The venture-capital tag has no wiki summary.
3
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7answers
225 views
What is the correct financial instrument if I want investors to pour petrol on my fire?
I have a killer Facebook app that is being built right now (will be finished by the end of May) and I’m looking for investors to come in after I have proved my numbers and dump gas on my fire, to ...
1
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1answer
148 views
Should we use “trigger event” investment milestones for additional rounds of capital?
One of our advisors recently suggested we consider using "trigger events" for our second round of capital.
Along the lines of "I'll commit $50K now and if you get to 25K registered users by 6/30, I ...
5
votes
5answers
157 views
Would a voluntary fee work?
"How am I going to make money?" This is the question that's been bouncing around in my head for the last few months as I've been developing my site. Allow me to beat around the bush here, in order to ...
2
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4answers
176 views
Odds of Finding Sponsor/Investor for New Website
I recently launched a website for developers (blackbeltcoder.com). It's a free site that will employ an advertising business model.
I'm very pleased with the rate of growth in the just over three ...
3
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3answers
123 views
Is venture capital appropriate here?
I'm a student and an iOS developer. I am trying to pay for advertising for my apps. Is this a situation where I'd want to raise venture capital? I develop my apps solo, sometimes my own ideas, others ...
1
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2answers
453 views
What are the differences between stocks, stock pool, shares?
Have read lots of different terms. I have no idea how they differ from one another.
Things like, 20% stock pool for employees, and 1 million stocks, etc.
Can someone enlighten me?
Thank you.
5
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4answers
635 views
Does all money invested by VC/Angels go to the company's use or to founder's pocket?
Let's say when a one-founder company owns 100% share. He sells 20% to a VC for $1m. Does this $1m go to the company for its expansion, or founder's pocket, or just a percentage of this money goes to ...
6
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6answers
725 views
Can a consumer oriented startup be .NET based?
I'm about to join a new startup as their CTO and we need to choose our server software stack. The client side is a mobile application (Android, iPhone, etc.) so the server side exposes an API and ...
3
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2answers
146 views
What is the most important way in which an investor can add value to your startup?
How would you force-rank (1 being highest to 8 being lowest), in terms of value to your startup, the following 8 services provided by an investor:
Warm introductions to potential customers
Warm ...
1
vote
3answers
284 views
How much do I have to share with VCs?
After a phone call, I had my first meeting with a VC 2 weeks ago. He sounded very, very positive, wanted to send me a contract w/ a term sheet etc; and since he has been pretty unresponsive and ...
5
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4answers
456 views
Old question again: how does one valuate the startup for VC purposes?
I've been running a bootstrapped startup since last year and am running into definite limitations as to what I can do without further funding.
Startup enables elasticity for Microsoft's cloud ...
6
votes
4answers
450 views
How to get introductions to investors?
All over the internet, the consensus seems to be that when you are looking for funding it is important to approach angels or VCs through an introduction from someone they know, rather than cold.
...
5
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7answers
427 views
As a potential employee, should I frown on “zerg hiring”?
In my job hunt, it's incredibly common for me to run into startups that have say 3 people and then have the CTO tell me "We just closed a round of funding, so we're looking to hire 3 or 4 more ...
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2answers
151 views
Where do I find VCs?
I am making a new site, and I need some investors for it. The work is quite done, but I am unable to find people who would like to invest in the site.
How and where can I find investors?
Regards,
...
4
votes
3answers
419 views
What are the pitfalls of converting early employees' common shares to preferred and then selling them to investors?
This is a question about private, VC-funded, growth stage companies. It seems to be a new trend to allow early employees to sell some of their shares when the company does a new funding round. For ...
3
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4answers
1k views
How much VC equity stake for a product that is fully built for a mid-stage start-up company?
So I have a site that will accept subscriptions the first quarter of 2011. I have been developing this product over the past year and it is almost complete. I would like to use the VC money to help ...
