Investor Connect Podcast

The Benefit of Investing in Tranches Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Tranching the investment means breaking it down into tranches or rounds.  Tranche comes from the French word meaning slice. Investors find it advantageous to break their investment into rounds. In the angel world, many investors break their allocation to a startup into two rounds.   The first round goes in at the beginning of the investor engagement. If all goes well, then the investor puts in the second round. If things don't go well, then most likely they skip the second round of investment. This reduces the investor's risk in the deal. It can also optimize the investor's return. The startup goes through ups and downs. During the down cycles, investors with dry powder can find more favorable terms. It's a good idea to save some of the allocation for an opportunity that provides better terms for the investor. As an investor, consider how to tranche your investment into the startup to balance risk and reward.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Lance Tkach, Co-Founder of Printed Technologies. Located in Dallas, Texas, Printed Technologies is leading the charge to revolutionize the home construction industry through the integration of automation, AI, and large-scale 3D printing. With the U.S. facing a shortage of over 7 million affordable homes and traditional construction lagging behind in innovation, Printed Technologies is tackling this crisis by bringing precision manufacturing techniques to the job site—cutting costs, reducing build times, and improving sustainability. Printed isn't just building homes; they're designing and manufacturing the machines that will enable builders across the country to adopt 3D-printed construction at scale. Their homes are fire-, mold-, termite-, and storm-resistant, and their vertical integration with All Metals Fabricating gives them a significant edge in cost control and production capacity. With a pipeline of $2.5 million in early sales activity and proprietary patents secured, Printed Technologies is not just solving a market problem—it's transforming an industry. Their mission is simple yet powerful: to make home ownership more accessible while creating a scalable, high-growth business built for the future.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In flying an aircraft, there's a saying regarding priorities: “Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.” First, fly the plane.   Second, navigate to where you want to go. Third, communicate with others. This prioritizes the pilot's activities. This applies to founders. In the startup world, the founder must Operate, Direct, Communicate. The founder must first and foremost keep the startup running. Then the founder must maintain the direction to go in. Finally, the founder must communicate with others. Fundraising is an important activity, but it rests on the foundation of the startup running well. Before launching a fundraiser campaign, make sure the operations are in place and can run without the founder for the most part. Also, make sure the business is on track for the direction in which to go. This will free up the founder to run the fundraising campaign, which includes communication with others.  Operate, Direct, Communicate   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Sell Your Business Instead of Shutting It Down Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Many startups fail to achieve product-market fit or breakout growth. Founders who decide to move on most often shut down the business. Instead of shutting it down, consider selling your startup. If you have a functioning team, then look to competitors who may want an acquihire. The team itself can be sold to another company as a working business unit with its own technology base already in place. This provides ongoing employment for the team members. Review the customer list to see which other businesses may be interested in taking over the customer base. Look at other data elements to determine potential value. It's possible another company will buy out the startup for its data generation value. Consider the industry the startup is in. There may be companies that want to enter that industry and are looking for a way in. Most of these options will not bring an outsized return to the founders and their investors. However, it does give the founders a win.   In their next startup, they can say they launched a business and sold it for a gain. This puts the startup into the win column.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

State the Purpose Behind the Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching, start with the Why of the business. Why does this business exist? It's important to state up front the purpose. This is different from the problem to be solved. The purpose is similar to the problem but different. It goes to the heart of why the business exists. It shows the overall purpose of the business and what role it takes. To find the purpose of the business, look at the problem to be solved and find the process that's driving it. For example, a company that makes an app that crowdsources funds for small businesses is solving the problem of growing businesses through funding. The process behind the app is that fundraising takes time and can be difficult. The purpose is to accelerate small business growth by speeding up the funding process. The pitch should start with the purpose, then explain the specific problem to be solved. Follow up with the solution the company offers. The purpose connects the startup to a greater cause. Businesses with a why are stronger and last longer than those that are just making money. Start the pitch with its purpose.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

