Blog

It's always an interesting week in venture capital. Discover the best stories, blog posts and other information inside the VC ecosystem in the US and in hotspots around the world. Onward dear reader…

HOW VCS THINK

A junior VC shares her thoughts on how a VC looks at a business.

TNW: Is Your Startup of Feature, a Product or Business?

THE SURGE IN SECURITY VENTURE CAPITAL

A boom is underway in venture capital investment in security companies, according to this USA Today interview of Bob Ackerman.

USA Today: Why This Surge Is Different

MISTAKES THAT KILL...STARTUPS

Early stage investor Paul Graham writes a list of 18 mistakes that contribute to startup failure.

Paul Graham: 18 Mistakes That Kill Startups

PITCHBOOK BENCHMARKING REPORT

Financial database firm PitchBook has published its latest performance report.

PitchBook: 2Q 2013 Global PE & VC Benchmarking Report

TOO MUCH DUE DILIGENCE

Successful Internet VC Fred Wilson shares a tale of the downside of too much checking.

A VC: You Can Do Too Much Due Diligence

THE JOBS ACT, A YEAR LATER

Tech attorney Alexander Davie has published the last post in his series on The JOBS Act - 1 Year Later.

Strictly Business: Online Angel Investment Platforms

ACQUIHIRES ARE NOT A GOOD THING

Mark Suster doesn't like acquihire M&A transactions.

Both Sides of the Table: The Corrosive Downside of Acquihires

SELLING YOUR BUSINESS TIPS

These tech attorneys have some insights on indemnification clauses in sale agreements.

Strictly Business: Practical Tips for Sellers - Indemnification

DON'T SNIP THE TALL POPPIES

Todd Hixon of New Atlantic Ventures shares his thoughts on dealing with exceptional individuals.

NAV Blog: Cultivate the Exceptional

TRUST IN BITCOIN

Digital media VC Jeremy Liew writes about how to build trust in online currencies.

Lightspeed VP: Building Trust in the Bitcoin System

It's always an interesting week in venture capital. Discover the best stories, blog posts and other information inside the VC ecosystem in the US and in hotspots around the world. Onward dear reader…

VENTURE CAPITAL - A TOUGH ROAD TO HOE

Entrepreneurs with get rich quick dreams may find it harder than they think with venture capital.

NY Times: Venture Capital's Rocky Road

STARTING A VENTURE?

Todd Hixon of New Atlantic Ventures says it's easier to start a venture than finish it.

NAV Blog: The Boom in Startups

BANKER INTRODUCTIONS

Early stage venture capitalists should beware of introductions by bankers.

Business Insider: VCs Should Be Careful

WINNING OVER VCS

Here's a few tips on how to attract the attention of venture capitalists.

VentureBeat: A Startup Lawyers Take On Getting Venture Capital

DOWN ROUNDS ARE DAMAGING

Los Angeles-based VC Mark Suster has a sobering post on the psychology of down rounds.

Mark Suster: The Damaging Psychology of Down Rounds

HIGH VALUATIONS MAY BE BAD FOR YOU

Mark Boslet cautions entrepreneurs on going for too high a valuation.

PE Hub: The Negatives of High Valuations

PARADOXICAL VALUATIONS

Attorney Paul Jones has a brief example of how valuations are viewed differently by different parties.

National Law Review: The Venture Capital Valuation Paradox

CORPORATE VCS UPBEAT

A recent survey of corporate venture capital arms indicates some optimism.

PE Hub: Corporate VCs Modestly Bullish

BUSINESS PLANNING IN THE 21ST CENTURY

DFJ Esprit VC Nic Brisbourne shares his thoughts on business planning in an uncertain economy.

The Equity Kicker: Thoughts on Our Three-Speed Economy

MIDAS LIST NOT SO GOLDEN?

Fortune's Dan Primack has a pretty devastating takedown of the questionable value of the Forbes Midas List of top VCs.

Term Sheet: Fool's Gold In VC-Land

It's always an interesting week in venture capital. Discover the best stories, blog posts and other information inside the VC ecosystem in the US and in hotspots around the world. Onward dear reader…

MAKING A VENTURE DIFFERENCE

New York VC David Teten and his colleagues have a post on VC best practices.

     PE Hub: How VCs Can Make a Real Difference – Part 1 of 2

     PE Hub: How VCs Can Make a Real Difference – Part 2 of 2

PRIVATE MARKET MYTHS

Angel investor Tim Keane shares his thoughts on myths versus reality of private market M&A.

     Startups and Angels: Symmetry and Expectations

SV ANGEL MEGATREND

Noted early-stage investor SV Angel says that health informatics is one of its new investment themes.

     TechCrunch: Software First Health Startups

A DIFFERENT KIND OF ACCELERATOR

PandoDaily has highlighted an accelerator that actually charges companies a fee of $25,000 to participate in their program.

