network and how the group invests through both angel funds and a club model. David walks through their process—light initial screening via the website, chapter-based prescreening, and monthly live pitches—along with what they want to see in early companies, including an MVP (not R&D), clear problem/solution, strong team, investment terms, and an exit strategy. David discusses the sectors they find compelling, including healthcare, fintech, advanced materials, EV/battery technology, and infrastructure, and he notes that “AI” alone isn’t enough without a real problem being solved. He highlights what separates strong founders in the room—preparation, coachability, and hitting key points within a short pitch—and outlines common red flags such as uncapped SAFEs or convertible notes and founders who haven’t thought through realistic exit scenarios. We also cover how Music City Angels adds value beyond capital through board roles, connections, syndication, and shared diligence across investor networks, as well as Tennessee ecosystem resources like Launch Tennessee matching funds and the Entrepreneur Center for pitch help. David offers advice to new angel investors to learn through group meetings and shared diligence, and he emphasizes that founders should submit through the Community Equity Partners website for the fastest path to a clear answer. Links mentioned: Community Equity Partners website.
Reach out to at davidvulcano@outlook.com ________________________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
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Fri, 13 March 2026
Testing for Product Market Fit Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, investors look to see where the startup is in finding product/market fit. Here are some key tests to check how close your startup is to product-market fit: Demand outstrips supply. The startup finds itself constantly adding more server space for customers. The startup finds itself hiring more team members to manage the customer load. The product value shows through. Customers find value in the product and tell you so. Sales appear to be closing more quickly. The word of mouth from the users generates a faster close rate. Cash in the bank account appears to be growing faster than before. There’s buzz in the market. The press wants to write about your company. You receive unsolicited comments about the excitement around your startup. Proof of product market fit shows up in customer usage, increasing sales, financial metrics, and word of mouth. It’s often clear to see when you have product-market fit.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _______________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Thu, 12 March 2026
Avoid Out-of-Market Valuations Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the founder should avoid out-of-market valuations. There may be investors who become so excited about the deal that they offer a valuation that is above the current market. While this may appear to be a great opportunity to get a better price, the founder should avoid it. Out-of-market valuations can put off other investors. It will be difficult to finish the raise when the valuation is far off from the norm. The founder should put that valuation into the context of the company’s overall fundraising plan. Pose this question: if the founder takes funding on that valuation, what will it take in revenue to raise the next round at a higher valuation? If this revenue level seems daunting, then it means the proposed valuation on this round is too high. Raise at a valuation that gives the founder the opportunity to raise the next round without too much of a challenge. Be able to point to other companies raising at that valuation so as to convince investors to join. While out-of-market valuations may seem like a gift, they’re short-lived and will become a problem later.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _______________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 11 March 2026
How To Use an Investor List in a Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, a founder starts with their own network. When that runs out, he looks for additional sources. There are many investor lists available through online resources. Here’s how to use an investor list in a fundraise. Check your connections to the investor through your network, including social media. If you have mutual connections, then note those as well. Capture the information into the list so you can use it later in the follow-up process. Reach out to the contacts on the list with a customized message just for each one. This puts you on their radar that you exist and are in the same space. Next, reach out to their portfolio companies for mutual connections. Build a relationship with the founders of the portfolio companies by offering something useful to them. By building these relationships, one can then ask for introductions. This takes time, so it’s best to start this process in advance of launching a fundraising campaign.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _______________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: 03.how_to_use_an_investor_list_in_a_fundraise.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am CDT |
Tue, 10 March 2026
The Next Round Will Require More Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the bar goes up with each round. The revenue must be higher, and milestones must be achieved. In raising funding, consider how to build a steady growth rate into the business. Look to avoid those businesses that have strong seasons and cycles throughout the year. Rework the revenue model to smooth out the bumps. Just because you have raised substantial funding doesn’t mean that you should hire a great number of people. It’s best to keep the fundraise small, so you have time to build momentum in your sales. No matter how many salespeople you hire, it will take time for customers to work your product into their process. Start with small rounds and then increase them. The next round will require more revenue, team, and product. So plan on a careful hiring plan with a thoughtful product rollout. Work to turn products into revenue Keep expenses to a minimum. Showing a steadily increasing revenue rate is the best story to tell in fundraising.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _______________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Mon, 9 March 2026
Keep a Good Relationship With the Founder Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors see a tremendous amount of dealflow. For some, it can become wearisome to see the same mistakes repeated. It’s important for the investor to keep a good relationship with the founder. This means avoiding arrogant or condescending feedback to the startup. It also includes treating the startup founder with respect for their time. Avoid wasting the founder’s time on secondary issues. Focus on the core issues first. Use the time to help the founder improve their deck and their business plan. Even if the startup is not a fit, set a goal to help each startup in some way. By keeping a good relationship, the investor may find that the next startup the founder launches is a good fit for investment. Startups are the ultimate long game in investing. It takes years to reach the successful exit of most startups. By keeping a good relationship with the founder, you can increase the chances of success.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _______________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: 01.keep_a_good_relationship_with_the_founder.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am CDT |
Fri, 6 March 2026
In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin welcomes Michelle Leeuwon, a leader in technology commercialization at the University of Houston working at the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship, and ecosystem development. Michelle shares how UH treats commercialization as a translational process—“cultivating deals” by asking three key questions: what problem is solved, who feels the pain enough to pay, and what meaningful proof reduces risk. She explains how her team selects the right pathway (licensing vs. startup formation), aligns technology with market needs, and helps founders narrow use cases, set realistic development and funding timelines, and define clear team roles. The conversation also covers proof-of-concept (gap) funding to build prototypes, validate applications, support scale-up, and drive customer discovery, along with an IP strategy focused on protecting “relevant novelty” to enable licensable, investable deals. Michelle discusses early engagement with industry and investors for feedback, best practices for pairing inventors with experienced operators through UH’s Innovate accelerator, metrics centered on risk reduction, and closes with her contact details for licensing and startup opportunities.