3
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5answers
419 views
Possible dangers in specific startup percentage scheme
first of all I need to tell you about my background. I am an Internet/Software engineer, came up with a great idea and little knowledge do I have about business.
Fulfilling the need for a partner in ...
4
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5answers
189 views
VCs and vertical markets
I'm noticing a trend where VCs try to stay away from vertical markets. Is it true or is it my skewed experienced?
How does one go about finding potential investors for a vertical market business?
1
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1answer
283 views
How does option pool size at the time of incorporation impact valuation and funding
Suppose someone needs to incorprate a C-corp, for a high tech high growth business.
How does option pool size at the time of incorporation impact valuation and funding. Or it only matters how ...
4
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4answers
217 views
How to get Investor's attention at the conference?
Here is the deal. I'm a Russian guy, living in Siberia. I have a great team and a prototype of a kick-ass project. I'm going to LeWeb 2010 (Paris), which is the biggest European Web conference. There ...
1
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1answer
446 views
What is the best and least expensive way to trademark and patent your business IP internationally?
I am working on a start-up company to grow to become a big company to compete against some well known, popular, and in some ways powerful companies in the respective industries and markets today. I ...
0
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2answers
271 views
Would I have to patent my computer systems in order to produce them and sell them to markets?
Would I have to patent my computer systems (such as desktops and laptops) in order to produce them and sell them to markets? Similar to Dell and HP would operate.
2
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1answer
47 views
Is there a comprehensive list of publicly visible/advertised mega angels or micro VCs in the Toronto area?
Specifically, groups which are soliciting pitches, and located in Toronto (or, more generally, southern Ontario).
0
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3answers
72 views
Where would one advertise for a lead man/woman?
We are seeking to bring in someone at a founder level that is connected in the Silicon valley investment circles. Is there anywhere in particular we could advert to see if anyone fits our group? Any ...
6
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4answers
703 views
Typically, what percentage of the company is sold during each round of funding
Typically, what percentage of the company is sold during each round of funding: angel investment or seed round, and A, B, and C venture capital rounds. The goal, I suppose, is the hold enough back at ...
3
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3answers
202 views
Will a VC give me seed money even if my idea is not unique but viable?
I want to start a small local business. There is nothing unique or innovative about it, but there is enough demand in the market. I have no college education. Will VC still consider me?
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2answers
227 views
What are questions every VC should ask a startup?
Believe the question explains itself, but if you have questions, just let me know.
7
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6answers
532 views
First-time meeting with a VC and Angel Investor
Just to give some background, I'm building a software as a service offering which is almost in private beta and I have a few customers lined up to start using it at launch. Its a solo gig so far, and ...
0
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4answers
4k views
Revenue Multiples for Tech Startups
Does anyone have an idea of what a revenue multiple for a tech startup with a transactional business model would be?
I know it would be highly variable, but any resources, thoughts or known multiples ...
3
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2answers
237 views
Liquidity preference on “partial” liquidity event
How does liquidity preference work in a situation where the company was not 100% acquired? Do the preferred shareholders apply their preference then lose them pro-ratably on the next liquidity event?
1
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2answers
52 views
AR business concept
I would like to build a user friendly augmented reality web platform. Users would able create point of interests and features(lets call them "realitys") using an API similar to Google maps. Users in ...
2
votes
1answer
246 views
Amount of equity given from pre- and post-valuation?
If I know a startup has a valuation of $X million pre-money, received $Y million from VC and is now evaluated at $X+Y millions, how much percentage of the company were given to the VC?
And if, say, ...
2
votes
3answers
293 views
Please help with a VC / startup deal
I and my friend are about to get a deal to fund our B plan. This plan aligns with the expansion plans of the funding company. The deal offered is that of partnership in which we two would be having a ...
1
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3answers
380 views
Please help with a VC / startup deal / seed money
I and my friend are about to get a deal to fund our B plan. This plan aligns with the expansion plans of the funding company. The deal offered is that of partnership in which we two would be having a ...