     PandoDaily: That’s Just Wrong - Right?

ANGELLIST IS A CROWDFUNDER

The popular Angel stage financing resource is rolling out its crowdfunding service.

     WSJ Online: AngelList Commits to Crowdfunding

A TALE OF TWO WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Los Angeles VC Mark Suster has an engaging post about backing a women-led startup.

     Both Sides of the Table: Two Amazing Women

CONTRARIAN VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTING

What does it mean to be a contrarian VC?

     The Equity Kicker: On Contrarian Investing

YOU’VE COME A LONG WAY, LA BABY

Michael Carney details the rise of early stage venture capital investing in Los Angeles.

     Pando Daily: LA Startup Ecosystem

RAISING VC IN SMALLER MARKETS

LA venture capitalist Mark Suster shares his thoughts on how to raise money when you're not located in a major VC market.

     Both Sides of the Table: Do You Have To Move?

LATE STAGE FINANCING ON FIRE

Benchmark Capital VC Bill Gurley says that the late stage market for financing is extremely competitive.

     TechCrunch: Late Stage Is The Most Frothy

It's always an interesting week in venture capital. Discover the best stories, blog posts and other information inside the VC ecosystem in the US and in hotspots around the world. Onward dear reader…

VENTURE CAPITAL DEBT CONSEQUENCES

Here’s a post on some of the finer points and possible consequences of venture capital debt financing.

     The Gong Show: Unintended Consequence of Debt Notes

LARGEST VC-BACKED DEBACLE?

VentureBeat has a provocative piece on the imminent fall of Fisker Automotive.

     John Koetsier: Largest VC-Backed Debacle in US History

A VCs TAKE ON GOOGLE ANDROID

New Atlantic Ventures VC Todd Hixon says that Google is doing a poor job marketing the Android ecosystem.

     NAV Blog: Failing to Market

AUSTRALIAN EARLY STAGE VACUUM

Hamish McKenzie contends there is a large void in the Australian Series A stage financing market.

     PandoDaily: Series A Vacuum

THE JOBS ACT – ONE YEAR LATER

Alexander Davie has the latest post in his series on the JOBS Act.

     Strictly Business: Part 3 – Repealing the Ban on General Solicitation

SOFTWARE M&A AND MARKET REVIEW

Shea & Company has published its latest quarterly software market review report on M&A, private financings, public company trading valuations and valuation trends.

     Shea & Company: Quarterly Software Market Review – 1Q 2013 (PDF)

THE NEXT BIG THING IN GAMES

Digital media VC Jeremy Liew says the next billion dollar gaming company with be built on the Google Glass platform.

     Lightspeed VP Blog: The New Gaming Platform

GOING SLOWLY

VC Nic Brisbourne believes in the value of avoiding the “Big Launch”.

     The Equity Kicker: The Virtues of The Slow Road

SILICON VALLEY VC CONFIDENCE

Silicon Valley VCs are a more confident bunch lately, according to this interview and survey.

     VentureBeat: Venture Capital Confidence Survey

MORNING FOR VCS?

Internet VC Mark Suster thinks that disruption is happening in the venture capital industry and that it can be a good thing.

    PE Hub: Disruption in Venture Capital

It's always an interesting week in venture capital. Discover the best stories, blog posts and other information inside the VC ecosystem in the US and in hotspots around the world. Onward dear reader…

THE IPO ONRAMP

Tech Attorney Casey Riggs has the latest installment in his series about the JOBS Act.

     Strictly Business: The JOBS Act, a Year Later – Part 2

ON CEO COACHES

VC Brad Feld believes that great CEO coaches can really make a big difference.

     FeldThoughts: The Power of a Great CEO Coach

BAD VC DEALS

Fred Wilson talks about when venture investment deals go sour.

     Fortune: When VC Deals Don't Work Out

MICROSOFT'S FUTURE

This post by Todd Hixon explores the momentous decision Microsoft must face to be relevant in the future.

    NAV Blog: The End of Microsoft... As We Know It

HELPING VCS SUCCEED

Early stage New York VC David Teten has some advice for VCs to increase startup success.

     TechCrunch: Strategies for VCs

VENTURE CAPITAL VALUE

Do venture capital firms add real value to a startup?

     PE Hub: When Does the Value-Add Begin?

MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS VENTURE CAPITAL

Q&A with a Managing Director of the venture capital arm for Motorola Solutions.

     WSJ Online: Motorola Solutions VC Digs For Deals

FINDING JOBS AT STARTUPS

VC Jeff Bussgang has a helpful post up on how to assess startup job opportunities.

    Seeing Both Sides: Seeking a Job in Startup Land

CANADIAN VENTURE CAPITAL

Spark Capital VC Andrew Parker is impressed with the Canadian ecosystem for early stage startups.

