Fundraising

With the economic downturn and associated uncertainty, startup founders at every stage have been rushing to shore up their balance sheets and extend runways. I've been recommending that founders plan to have at least two years of runway in the bank (ideally three). However, if you were in the p

In a lot of the pitch deck teardowns, I get stumped by a certain slide, even though I am 99% sure that when a founder uses it to pitch a VC, they will give a little bit of additional context that “unlocks” the slide and helps it make sense. The specific slide that inspired this post was

If an early-stage startup is ready to raise money but its valuation hasn’t been established yet, a convertible note can serve as a good fundraising option. A convertible note is a debt instrument that typically converts into equity at a later date. Investors who invest in a note are effective

Biofuels are the sirens of renewable energy, luring startups with enchanting promises of enormous markets, from aviation to trucking and shipping. Companies just can't help throwing themselves at the problem, and more than a few have been dashed to pieces in the process. One new startup, though

On October 21, 2011 at 10:20 a.m. I joined more than 8.5 million other Californians for the Great Shake Out, an annual earthquake preparedness drill. Four hours later, the Bay Area was jolted by a temblor that measured 3.9 on the Richter scale. Even though we'd just been trained for exactly thi

You’ve brushed off your Keynote skills, you’re giddy that you’re finally going to be able to start paying yourself a living wage, and you are excited to start pitching your startup’s next round of funding to your investors. It’s heady times, for sure, but hit the other

Under normal circumstances, the higher the valuation of a startup, the better it is for all stakeholders involved. High valuations indicate success and the potential of a business; they attract new customers and new talent; they build a reputation. And, provided a company's valuation continues

Fusion startup Zap Energy has reached two milestones that could nudge it ahead in the race to offer low-cost, carbon-free energy — a $160 million Series C round and a successful test of a prototype fusion reactor that could pave the way to a commercial version. Fusion power has become an unlikely

Future-proofing the finances of your biotech startup through a market collapse means more than just raising capital or rushing to close your round. I perform due diligence on dozens of life science companies each week whose technologies might help future-proof the world against the next biothreat,

Why angel invest? There are three primary benefits to angel investing if you work in the technology industry: financial, educational and professional. Which benefits are most important to you will dramatically shape your approach as an investor. Everyone dreams of being a seed investor in companies

The last decade has been pretty friendly to startup founders at the deal table. Term sheets got shorter and deals became less structured. Capital was abundant, the exit window wide open and the outlook strong. Who needs dilution protection when the market is steadily going up and to the right? Now,

News of the big tech valuation reductions in the U.S. might have you holding your breath as a startup founder. The change in narrative may suggest a slow summer ahead, and speculative investment will prove unpopular. That said, KPMG's latest venture capital report reveals a rich environment for

You've probably heard of unicorns, and you may have heard of soonicorns. But have you heard of gigacorns? Unlike its other more common cousins, the term “gigacorn” doesn’t refer to valuation. Instead, it tells us how well a startup can help fight carbon dioxide emissions, clim

The ongoing market downturn and layoffs at tech companies have caused a great deal of alarm across the startup and venture capital worlds, but growth-stage startups are expected to bear the brunt of the impact. Early-stage startups have an opportunity to capitalize, as investors with dry powder wil