You’ll Hear “No” a Lot
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding you will hear “no” from investors a lot. When I say a lot, I mean it’s more than most entrepreneurs think. I know one entrepreneur who made…
Investor Connect – Charlie Banks of VentureSouth
In this episode, Hall welcomes Charlie Banks, Co-Founder & Managing Director of VentureSouth. VentureSouth based in Greenville, South Carolina, is one of the largest angel investment infrastructures in the US. The firm develops and manages angel investment groups and funds comprised of 300+ accredited investors and has invested $50M+ in…
How to Contact Investors
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running a fundraise campaign you’ll need to set up calls and meetings with investors who are busy and may struggle to find time to give you. Of course you…
How Do VCs Make a Decision?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. So how do VCs make a decision to invest? Venture Capital investors make investment decisions as a group. As an associate, partner, or otherwise, you must convince the team to…
Investor Connect – Gary Trauner of Silicon Couloir
In this episode, Hall welcomes Gary Trauner, Executive Director of Silicon Couloir. Silicon Couloir, based in Jackson, Wyoming, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that strives to be the hub connecting local entrepreneurs to all resources needed to succeed. Gary is an accomplished senior-level leader with extensive financial, operational and managerial…
Multiple Position Points
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching you can position your startup in more than one way. You could pitch for the sector it is in — such as Edtech. Many investors focus on a…
Investor Connect – Randy Myer of Carolina Angel Network
In this episode, Hall is joined by Randy Myer, Managing Director at Carolina Angel Network. Established in 2016, the Carolina Angel Network (CAN) brings together the UNC-Chapel Hill entrepreneurial community, University alumni network and innovative private companies to support the Carolina entrepreneurial community with an angel investing platform and co-investment…
How Do Investors Decide to Invest?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. So, how do investors decide to commit to a startup investment? Entrepreneurs look at the opportunity in the deal. Investors look at the risk. There are two factors that help…
Investor Connect – Maggie Sprenger of Green Cow Venture Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Maggie Sprenger, Managing Director at Green Cow Venture Capital (GCVC). GCVC is an early-stage venture fund based in San Francisco and New York City. They invest at the Seed and Series A stages into dynamic founders that combine unparalleled drive, talent, and diverse perspectives to solve problems around scarcity […]
What Investors Can Do for You at Each Stage
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. At each stage of funding, investors bring not only funding, but also some level of support. From crowdfunding you receive not only the investment (or prepayment, if you are running…
Who Should You Pursue for Your Raise?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, start with your own network. Set up calls with angels, family offices, and others who you already know. Since the relationship is already built, it’s much easier…
What Is the Best Source of Capital to Align With My Needs?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are many sources of capital. There are family and friend loans. There are bank loans. There are revenue share loans. There are equity investments in the form of convertible…
Investor Connect – Dougal Cameron of Golden Section Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes Dougal Cameron, Director of Golden Section Ventures (GSV). GSV is a seed-stage venture investment group focusing on B2B SaaS companies that are posted revenue and post product, but still early in the revenue cycle. Dougal is an experienced founder and CEO with a demonstrated history of working in the software, […]
Coronavirus Economy Trends: Government
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In the Coronavirus lockdown, we’re seeing trends that will establish the next cycle of startup innovation. We’ll see the government shift to building out the infrastructure and response programs for…
Investor Connect – Jak Knowles of Leaps by Bayer
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jak Knowles, Vice President Venture Investments and Head of Pharma at Leaps by Bayer. Leaps by Bayer was “created in 2015 to break boundaries in life sciences investment—in scale, risk, collaboration, and mission.” Since 2015, Leaps by Bayer has invested over $800M in ventures that…
Coronavirus Economy Trends: Shift to Digital
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In the Coronavirus lockdown we’re seeing trends that will establish the next cycle of startup innovation. While already underway, there’s an accelerating shift to digital. Startups in this area will…
Character, Confidence and Coachability
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In evaluating a team, there are elements to look for in a CEO for early-stage companies. The first is character. The CEO must have integrity and demonstrate character. Over time,…
Investor Connect – Lydia Kinkade of iiM
In this episode, Hall welcomes Lydia Kinkade, Managing Director at iiM (Innovation in Motion) located in Merriam, Kansas. iiM is an angel investment group that invests in high-growth, early-stage animal health, human health and agribusiness companies. They provide capital, seasoned business expertise and access to their network of industry experts….
