Both Sides of the Table

JULY 22, 2010

I just want to figure out what a fair valuation is.&# I figured all the VC’s talked so we should. I’m not sure I really even need to write this at length because Nivi absolutely nailed the topic in his article “ The Option Pool Shuffle.&#. But this example above is all entrepreneur math, not the VC’s.

founder 405

founder VC venture capital entrepreneurs 405

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 24, 2021

 —  @jasonlk How the Long Game Has Benefitted Upfront I was thinking about it this morning in particular and thinking about my own personal investment history. sold to Disney for $670 million and since our first investment was at < $10 million valuation we did quite well. Maker Studios?—?sold

venture capital 363

venture capital capital ventures VC 363

This is going to be BIG.

APRIL 14, 2014

Last week, there was a Business Insider article measuring the percent of female founded companies that NYC seed funds invest in. I guarantee you that if you ask any of the firms listed in the Business Insider article, and ask them if their dealflow is 15-20% women and they''ll say no. Well, it''s gotta mean something, right?

founder 390

founder pitching venture capital mix-use 390

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 23, 2012

This article originally ran on PEHub. I can’t help feel a bit of rear-view mirror analysis in all of “VC model is broken” bears in our industry. Looking ahead at the next decade I am excited by what I believe will be viewed as one of the best and most rational investment periods for venture capital due to seven discrete factors: 1.

venture capital 347

venture capital capital ventures VC 347

Dream It

FEBRUARY 14, 2020

With our 2020 Robotics + AI sessions event on the horizon in early March, we’re diving back into the sector to learn about the attributes of construction attracting robotics VCs the most and which types of startups VCs are actually writing checks for in 2020. How much time are you spending on construction robotics right now?

construction 259

construction investing investment opportunity 259

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 3, 2016

In the VC insider baseball world a discussion has gone on about “VC platforms” over the past 5 or so years. While firms define platforms differently, let’s just say they are the services that a VC offers outside of investment capital and partner time on boards or providing intros.

VC 198

VC peer-to-peer mix-use leadership 198

This is going to be BIG.

NOVEMBER 15, 2020

Even after Fowler’s article came to the forefront and investors Freada and Mitch Kapor broke ranks with their silent co-investors in their now-famous open letter , things didn’t get better. In late 2018, the company raised $75 million Series C from Sequoia, arguably the top VC firm in the world. VC David Sacks tweeted “??

coworking spaces 545

coworking spaces hospitality culture coworking 545

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 3, 2013

Let me start by saying that Clayton is one of the most influential people on my thoughts about markets that led to both the concept behind my first startup and my main theses in investing. We spoke about the disruption of VC through crowd funding. Some money out of every investment. Internationalization of Technology.

education 403

education disruption entrepreneurship venture capital 403

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 9, 2011

This article was originally published on TechCrunch. By 2008 I had gotten more serious about championing companies through our investment process. And just when I thought I had the deal that was worthy of bringing to investment committee the world changed. Let’s review all of our existing investments. Why is that?

VC 305

VC disruption entrepreneurs venture capital 305

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 16, 2013

If you are a super young, well-connected, Stanford CS or EE, worked at Facebook early, have a bit o’ dosh and have VCs chasing you … you are exempt. My VC told me that if we monetize too early we will scare away our nascent marketplace and not grow as fast. Your VC is right. Or anybody who remotely resembles you.

VC 412

VC advice strategy accelerator 412

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

It got me thinking about the advice that I often give to new VCs. For years I saw myself as the new guy in VC but then you wake up one day and realize that 50% of your peers have been doing it for less time than you and time has moved on. Consider what Paul Graham said in this article. It’s exhausting. Lines, Not Dots.

peer-to-peer 317

peer-to-peer pitching VC accelerator 317

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 7, 2015

” I found myself nodding through all of it with quotes like, “Seed investing is the status symbol of Silicon Valley,” said Sam Altman. They now have a strong VC lead from Foundry Group and from experience when you get advice from Foundry it comes with authority, experience, empathy and the right amount of straight talk.

