Living in Greece and watching the birth of a long-awaited technological revolution is fascinating in and of itself.
Money doesn't guarantee success; only effective execution can deliver that goal. I believe improving the odds for venture-backed companies requires better execution.
Even the most well-known venture capitalists have startups they regret passing on. For John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins, it was Twitter. For Fred Wils...
While the entrepreneurs I meet are vibrant, open-minded and diverse, it often feels like a 1969 office scene when you visit venture capitalists in their native environment. The workforce looks like the cast from Mad Men, diversity-wise.
One reason the finance business is always busy is that it functions much like the arms dealer. You don't need to figure out precisely who's going to win or lose. Some fail, some succeed. If they succeed, they wind up building an army that's accomplishing something.
According to the Kickstarter's data, there was $274 billion collected last year (+238 percent from 2011). In comparison, VC's invested $26.5 billion in 2012 (-10 percent from 2011). Do you see the difference?
Sometimes the success of a great film relies on the best pairing of idea and director. The same goes for business. It's part of the role of the studio executive and the VC to ensure that the right leader is in place to execute the right idea smoothly, on budget, and on time.
VCs are a popular target for the media, bloggers (and even fellow VCs) to hate on. Here's my completely biased and unscientific checklist of who not to take money from.
Infusionsoft, an eight-year-old software company founded by Clate Mask (CEO) and his two brothers, Scott and Eric Martineau, has just been given $54M in expansion funding from the investment firm Goldman Sachs.
Venture capitalist Theresia Gouw Ranzetta sees opportunity where others see obstacles.
While one might expect New York start-ups to exhibit their well-earned reputation for toughness laced with a top note of kvetching, there's no kvetching going on at all. In fact, quite the opposite.
I'm perpetually annoyed by the blind reverence and adulation African Americans seem to shower on our president despite the fact that few of them can name a single thing he's done, other than get himself elected, to help them.
The reality is, though, that incremental business model improvements in big markets can result in highly successful ventures, create many jobs, and solve problems that customers were previously experiencing.
Two Silicon Valley technology conferences in mid-September came up with opposing headlines, not unlike two colliding neutron stars. They are also contrarian coming from two elite members of the venture capital community.
I cannot speak for other angel investors, but I'll explain what it takes to get me to invest. The following snippets are based on actual meetings I've had over the past eight months with developers seeking funding for their ventures.
For Chris Collins, all the hours spent building a website, developing relationships with food vendors and rehearsing his pitch had come down to this: ...
Failure is a big part of the startup game. When investors bet on fledgling companies, most of them know that the risk is high -- but few knew it was t...
Technology accelerators and incubators have sprung up around L.A., making it easier for a new entrepreneurs and seasoned Hollywood executives alike to quit their jobs and pursue the startup dream.
By Sarah McBride SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The patent wars that have embroiled many of the world's technology giants in recent years ar...
As childish as it sounds, I've learned that dreams can actually come true. You just have to be willing to lay each brick, one by one, until you eventually build up to the clouds.
Before you starting to talk to a VC, make sure you know what the rules of the game are.
Venture capital is about capturing the value between the startup phase and the public company phase. Others should be focused on capturing the value post the public offering.
American capitalism today is not a rosy panacea, nor can it be simply defined. It is multidimensional, and there exists within it two pairs of diametrically opposed constituencies: the "floats all boats" capitalists and the "zero-sum gamers."
After the 2008 financial crisis, capital is too restrictive to be loaned by banks. When I founded my company, I didn't even waste time looking into this fundraising option. It's as improbable as finding the Loch Ness Monster.
While working alongside your best friend may seem like a great idea, it's not good for your bottom line. People who decide to partner in business ...
