Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

As in, “your money into my company will convert at a 15-20% discount to the next round of capital I raise with a maximum price of $8 million pre-money valuation (or whatever the cap was).” .” What this did is set the maximum price of the deal. Convertible debt with no cap is stupid for investors.

Ratchet 354

Ratchet Liquidation Preference Equity Stock 354

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 7, 2010

So at any point, if you are trying to raise money, and you are hearing from investors that you are too early and have too little validation, it may be a good thing. As a thumb rule, try to get enough validation so that you can get to at least a $2 million pre-money valuation before raising equity capital.

Valuation 119

Valuation Silicon Valley Pre-Money Valuation Bootstrapping 119

Lightspeed Venture Partners

OCTOBER 29, 2012

The company sought to raise $125,000 for 25% of the comapny, implying a $375,000 pre money valuation. Unsurprisingly, all the sharks passed, based on market size and valuation expectations. The SBU retails for $1,800 and costs $250 to make in an offshore factory.

Pre-Money Valuation 97

Pre-Money Valuation Offshore Valuation Cofounder 97

VC Cafe

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

The press took notice, especially since just a few months later startups were laying off employees en-masse to cut costs. Sustainable growth: Prioritise sales efficiency over growth at all costs. ValuatIon should be a function of value, not ego. In times of uncertainty, be like Scrooge McDuck! Our goals, their goals.

Founder 187

Founder Startup Valuation Pre-Money Valuation 187

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

That’s because obtaining a pre-money valuation for a concept level technology company in excess of $1 million is difficult, particularly for a startup founder without a proven track record. That is to say, they’d want to be able to control costs and revenues at a high level.

Private Equity 94

Private Equity Pre-Money Valuation Equity Startup 94

Lightspeed Venture Partners

OCTOBER 7, 2012

As he said, “Great innovations solve problems or reduce costs. 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. So the entrepreneur was willing to accept a valuation more than $10M lower than a previous valuation.

Technical Review 110

Technical Review Technical Cofounder Valuation Pre-Money Valuation 110

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2012

How much is NewCo worth to investors at this point (pre-money valuation)? What percentage of NewCo does the investor own after the $1M infusion (post-money ownership percentage)? On the other hand, if the pre-money valuation is $4M, the founders ownership remains at a healthy 80% level.

Valuation 270

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation NPV Intellectual Property 270

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 15, 2016

The earlier the round, the less capital you need and the more reasonable your valuation the less time that is needed generally to raise capital. In other words, raising $2 million at a $6 million pre-money valuation has always been easier & quicker than raising $20 million at any valuation.

Burn Rate 150

Burn Rate Cap Table Valuation Software Review 150

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

How much is NewCo worth to investors at this point (pre-money valuation)? What percentage of NewCo does the investor own after the $1M infusion (post-money ownership percentage)? On the other hand, if the pre-money valuation is $4M, the founders ownership remains at a healthy 80% level.

Pre-Money Valuation 246

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation NPV Intellectual Property 246

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 6, 2010

How much is NewCo worth to investors at this point (pre-money valuation)? What percentage of NewCo does the investor own after the $1M infusion (post-money ownership percentage)? On the other hand, if the pre-money valuation is $4M, the founders ownership remains at a healthy 80% level.

Valuation 234

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation NPV Startup 234

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 17, 2011

For many businesses you should keep your costs low & your capital raises low until you discover whether you are really on to a big idea where there is market demand. You’re offered a $9 million pre-money to raise $3 million (e.g. 5 million raised at a $9 million pre-money valuation or 35.7%

Pre-Money Valuation 303

Pre-Money Valuation Dilution Valuation PR 303

Austin Startup

JUNE 21, 2018

Our pre-money valuation for the seed round is 2 trillion dollars.” In 1937 (yeah, it takes that long to win the Nobel prize), Coase wrote a paper called the Nature of the Firm that revealed the fact that transaction costs are almost always material and do shape economic transactions. Why does this matter to crypto?

Securities and Exchange Commission 61

Securities and Exchange Commission SEC Pre-Money Valuation Security 61

Lightspeed Venture Partners

SEPTEMBER 21, 2013

The smartphone app that enables this is free but it costs $2.49 to fund the company at a $6M post money valuation from a number of investors including Selena Gomez. pre money valuation and planned to use the money to market the app. pre money valuation). pre money valuation.

