Steve Blank

OCTOBER 24, 2017

A version of this article is in the Harvard Business Review. Technology cycles have become a treadmill, and for startups to survive they need to be on a continuous innovation cycle. 20th Century Tech Liquidity = Initial Public Offering. — all great things when you are executing and scaling a known business model.

Founder 278

Founder Technical Review CTO Hire IPO 278

Steve Blank

JUNE 27, 2017

This article originally appeared in the Harvard Business Review. As more and more companies face disruption from globalization, new technology, and startups that have more capital than the incumbents, the continuing cry from Wall Street investors is, “Why can’t companies be as innovative as startups?”.

Startup 304

Startup New York City Valuation Distribution 304

Steve Blank

MAY 19, 2015

These shortcuts add up and become what is called technical debt. You fix technical debt by refactoring , going into the existing code and “cleaning it up” by restructuring it. Organizational debt was coming due. And the size of the problem increases with the success of the company. Refactoring” organizational debt.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Salary Early Stage Software Review 120

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

A version of this article first appeared in the Harvard Business Review. Tech IPO prices exploded and subsequent trading prices rose to dizzying heights as the stock prices became disconnected from the traditional metrics of revenue and profits. Then the cycle repeats with a new set of technologies.

Lean 335

Lean Burn Rate Startup IPO 335

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2019

In the US, a nonprofit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). The grant source often gets overlooked, but it should be a major focus these days when relevant due to the Obama administration initiatives on alternative energy and healthcare. Government grants.

Equity 235

Equity Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy 235

The Startup Magazine

MAY 27, 2020

Due to their speculative nature, impulsive price movements won’t guarantee stability in the long run. Due to the lack of regulation, a derivatives market based on cryptocurrencies continues to grow. Additionally, we have tech companies starting to get interested in the digital finance area. Expanding the derivatives market.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Offshore Sweden China 124

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 19, 2015

That’s why I recommend that they find a co-founder who loves business challenges, including marketing and finance. I usually envision a 50-50 ownership split for their efforts, but every engineer believes the technology side deserves the majority share. Fabulous solutions require great technology.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Intellectual Property Cofounder Bootstrapping 120

VC Cafe

APRIL 4, 2024

How can startups even compete against big tech, scale ups and other startups? Counter position – Kill the value-proposition of the competition with a new, superior business model, which the incumbent does not mimic due to anticipated damage to their existing business. How many of them do you know?

Generative AI 78

Generative AI Artificial Inteligence Technical Review ChatGPT 78

David Teten

DECEMBER 12, 2017

VCs are at the forefront of technological disruption, funding many of the latest cutting edge productivity tools. Clint Korver, Partner at Ulu Ventures , remarked: “I’d compare this technology transformation as akin to what happened in public company investing. But what tools are they using themselves to automate their own processes?

Early Stage 60

Early Stage Technical Review Software Review Venture Capital 60

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

MARCH 21, 2017

Even if this costs more than 2 years of in-house assembly, it’s still worth it, due to accelerating revenue growth due to up-sales and market-differentiation. So this acquisition is worth more than $20m in revenue, which at the average revenue-multiple for public tech companies , yields $100m in market value.

Balance Sheet 242

Balance Sheet Vertical Acquisition Revenue 242

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2013

Due to the struggling economy as well, traditional individual Angel investors haven’t been able to fill the gap. It’s higher risk, but higher return, to pick the big winners early, before Angels have set unreasonable valuations and restrictive terms. Technology costs are plummeting, meaning you can do more with less.

Angel Investor 231

Angel Investor Entrepreneur Early Stage Silicon Valley 231

Steve Blank

MARCH 12, 2014

These two startups had problems they could not solve on their own due to lack of resources—time, people, money. The startups and the teaching team crafted a challenge for the kids to tackle using the Customer Development methodology, Lean Launchpad tools and the business model canvas.

