Pitch right down the middle
Ideas are only as good as their pitches, and pros are the masters of pitch selection to improve business proposals.
Three of the best in the business -- Evan Wyk, Brant Pinvidic and Brian Cristiano...
Investing in Future Startup Entrepreneurs? Focus Instead on a Killer Marketing Plan
“Ideas are a dime a dozen. People who implement them are priceless.” -- Mary Kay Ash
Isn’t this one of the greatest quotes you’ve heard lately, and so true!
These days, everyone is hoping to become...
15 Years Of Trying To Be Carbon-Neutral: Practical Uses Of Technology For Individuals
I am the product of both developing and developed countries -- my adult career in Silicon Valley has shaped a fundamental belief that tech can do tremendous good if we apply it correctly. I...
Startups And Impact Investors – Good or Bad?
Value = Valuation. Valuation -> Profits. Profits!= Profiteering.
Are you a startup wondering about this sequence? Then you may want to consider working with impact investors. There are benefits and pitfalls in doing so, before...
Is an Idea Worth Billions?
It’s 2019, and we live in the most convenient time known to man. Hungry? Press a button and your favorite food arrives at your door in less than 30 minutes. Need a ride? A...
Hipster Data
From an unprofitable company to data mogul
If you live in a big city, you might have noticed the arrival of weird new vehicles: electric
scooters.
If you’re over 40, you might have been annoyed by all...
Startups, VCs and Tranched Rounds? Yes Sometimes, No Mostly
Tranched rounds is the idea that an investor will commit to a total financing and give out portions as the entrepreneur achieves certain milestones. A tranche is ultimately a negotiation and there isn’t a...
Food Automation: A Tidal Wave Of Startups
In the US there are more food outlets than ever before, which is to be expected given increased prosperity and population growth. But what is even more significant is restaurants are growing at twice...
How Do VCs Find And Fund Your Startup? – 4 Major Paths Of Deal...
Following up from the last article “VCs Suck? Here Are 5 Practical Ways For Entrepreneurs To Minimize The Pain,” this post is focused on the other perspective. VCs get flooded with business proposals, as...
Blockchain Start-Ups In New York City Are The Secret You Never Read About
NYC needs more start-up culture reporting
I think blockchain has gotten a bad reputation in the NYC financial community. It is a mistake.
I have worked on Wall Street for over 20 years, but I cover...
Startups and Corporations: What can they learn from each other?
Start-ups can be very compelling in their steadfast conviction that the things they do are special. Unfortunately, in most cases, their eager spirit alone won’t secure their survival. Can the values espoused by fledgling...
Would You Have Invested? 7 Lessons In How Venture Capitalists Decide
Hindsight is 20/20 -- once a company has succeeded its success almost seems pre-ordained. But when it is just starting that is hardly the case, in fact, chances are if you poll even experts...
Startups and Independent Board Member – Best Practices
In the past, I have discussed how to run board meetings effectively and how to work best with board observers. Continuing that conversation around best practices, this article is focused on a much overlooked...
Hardware Startups: 3 Strategies For Succeeding
“Hardware is hard” -- there are good reasons for the saying. At least compared to software, hardware typically takes longer to build and is harder to upgrade, since there is no such thing as...
WeWork And The IPO Drama
WeWork is one of the world’s most valuable startups, valued at $47 billion during its last round of funding in early 2019. The We Company, WeWork’s parent company, filed for IPO mid-August, and since...
Startups, VCs and Social Capital
In mature ecosystems like Silicon Valley, there is just so much entrepreneurial activity that it often becomes hard to distinguish signal from noise. In an emerging ecosystem, there is a different problem, perhaps too...
Startups And Saying No To A Large Investor
Hot startups are often thought of that way because of who is involved and how bold the idea is. And they get disproportionate and arguably undue attention. If you are finding yourself in that...
The Rise of Non-Traditional VCs
Non-traditional VCs playing the startup game is nothing new but the scale at which they are participating now is bigger than ever. Pitchbook called it “tourist investors” -- perhaps questioning their staying power -...
Why Every Organization Needs a Data Analyst
There is so much hype around the data scientist role these days that when a company needs a specialist to get some insights from data, the first idea is to look for a data...
Startups and Investors Seek the Right Fit
Most startups need money. The source could be the largesse of the well-to-do owner. However, most small businesses depend on outside sources for funds.
John Armah has experience with the subject through his Orios Group...
