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In Q4 2022, founders face tough choices

VC Cafe

Many companies are now having to resort to tough measures in order to stay afloat, including layoffs, down rounds and tough terms from current investors. If the answer is yes, then a down round is likely the best path forward. Why you shouldn’t worry about raising a down round ( source ).

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On Bubbles … And Why We’ll Be Just Fine

Both Sides of the Table

New investors hate down rounds. Those with strong business models suddenly stand out when the tide goes out. They will enter the “triage phase&# of the market where they figure out which of their existing deals will survive. Many good companies will not get funded. Vultures will start circling looking for deals.

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How the pre-seed round made a comeback in 2024

VC Cafe

Carta reports that 20% of the rounds in 2023 were down rounds, but I believe the actual number is much higher. For that and other reasons (like cash preservation) VCs moved to focus more on earlier stage, and many funds that typically invest in A started deploying more into seed rounds.

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Startup Funding – A Comprehensive Guide for Entrepreneurs

ReadWriteStart

In very few specific cases, depending on the nature of the business, the business model might demand a considerable gestation period or extensive research and development. For these businesses, it is imperative to get funding from the start without which the company cannot be set up. It might be tempting to do so.

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Twitter Link Roundup #178 – Small Business, Startups, Innovation, Social Media, Design, Marketing and More

crowdSPRING Blog

It’s difficult to fake corporate culture | Business Insider – [link]. How a 1-Page Business Model Will – and Won’t–Help Your Lean Startup | by Kevin Dewalt – [link]. The critical metrics for each stage of your SaaS business | by Lars Lofrgren – [link]. They can make your business better.

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Cram Down – A Test of Character for VCs and Founders

Steve Blank

For the common shareholders (employees, advisors, and previous investors), a cram down is a big middle finger, as it comes with reverse split – meaning your common shares are now worth 1/10th, 1/100th or even 1/1000th of their previous value. (A A cram down is different than a down round.

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Shark Tank Season 4 week 4 breakdown

Lightspeed Venture Partners

As Cuban pointed out, this is a “down round” Zomm is seeking $2M for 10% of the company, implying an $18M pre money valuation today. Some partial answers came up, including spending on a new version of the product with additional features, and excessively high inventories relative to actual sales in holiday 2011.