1
vote
2answers
303 views
VC funding and determination of a revenue model
In a recent group chat hosted by Joel Spolsky regarding the Stackoverflow Series A funding round, Spolsky was asked:
"How do you envision making a profit?"
to which Spolsky replied:
"...the whole ...
4
votes
2answers
133 views
What's the process around transferring the cash upon a VC funding round?
Let's assume a startup and a VC agree to $X of funding in a Series A. What typically is the process (the mechanics) around transfer of funds from the VC to the startup? (A) Do the funds typically ...
1
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4answers
570 views
Prototype ready, need funding in Vancouver, Canada. Is Angelsoft's Open Deals ($250 per month) a good idea?
$250 seems pretty darn expensive that they are charging.
Are there any other ways I can reach VCs ?
5
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4answers
161 views
Talking about fundraising with employees
I'm in the middle of raising money for my startup. We have had some initial success (and lots of failed attempts!), and are getting close to finalizing our round. We are a very small company right ...
4
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1answer
328 views
What are some resources to watch example pitches?
I like to learn by example so I am trying to find sites that are putting recorded pitches up online.
Examples would be:
Shark Tank on Jason Calacanis's This Week in Startups - ...
3
votes
3answers
204 views
Finding the right VC
I am looking for a VC that invests in the homeland security or access control industries...
Is there a website where I can search for VC's according to the field in which they invest?
I found VCDB, ...
1
vote
1answer
158 views
Startup Visa: How can we secure funding from abroad? Is it flawed?
There is a proposal lately to push the US government to create a startup visa for brilliant innovators/entrepreneus from outside USA. With this visa, it is said that these innovators will be allowed ...
6
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1answer
232 views
Investor documents during fund raising
I have few question related to fund raising
When you are raising money from VCs, what type of documents are expected from you?
How much of your internal and confidential data/stats do you reveal ...
3
votes
2answers
110 views
Marketing section for a VC-targeted Businessplan
By VC-targeted, I mean a businessplan that I send to VCs as part of the first contact package..
It concerns a saas/paas startup with a very clearly defined target group. We have preliminary market ...
5
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3answers
1k views
The Startup-CEO Roadmap - What's the best approach for being a great startup CEO?
At best it's a tough job and at worst its an impossible job. I've hear experienced CEO's complain about investors that "they love you 'til they hate you". Over the course of a number of CEO gigs or ...
10
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5answers
409 views
Old and wise developer - Startup founder newbie
I'm a software developer/development manager with more than 18 years of hands on experience. For a year now a wonderful idea has fermented in my head. All the research I've indicates there is no ...
3
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4answers
312 views
Found an idea whats the first thing to do? SEO, Finance… confused first business
Currently, I am listening to Dharmesh's interview on Mixergy.com.
I really like making websites, made tones of them, but to get them off the ground, is what kills me. Right now, I have a small ...
2
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3answers
1k views
How does going IPO changes a company's structure?
Do venture capitalists leave the company and board of directors after getting their 10x returns. how much ownership does company give to the stock holders and what kind of board of directors do public ...
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5answers
319 views
Challenging the traditional business rules, is it bad if planning on trying for VC funding
I was thinking about this question recently:
http://answers.onstartups.com/questions/4094/advice-resources-on-performance-reviews-for-employees
I also enjoy this article:
...
3
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5answers
1k views
What happens if the startup that funded by VC failed a couple of years later?
We've heard the good stories of startup that succeed after receiving funds but what happens if a startup that got funded by a VC but turns out being failure a couple of years later?
Do they get sued ...
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4answers
169 views
Two questions re: taking seed funding from a large VC
We're looking at a possible seed deal right now. It's $750K from a firm who has a current fund size around half a billion. I have two questions.
Has anyone ever seen a seed deal where the firm ...