Coronavirus Economy Trends: Sports
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In the Coronavirus lockdown we’re seeing trends that will establish the next cycle of startup innovation. While physical events for esports have been cancelled and future events may be postponed,…
Investor Connect – William Bissett of Portus Wealth Advisors and Charlotte Angel Connection
In this episode, Hall welcomes William Bissett, President and Founder of Portus Wealth Advisors and podcast host at Charlotte Angel Connection. Portus Wealth Advisors is a Private Wealth Management firm based in Charlotte, NC and serves clients across the country. William began his career in insurance sales, then moved on…
Team Is the Only Thing
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Vince Lombardi once said, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing”. In startup investing, “Team isn’t everything, it’s the only thing”. All problems will ultimately be solved by the team….
Investor Connect – Yaniv Sneor of Mid Atlantic Bio Angels (MABA)
In this episode, Hall welcomes Yaniv Sneor, founder of Mid Atlantic Bio Angels (MABA). MABA is a life-science angel group focused on therapeutics, devices and diagnostics. Yaniv started a career in physics and moved to working as a consultant with companies in the life-sciences sector. He noticed that these smaller,…
How to COVID-19-Proof Your Business
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, investors look to see if you have made your business COVID-19-proof. Here are some steps to COVID-19-proof your startup. Ensure your startup can continue…
Investor Connect – Tony Jeff of Innovate Mississippi & Mississippi Angel Network
In this episode, Hall welcomes Tony Jeff, President and CEO of Innovate Mississippi & Mississippi Angel Network who accelerate startups and drive entrepreneurship throughout the state. They strengthen and grow the culture of innovation in Mississippi. Tony is a technology evangelist who speaks regularly on emerging trends and strategies in…
Fundraise: Show That Others Are Interested in the Deal
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The prospective investor wants to see traction in your fundraise just as they want to see traction in your core business. In raising funding, investors will first express interest and…
The Coronavirus Impact on What’s Getting Funded
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Coronavirus pandemic impacts what venture capital funds. We’ll see changes in the following ways: Goods and services deemed ‘essential’ will receive funding such as cannabis, CBD, and hemp. Alcohol…
Timing Matters
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, you need to build a relationship with the investor and communicate your story. Both take time. It’s a numbers game. You have to put yourself in places…
Investor Connect – Eric Berman of Element 8 Angels
In this episode, Hall welcomes Eric Berman, Co-chair and President of Element 8 (E8) Ventures, an angel, impact-investing group who invest for profit with a purpose. E8 is an international, Seattle-based community whose mission is to accelerate the transition to a prosperous and cleaner world by investing in and fostering…
Investor Connect – Peter Adams of Rockies Venture Club
In this episode, Hall welcomes Peter Adams, Executive Director of Rockies Venture Club. Rockies Venture Club is “…an angel investing group dedicated to accelerating economic development by educating and connecting investors and entrepreneurs.” Their culture is based on the following three “pillars”: events, education and execution. Excited by impact investing,…
The Coronavirus Impact on IT and Cybersecurity
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Coronavirus pandemic impacts many parts of the economy including IT and cybersecurity. We’ll see changes in the following ways: With the shift to distributed employees and remote work, there…
Investor Connect – Charles Sidman of ECS Capital Partners
In this episode, Hall welcomes Charles Sidman, Managing Partner and Member of ECS Capital Partners. ECS Capital Partners, LLC, is raising and will operate several investment vehicles (initially an Angel-, and then a Venture-scale fund) seeking to optimize financial returns by vertically integrating long-term company partnership and involvement, using a…
What Do Investors Really Want?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Most investors look for startups in which they can find a return on their investment. In the diligence and funding process, what the investor really wants is to not lose…
The Coronavirus Impact on Logistics
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Coronavirus pandemic impacts many parts of the economy including logistics and supply chain. We’ll see changes in the following ways: The need for flexible manufacturing come to the forefront…
Investor Connect – Harlan Mandel of Media Development Investment Fund
In this episode, Hall welcomes Harlan Mandel, CEO of Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF). Harlan joined the company in 1998 and was appointed CEO in 2011. MDIF is an impact-investment fund which “provides affordable debt and equity financing to independent news and information businesses in countries where access to free…
Tell a Story
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching your business plan, consider using the story format. Start with the problem you faced. Show how you couldn’t find a solution so you created your own. And now…
Investor Connect – Vikram Lakhwara of Green Cow Venture Capital
