Key Metrics for Your Fund
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are three key metrics for tracking the performance of a Fund. The first is Net Internal Rate of Return (called Net IRR) — this measures the performance of fund…
Develop an Investment Thesis for Your Fund
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. For those raising a fund, you must develop an investment thesis for your fund or investing strategy. An investment thesis is a hypothesis that describes how a particular market is…
Creating an Executive Summary for a Fund
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising a fund you’ll need an executive summary which should include the following: Fund Objectives, (Legal) Structure, Fund Specifics, Investment Strategy, Investment Criteria, Investment Process Overview, Management Team and…
How to Find Market Sizing
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. One of the key selling points for a startup is their potential market size. There are several ways to find it for your startup. You could buy a market research…
Starting Your Own VC Fund
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. You can now start your own VC fund. Venture capital, angel investing, crowdfunding, and most forms of startup funding are best done through a fund model for when deal flow…
How Can VCs Make More Money
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. As a startup, it’s helpful to understand the VC investor you are talking to and how they make money. In venture capital, there’s two ways to make money. First, VCs…
The Time Element of Returns
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In calculating returns the timing of the return is a key factor. There are two metrics for measuring return. ROI is return on investment without respect to time, and IRR…
Follow a Disciplined Investment Strategy
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In angel investing the two basic approaches are generalist and specialist. The generalist funds across all sectors but with certain criteria focused on growth rates, team composition, or monetization models…
Investor Perspectives – The Impact of the COVID-19 Economy on Startup Funding Part 2
Investor Connect is proud to introduce a brand new Podcast series: Investor Perspectives. Over the next month, we will be discussing the Impact of the COVID-19 Economy on Startup Funding with experienced investors from the TEN Capital network. In today’s installment, we’re focusing on the short-term and long-term impact of…
Key Documents for Your Due Diligence Box
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. You’ll need to gather your basic company documents for investors to review. In preparing a due diligence box also called a dataroom, there are basic documents to include: Income Statement…
The Challenge of the VC Life
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Many people want to work for a VC, especially those straight out of college. Most are not aware of the challenging dynamics that come with the VC life. Here are…
Product: Show What Product You Are Going to Build
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I once read a sixty-five page business plan that talked about the startup’s services and the benefits that came from it. After reading it, I met with the CEO and…
How to Diligence the Team
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In diligencing a startup, the team is the most critical factor in the process. Since the startup has only a nascent product and perhaps some intellectual property, the team is…
Red Flags in Due Diligence
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In due diligence you may encounter red flags indicating something is wrong. Here are some that I’ve found: The founders are not investing any of their own money into the…
What Isn’t Being Said in Due Diligence
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In due diligence, what isn’t being said or shared is as important as what is. When a startup pitches their idea, you should be skeptical of founders that don’t mention…
The Importance of Follow-Up
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. So many entrepreneurs think the most important moment in the investor engagement is the pitch. In fact, the pitch is the second most important. The most important moment is the…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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,…
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….
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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….
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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?…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 – 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 […]
Drag-along Rights & Protective Provisions
The terms sheet sets out Drag along rights and Protective Provisions Drag along rights give the investor the right to force the shareholders (founders and others) to sell the startup. Drag along rights are common in VC deals. The primary reason for a drag along rights clause is that the…
Investor Connect – Manuk Hergnyan of Granatus Ventures
In this episode, Hall is joined by Manuk Hergnyan co-founder and managing partner of Granatus Ventures. Granatus Ventures is the first Venture Capital firm in Armenia to provide funding, expertise, and networks to promising technology-driven startups based in or having core value-add activities in Armenia. Granatus Ventures is backed by…
Information Rights
The terms sheet sets out the Information Rights for the investors. The Information Rights section defines what information and reports are required and the reporting schedule, and sometimes which investors are entitled to receive the information. The standard set of financial reports that investors require include profit and loss (P&…
Investor Connect – Brian Morin of Soteria Battery Innovation Group
In this episode, Hall is joined by Brian Morin of the Soteria Battery Innovation Group. Soteria Battery Innovation Group is dedicated to enabling portable electric power without the risk of fires, no matter the circumstances. Their material architecture eliminates the spark on the inside of a battery that can cause fires. Soteria’s goal is to […]
Board Rights