startup 323

startup advice pitching VC 323

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 16, 2016

Computer Vison Startup Nanit If you follow me on Snapchat ( msuster ) you might already know that I’ve been looking at and investing in a number of companies in the computer vision space. Today I am so excited to announce our latest investment in the category —  Nanit  — which is a smart baby monitor.

investing 208

investing investment peer-to-peer real estate 208

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 27, 2011

But should you actually write one if you’re a startup, an industry figure (lawyer, banker) or VC? Within 2 years I was getting 400,000 views / month and had been voted the 2nd most respected VC in the country by an independent survey of entrepreneurs, The Funded and sentiment analysis. They’re mine because I’m a VC.

startup 373

startup advice communities VC 373

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 31, 2011

I’m enjoying being a VC. I thought I’d talk a bit about the differences I’ve experienced between being an entrepreneur & a VC – you know, from “both sides of the table.&#. Another good article. VC meetings going well. 2 million in VC. I swore never to do that as a VC. Holy sh*t!!!

entrepreneurs 384

entrepreneurs startup VC real estate 384

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 14, 2013

This article originally appeared on TechCrunch. I am a VC. But through expressing points-of-view I can raise above the consciousness of my customers (entrepreneurs and limited partners who invest in VC funds) in ways that I couldn’t without breaking through the noise of the hundreds of others of VCs who also have money.

mix-use 389

mix-use advice VC technology 389

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

As a VC you want to feel like you have “proprietary sources” of deal flow. There is one source I never liked and no early-stage VC should – investment bankers. This is no criticism of the investment banking industry (although I’m sure some will read it this way) for which there are very useful purposes.

advice 361

advice VC pitching entrepreneurs 361

A VC: Musings of a VC in NYC

MARCH 28, 2022

So I saw this tweet by Semil Shah yesterday: A friend who works in an industry far from tech startups & VC asked what would be the single article I’d share to read on each topic. It is also true that there are good deals and good entrepreneurs that can’t find anyone to invest in them. That is a failure of the system.

VC 261

VC entrepreneurs venture capital strategy 261

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 12, 2014

They often create the biggest tensions between investors who are investing at different stages in the business. These tensions seep out in some angels or seed funds publicly or semi-privately deriding later-stage VCs for their “bad” behavior. would you want to give up the right to invest in subsequent rounds?

VC 336

VC investing investment entrepreneurs 336

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

Scott Kupor of A16Z responded with a comprehensive overview of valuation methodology in a post that while accurate feels more targeted at sophisticated Limited Partners (LPs) who invest in funds. VCs strangely never seem to weigh in on other VC funds. As an entrepreneur I never really knew what to make of VC return data.

VC 264

VC investing investment entrepreneurs 264

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 16, 2017

Every tech or major news journal in the country is preparing to write their Snap, Inc (creators of Snapchat, Spectacles, etc) stories and many of them seem to want a “How does it feel to have missed this investment story.” My job as a VC isn’t to beat myself up or any other partner up for the one deal we didn’t do.

investing 214

investing investment VC pitching 214

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 7, 2013

This followed an investment late last year by Time Warner in the company in a round totaling $36 million , led by Rachel Lam , head of their investment group. If you want to understand my thesis behind Maker you can read this article that outlines the trend , but in summary: People watch 5.3 hours of TV / day.

peer-to-peer 320

peer-to-peer media networking board 320

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

This article originally appeared on TechCrunch. Think USV is only invested around Union Square in NYC? And in many communities that are new to building tech startups I’ve found that a lot of angel money is not very sophisticated at investing in startup companies. Think the next big startup can’t come from Dallas, TX?

communities 378

communities startup venture capital capital 378

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2011

When I described to people why I initially invested my calls went something like this, “He’s taken kicks to the face for nearly 2 years and is still standing. I was sick of hyperbole articles pronouncing that VCs were “scared or AngelList&# or “it was disrupting VC&# or some other BS exaggeration like that.

