View from Seed

APRIL 6, 2021

You are a native of NYC tech with a strong network. You have 4-6 years of professional experience as a technology operator, founder, or investor in New York. You have unbounded curiosity for emerging trends, a love for experimentation, and you’re always eager to dive into new products and technologies before others do.

Technical Review 317

Technical Review Software Review Seed Stage Cofounder 317

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Struggling entrepreneurs are often so happy to get a funding offer that they neglect the recommended reverse due diligence on the investors. Taking on equity investors to fund your company is much like getting married – it is a long-term relationship that has to work at all levels. Know your partner well before you get married.

Technical Review 257

Technical Review Due Diligence Term Sheet Offshore 257

Steve Blank

JANUARY 17, 2023

This post previously appeared in the Harvard Business Review. But these look for founders who have a technical or business model insight and a team. Accelerators provide these teams with technical and business expertise and connect them to a network of other founders and advisors. Carlos stirred his coffee.

Technical Cofounder 368

Technical Cofounder Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator 368

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2020

Every startup founder loves to prompt for questions from investors and potential key team members about their vision, and the huge opportunity that can be had with their disruptive technology. Most founders like to talk about their many months or years of sweat-equity , but cash invested is a stronger commitment.

Technical Review 436

Technical Review Due Diligence Sweat Equity Burn Rate 436

The Startup Magazine

FEBRUARY 11, 2022

Within private equity there are certainly sectors that drum up more attention than others. On the other side of the spectrum, the idea of finding a unicorn has attracted many investors toward the much riskier venture capital and emerging technologies. Private equity investments offer access to growth in more scaled businesses.

Private Equity 165

Private Equity Equity Technical Review Software Review 165

Steve Blank

APRIL 11, 2013

The previous post described how China built its science and technology infrastructure. This post is about the how the Chinese government engineered technology clusters. Of all the Chinese government programs, the Torch Program is the one program that kick-started Chinese high-tech innovation and startups. Innovation Clusters.

Programming 287

Programming Technical Review SBIR China 287

SoCal CTO

MARCH 4, 2010

I’ve worked with 30+ early-stage companies in all sorts of capacities (and spoken to many, many more), so I thought it might be worthwhile trying to classify the various ways that I’ve engaged in different technology roles in startups. It depends on the business, people, technologies, etc. Each situation is just a bit different.

Technical Review 170

Technical Review Fractional CTO Technology CTO Hire 170

SoCal CTO

MARCH 3, 2011

Many of the founders of these companies are surprised to learn that I'm willing to review what they are doing (maybe an hour) and get on the phone for an hour with them and provide free advice. Who might be partners? What's you believe is your biggest technology risk, if any? What Is This? Who are the main competitors?

Fractional CTO 264

Fractional CTO CTO Hire NDA Technical Review 264

View from Seed

JULY 6, 2020

You are a native of NYC tech with a strong network. You have 4-6 years of professional experience as a technology operator, founder, or investor in New York. You have unbounded curiosity for emerging trends, a love for experimentation, and you’re always eager to dive into new products and technologies before others do.

Technical Review 257

Technical Review Software Review Hiring Seed Stage 257

SoCal CTO

MARCH 3, 2011

Many of the founders of these companies are surprised to learn that I'm willing to review what they are doing (maybe an hour) and get on the phone for an hour with them and provide free advice. Who might be partners? What's you believe is your biggest technology risk, if any? What Is This? Who are the main competitors?

Fractional CTO 259

Fractional CTO CTO Hire NDA Technical Review 259

ReadWriteStart

AUGUST 28, 2012

But when it comes to core technical skills, more and more entrepreneurs are opting to partner with technical co-founders rather than hiring someone for an in-house position. How Innovative Is Your Technology? If you want to start a tech company, you must understand the space. You Need To Know Tech Basics.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Cofounder Founder Software Review 131

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 24, 2018

You company is the product and you’re selling an equity ownership in your company but much more broadly you’re selling trust & confidence that you’re going to build something enormously valuable and that you’re going to be enjoyable to work hand-in-hand with over the coming decade of each other’s lives. How many partners are there?

Technical Review 314

Technical Review Due Diligence Partner Term Sheet 314

The Startup Magazine

SEPTEMBER 15, 2020

Venture capital is a type of private equity. It is not always a financial transaction; sometimes it comes in the form of managerial or technical expertise. The downside to venture capital is that the company or individual doing investing generally get equity in the company. What is Venture Capital Funding?