In this episode, Hall is joined by Vikram Lakhwara, Co-founder and Managing Director of Green Cow Venture Capital (GCVC) which is a sector-agnostic, early-stage, micro venture capital fund “backing dynamic founding teams solving global market problems around inefficiency and scarcity using greenfield technologies.” They invest at the Seed+ and Series A stages and their average […]
The Coronavirus Impact on Education
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Coronavirus pandemic impacts many parts of the economy including education. We’ll see changes in the following ways: Education has been moving online for the last twenty years. With online…
Due Diligence – the Thorough Approach
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are several approaches to Due Diligence. The most common is the “Thorough Approach” in which you review each aspect of the business and focus on the top items. Main…
Investor Connect – Thomas Cali of Polaris Advisory
In this episode, Hall is joined by Thomas Cali of Polaris Advisory. Thomas, a long-time investor in some large and well-known companies, has years of experience in the technology, telecom and healthcare spaces. He stresses the importance of teamwork to run a successful company and gives advice on how executive…
Investor Connect – Christopher Hugman of System Surveyor
In this episode, Hall is joined by Christopher Hugman, CEO of System Surveyor, established in 2017 in Austin, Texas. System Surveyor is an award-winning, cloud-based platform Software as a Service (SaaS) which helps system-integration contractors and technology professionals in the electronic physical security industry, as well as other markets. He gives his three top pieces […]
The Coronavirus Impact on Work
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Coronavirus pandemic impacts many parts of the economy including work. We’ll see changes in the following ways: Increased usage of remote-work software tools. Video conferencing, shared drives, Slack, and…
Investor Connect – Eric Smith of AppBrilliance
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Eric Smith, Founder and CEO of AppBrilliance. Established in 2015 and located in Austin, Texas, AppBrilliance has created a platform which “unlocks the future of money by removing the barriers between technology companies and the financial institutions.” Eric speaks about the “whirlwind” of the past few months with the […]
IP – Demonstrate You Have a “Secret Sauce”
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors look for some protection over the idea. Patents and trade secrets can help. Half the value of a patent is for show, to investors. In practice, it’s difficult to…
Investor Connect – Matt Gallant of tribeOS
In this episode, Hall welcomes Matt Gallant, Founder and CEO of tribeOS which is “a real-time, full-featured, and decentralized advertising marketplace [which] can be constructed with the prudent use of blockchain technology combined with an independent peer-to-peer network.” Matt has always been passionate about advertising and speaks at length about detecting and fighting the “invisible […]
The Coronavirus Impact on Healthcare
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Coronavirus pandemic impacts many parts of the economy including healthcare. For healthcare startups, we’ll see changes in the following ways: Increased use of telemedicine. The pandemic highlights the challenge…
What Do VCs Invest In?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I’m often asked what venture capital looks for. VCs look for emerging tech markets with strong growth projections. These sectors include blockchain, AI, Data Analytics, and other strong growth areas….
Investor Connect – Xavier Segura of Tessera Venture Partners
In this episode, Hall is joined by Xavier Segura, Managing Partner of Tessera Venture Partners, headquartered in New York. Tessera Venture Partners is an early-stage venture fund investing in transformative companies with exceptional founders “having at least one major exit in an area related to their current business”. Xavier is…
QA Session – Markeyla Henton
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Today’s question is from Markeyla Markeyla asked: I would love some direction about creating relationships in the VC world. Although I have been accepted into an accelerator, I don’t have…
Investor Connect – John Osborne of Charleston Angel Partners and Good Growth Capital
In this episode, Hall is joined by John Osborne, Executive Administrator of Charleston Angel Partners. Charleston Angel Partners is headquartered in North Carolina and was started in 2001 as “the area’s longest-tenured and most established angel investment group.” The group of angel investors believes that “meaningful economic impact happens when…
How to Achieve an Exit for Investors
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Today, we’ll talk about how to achieve an exit in a startup investment. It’s easy to get into a startup investment, but difficult to get out — especially with a positive…
Investor Connect – Noramay Cadena of MiLA Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Noramay Cadena, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of MiLA Capital. Noramay holds three engineering and business degrees from MIT and previously worked in the aerospace field. MiLA Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests globally by leveraging hard and soft resources to build capital-efficient…
Investor Connect – Pierre Rogers of Yahyn
In this episode, Hall welcomes Pierre Rogers of Yahyn powered by Puro Trader, the platform that brings together retailers, vineyards, and sinners with a focus on Amazon-like convenience to purchasing as well as providing the first true price and inventory discovery mechanism for these regulated industries. It is the first of its kind online aggregator […]
