Lead Angels’ Post

Slush recap #2 Fantastic discussion between Jessica Schultz and Elin Dölker, giving top tips to startups that are fundraising: 1️⃣ Don’t set Seed round too high ( raise a maximum of $5m). So much easier to scale post-Seed round, if the Seed round valuation is reasonable ( then expectations on you are also reasonable 😌 ) 2️⃣ Startups should identify and pitch to investors who have domain expertise 👨🎓 🤓 in the field that the startup is working in ( climate tech, B2B SaaS, Fintech etc). Find investors who can help with fundraising AND actual building of your product/service 🚀 3️⃣ If you are going to write cold email pitches to investors, then make sure they are personal, well-researched, and explain why this investor would be a great fit for the start-up 🧤 4️⃣ The best startups use every pitching meeting as a brainstorming meeting 🧠 . Ask investors for honest feedback ⁉ about product, macro environment, competition... 😱 5️⃣ Once you have raised a round: don’t spend the cash too quickly (everyone in your team will ask for a salary raise!! 💳 ). Make sure there is 2 years of financial runway  🛫 #startupfunding #slush2023

𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀! 📣 Startups listen up: Do you have a B2B SaaS business model? Do you want to get ready for your next funding round? Then our 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 is just right for you! 🙌 These are the benefits: 🤝 Extensive support: 2 months of intensive guidance, followed by demand-driven support. 💡 Personal coaching: Get individual insights from experts, investors and founders. 💰 Fundraising: Use our insights, guides and tools. 🚀 Community: Immerse yourself in a community of like-minded founders and learn from each other. 🌐 International visibility: Get access to tech events around the world. Apply now and join the 2nd cohort of our Investment Readiness Program. 👉 https://lnkd.in/e4eRp-4N Applications are now open until August 31, 2024. 📧 Program start is October 2. #InvestmentReadinessProgram #CallforApplications #MTHAccelerator #Startups #Investors #VentureCapital #BusinessAngels #ApplyNow

Want to know the worst emails you can send to a VC investor in 2024?  Here are the top three: "We had a tough year with 30%-50% growth, but if we get some money, we can grow way faster next year!" "Our customers really like us. Although our growth slowed down recently, a bit more funding could help us..." "We could be growing faster, but we're lacking the funds" In 2024, no venture capitalist wants to invest in a company with just okay growth. What's considered okay growth for a business-to-business software startup? - For revenue up to $1 million, growth less than 200% - For revenue up to $5 million, growth less than 125% - For revenue up to $15 million, growth less than 100% #B2BSaaS #VentureCapital #TechInvestments #SaaSInnovation #BusinessTech #VCFunding #StartupStrategy #SaaSLeadership #InvestmentOpportunity #EnterpriseTech

There are more angel investors today than ever before. With rising startup salaries windfall gains for youngsters as well as growing awareness among the more seasoned professionals, the potential for early stage investments is undeniable. However, thanks to the half baked knowledge, unnecessary gatekeeping and information overload around the topic, it’s easy to drown in the hype and lose your hard earned capital. Hence, tread with prudence. Here are a few tips when starting out as an angel investor: - Invest strategically: Deploy capital you're comfortable experimenting with, not funds earmarked for long-term goals - Start small: Begin with small cheque sizes and make sure you have enough resources to diversify across 5-7 startups (PS: you might also want to do follow on investments) - Use syndicates: Syndicates offer a great deal of support with deal flow, due diligence and legal/operational complexities involved with investments. Leverage them, especially if you don’t have prior knowledge and network in the startup/investments ecosystem - Add value: Find your USP - could be superior industry knowledge or your vast network and use it to constantly add value. This will help build a personal brand and also get a ton of better deal flow #angel #investing #earlystage

H.R. 2797, is probably an acronym / number most are not familiar with…  It encompasses a tectonic shift in private markets and startup dealmaking.  The “Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act of 2023 (H.R 2797)”, which passed congress last June is going to be a game-changer for private markets. TL:DR - Until now, being an accredited investor was subject to your net-worth. Now, ‘sophistication’ will be an additional way to receive accreditation. Just imagine the influx of newly accredited investors joining the market. Bringing more capital, sophistication and opportunities. My bet? Their main asset class of interest will be the ‘New Enterprise’ - Startups & digital businesses. Why? - You can participate with small checks, $1k in some syndicates.   - It’s interesting and new which means a more leveled playing field. - It feels more accessible - you can experiment with the product in many cases. It would be interesting to see how this new surge of investors joining the market will affect existing startup dealmakers as it would probably increase competition for the best deals. Change is coming, and new dealmaking tools will be needed. #actionableinsights #actionability #dataanalytics

