Steve Blank

JULY 16, 2009

However the VC’s are managing a portfolio while you, the entrepreneur are managing one company – yours. Or investing in 10 companies and having 8 fail - but the remaining two companies returning 20x their money for $40 million. His point was that it was in the VC’s interest in having entrepreneurs swing for the fences.

Silicon Valley 223

Silicon Valley RSS Video San Diego 223

David Teten

APRIL 1, 2021

I’ve recently advised a number of emerging private equity and VC funds who are wrestling with the question: What are the highest impact steps they can take to support their portfolio companies? . Almost every private equity and venture capital investor now advertises that they have a platform to support their portfolio companies.

Private Equity 78

Private Equity Venture Capital Portfolio Equity 78

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

Over the same 30 years, Venture Capital firms have honed their skills and strategies to match Wall Streets needs to achieve liquidity for their portfolio companies. You have to wonder: does the VC you have on your board today have the right skill set to help you succeed in today’s economic environment? What Do VC’s Do?

Silicon Valley 237

Silicon Valley IPO Technical Review Venture Capital 237

Steve Blank

AUGUST 31, 2009

After 20 years of working in startups, I decided to take a step back and look at the product development model I had been following and see why it usually failed to provide useful guidance in activities outside the building – sales, marketing and business development.

Customer Development 245

Customer Development Developer Customer Silicon Valley 245

Hunter Walker

AUGUST 31, 2021

Early adopter verticals — such as software development and tech sales — is mostly in Gen 3. Over the past 12–18 months another theme had started to coalesce in the Homebrew portfolio — Future of Work tools that were built with a combination of IQ *and* EQ. Thankfully I knew there were better options in development.

Software 145

Software Vertical Framework Finance 145

Version One Ventures

SEPTEMBER 3, 2014

Each month, we pick an up-and-coming vertical or theme and do a deep dive (with the help of Mattermark … portfolio plug). And being thesis-driven makes us more efficient when filtering through all the startups we see. I never anticipated how helpful or relevant my research skills would be in VC. Compassion.

Venture Capital 162

Venture Capital Portfolio Vertical Technical Review 162

Haystack

DECEMBER 29, 2018

It’s that time of year, time to look back and reflect on the most significant storylines in the tech, startup, and VC world. And, with that warning, I offer to you, the big stories in the startup and investing ecosystem of 2018, written in ascending order of importance and magnitude…. 6/ Venture Capital In Expansion Phase.

Technical Review 165

Technical Review Venture Capital Russia China 165

Version One Ventures

APRIL 19, 2016

But with a group of incredible startups doing great things, we’re determined to provide more frequent updates. If you’re not already familiar with the startups and founders making up the V1 portfolio, here’s a summary of some of this quarter’s news clippings. Portfolio companies in the news. Funding and Follow-ons.

Portfolio 60

Portfolio San Francisco API Software Review 60

VC Cafe

SEPTEMBER 5, 2024

Paul Graham’s recent essay, Founder Mode , describes the mindset that founders need to adopt to navigate the early stages of building a startup, and how they’re different than ‘manager mode’ which is traditional management/corporate best practices. They often provide hands-on operational assistance beyond just capital.

Management 103

Management Technical Review Venture Capital Generative AI 103

Hunter Walker

OCTOBER 31, 2020

So I’ve found that when you’re not already ‘in the door’ at a firm (ie went to school with the senior GP’s kids, worked at a startup they backed) that there are four different types of “qualifications” they are seeking. Highlighted Homebrew Portfolio Jobs. You’ve got some operational superpower. Climate sustainability.

North Carolina 107

North Carolina Hiring Angel Investor Technical Review 107

Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 23, 2009

I was between my 7th and 8th and final startup; licking my wounds from Rocket Science, the company I had cratered as my first and last attempt as a startup CEO. I was consulting for the two venture capital firms who between them put $12 million into my last failed startup. (My It was a long way from Ellis Island.)

Silicon Valley 133

Silicon Valley RSS Venture Capital Customer Development 133

VC Cafe

JUNE 30, 2022

The Israeli startups building the Metaverse (Source: Remagine Ventures, via Calcalist ). To get a sense of the breadth of opportunities that can be attractive for gaming (content and infrastructure) entrepreneurs and metaverse startups, just take a look at the A16Z list below. There is also a growing ecosystem of startups.