     The Gong Show: Canadian Venture Ecosystem

STEP AND FETCH FOR ENTREPRENEURS?

This investor thinks that tranched investments for early-stage startups are not a good idea.

     VentureBeat: 7 Reasons to Avoid Tranched Deals

It's always an interesting week in venture capital. Discover the best stories, blog posts and other information inside the VC ecosystem in the US and in hotspots around the world. Onward dear reader…

SELLING YOUR BUSINESS SERIES

Tech Attorney Casey Riggs has the latest installment of his series on Selling Your Business.

     Strictly Business: Reps, Warranties and Disclosures

“A FUNDAMENTAL DISCONNECT”

A lot of good, seed financed companies are going to have a tough time raising their first institutional round.

     Jim Andelman at PE Hub: How to Avoid the Series A Problem

CHEVRON VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

The energy giant Chevron has been increasing its visibility lately.

     Pittsburgh Business Times: Strategic Energy Investing

ENTERPRISE STARTUP REVENUE STREAMS

Why it's important for enterprise startups to include professional services in their revenue streams.

    Both Sides of the Table: Professional Services & Software Firms Mix

CROWDFUNDING AND VCS

Zach Noorani has a long post up about the relationship between crowdfunding and venture capital firms.

     TechCrunch: VCs Will Still Control Investing

LATE STAGE VALUATIONS

VentureSource says that US-based company valuations have risen for later stage venture rounds.

    VC Dispatch: Rising Late Stage Valuations

SEED FINANCING SURVEY

Technology law firm Fenwick & West has the results of its latest Silicon Valley/Seattle seed financing survey.

    Fenwick & West: 2012 Seed Financing Survey Results

VC FUNDS READY TO ADVERTISE?

The SEC is getting close to changing the laws that allow for general solicitation for venture capital firms.

     PE Hub: A Storm Is Brewing – Part II

WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR CLEANTECH VC

Venrock energy investor Matthew Nordan has a well-researched piece up about the future of cleantech investing.

    GigaOm: The State of Clean Tech VC - What Lies Ahead

UNIVERSITY ACCELERATORS

USC announced a new technology accelerator, to this journalist's criticism.

    Michael Carney: Good Intentions Aren't Good Enough

It's always an interesting week in venture capital. Discover the best stories, blog posts and other information inside the VC ecosystem in the US and in hotspots around the world. Onward dear reader…

CROWDFUNDING AND THE INNOVATION CYCLE

Todd Hixon of New Atlantic Ventures has a long and thought-provoking post up about whether crowdfunding will be good or bad.

     NAV Blog: A Boon Or a Disaster?

VC MARKETING PERSPECTIVE

Outspoken Internet and digital media VC Mark Suster shares his thoughts on technology startup marketing challenges.

     Both Sides of the Table: Why Your Marketing Campaign Sucks

VCs PITCHING CUSTOMERS

One venture capital firm is trying to distinguish itself by helping its startups find customers.

     PE Hub: We’ll Help Find Your Customers

CANADIAN VENTURE CAPITAL

A Canadian entrepreneur weighs in on the state of venture capital in Canada.

     TechVibes: Canadian VC: An Entrepreneur’s Perspective

COMPANY CRITICIZERS?

Should VCs publicly criticize companies? There’s an Internet fight brewing:

     PandoDaily: Is It OK for VCs to Criticize?

FOUNDING CEOs

Internet VC Bijan Sabet provides a number of scenarios where founding CEOs can lose their jobs.

     Bijan Sabet: Why Do CEO/Founders Lose Their Jobs?

CANADIAN GOVERNMENT AS VC?

Canadian government adviser Sam Duboc lays out the recently announced Venture Capital Action Plan.

     PE Hub: Canada's Venture Capital Plan

THE JOBS ACT IS (ALMOST) ONE YEAR OLD

Here’s a good post on the status of where things stand with the implementation of the JOBS Act.

     Strictly Business: The JOBS Act, a Year Later

PITCHBOOK PRIVATE EQUITY EXITS

Private equity data firm PitchBook has its latest report out on M&A, IPOs and secondary buyouts activity.

     PitchBook: 1H 2013 Private Equity Exits Report (PDF)

LESSONS ABOUT VALUE PROPOSITION

Another great post from Todd Hixon at New Atlantic Ventures - the value of a strong value proposition.

     NAV Blog: The All-Important Value Proposition

It's always an interesting week in venture capital. Discover the best stories, blog posts and other information inside the VC ecosystem in the US and in hotspots around the world. Onward dear reader…

TRUTH OR BUSINESS CONSEQUENCES

Los Angeles-based VC Mark Suster has a long and insightful post on the dynamics of business decisions.

     Both Sides of the Table: Understanding the Consequences

WORLDWIDE IPO SURVEY

KPMG has conducted a worldwide survey and investors expect an increase in IPO activity in 2013.

