Investor Connect https://investorconnect.org/ Where Investors Come Together Wed, 28 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.10 https://investorconnect.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/cropped-Investor-Connect-Favicon-32x32.png Investor Connect https://investorconnect.org/ 32 32 Startup Funding Espresso – Deciphering the Investors’ Response https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-deciphering-the-investors-response/ https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-deciphering-the-investors-response/#respond Wed, 28 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-deciphering-the-investors-response/ Deciphering the Investors’ Response Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After the pitch, the startup seeks feedback from the investor. Sometimes the follow-up is clear and cogent. Other times, the feedback is vague and unclear. Here’s how to decipher the investor’s […]

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]]> https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-deciphering-the-investors-response/feed/ 0 Startup Funding Espresso – How To Make the Advisor Role Successful https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-how-to-make-the-advisor-role-successful/ https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-how-to-make-the-advisor-role-successful/#respond Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-how-to-make-the-advisor-role-successful/ How To Make the Advisor Role Successful Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup advisors can be a great resource to founders. Here are some key factors that can make the advisor role successful Be selective in choosing them. Look for […]

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]]> https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-how-to-make-the-advisor-role-successful/feed/ 0 Startup Funding Espresso – Why Give Stock Options to Employees https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-why-give-stock-options-to-employees/ https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-why-give-stock-options-to-employees/#respond Tue, 27 Oct 2026 05:45:23 +0000 https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-why-give-stock-options-to-employees/ Why Give Stock Options to Employees Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso — your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups give stock options to employees as part of their compensation package. Most startups create an options pool at the Series A fundraise. A founder-friendly term sheet will have […]

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]]> https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-why-give-stock-options-to-employees/feed/ 0 Investor Connect: Building Ontario VC Ecosystem, Governance, and Scaling Innovation https://investorconnect.org/investor-connect-building-ontario-vc-ecosystem-governance-and-scaling-innovation/ Fri, 23 Oct 2026 14:12:22 +0000 https://investorconnect.org/?p=32996 On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Brenda Hogan, CIO at Venture Ontario, to discuss how Venture Ontario operates like a sovereign-wealth-style investor focused exclusively on backing venture capital funds across general technology, life sciences/medical devices, cleantech, and climate tech. Brenda explains how fund-of-funds and co-investment models help develop...

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]]> Allowing Employees To Sell Stock on the Secondary Market https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-allowing-employees-to-sell-stock-on-the-secondary-market/ https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-allowing-employees-to-sell-stock-on-the-secondary-market/#respond Fri, 23 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-allowing-employees-to-sell-stock-on-the-secondary-market/ Startups that take a long time to reach an exit should consider allowing employees to sell stock on the secondary market. While many startups launch an exit in the five to seven-year range, many more are still running well past this timeframe. Founders compensated employees with stock options. Employees signed...

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]]> https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-allowing-employees-to-sell-stock-on-the-secondary-market/feed/ 0 How To Handle an Exploding Term Sheet https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-how-to-handle-an-exploding-term-sheet/ https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-how-to-handle-an-exploding-term-sheet/#respond Thu, 22 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-how-to-handle-an-exploding-term-sheet/ An exploding term sheet is one that comes with a specific deadline, including a time of day and date. It often gives the founder very little time to make a decision. For founders receiving an exploding term sheet, consider the following: Most of the time, the investor will invest beyond...

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]]> https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-how-to-handle-an-exploding-term-sheet/feed/ 0 Key Factors Impacting Investor Returns https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-key-factors-impacting-investor-returns/ https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-key-factors-impacting-investor-returns/#respond Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-key-factors-impacting-investor-returns/ Startup investors seeking higher returns should consider the following factors: Due diligence — there must be a meaningful amount of due diligence performed on the startup before investing to increase the returns. At least twenty hours of diligence should be done for any investment. Diversification — it’s important to invest...

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]]> https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-key-factors-impacting-investor-returns/feed/ 0 Building a Startup Portfolio https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-building-a-startup-portfolio/ https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-building-a-startup-portfolio/#respond Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-building-a-startup-portfolio/ Startup investing requires a portfolio approach. Here are some best practices for building a startup portfolio. Determine how much time and investment dollars to allocate to startup funding. This could be done on a total allocation basis or on a time basis such as annually. Determine how many startups to...

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]]> https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-building-a-startup-portfolio/feed/ 0 What To Include in a Due Diligence Report https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-what-to-include-in-a-due-diligence-report/ https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-what-to-include-in-a-due-diligence-report/#respond Mon, 19 Oct 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-what-to-include-in-a-due-diligence-report/ The due diligence report is written by the due diligence team. It covers the financial, operational, legal, and strategic aspects of the startup.  A due diligence report for a startup investment contains the following: Market analysis This includes the size, growth rate, sectors, competition, and the startup’s target customer. Product....

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]]> https://investorconnect.org/startup-funding-espresso-what-to-include-in-a-due-diligence-report/feed/ 0 Investor Connect: JIP Strategy, Licensing, and Deal Readiness in Life Sciences https://investorconnect.org/investor-connect-jip-strategy-licensing-and-deal-readiness-in-life-sciences/ Fri, 16 Oct 2026 13:23:01 +0000 https://investorconnect.org/?p=32967 On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Marchant welcomes Gillian Fenton of LST Strategies, who brings more than 30 years of experience in licensing intellectual property and life sciences transactions, including work with GSK, Emergent BioSolutions, and Biogen, as well as university startups, established life science companies, and investors.  Gillian...

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