Pre-Money Valuation 167

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Dilution Distribution 167

Gust

NOVEMBER 18, 2012

How much is NewCo worth to investors at this point (pre-money valuation)? What percentage of NewCo does the investor own after the $1M infusion (post-money ownership percentage)? On the other hand, if the pre-money valuation is $4M, the founders ownership remains at a healthy 80% level.

Valuation 187

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation NPV Intellectual Property 187

Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

An average of these ranges results in a pre-money valuation of about $4MM.   If similarly situated companies are seeing $3.5MM pre-money valuations, this might become the target valuation. An average of these ranges results in a pre-money valuation of about $4MM.

Term Sheet 68

Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

Lightspeed Venture Partners

NOVEMBER 19, 2012

They believed that they could get customer acquisition costs to the $10-12 range, but as Cuban points out, that was just hope, they had no evidence to back this up. All e-commerce businesses should be examined through the lens of customer acquisition cost and lifetime value. The cost of shipping and handling is at least 4 x $2= $8/mth.

Pre-Money Valuation 166

Pre-Money Valuation Alabama Valuation Churn Rate 166

View from Seed

OCTOBER 21, 2014

Using NextView as an example, since we both seek to lead the seed round and only lead during this round, I’ve seen this trend manifest in one of two ways: In a priced round, the entrepreneur will often share their valuation ask (or a stated floor) for the pre-money valuation of their company much sooner in the process.

Valuation 336

Valuation Founder Seed Stage Angel Investor 336

View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 14, 2021

Q: What is going to happen to the cost of capital? Q: What is the opportunity cost of not being in tech? Both early- and late-stage startup valuations are currently elevated. For context, seed-stage pre-money valuations are up 24% from H1 2020 to H1 2021. Are low interest rates structural, or temporal? .

Valuation 319

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Distribution Early Stage 319

View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 14, 2021

Q: What is going to happen to the cost of capital? Q: What is the opportunity cost of not being in tech? Both early- and late-stage startup valuations are currently elevated. For context, seed-stage pre-money valuations are up 24% from H1 2020 to H1 2021. Are low interest rates structural, or temporal? .

Valuation 295

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Distribution Early Stage 295

www.paulgraham.com

APRIL 28, 2010

It costs you a little more equity, but being able to play the two firms off each other (as well as ask one if the other is being out of line) is invaluable. Their main expenses are setting up thecompany, which costs a couple thousand dollars in legal work andregistration fees, and the living expenses of the founders.

Technical Review 76

Technical Review Startup Software Review Angel Investor 76

Lightspeed Venture Partners

OCTOBER 1, 2012

pre money valuation). Cuban has interest in a gluten free diet, and claimed that he liked the company, but his only concern was valuation. The company came back and offered him 20% of the company for the $200k (an $800k pre money valuation). They were seeking $200k for 10% of the company (a $1.8M

Pre-Money Valuation 158

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Participating Preferred Preferred Stock 158

VC Cafe

JANUARY 20, 2014

Now the cost of entry to the Party is rising. Across all investment stages, median pre-money valuations last year rose dramatically. The bull market will celebrate its 5 th anniversary in March (NASDAQ grew 38.3% last year, more than any other major index), and the IPO market is booming. Seed-stage deals now require $5.1

Venture Capital 155

Venture Capital Israel Pre-Money Valuation IPO 155

The Startup Lawyer

FEBRUARY 4, 2011

The following are some issues to consider and actions to take before accepting an incubator’s offer: (1) Calculate Valuation and Determine Value. Pre-money valuations startups receive from incubators are typically low…really low. 8) Determine the Opportunity Costs.

Incubator 105

Incubator Pre-Money Valuation Option Pool Advisory Board 105

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2015

In the old days VCs funded off of a “pre-money” valuation. If you add the pre-money valuation (let’s say $8 million) to the amount of money you’re raising (let’s say $2 million) you get the post-money valuation.

Pre-Money Valuation 150

Pre-Money Valuation Option Pool Post-Money Valuation Dilution 150

Lightspeed Venture Partners

OCTOBER 22, 2012

This implies a pre money valuation of $1.045M. See my breakdown of week 2 for more on how to calculate pre money valuation.). But it only costs $65k to buy a new food truck, so it is easy for others to enter the market. and costs $1.10 to make, although that cost is expected to drop with scale.