Venture Capital 176

Venture Capital Technical Review Software Review Security 176

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2010

Our guest this week on #TWiVC was Dana Settle , partner at Greycroft Partners , a venture capital firm with offices in New York and Los Angeles. It’s always fun debating companies with Dana because she’s always so knowledgeable on deals – particularly those in the digital media, ad-tech and eCommerce spaces. OTHER DEALS: 1.

Partner 240

Partner New York City Cofounder Syndicate 240

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 16, 2014

Our last fund was $200 million but as you may already know since we raised that fund we added new partners Greg Bettinelli and Kara Nortman and Venture Partner Hamet Watt – all of whom are busy looking at new deals for the firm in addition to Yves Sisteron (the founder), Steven Dietz (also part of founding team) and myself.

Las Vegas 396

Las Vegas St. Louis Southern California San Diego 396

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 16, 2010

The VC industry grew dramatically as a result of the Internet bubble - Before the Internet bubble the people who invested in VC funds (called LPs or Limited Partners) put about $50 billion into the industry and by 2001 this had grown precipitously to around $250 billion. Partners leave the industry. Team must be purely technical.

LP 311

LP Technical Review Early Stage Silicon Valley 311

Austin Startup

NOVEMBER 20, 2020

By: Kasheef Wyzard and Michelle Ferguson Image: Dream Corps TECH Black Engineer Educators Let’s face it?—?we Big Tech has shattered boundaries and made the previously impossible a new reality?—?but To date, Dream Corps TECH has placed 75 students, including partnerships with multiple Fortune 50 companies!

Technical Review 93

Technical Review Texas Equity Programming 93

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 16, 2022

They couldn’t possibly understand the new social media culture, new technologies, or have the determination to beat their younger counterparts in the market. In fact, they are well-qualified overall, having worked with high technology and computers for at least 20 years, are highly educated, and highly motivated.

Advisory Board 368

Advisory Board Dividend Angel Investor Cofounder 368

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

SEEING THINGS FROM THE VC SIDE OF THE TABLE While I was a VC in 2007 & 2008 those were dead years because the market again evaporated due the the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). Almost no financings, many VCs and tech startups cratered for the second time in less than a decade following the dot com bursting. The tide has gone out.

Valuation 466

Valuation San Francisco Ratchet Liquidation Preference 466

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2012

Successful entrepreneurs already have a visible network of trusted suppliers, potential customers, partners, and even investors. Convincingly presents a patent, trademark, or other “secret sauce” that can create equity value, not just current cash flow for the owners. The technology or product may be at an embryonic stage.

Technical Review 294

Technical Review Intellectual Property Angel Investor Elevator Pitch 294

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 30, 2012

Just a crazy idea two years ago, the class is now taught at Stanford , Berkeley, Columbia , Caltech, Princeton and for the National Science Foundation at the University of Michigan and Georgia Tech. I’m partnered with four great organizations to deliver the program. If you can’t see the video above click here.). How it Works.

Startup 335

Startup Lean Incubator Business Model 335

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 1, 2010

I continue to collect great content that is the intersection of startups, products, online and technology. The United States is now a debtor nation to China and that the bill is about to come due. These are probably the two sites where I've posted the most reviews. One out of ten of Americans are out of work.

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Technology Product CTO Hire 175

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2013

Successful entrepreneurs already have a visible network of trusted suppliers, potential customers, partners, and even investors. Convincingly presents a patent, trademark, or other “secret sauce” that can create equity value, not just current cash flow for the owners. The technology or product may be at an embryonic stage.

Technical Review 273

Technical Review Intellectual Property Angel Investor Elevator Pitch 273

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 5, 2011

Seattle should be the envy of any non Silicon Valley tech community in the country. It really wouldn’t take much to turn a great technology ecosystem into a truly electric one. I know it’s not single-handed as he has both fantastic partners at Foundry Group and many other community leaders.

Seattle 317

Seattle Silicon Valley Technical Review Los Angeles 317

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2010

If I’m interested I get to spend more time with them, if I’m not I don’t have to – A few companies per month come in that have fascinating business ideas that warrant my spending more time trying to understand their people, company, technology and market. The upside for entrepreneurs is the equity in their business.