The Downside of SAFE Notes Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. SAFE Notes were designed to simplify the investment process. By removing many of the terms found in equity agreements, SAFE Notes reduce the complexity of startup fundraising. SAFE notes are similar to a warrant as they give the holder the right to buy shares in the future. There are drawbacks to SAFE Notes as follows: There's no debt component that can be used for payback. SAFE notes require the holder to have a C-Corporation. The SAFE note is listed on the Cap table like an option. There's no maturity date on SAFE Notes, so there's no trigger to convert equity. There's no interest rate.  Over time, this can add additional value to the investor. Many SAFE notes don't have a valuation cap, which can reduce the value to the holder. The presence of additional SAFE notes can reduce the return through dilution. For early-stage funding, SAFE notes are simple to use, but they don't always convert to equity the way investors thought they would. Be sure to understand the SAFE note structure before using it for an investment.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

How To Raise a First-Time VC Fund Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Raising a first-time venture capital fund is hard work. Here are some key steps in raising a VC fund for the first time. Build a track record of successful investing by joining an angel network and making small but profitable investments. Share the deal flow with prospective Limited Partners so they learn your investment thesis. Show the deal flow on a regular basis so they understand the consistency of your network. Share your due diligence with those investors so they see the quality of work you do. Perform market research on an area of interest and share the results with the prospective Limited Partners. Build an investment thesis for how to invest in the area of interest. Showcase the investment thesis in your investing so the Limited Partners understand your methodology. Present a few successful investments to the Limited Partners. By showing them your market research, investment thesis, and track record, the Limited Partners can better understand the value of your work. Ask for an initial investment from the Limited Partners to continue the process already underway. Consider these steps for raising a first-time VC fund.    Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

In this episode of Investor Connect, we engage with Nathan Monty, co-founder and CEO of Enamel Pure, a company pioneering advancements in dental hygiene through novel laser technology. Nathan walks us through the development of their innovative product, 'Loon,' which uses a laser for non-contact teeth cleaning, hardening, and whitening, paired with advanced imaging to produce an annual oral health report. He emphasizes the inefficiencies and pain points in traditional dental cleaning methods and explains how Enamel Pure's technology not only improves the patient experience but also significantly enhances diagnostic accuracy with AI-driven analysis from a rich dataset of dental images.  The episode covers the company's business model, partnerships with major distributors like Henry Schein and Benko, and their robust intellectual property portfolio. Nathan also discusses their go-to-market strategy and plans for future AI integrations, aiming to create the most comprehensive dental health database. Finally, he shares insights into their successful FDA clearance and ongoing fundraising efforts to expand production and distribution, providing a comprehensive look at Enamel Pure's promising future in modernizing dental care.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. ________________________________________________________________________   For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Fundraising Hones the Founder's Skills Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising brings not only capital to the startup, but it also hones the founder's skills. Here are the skills the founder will improve: Relationship building -- the founder learns how to build a relationship. Networking -- the founder learns how to grow a network and use it to connect with others. Public speaking -- the founder learns how to read the room, adjust the presentation on the fly, and pitch to an audience. Financing -- the founder learns how to read financial statements, financial contracts called terms sheets, as well as cap tables. Board management -- the founder learns how to manage a board and report to those who oversee the business. Evaluate people - the founder learns how to evaluate people to determine what they bring to the company.  This is most often done with investors. Delegation -- the founder learns how to delegate, which comes down to what to outsource and what must be done by the founder. Look at how you can build your skills during the fundraising process.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Negotiating the Valuation Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Negotiating the valuation is a key step in the fundraising process.  Here are some helpful strategies to consider in negotiating the valuation: Understand the comparable valuations in your space.  These are called comps and give you a starting point for negotiating.  The founder should have a proposed valuation to show investors. This could be renegotiated later, but it gives a starting point to the discussion. The key to a successful negotiation is to articulate all the values in the business. VCs will often throw out a lowball offer. This, for the most part, is a negotiation tactic. The VC is testing to see how much the founder believes in their own valuation. Keep the terms on a pre-money valuation basis. If you state the valuation in post-money terms, then any additional funding raised will eat into the founders' ownership stake. Consider the options pool in the negotiation process and how that will be paid for by both the founder and the VC, rather than the founder alone. Finally, don't rush the process or be rushed by the VC. Take your time and consider all the terms.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Put the Why Before the How Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching, it's important to start with the why before diving into the how. The founder often dives straight into how things are going to work. In a biotech startup, the founder will jump to how their therapeutic interacts on a molecular level.  This often puzzles the investor who is not familiar with the science behind the project. To solve this problem, first start with the why.  Why is this important? State up front the meaning of it. For example, start with a challenge such as, “the common cold can't be defended against because it mutates too fast.” State why the therapy can be effective, such as “our therapy prevents the common cold from mutating.” Then dive into the details about how the therapy works. Founders who go straight into the details without stating the challenge to be solved and what benefit the solution brings fail to communicate their value proposition. State the challenge and solution at a high level in layman's terms so everyone will understand it.  Consider these steps in your pitch presentation.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