Cloud 200

Cloud Venture Capital Cofounder Non-Compete 200

techcrunch.com

AUGUST 12, 2012

Zachary Bogue And Matt Ocko Launch Data Collective, An Early Stage Fund For Big Data Startups. Zachary Bogue And Matt Ocko Launch Data Collective, An Early Stage Fund For Big Data Startups. The fund views its portfolio startups as fulfilling one of the three layers of the “Big Data stack”: 1. Enterprise.

Early Stage 70

Early Stage San Francisco Los Angeles Southern California 70

VC Adventure

AUGUST 31, 2017

And as a rule of thumb for businesses in our portfolio we target payback periods of 12 months or less. Verticalization. Sales efficiency was not as good as I expected it to be. I generally prefer CAC payback (vs LTV to CAC ratio) – especially for earlier stage businesses.

IPO 113

IPO Vertical Balance Sheet Valuation 113

Hunter Walker

MAY 4, 2014

We think of Homebrew as our startup, just one which writes checks instead of code. New VCs are vulnerable to fashionable verticals. Our strategy isn’t to necessarily be contrarian but we decided there were certain verticals that we weren’t going to pursue in 2013. Not Understanding Portfolio Management.

Software Review 119

Software Review Vertical Seed Stage Portfolio 119

View from Seed

JUNE 23, 2022

Long-term: Influencers across the world with 10K+ followers and across all major verticals (e.g. legal, bank accounts, government filings, etc) behind setting up a startup. Great documentary with so many parallels to high-growth startups and founders. DC: Favorite thing: Seeing your input turn into tangible output/progress.

DC 156

DC Cambodia eCommerce Social Media 156

Steve Blank

JULY 2, 2009

If you were a “with it” VC you needed to have a “Content&# or “Multimedia&# company in your portfolio to impress your limited partners – educational software companies, game companies, or anything that could be described as content and/or Multimedia.

Silicon Valley 120

Silicon Valley Technical Review RSS Software Review 120

www.chubbybrain.com

SEPTEMBER 28, 2011

25 Best Startup Failure Post-Mortems of All Time. Update – As a followup, we analyzed all of these startup failure post-mortems to identify the top 20 reasons for startup failure. Also worth a read after you review these startup failure post-mortems. Post-Mortem Title : How My Startup Failed.

Software Review 79

Software Review Startup Technical Review Vesting 79

Version One Ventures

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

We recently invested in a startup that creates a continuum of evidence-based care, integrating previously fragmented resources to treat substance use disorder (in hopes of preventing relapses). I’m interested in startups that are disrupting insurance with the hope of making healthcare more affordable and accessible to everyone.

Social Network 100

Social Network Vertical Cofounder Software Improvement 100

View from Seed

OCTOBER 18, 2017

When describing the Everyday Economy, it is helpful to talk about some of the verticals that are seeing wholesale redesign and the opportunities within those verticals. We have blogged about a few of the verticals so far, including housing , food , entertainment , and others.

Vertical 166

Vertical Seed Stage Viral Portfolio 166

David Teten

DECEMBER 3, 2019

However, in private markets, there is more room to optimize across all 11 steps of the investing process: firm management , marketing, fundraising , origination , manage relationships, due diligence, negotiation, monitoring, portfolio acceleration , reporting, and. 2) Market . She is a model for us all!

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Software Review Analytics Private Equity 78

VC Cafe

OCTOBER 22, 2024

This is not only helpful for startups and investors who are actively deploying in those sectors, but also to founders at the beginning of their journeys who are looking for ‘requests for startups’ or problem areas worth diving into. I chose to focus on 5 areas that are particularly relevant to us at Remagine Ventures.

Generative AI 78

Generative AI Technical Review Vertical Government 78

Hearpreneur

JUNE 26, 2016

We realized that the cost of manufacturing of trailers needed to come down and as a result we’ve decided to vertically integrate the manufacturing and building of STERLINGS trailers in Mexico. That’s why we are currently in a very exclusive beta testing phase while I continue to develop both membership and portfolio features.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Technical Review Harvest Portfolio 102

Austin Startup

FEBRUARY 21, 2011

Interested in being part of the entrepreneurial and startup ecosystem in Austin? ATI has served the entrepreneur community for over twenty years and focuses on the IT, Wireless, Clean Energy and Bioscience verticals. Here are two awesome-sounding jobs that will remain posted till Wednesday, so please check them out promptly.

Technical Review 70

Technical Review Intellectual Property Incubator Due Diligence 70

View from Seed

AUGUST 13, 2014

Pros of taking their angel money include the feeder system to venture financing of the next round and the vast network of portfolio CEOs which can be tapped into for connections and help. Cons of an investment from a Super Angel include potential lack of “value-add” because his or her time is spread so thin amongst many portfolio companies.