The terms sheet sets out the board composition. For an early stage company, the board is comprised of three (3) individuals with one (1) representative being the CEO of the Company, one (1) representative being the Lead Investors or his designee (the Series A Director), and one (1) representative being an individual mutually agreed upon […]
Investor Connect – Paul O’Brien of MediaTech Ventures
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Paul O’Brien of MediaTech Ventures. MedicaTech Ventures is an Austin-grown venture development group and holdings company that connects capital and people in the media and technology industries. An online technology and startup veteran, Paul is known as SEO’Brien for his extensive past in the…
Governance and Control Terms
The terms sheet contains several investor rights relating to Governance and Control. Here are three of them: Right of First Refusal The Right of First Refusal clause says that if a founder sells his or her shares, then the preferred share investor gets the right to buy those founder shares…
Investor Connect – Mikael Krogh of Investigate VC
In this episode, Hall welcomes Mikael Krogh, Managing Partner and Founder of Investigate VC. Mikael has experience as both an entrepreneur and investor across four continents, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. Investigate is a Singapore-based VC investing in startups with the Network Orchestration business model – companies facilitating information…
Warrants
You may come across the term warrants in a terms sheet. Warrants are a type of security that gives investors the option to buy more stock over a designated time frame, at a specific price. Three parameters define the details of a typical warrant clause: the term, the coverage, and…
Investor Connect – Jason Todd of Thinker Ventures
In this episode, Hall is joined by Jason Todd of Thinker Ventures, business development and consulting firm specializing in startups and small to mid-size growth companies. An entrepreneur with a background in sales/marketing, programming, and eCommerce, Jason uses his expertise to grow and develop small companies and startups. Jason gravitates…
Pay to Play
Pay to play is often used in terms sheets. A pay to play clause is intended to create an incentive for existing preferred share investors to invest on a pro rata basis in future financing rounds. The clause spells out that, if the existing investors choose not to participate in…
Investor Connect – Daniel Hallawi of KapVista
In this episode, Hall welcomes Daniel Hallawi of KapVista, a global platform showcasing emerging companies across 15+ countries to over 15,000 high net worth, professional, and international investors. Through an investor-focused website and tailored matchmaking, private companies can present their company to potential investors, advisors and board members. As a…
Anti-Dilution
Terms sheets use anti-dilution clauses to protect the investors. Anti-dilution comes into play during down rounds in which the founders raise funding at a lower valuation than a previous round. There are three scenarios: No Anti-Dilution Protection – Investors and founders share in dilution from any follow on rounds funding….
Investor Connect – Matt Johnson of Johnson Venture Partners
In this episode, Hall welcomes Matt Johnson of Johnson Venture Partners, a micro VC fund investing in high-growth startups in the Southeast. Matt’s curiosity about the founding stories of successful companies led to a passion for early-stage investing. While JVP is sector agnostic, Matt points to his particular interest in…
Liquidation Preference
Liquidation preference is a right commonly found in terms sheet. It provides the investor the right to receive their investment back and then the remaining profits are distributed pro rata to other stakeholders. It’s often expressed in multiples such as 1X, 2X, or 3X. This means the investors with those…
Investor Connect – Rob Wray of BlueStar SeniorTech
In this episode, Hall welcomes Rob Wray, CEO of BlueStar SeniorTech. BlueStar provides aging-in-place technologies to seniors, particularly those in families with veterans. Multi-faceted businessman/admiral: fluent in technology, people, processes, energy, defense, and general P&L business Rob is a Mechanical Engineer from the Naval Academy, Admiral Wray. He spent seven years of active duty as […]
Key Terms in the Terms Sheet
Here are some Financial Parameters to look for in a terms sheet: Type of Security: Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, or Series Seed Preferred Stock. Investment Amount: How much is being raised. Pre-Money Valuation: What the business is worth before the investment. The pre-money valuation can also…
Investor Connect – Brett Commaille of Hlayisani Capital
In this episode, Hall welcomes Brett Commaille of Hlayisani Capital. Hlayisani’s investment philosophy is focussed on the acquisition of either significant minority or majority ownership stakes in market leading organizations that are high-growth and high-impact revenue generating private equity businesses. With over 20 years of investment and management experience and…
Investor Connect – Jon Trauben of Altitude Investment Management
In this episode, Hall welcomes Jon Trauben of Altitude Investment Management. Altitude Investment Management, LLC is a U.S.-based global venture capital fund manager investing in the legal cannabis industry. The manager’s strategy is to invest in a range of early-stage to growth companies that support this rapidly-growing industry, both in…
VC Quick Valuation Method
In raising funding, valuation is a key number the CEO and investor must come to agree with. As a startup you must determine your target valuation. There are several methods. One method is the VC Quick Valuation Method This method starts with the exit of the startup. You assume the…
Investor Connect – Paul Rosen of GlobalGo
In this episode, Hall is joined by Paul Rosen, Executive Chairman for Global Go, a consulting firm specializing in the U.S. and international cannabis/hemp market. Paul began as an attorney in Canada, before turning to a career as an entrepreneur in a number of sectors. In 2010, Paul entered the…
Valuation: Risk Mitigation Valuation Method
In raising funding, valuation is a key number the CEO and investor must come to agree with. As a startup you must determine your target valuation. There are several methods. One method is the Risk Mitigation Valuation Method. The Risk Mitigation method assigns dollar values to the startup’s accomplishments in…