How To Build a Relationship With a VC Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, it's important to make contact and build a relationship with a venture capitalist. Here are some key steps in building that relationship before you need to raise funding: Make contact with the VC. Offer help to the VC in the form of introductions to key people who can help them. Make referrals to other investors, in particular limited partner candidates. Share market research and point out areas where value will accrue. This works particularly well for VCs who want to enter a new market space. Share what other investors are doing based on your research and experience. Invite the VC to join panels and other networking activities as they want to build their brand and get their name out there. Refer quality startups to the VC that actually meet their investment criteria. Avoid wasting the VCs time as it's limited and precious. Make every interaction meaningful. Follow through on your commitments. Consider these steps in building a relationship with a VC. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Use Angels for the Initial Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In the earliest stages of the fundraise, angels are often a better fit than venture capitalists. VCs come into the round when there's strong traction and the business is well-formed. Angels are go-to-market investors and like to come in early when the valuations are relatively low. The terms sheet is typically a convertible note or SAFE note, where the valuation is not set. Most angel investors are follow-on investors and are not going to take the time to set the terms and valuation of the deal. They just want to be in the deal and will write a $25K or $50K check to do so. They'll let a lead investor set the valuation in a later round. In the early stages, it can be hard to set the valuation since there are still many unknowns. Valuation is more easily set when the revenue traction is clearly defined. Start your fundraisers with family and friends. As you draw the circle wider, go to angel investors. Bring a solid growth story with some revenue. Revenue demonstrates product and market validation. The product works, and people will pay for it.  Delay pursuing VCs till there is more traction.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