     KPMG Via WSJ Online: Investors Upbeat on IPOs (PDF)

MARK HEESEN EXIT INTERVIEW

The head of the National Venture Capital Association is moving on after 22 years.

     PandoDaily: Venture Capital Industry Changes

CLEANTECH VENTURE CAPITAL

Hardware investment in the advanced energy and clean tech sectors is hard to come by.

     Greentech Media: A New Type of Venture Capital

SELLING YOUR BUSINESS

Technology Attorney Casey Riggs has the latest installment in his series on tips for sellers.

     Strictly Business: The Purchase Agreement

STATE VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDS

This article takes a contrarian view on state governments operating venture capital funds.

     Kent Bernhard: Why State Venture Funds Are a Stupid Idea

MOBILE INDUSTRY REVENUES

VC Nic Brisbourne says that the mobile industry needs to find another way to make revenues to compensate for lower revenues per user.

     The Equity Kicker: Dollars to Fractions of Pennies

STARTUP INVESTOR RELATIONS

TechStars accelerator founder David Cohen shares his thoughts on how to develop relationships with Angel investors.

     TechStars Blog: Make Angels Come to You

It's always an interesting week in venture capital. Discover the best stories, blog posts and other information inside the VC ecosystem in the US and in hotspots around the world. Onward dear reader…

SELLING YOUR BUSINESS

Attorneys Jennifer Wilson and Casey Riggs have the latest installment in a series on practical tips for business sellers.

     Strictly Business: Selling Your Business - Due Diligence

WEARABLE COMPUTING

Internet VC Bijan Sabet shares his thoughts on the coming revolution in wearable computing.

     Bijan Sabet: Wearable Computing Has Arrived

SMALL FUNDS VS. BIG FUNDS

Venture capital firm fund performance issues are raised in this post by ff Venture Capital David Teten.

     TechCrunch: Fund Size Return Discussion

CONSUMER INTERNET METRICS

Jacob Mullins of Shasta Ventures has a great post up on a variety of metrics that successful consumer Internet companies share.

     Jacob Mullins: Want to Build a $1B Consumer Company?

UNIVERSITY MATH

Clay Christensen says that 15 years from now half of U.S. universities may be in bankruptcy.

     Mark Suster: The Coming Education Disruption

VC FIRM COMPETITION

Large venture capital firms are competing with first-timers in a tougher fundraising environment.

     PE Hub: VC Fundraising Prospects

AVOIDING THE SERIES A CRUNCH?

Erik Rannala of accelerator MuckerLab says that VCs are doing just fine in the current "crunch" early stage financing environment.

     TechCrunch: VCs Avoid the Crunch

FORTUNE 500 PRIORITIES

A recent study has found that Fortune 500 companies are focused on big data and mobile.

    Mark Boslet: Big Data & Mobile Are Key Priorities

CUTTING YOUR LEGAL BILL

Legal costs for startup financings can get out of hand. Open source financing docs have been moved to Github to help lower costs.

     Venture Capital Dispatch: Over to Github

VCs AREN'T INTO MANUFACTURING

The rebirth of manufacturing in the US is not seeing venture capital interest.

    PE Hub: VCs Are Sitting This Industry Out

It's always an interesting week in venture capital. Discover the best stories, blog posts and other information inside the VC ecosystem in the US and in hotspots around the world. Onward dear reader…

A SOCIAL VC

Nice profile of successful Internet investor Shervin Pishevar.

     PE Hub: Blending Business with Social Service

TOO MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN?

It’s been called a "troubling trend" among some startup funding deals.

     Xconomy: Lots of Investors, No Lead

TIPS ON SELLING YOUR BUSINESS

Technology attorney Casey Riggs has a series on the sale of a business from a seller's perspective.

     Strictly Business: Part 4: Letters of Intent

SEC GETTING CAUGHT UP?

This Venture Capital Dispatch says that the SEC hopes to get caught up on new crowdfunding rules.

     WSJ Online: Crowdfunding Rules a Top Priority

SPECIALIZED GOOGLE VENTURE

Dan Primack wonders if Google will launch a specialty fund for its new Google Glass product.

     Fortune: Introducing Google Glass Ventures?

THINKING BIG

This post by venture capitalist Charles Moldow gets my vote of the best VC post in a long while.

     All Things D: Why We Must Think Bigger

VC IN CHINA FALLS 40%

Dow Jones reports that venture capital investment in China has fallen 40% in 2012, hindered by the lagging IPO market.

     Dow Jones: VC Investment into China Falls 40%

INVESTOR MISTAKES

Investors make mistakes even before they write the check.

     Matt Dusig: Mistakes Investors Make

TECHNOLOGY REPLACING HUMANS

VC Andrew Parker shares his thoughts on technology replacing humans for jobs.

     The Gong Show: Stop Worrying and Love the Robot