Here are some platforms to get you in front of 100 investors. Yesterday was the best time to start raising capital. Raising capital is not about closing the round quickly but also about building relationships. For your #startup it is a full time activity for one founder. But it doesn't have to be stressful. When we were raising capital for Clientjoy | Operating System for Agencies, the idea was to get in front of as many investors as possible; as quickly as possible. Now that we've exited and started helping #saas firms Acquire, Convert and Retain customers at Momentum Ventures, I get asked this question fairly often. What are some places to discover investors? So, here's the list. Not the most definitive one but some of the places you can try: - https://lnkd.in/dTZ9_veZ does two-way matching between investors and founders. - https://www.openvc.app/ offers a database and outreach platform for entrepreneurs to reach out to over 5K active investors across stages and sectors. - https://lnkd.in/dXJVJ663 is a micro-tool that matches investors with founders. They've done over 4K introductions till date. - https://www.seedscout.com/ is a platform that can help you close your pre-seed round. They done this for 1K founders - https://lnkd.in/d7xM-hzb invests between $500K to $2M at pre-seed level along with their network - https://mercury.com/raise is a founder success program that connects startups with investors backed by the fintech giant Mercury - https://lnkd.in/dTD8_8g3 is an airtable form that 1700 investors are subscribed to Having shared above, I have to say the one of the best channels is to identify other founders in your network who can connect you with their investors. Warm introductions reduce friction in getting your foot in the door. If you found this post valuable, consider sharing it with your network. In-case you know some other list that can help startups get in front of investors, do mention them in the comments.

Governance is key Profit / Performance is the measure Potential is the assurance Be it a startup, corporate or public offices and governments, the above holds good https://lnkd.in/dDm9Ax6G

Community-Led Growth - Value beyond money. In a world where startup success stories are celebrated, yet many struggle to survive, the role of an investor evolves. Funding alone doesn't guarantee success. The secret ingredient? A symbiotic relationship with a community that offers more than money - it provides a bedrock of collective growth and shared value. Here’s how investors are making a pivotal difference: 🔨 Strategic Resources: Talent, technology, operational tools, and frameworks that can be game-changers for startups. 🧭 Expert Guidance: Mentorship, advice and domain expertise helping startups steer clear of obstacles and onto paths of opportunity. 🔗 Access to Key Networks: A robust network that offers startups a web of contacts, potential clients, referrals and partnerships. 📣Sales & Marketing: Support in crafting compelling narratives and position their offerings effectively in the market. At Lokal Capital, we understand that a startup's journey requires more than just funding. It demands a robust ecosystem of support that breathes life into brilliant ideas making it not only about just funding the path but also paving the road to success together. Join our community of angel investors and get access to vetted startup investment opportunities & provide your value to our local ecosystem - https://lnkd.in/d8F-S-jr #lokalcapital #AngelInvesting #StartupFunding #CommunityImpact #InvestorCommunity #StrategicGrowth

🚀 Embarking on an investment journey? Dive into #Time2Fund's unique platform, designed for savvy investors like YOU. Discover, match, and connect with promising startups with just a few clicks. Our tailor-made algorithm ensures you find the perfect match, aligning with your investment goals and vision. 🤝 Let's revolutionize the way you invest! 📈 Sign up to our waiting list now! https://lnkd.in/dbi2KHWy 1. Create a free account and set the criteria for your 'type' 2. Our matchmaking algorithm will then find your highest elibility matches to your fit your type 3. You can filter through founders based off: Industry; location; stage of business; revenue; and funding required. 4. Match with founders 5. Through our platform you can message, share further documents, or schedule a call 6. Fund your ideal match If you have any questions or thoughts, please reach out directly or use the #Time2Fund contact form: https://lnkd.in/e6sxddr8 We look forward to building with you, The Time2Fund Team #InvestmentInsights #BusinessGrowthStrategies #VentureFunding #StrategicPartnerships #StartupEcosystem #CapitalAllocation #AngelInvesting #BusinessOpportunities #IndustryInnovators #FinancialStrategizing #InvestorNetwork #EarlyStageInvesting #StartupValuation #InvestmentSynergy #DealFlowInsights #GrowthCapital #PortfolioDiversification #EquityPartnerships #TechInvestments #EmergingStartups