Investor Connect – William Davis of LDJ Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes back William Davis, Managing Director, Technology and Investments (New York) of family office LDJ Capital who offer many services, including asset management, financial advisory, philanthropy, art advisory, wealth management, valuations and investor relations. Bill, who started his career in artificial intelligence and robotics and is…
The Coronavirus Impact on CPG
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Coronavirus pandemic impacts many parts of the economy including consumer product goods. For the consumer-product-goods space, we’ll see changes in the following ways: Many CPG companies will see greater…
What to Do in the Coronavirus Economy
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Coronavirus economy is accelerating changes already underway. Content and engagement is moving online. This impacts healthcare and education in particular, as well as general business. As a startup, you…
Investor Connect – David Mes of Off The Grid Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes back David Mes of Off The Grid Ventures, which invests at the seed stage in B2B-tech companies where women and foreign founders are at the helm. This category of founders is underrepresented, but with the help of Off The Grid Ventures, they aim to help…
How Are Startup Investors Reacting to the Coronavirus Economy?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Coronavirus has sent the stock market into a wild ride of 1000-point swings every day. In talking with investors, I find the following: Early-stage investors continue to move forward…
Investor Connect – Dr. Alicia Robb of Next Wave Impact
In this episode, Hall is joined by impact investor Dr. Alicia Robb, Founder and CEO of Next Wave Impact who are “working to increase diversity, inclusion, and impact in early-stage investing and our entrepreneurial ecosystem through our innovative learning-by-doing progressive fund model.” Alicia received her M.S. and Ph.D. in Economics…
Coronavirus Accelerates Changes Already Underway
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. While the Coronavirus brings a lockdown in the movement of people, it doesn’t point to an altered future, but rather an accelerated one. The Coronavirus will accelerate changes in the…
Investor Connect – Jared Augustine of Thuzio
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jared Augustine, CEO and Co-Founder of Thuzio. Thuzio is a sports events and media company based in New York that hosts pop-up events and produces live shows with iconic athletes. Alongside Jared, Thuzio is run with the combined work of Tiki Barber (New York Giants) and Mark Gerson (GLG). Jared […]
Impact of Coronavirus Crash on Startup Fundraising
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The Coronavirus has taken an historic 10-year bull market and turned it into a bear market. With comparisons to 9/11, the 2008 financial meltdown, and the Great Depression, startups and…
Investor Connect – Brad Payne of Walker Trolleys
In this episode, Hall welcomes Brad Payne, CEO and Founder of Walker Trolleys, a designer golf pushcart company based in Austin, Texas. Brad, who worked at Apple for many years is an avid golf player and over the years has used many types of golf pushcarts. He realized that there were many improvements that could […]
What You Need to Bring to the Table: Sales, Team, Product and Fundraise
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, investors want to know what progress the company is making. After the initial presentation, the investor wants to hear about progress in four areas: Sales, team, product,…
Sales: Show Customer Engagement at Every Step of the Way
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Most startups focus on the product first and treat the customer as an after-thought. The investor knows that in the long run customer revenue will make or break your business…
How to Build a Relationship With an Investor – Start With a Prospect List
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. To pitch your deal you must first start with a prospect list of investors. Include your contacts who are angels, family offices, and VCs. Canvas your network for those who…
Team: A Core Team of Someone Building It and Someone Selling It
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The investor will look closely at the team in your startup. In particular, they will look for skills and completeness. Your team must have the skills you need to accomplish…
Investor Connect – Samy Eissa of Hit Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes Samy Eissa, a 12-year veteran in the music industry. He founded Hit Ventures, a boutique VC fund & consulting firm leveraging its exclusive network of partners who assist startups primarily in entertainment, media & hospitality technologies. As an entrepreneur, entertainment professional and business enthusiast, Samy…
Say Your Business in 5 Words or Less
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The sign of a quality pitch is the simplicity in the message. One test is, can you say your business in five words or less? You should know your business…
Investor Connect – Brent Ogilvie of Pacific Channel Limited
In this episode, Hall is joined by Brent Ogilvie co-founder and Managing Director of deep-tech investment firm Pacific Channel Limited, headquartered in New Zealand. Pacific Channel Limited was founded in 2006 and to date, has inserted over NZD $50 million of early-stage funding into 27 New Zealand early-stage companies. The…