Reach out to at wwan@central.uh.edu, and on www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-leeuwon-486624170/ ________________________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 6 March 2026
When To Close the Round Early Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the founder sets a target. Oftentimes, the target is a rather large number. It’s best to break the larger raise into smaller rounds. This lets you run a series of smaller campaigns inside the larger fundraise. One of the benefits of breaking the raise into smaller rounds is that it gives the founder more control over the campaign. If one of the rounds is not going well, then the founder can choose to close it early. Instead of raising $1M, the founder could decide to close at $750K and move the remaining $250K to the next round. The funds will ultimately be raised, but the founder does have a choice of raising them now or raising them later. If one of the rounds is going very well, then the founder can choose to oversubscribe and extend it. This means taking some of the raise in the following round and drawing it into an earlier one. Consider how your fundraise is going and if you should close early or oversubscribe.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Thu, 5 March 2026
Avoid These Sins as a Startup Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup investors should act as role models for startup founders. Startup founders are often new to the startup world and so look to others with experience for how best to play the game. Avoid these sins as a startup investor. Not being genuine. Investors want startups to tell it straight, so investors should do the same for startups. If the answer is no, then tell the founder as soon as possible. Lack of honesty. Investors don’t like it when founders fudge the numbers. Investors should return the favor and not overpromise or underdeliver to the founder. Lack of transparency. Investors don’t like it when founders hold back key information about the company. Investors should not hold back on their concerns about the startup and their chance of success. Lack of depth. Investors want founders to go deep on their space, in particular their market and its customers. Investors should return the favor and go deep into the analysis of the startups’ chosen market and the chance of the startups' success. Lack of humanity. Investors need to remember that founders are people too, and investing is more than just numbers. It's about relationships. Avoid these sins as a startup investor.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: 04.avoid_these_sins_as_a_startup_investor.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am CDT |
Wed, 4 March 2026
Challenges of Partnerships Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Bringing on a cofounder has many advantages. There are also disadvantages. Here’s a list of challenges with partnerships: Decision making. Partners bring the challenge of making decisions. It’s best to decide who has the final say in all decisions to avoid a stalemate. Liability. Both partners are liable for the debts of the business. Profit share. Partners share the profits, so it’s best to figure out how it will be divided. Business continuity. The business may falter if one of the partners cannot continue. Set up a plan for what will happen in the event that one or the other partner drops out. Risk. The partners may perceive risk differently, with one who may be a risk taker while the other is risk-averse. Expertise. While two partners are better than one, that still may not be enough for the business to achieve success. Exit strategy. It’s best to determine in advance how the business will achieve an exit and how much each partner receives. Consider these points before setting up a partnership.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Tue, 3 March 2026
Benefits of Having a Co-Founder Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Launching a startup is a challenging endeavor. Having a co-founder can bring many benefits as follows: Share the responsibility of launching and running the business. One can hire administrative people and outsource functions, but there needs to be management over each of those areas. Bring more skills to the business. Two people bring more skills and experience than one. Mitigate risk in the business. Two people are better able to handle the risks than a solo founder. Broader network Building a business requires hiring team members, closing customers, and raising funding from investors. Two people bring a broader network to these tasks. Better decision-making Two people can often make better decisions than a single person because they bring a greater range of perspectives. Moral support Two people can support each other better than a solo founder can. Customer and project success Two people can bring more resources to the project than a single person. Consider these reasons for bringing on a co-founder.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 2 March 2026
How To Generate the Herd Effect Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the startup founder’s job is to motivate the investor to engage in the deal. Investors are often motivated by what they see other investors do. This is called the herd effect. This is when people copy what others are doing. Here are some key tips on how to create the herd effect with your investors: For investors who have influence or a network, offer them advisory shares to help recruit more investors. The advisory shares incentivize the investor to promote the deal to other investors. Use social media to showcase your investor updates and encourage existing investors to repost and like the mention. Pitch investors in small groups rather than one-on-one. Five is an ideal number. Investors can see the interest from other investors, which generates FOMO. This also helps build confidence in the investor that they are not alone and will have support from others if they invest. Finally, calculate the interest and committed funds and share with the investors in regular updates. This shows investor interest in the deal.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. _________________________________________________________ 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 Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
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