VC 292

VC peer-to-peer investing investment 292

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

This article originally ran on TechCrunch. It’s why my investment philosophy is called, “ the entrepreneur thesis.&#. I need to take some VC meetings. But it did take Brad as a public spokesman, consummate networker and successful VC to help create legitimacy to let David’s ideas flourish.

communities 317

communities VC innovation entrepreneurs 317

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

This article originally appeared on TechCrunch. The VC partner, somebody I greatly respect said, “Yeah, we like Gil and what they’re doing. And this Silicon Valley bias isn’t limited to any single meeting – it has been a recurring theme in my time as a VC. Let me use LA as an example. In our regions?

VC 313

VC venture capital media culture 313

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 25, 2011

All it says is that the VC has the right (but not obligation) to invest his/her proportional ownership in the next round of financing. So at the time that the initial VC funds you they’ll be thinking about protecting this right as depicted in the graphic below. A primer on “pro-rata” rights.

entrepreneurs 310

entrepreneurs VC finance financing 310

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2013

Yesterday I wrote a post about “ proprietary dealflow for VCs.” ” In the article I discussed the downside of raising capital at a too high of a price and referred people to a previous article I had written encouraging founders to raise “ At the Top end of Normal ” as opposed to stratospheric prices.

advice 302

advice investing investment VC 302

David Teten VC

AUGUST 19, 2019

Does the traditional VC financing model make sense for all companies? VC Josh Kopelman makes the analogy of jet fuel vs. motorcycle fuel. VCs sell jet fuel which works well for jets; motorcycles are more common but need a different type of fuel. . So what is Revenue Based Investing? Absolutely not.

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founder investing investment VC 99

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 19, 2013

This article initially appeared on TechCrunch. The era of VCs investing in successful consumer Internet startups such as eBay led to a belief system that seemed to permeate many enterprise software startups that hiring sales or implementation people was a bad thing. I believe it’s flawed. I believe it’s flawed.

startup 403

startup financing finance strategy 403

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

I find it amusing when a journalist writes an article about a prominent startup (either privately held or preparing for an IPO) and decries that, “They’re not even profitable!” If you have a market lead then raising capital and making investments now will help you as others enter the market. ” The Details.

startup 418

startup VC venture capital investing 418

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

This article originally appeared on TechCrunch. I acknowledged this in the article. I said both in the article but felt compelled to provide a statement up front for the skimmers. I have conversations with entrepreneurs and other VCs on a daily basis about fund raising, the prices of deals, how much companies should raise, etc.

startup 336

startup advice pitching investing 336

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 5, 2012

This article originally appeared on TechCrunch. In a VC pitch this type of messaging will do just fine. Even the VC who invested in your deal struggles to properly position why you’re going to be huge when they’re calling big tech companies or other VCs on your behalf. It is election season.

entrepreneurs 370

entrepreneurs pitching startup education 370

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

And when prices are dropping on a VCs existing companies in market, there is a substantial reduction in FOMO (fear of missing out) for new deals, which means that investors take their time in making investment decisions. You should read the article but I’ll provide the money shot.

startup 269

startup VC finance financing 269

This is going to be BIG.

AUGUST 9, 2011

You may have seen the TechCrunch and BusinessInsider articles on SinglePlatform raising an additional $3.25 I'll cop to being the VC that said, " If you want to monetize local, you will need to go through SinglePlatform one day, because they'll own the best, trusted relationship with the merchant. ".

VC 280

VC opportunity ventures investing 280

TechCrunch

JANUARY 25, 2022

We work with contributors to develop guest posts that will help TechCrunch+ readers solve actual problems, so it’s always a delight to present a comprehensive “how to” article. Full TechCrunch+ articles are only available to members. Is algorithmic VC investment compatible with due diligence?

VC 78

VC investing investment culture 78

A VC: Musings of a VC in NYC

JULY 7, 2021

My partner Albert shared this article yesterday which suggests that the price of carbon will have to reach $150/ton by 2030 in order to create the conditions for the world to get to zero carbon by 2050. If you believe that will happen, you can profit from it by investing in the price of carbon.

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investing investment 363