Technical Review 312

Technical Review Due Diligence Spain Warrant 312

VC Cafe

JANUARY 22, 2021

A few months ago, VC Cafe launched a series on startup engagement and outreach programs of large tech companies. Amazon Corporate Development – Notable acquisitions include Whole Foods ($13.7B), smart doorbell system Ring ($1.2B, 2018) and autonomous mobility technology Zoox ($1.2bn). AI startups in the Alexa Fund portfolio.

Technical Review 174

Technical Review Startup Venture Capital Incubator 174

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2016

For IBM, the Personal Computer was a paradigm shift from their big business legacy, built with new technologies for totally new markets, and battleships turn very slowly. Partnering with outside entrepreneurial efforts is discouraged. The burn rate was extremely high, with no one working for equity or deferred compensation.

Technical Review 214

Technical Review Entrepreneur Silicon Valley Burn Rate 214

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 3, 2010

I can save tons of development time and I think I can buy it for all equity. I’m doing due diligence on a company of another entrepreneur in LA whose company was apparently doing very well. My recommendation to our lead partner looking at the deal, “Pass. Me: “Zero dilution. million uniques.

Merger 276

Merger Technical Review Early Stage Dilution 276

Steve Blank

APRIL 11, 2013

The previous post described how China built its science and technology infrastructure. This post is about the how the Chinese government engineered technology clusters. Of all the Chinese government programs, the Torch Program is the one program that kick-started Chinese high-tech innovation and startups. Innovation Clusters.

Programming 179

Programming Technical Review SBIR China 179

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2020

They couldn’t possibly understand the new social media culture, new technologies, or have the determination to beat their younger counterparts in the market. In fact, they are well-qualified overall, having worked with high technology and computers for at least 20 years, are highly educated, and highly motivated.

Advisory Board 312

Advisory Board Startup Dividend Angel Investor 312

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 14, 2022

And with the technology available these days, it is convenient to invest in emerging startups. Of late, with the advent of new technology and the spread of the internet to nearly all corners of the country, Indians have taken up a new kind of shop! Some sectors where they have left their indelible mark are – Health tech.

Technical Review 167

Technical Review Due Diligence India Startup 167

YoungUpstarts

DECEMBER 10, 2020

by Rod Robertson, Managing Partner of Briggs Capital and author of “ Winning at Entrepreneurship: Insiders’ Tips on Buying, Building, and Selling Your Own Business “ While news of vaccines on the horizon signal hope, some analysts think a sizable chunk of the U.S. Investment in tech is trending.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Private Equity Equity Employee 279

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2012

This source often gets overlooked, but it should be a major focus these days due to government initiatives on alternative energy and technology. An investment from a venture capital firm is usually expensive, in equity and control. Bartering services for equity. Partner with distributor or beneficiary.

Technical Review 257

Technical Review Bootstrapping Venture Capital Incubator 257

View from Seed

JANUARY 27, 2021

We are looking to bring on board a versatile new team member to support the varied internal operations of the firm as well as collaborate with the partners on our external programs and communications with the broader entrepreneurial community. You are actively engaged in the NYC or Boston tech ecosystem. What Will The Job Be Like.

Operations 227

Operations Hiring Seed Stage Software Review 227

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 27, 2010

Successful entrepreneurs already have a visible network of trusted suppliers, potential customers, partners, and even investors. Convincingly presents a patent, trademark, or other “secret sauce” that can create equity value, not just current cash flow for the owners. The technology or product may be at an embryonic stage.

Angel Investor 241

Angel Investor Technical Review Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch 241

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 12, 2011

Chris Dixon is one of my favorite people in tech and writes one of the few blogs I read religiously. If you don’t read it and you care about tech & entrepreneurship, you should. If you like the quick summary notes, please check out Adam’s blog on tech, entrepreneurship & VC as a thank you.

Technical Review 281

Technical Review Artificial Inteligence Cofounder API 281

ReadWriteStart

AUGUST 28, 2012

But when it comes to core technical skills, more and more entrepreneurs are opting to partner with technical co-founders rather than hiring someone for an in-house position. How Innovative Is Your Technology? If you want to start a tech company, you must understand the space. Laura Roeder , LKR 2.

Technical Review 79

Technical Review Cofounder Founder Software Review 79