Lean 335

Lean Customer Development Startup Silicon Valley 335

Agile VC

JANUARY 13, 2016

But by the time we ended 2015, the headlines like “ The Dangers Ahead if Tech Unicorns Get Gored (WSJ) ” and “ Regulators Look Into Mutual Funds Procedures for Valuing Startups (WSJ) “ “Unicorn” went from being a brass ring to reach for to a term used with sarcasm or derision. What happened?

Technical Review 157

Technical Review .Net Revenue Software Review 157

Steve Blank

APRIL 5, 2017

I reminded her that all the Lean tools she learned in class–Customer Discovery, business model and value proposition canvases– contained her answer. Both Apple and Intel were selling complicated technology but did so by simplifying the message so it had broad emotional appeal. Painful and invaluable” was her reply.

Marketing 318

Marketing Technical Review Audience PR 318

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

AUGUST 18, 2015

They have everything: money, brand, momentum, existing customers, press, product teams, distribution channels, expertise, market insight, analysts, sales offices, product features, and, by definition, a working business model. In the big-boy and big-girl world of real, at-scale companies, valuation is about total future earnings.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Valuation Flash Revenue 120

David Teten

JANUARY 19, 2021

Our categorization is not a technical one. Additionally, Flexible VC can accommodate all types of companies, not just asset-lite, tech-enabled companies.”. Yes, via conversion rights at a valuation cap. Yes, via conversion rights at a valuation cap. Typical business stage. Typical business model.

Cofounder 78

Cofounder Technical Review Equity Dividend 78

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

In the US, a nonprofit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). The grant source often gets overlooked, but it should be a major focus these days when relevant due to the Obama administration initiatives on alternative energy and healthcare. Government grants.

Angel Investor 132

Angel Investor Equity Technical Review Exit Strategy 132

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

Capital investments are like gasoline on a startup business’s metaphorical fire. They allow you to hire more people, purchase new technology, and establish new business connections, among many other benefits. Takeaway lesson: A shocking number of technology startups never even get their first product out the door.

Private Equity 94

Private Equity Pre-Money Valuation Equity Startup 94

VC Cafe

JANUARY 27, 2021

Towards the end of 2020, however, the company’s shares were trading lower — potentially due to profit-taking — but also perhaps because of the many alternatives that had sprung by then like virtual mushrooms after a pandemic. It managed to overcome security and privacy controversies and maintain a stronghold in video-call land.

Vertical 148

Vertical Video Technical Review Europe 148

betashop.com

OCTOBER 8, 2012

90 Things I’ve Learned From Founding 4 Technology Companies. On October 27, 2010 I wrote a blog post about the “ 57 Things I Learned Founding 3 Tech Companies.”. 90 Things I’ve Learned Founding 4 Tech Companies: Find your company’s One Thing. ?? We do twice-yearly reviews of all Fab team members. So, here goes.

Technical Review 108

Technical Review Technology Software Review Valuation 108

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 21, 2016

They know it’s especially hard to provide a financial return with a free business model. Many companies, including Patagonia and Zappos, have used their social focus to enhance their business, but highlight financial return when talking to investors. Terms “paradigm shift” or “disruptive technology” used more than once.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Valuation Technical Review Equity 120

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2010

I conclude that the genesis of this trend seems to come from several forces, including the following: Less investment capital available due to the recession. Due to the economy as well, traditional individual angel investors haven’t been able to fill the gap. Technology costs are plummeting, meaning you can do more with less.

Technical Review 215

Technical Review Early Stage Venture Capital Startup 215

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 23, 2012

I have been close to the tech & startup sectors for more than 20 years and I can’t think of a period in which I felt more optimistic about the innovation and value creation I see in front of us. This world of local meets retail meets digital advertising portends to technology disruption and with it VC opportunities.

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Technical Review LP Mobile 347

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 20, 2017

Yet in my role as business advisor, I often see companies naively ignoring this reality. Today, the move to digital technology is driving marketplace change at a seemingly ever-increasing rate. Pay-as-you-go provides infinite ability to scale every business. New competitors are built to be digital from day one.

Technical Review 136

Technical Review Demand Valuation Business Model 136

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

are eliminated during due diligence. It should answer every question an investor or associate might ask, including current valuation, funding needed, and exit strategy. Finalize your financial model. Like the business plan, a financial model is required as much for your own use as to impress angel investors.