Investor Connect – Pedro Falcão of LC Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes Pedro Falcão, Managing Director of LC Ventures, the first global, hands-on, accelerator-investment vehicle in Portugal. Pedro’s began his career in the 1980’s in roles ranging from programmer, to analyst, to strategic consultant (just to name a few). When he realized he wanted to work for…
Who Can Help With the Fundraise?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, you always start with your core network and increasingly expand the circle outward. The list includes the following: Family Friends Coworkers Your service providers such as attorneys,…
How to Prepare for a Raise
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Before you launch your fundraise campaign, prepare your business, investor documents, and your investor network. For the business, check with your team, board, and investors to gain alignment. Your fundraise…
Investor Connect – Vinod Jose of Konglo Ventures LLC
In this episode, Hall welcomes Vinod Jose, founder of Konglo Ventures LLP. Konglo Ventures is a seed funding firm based in Cochin, India, with partner offices in Dubai and New York. Since 2013, Konglo Ventures has invested in companies in India ranging from a healthcare platform utilizing acute disease management…
Do You Have a Venture Deal?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. For raising venture funding, first consider if you have a deal that’s in the game for venture funding by asking these questions: Is it a high-growth company? Is it scalable?…
Investor Connect – Dana Myers of Myers EV
In this episode, Hall is joined by Dana Myers, founder of Myers EV. Myers EV builds and services electric vehicles, something that Dana states he has been obsessed with for decades. The mission of Myers EV is to “make electric vehicles affordable and practical to everyday people”. Dana provides facts, statistics and comparisons between gas […]
What’s the Game Plan for My Business?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In considering a fundraise, think about your ultimate goal with the business. Are you building a business that will be your lifestyle business for the next 20 years, or are…
Investor Connect – Joy Schoffler, Investor and Advisor
Hall is joined by investor and advisor Joy Schoffler. Joy has won numerous awards including Women Communicators “Outstanding communicator”, CEO Magazine “Entrepreneur of the Year” and Austin’s Under-40 award. She served as an officer in the Army Reserves & Texas State Guard. Joy founded, ran and sold Leverage PR, one…
Do You Need Funding for Your Startup?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. How do you know if you need funding for your startup? First, consider the type of business you are going to build and what it will take to get it…
Investor Connect – Andrew Coors of Steelhead Composites
In this episode, Hall welcomes Andrew Coors, CEO and Founder of Steelhead Composites which was founded in 2012. During his career, Andrew has managed a multi-million dollar fund, held an executive position at a Fortune 500 Company and more. Steelhead Composites engineers, designs, manufactures and tests their products in-house in Colorado. They currently export fluid […]
Break the Raise Down Into Milestones
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding it’s best to break the raise into milestones rather than raising the entire amount of funding in one go. Milestones are typically broken out as follows: Raise…
Investor Connect – Doug Doan of Hivers and Strivers
In this episode, Hall welcomes Military Veteran, Doug Doan of Hivers and Strivers. Hivers and Strivers is an Angel Investment Group focusing on early-stage investments to support startup companies founded and run by graduates of the U.S. Military Academies. This group of investors is industry and geography-agnostic and they invest…
Fundraise Geography
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I receive many a startup that tells me they’ve talked to everyone in their area to raise funding but they haven’t found all the funding they need. What can they…
How to Close a Funding Round
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After you’ve built your fundraise campaign and your list of interested investors, it comes time to close the funding round. Here are some pointers for closing: Sort and prioritize…
Investor Connect – Josh Rasmussen of Monday Motorbikes
In this episode, Hall welcomes Josh Rasmussen of Monday Motorbikes. Josh is the co-founder and CEO of Monday Motorbikes, an electric motorbike company which is based in California. The story of where Monday Motorbikes was founded is very similar to that of one of the Big Four technology companies in the world. Josh is driven […]
Focus on Your Core Audience
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. To launch your startup identify a large market then target a small segment of that market to attack first. Choose your first segment based on easy to access and a…
Exemptions
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Securities law allows for startups to take investments from family and friends. Here are the relevant exemptions. Rule 504 is The Seed Fund Exemption This allows you to raise up…
Investor Connect – Gregory Bohlen of Union Grove Venture Partners
In this episode, Hall welcomes Gregory Bohlen of Union Grove Venture Partners. Greg Bohlen co-founded Union Grove Venture Partners in 2014. Greg’s experience and relationships in the venture capital and investment banking communities have been developed over the past 30 years, and he has invested in over 50 venture-backed companies….