Pre-Money Valuation 101

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Dilution Differentiation 101

K9 Ventures

MARCH 23, 2011

Let’s say the company raises $1M ($900K in new money, plus the $100K for the note, just to keep the math simple) at a pre-money valuation of exactly $1M (assume at $1 per share) – same as the pre-money cap in the note. What percent of the company should the note holder get on conversion?

Pre-Money Valuation 132

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Equity Liquidation Preference 132

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2016

As an entrepreneur looking for professional investors, one of the quickest ways to lose credibility and get rejected is to start with a ridiculously high pre-money valuation. Take a hard look around and add valuation for anything you find in this category. Value of solution work to date which cannot be replicated easily.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Startup 120

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

The result of all of this new money? Median pre-money valuations skyrocketed – shooting up 3x in just three years as investors competed to christen imaginary animals with imaginary valuations. And then at once the market felt constipated – just look at Q415.

LP 150

LP Valuation Burn Rate Pre-Money Valuation 150

David Cohen

AUGUST 1, 2018

For example, a company may be raising $1M in notes at $15M pre-money valuation cap with a 20% discount. They’re doing this, because they’re “so close” to raising $5M in equity at $15M pre or more! What a deal! It will be an easier sell to your investors. Seem reasonable to you?

Pre-Money Valuation 87

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Equity Finance 87

Feld Thoughts

JULY 29, 2011

Jane felt comfortable with receiving 10% for $50k, but no less, so they agreed on a $450k pre money valuation of their startup. It helps control transaction costs in terms of both time and money. However, this is distracting, even if you are raising the money from yourselves. warrants or discounts).

Equity 137

Equity Finance Denver Pre-Money Valuation 137

Genuine VC

JULY 30, 2012

By communicating pricing expectations with potential lead investors, I mean sharing either an “ask” or even stated floor for the pre-money valuation of the company (with a priced preferred round) or explicitly stating a valuation cap (for convertible note round).

Valuation 136

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Angel Investor Syndicate 136

David Teten

NOVEMBER 15, 2013

Each new investor tends to raise valuations and lower returns for all the other competitive investors. It is mathematically impossible for the median investor to beat a low-cost index, after expenses. (Of I have frequently heard the expression from other investors, “We can put a lot of money to work here.”

Management 114

Management Pre-Money Valuation Venture Capital New Hampshire 114

View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 14, 2021

Q: What is going to happen to the cost of capital? Q: What is the opportunity cost of not being in tech? Both early- and late-stage startup valuations are currently elevated. For context, seed-stage pre-money valuations are up 24% from H1 2020 to H1 2021. Are low interest rates structural, or temporal? .

Valuation 156

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Distribution Early Stage 156

venturehacks.com

OCTOBER 21, 2010

If you don’t keep your eyes on the option pool while you’re negotiating valuation, your investors will have you playing (and losing) a game that we like to call: Option Pool Shuffle You have successfully negotiated a $2M investment on a $8M pre-money valuation by pitting the famous Blue Shirt Capital against Herd Mentality Management.

Option Pool 68

Option Pool Pre-Money Valuation Dilution Warrant 68

This is going to be BIG.

JULY 30, 2015

Second, their dollars dollar cost average at cheaper entry prices. Here's another way to look at it--the cost of capital argument. So, if that was the case, and the market was competitive, why wouldn't each VC be bidding up a round up until the point where they could get the return that matches their own cost of capital?

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Pre-Money Valuation IRR Valuation 60

Business Plan Blog

DECEMBER 26, 2013

This process may include the provision of various scenarios on revenues and costs as the investors validate forecasts initially presented. Pre-money valuation. Professional fees and costs. Amount to be invested. Type of security and structure. Rights and restrictions of shareholders.

Angel Investor 51

Angel Investor Due Diligence Pre-Money Valuation Angel Groups 51

Berkonomics

SEPTEMBER 17, 2011

I immediately agreed to come aboard at no cost to clean up the corporation, deferring my investment until that was done. Within three months, we easily obtained $3 million of investment at a pre-money valuation of $30 million. In addition, I loaned the new company $150 thousand for working capital.

Liquidity Event 59

Liquidity Event Pre-Money Valuation Sales Valuation 59