Intellectual Property 249

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Technical Review Elevator Pitch 249

thebarefootvc

JANUARY 27, 2014

Do I think we are in a valuation bubble? I think that later stage valuations are frothy (for reasons I explain below) while earlier stage valuations are starting to stabilize from previous highs (with the exception of the superstar serial entrepreneur) - turns out scaling in a sea of competition (both startup and entrenched) is not so easy.

Technical Review 63

Technical Review Valuation Venture Capital Investment Bankers 63

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 22, 2011

Responses ranged from, “hey, they’re in a HUGE market&# to “it is an amazing company and their technology rocks.&# It’s like people arguing that there’s a beautiful beach house in 2006 that represents great long-term value due to scarcity of similar property. But everything has intrinsic value.

Saudi Arabia 309

Saudi Arabia Valuation IPO Technical Review 309

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 13, 2013

In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). The grant source often gets overlooked, but it should be a major focus these days when relevant due to the Obama administration initiatives on alternative energy and healthcare. Government grants.

Equity 207

Equity Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy 207

Feld Thoughts

AUGUST 25, 2015

The key reason for the explosion in capital flowing into the industry, and therefore the large increase in practitioners, had nothing to do with 1970’s performance, early stage investing, or technology. So contrary to the piece, it wasn’t VC were good at early stage technology, it was that they had newfound capital and a big exit window.

Venture Capital 70

Venture Capital SBIC Technical Review Silicon Valley 70

David Teten

AUGUST 20, 2019

I’ve been a traditional equity VC for 8 years, and I’m now researching new business models in venture capital. … While we do lots of work in these areas due to the attractive opportunity set, we are not an impact investor, and impact qualification is not a criterion that we use in evaluating or funding companies.

Revenue 60

Revenue Cofounder Founder Venture Capital 60

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2013

Yet 2013 is still projected by The Fiscal Times as a difficult IPO opportunity for startups, due to choppy markets, continuing fiscal uncertainty, and the Facebook fiasco. The market and venture capitalists are looking for business, but with a continuing focus on proven business models. Line up a winning team.

Venture Capital 252

Venture Capital IPO Elevator Pitch Initial Public Offering 252

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 15, 2012

In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). The grant source often gets overlooked, but it should be a major focus these days when relevant due to the Obama administration initiatives on alternative energy and healthcare. Government grants.

Angel Investor 218

Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy Equity 218

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2016

Come with a product built and a proven business model. Angels are most interested to help you scale the business, once you have real customer traction and ready to break out. It takes more than one person, no matter how passionate, to grow an investible business. Investors are not interested in “me too” businesses.

Angel Investor 120

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Accredited Investor Angel Groups 120

View from Seed

AUGUST 17, 2021

90% of the airtime around ownership and valuations is focused on what happens when the first check is written. Effective post money is the effective valuation of an investor’s dollars at any one time. at exit due to dilution. Also, being too dogmatic isn’t very fun J. What matters is effective post-money at exit.

IRR 205

IRR Dilution Founder Portfolio 205

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2011

In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). The grant source often gets overlooked, but it should be a major focus these days when relevant due to the Obama administration initiatives on alternative energy and healthcare. Government grants.

Angel Investor 238

Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy Equity 238

Lightspeed Venture Partners

OCTOBER 7, 2012

I’ve been writing up reviews of this season’s Shark Tank pitches from a silicon valley VCs perspective. The first company started as a BBQ catering business, and eventually focused in on their most popular product, a dip made of blended up chicken plus various sauces. BACK 9 DIPS. The last company was a bit of a puzzler.

Technical Review 110

Technical Review Technical Cofounder Valuation Pre-Money Valuation 110

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

are eliminated during due diligence. It should answer every question an investor or associate might ask, including current valuation, funding needed, and exit strategy. Finalize your financial model. Like the business plan, a financial model is required as much for your own use as to impress angel investors.

Angel Investor 224

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Technical Review Elevator Pitch 224