Investor Connect – Maggie Sprenger of Green Cow Venture Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Maggie Sprenger of Green Cow Venture Capital. Green Cow Venture Capital is a venture capital firm that backs dynamic founding teams using greenfield technologies to solve big problems around scarcity and inefficiency. Green Cow is sector agnostic, and all of their startups are trying to solve big global market problems […]
How Much Equity to Give Up
How much equity should you give up to the investors? Friends & Family Round: Less than 10% most often in the 5-6% Angel Round: It’s 20-25% VC Series A Round: 25% to 30% It’s important to keep the founders motivated so if too much equity goes to investors, there’s little…
Investor Connect – Pieter Dorsman of Angel Forum and E-Fund
In this episode, Hall welcomes Pieter Dorsman of Angel Forum and E-Fund. Angel Forum is one of the longest-serving angel networks in Canada. They are a non-profit organization and presenting companies have raised over $35 million directly through their forum. Angel Forum also offers workshops to both entrepreneurs and investors….
Are you Ready for a Series A Fundraise?
Are you considering launching a Series A fundraise? For startups not requiring FDA, you will need the following: – A product with revenue, preferably above $500K/year – A growth plan to reach $10M annual revenue – A strong team with growth company experience – A credible funding plan to maintain…
Why am I Being Rejected for Funding Because I am a Startup?
Luis asks: Why am I being rejected for funding because I am a startup? Investors always ask that I have at least one year in business or more and that my company has revenue. Usually, when you start a business you start from scratch. That is when you need the…
Gratitude
In fundraising as in all business, one should always show a grateful attitude. This applies to both startups and investors. Begin your call or meeting with a thank you. Such as: -Thank you for taking time -Thank you for meeting with me It sets the proper tone for the discussion….
Investor Connect – Anurag Ahuja of TakeOut7
In this episode, Hall welcomes Anurag Ahuja of TakeOut7. Anurag is a serial entrepreneur, founder, and CEO with over 20 years in the SaaS platform, internet marketing, retail, eCommerce, and data & analytics. TakeOut7 is an AI-based platform that handles ordering and traditional/digital marketing for independent restaurants. By using TakeOut7’s solutions, restaurants get their online […]
Common Startup Mistakes
Startups make many of the mistakes. Here are two common ones to avoid: Thinking you must have the perfect product before you talk with anyone – including customers. Many startups go into development mode until they have their first product, and then launch it to the world. Often with a thud. Instead,…
Investor Connect – Samara Gordon of Hyperplane Venture Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Samara Gordon of Hyperplane Venture Capital. Hyperplane Venture Capital is an investment firm focused on exceptional founders building machine intelligence and data companies. They partner with exceptional founders who are leveraging machine intelligence, sensor technology, and cloud computing to solve the world’s hardest problems uncovering…
Founder Vesting
I’ve talked with numerous startups who has a founder that no longer works with the company and has taken their equity with them. One solution to this problem is called Founder Vesting. Many startups choose to structure the founder shares as restricted stock. This reserves some shares which must be…
Investor Connect – Henry Yoshida of Rocket Dollar
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Henry Yoshida Founder and CEO of Rocket Dollar Inc. Rocket Dollar was founded in 2018 with the belief that retirement is changing. They believe that people should not be limited in their investment options as they work towards the retirement they envision for themselves….
Pari Passu
The terms sheet sets out terms such as Pari passu, Last Money in Rules, Exclusivity and confidentiality, and Conditions of Financing Pari passu is a Latin phrase meaning equal footing and without preference. This clause basically states that if the startup issues any new classes of stock then it shall…
Investor Connect – Nick Iovacchini of KettleSpace Inc.
In this episode, Hall welcomes Nick Iovacchini of KettleSpace, a New York City-based drop-in coworking that partners with local businesses. A former college baseball player, Nick has been an entrepreneur since leaving college. He used his experience in the restaurant space to co-found KettleSpace as a way to provide affordable coworking spaces as well as […]