Angel Investor 334

Angel Investor Syndicate Syndication Early Stage 334

mashable.com

OCTOBER 27, 2010

You can also get great recommendations from your existing network; just be sure to research portfolios, websites and references thoroughly before making a decision to work with a particular developer. Here, developers and dev shops are organized by vertical so you can find a shop that has expertise in the kind of app you want to build.

Small Business 104

Small Business Technical Review Social Media Software Review 104

Mucker Lab

OCTOBER 12, 2016

Just six months ago, VCs were publishing white papers extolling the virtue of non-bank lending startups, but now no one will touch them with a 10-foot pole. Vertical integration of different funding risks. Whatever happened to IoT after Nest? The average (or even above average) horse never wins. The road ahead for entrepreneurs.

Harvest 60

Harvest Vertical IPO Early Stage 60

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 4, 2021

Modern entrepreneurship began at the turn of the 21 st century with the observation that startups aren’t smaller versions of large companies – large companies at their core execute known business models, while startups search for scalable business models. all markets can be described by what job the user wants to get done.

Customer 427

Customer Marketing Lean Vertical 427

David Teten

JANUARY 9, 2018

Many VCs focus on specific verticals, usually based on the sector in which a VC initially made her reputation. That said, one limitation in early-stage investing particularly is that 2022’s growth sectors probably don’t fit neatly into a vertical we can define today. – Portfolio company diversity.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Private Equity Silicon Valley Differentiation 60

David Teten

JANUARY 9, 2018

Many VCs focus on specific verticals, usually based on the sector in which a VC initially made her reputation. That said, one limitation in early-stage investing particularly is that 2022’s growth sectors probably don’t fit neatly into a vertical we can define today. – Portfolio company diversity.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Private Equity Silicon Valley Differentiation 60

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 23, 2011

Startup after Iron Planet? (6:00 Yes an online video startup in ‘99 that helped large media companies encode and distribute their videos through portals. What gets you interested in a startup? (16:35-19:35). The entrepreneur’s story and what brought them to their startup business. 6:00 – 7:30). 16:35-19:35). 22:00-33:00).

Vertical 265

Vertical Curation Boston Burn Rate 265

Lightspeed Venture Partners

FEBRUARY 3, 2012

Shoedazzle*, Bonobos*, J Hilburn, Warby Parker, IndoChino etc) are vertically integrated. Vertically integrated companies can take a lot of the costs out of the system and provide a much more compelling value to the consumer while still making an attractive margin. Lightspeed portfolio companies. apparel Ecommerce'

Vertical 114

Vertical eCommerce Portfolio Channel 114

Genuine VC

JANUARY 23, 2012

At NextView Ventures, we have a number of companies in our portfolio which are “marketplace” businesses, where buyers and sellers meet to exchange a good or service. And along the way we’ve met with or observed a larger number of seed-stage startups attempting to start them. Piggyback off an existing marketplace.

Engineer 201

Engineer Vertical Portfolio Seed Stage 201

Version One Ventures

SEPTEMBER 3, 2014

Each month, we pick an up-and-coming vertical or theme and do a deep dive (with the help of Mattermark – portfolio plug). And being thesis-driven makes us more efficient when filtering through all the startups we see. I never anticipated how helpful or relevant my research skills would be in VC. Compassion.

Venture Capital 60

Venture Capital Portfolio Vertical Technical Review 60

David Teten

JANUARY 21, 2021

Jonathan Bragdon , CEO, describes Capacity as “a team of founders-turned-funders making non-dilutive, founder-aligned investments of $50-$300k in post-startup, post-revenue businesses planning to 2X revenues in 12-24 months. GCVF is pioneering the future of venture capital and high growth startups for all small communities.

Equity 78

Equity Revenue Cofounder Colorado 78

Genuine VC

FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Addressing both of those issues can stem from the motivations as to why someone would want to put their hard-earned cash into a risky early-stage startup in the first place. CONS of an investment from a Super Angel include potential lack of “value add” because his time is spread so thin amongst many portfolio companies.

Angel Investor 257

Angel Investor Syndicate Syndication Early Stage 257

Cracking the Code

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Chainalysis is the clear market leader in their vertical and sits at the nexus between crypto exchanges, financial institutions, regulatory bodies, and law enforcement agencies. important pillars towards the inevitable maturation of the cryptocurrency space.

Web 48

Web Silicon Valley Technical Review Artificial Inteligence 48