In this episode of Investor Connect, we welcome Ken from Synaptically, who introduces a groundbreaking personalized therapy for Alzheimer's disease. He discusses their innovative use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) paired with Electroencephalograms (EEG) to achieve unprecedented results in slowing down disease progression. With two successful phase two clinical trials and strong validation from scientific experts, the therapy shows significant improvements in cognition, function, and behavior in patients. Ken explains how their technology targets neuroplasticity, creating new brain connections and preserving brain microstructure and gray matter volume, with minimal side effects. The discussion also touches on Synaptically's strong financials, market strategy, and future prospects, including potential FDA approval and investment opportunities for interested parties.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Key Series A Metrics Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Series A fundraises focus on growth. The goal of the fundraising pitch is not to show that you can sell the product to someone, but rather that you can grow the business. Here are some key metrics to evaluate the startups' growth story: Revenue -- this can be done on a month-over-month, quarter-over-quarter, or year-over-year basis. Focus on net revenue. Revenue model -- this could be subscription, transaction fees, fees for service, or more. Focus on how much of the revenue is recurring or repeating. Customer concentration -- this measures how much revenue comes from a handful of customers. Compare the revenue from the top 3, 5, 10, and 20 customers to see if there's too much concentration. Gross margin -- measures the difference between the net revenue and the cost of goods sold. The healthier the margins, the more resilient the business. CAC:LTV -- this ratio compares the cost of customer acquisition to the lifetime value of the customer. For a Series A company, this should be 1:5 or 1:7. Focus on these key metrics in evaluating a Series A company.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Uncapped SAFE Notes Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. SAFE notes are commonly used in startup fundraises. They most often come with a valuation cap. This means the valuation will not rise above that cap no matter what the priced round that follows. For an investor, an uncapped SAFE note can reduce the return on the investment tremendously. Some founders offer a discount only on the SAFE note to provide a return. The investor gets the discount amount as their return based on the next valuation round. While this may sound attractive, it takes the potential unlimited upside off the table for the investor. It's best for the founder to set a valuation cap for the SAFE note and provide the full return potential to the investor. In setting the valuation cap, use the pre-money valuation one would expect if it were a priced round. While the valuation cap does not have to be exact, it will give some comfort to the investor. Some founders spend a great deal of time trying to sell investors on uncapped SAFE notes. Their time is better spent closing prospective investors and finding new investors.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Fundraising Requires a Process Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising is a complex problem that requires ongoing focus and effort over a period of time. It is not just one check or milestone but rather many. Fundraising requires a process Here are some key steps in setting up a fundraiser: Set up a sales-like funnel for tracking the investors and the process steps. Consider the steps for each part of the fundraising process, including researching the investor, gaining an introduction, and engaging the investor. Prepare your investor documents before launching. This includes the pitch deck, the terms sheet, and the data room. Build a list of connectors and networkers to engage in the process. Spend time researching the investors, including talking with their portfolio companies. Evaluate each investor for their propensity to invest. Update the investors systematically and consistently. Always be looking for new investors to bring through the funnel. Run your fundraisers as a campaign. This requires a message, an audience, and the engagement of the two. Dedicate full time to it. Consider these steps in setting up your fundraising process.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Investor Introductions – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investor introductions can be helpful in connecting with new investors. Here is an example of a good introduction: I notice this investor funded a company with the same business model, sector, and metrics as mine.  I'm coming to your area next week. Can you make an introduction? This shows there's a match between the startup and the investor. Here is an example of a bad introduction: I'm in the area this week.  Who do you know that I can meet? This shows there's no match between the startup and the investor.  Here is an example of an ugly introduction: Can you introduce me to a brand-name VC? This shows no match between the startup and the investor, and it demonstrates vanity on the part of the founder.  In making an introduction, include the reason why there's a match, the purpose of the meeting, and how best to make an introduction. Offer content for the introduction. Finally, offer to return the favor.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Showing Traction at the Seed Level Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. At the seed stage, the product is just going into the market. The customer engagement is beginning. Here are some steps to show traction at the seed level: Show signs of repeatability. This can come in several forms as follows: Customers are using the product repeatedly. Show daily, weekly, and monthly active uses. Customers are buying the product repeatedly. Show the number of customers making repeat purchases. Show a repeatable process for acquiring new customers. This could be a sales funnel with a repeatable process for acquiring and closing. Show partners providing leads repeatedly. Show qualified leads coming from the sales funnel repeatedly. Also, virality is a good measure at the seed level. Show how many customers are referrals from existing customers. This demonstrates that customers are happy with the product and tell others about it. In short, the startup has business processes in place for acquiring and retaining customers, and it's working.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin welcomes Brian to discuss emerging opportunities in deep tech spaces. Brian emphasizes life sciences and healthcare technologies, highlighting investments needed to innovate and control costs. He points out the inefficiencies in the current healthcare system and the potential for AI-driven remote patient monitoring to shift care from hospitals to homes. Additionally, Brian identifies robotics, automation, and energy management technologies as other promising areas for deep tech advancements. The conversation also touches upon the commercialization of university innovations and proprietary IP management, shedding light on how startups can navigate these aspects effectively. The discussion wraps up with Brian's views on the future of alternative energy, particularly the significant role nuclear technology might play amidst growing global energy demands. In the second part, we transition to Chris, who presents on ATE Technology, a FinTech company focused on collections and recovery software. Chris delves into the company's journey, market strategy, and future plans, emphasizing their growth and innovative solutions. ATE Technology has demonstrated strong revenue growth and proven products that address the needs of banks and credit unions. Chris explains how their SaaS-based solutions provide compliance and efficiency in managing disputes and collections, touching on the company's impressive client base and strategic partnerships. The presentation also highlights the management team's extensive experience in the FinTech industry and outlines their plans for leveraging AI to further enhance their offerings. An engaging Q&A session follows, providing deeper insights into ATE Technology's business model, investment opportunities, and potential exits. The episode concludes with an invitation for listeners to reach out for further discussions and explore potential collaborations.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

The MicroVC Pitchdeck Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. MicroVCs need to raise funding to invest in startups, just as startups need to raise funding for their own business. For MicroVCs raising funding, consider these points in building the pitch deck: Call out two to three trends in the market. Highlight the insights to be gleaned from those trends. State the investment thesis to show the criteria for investing in a startup. Show the strength of the team and their ability to execute on the investment thesis. Show the community the team has and how it helps them source deals. Call out the resources the team has for vetting deals. Demonstrate the competitive advantage the team has in winning the best startups. Finally, show the track record from past investments by the team. It helps to show a portfolio company as an example.   Include how the team found the deal and why the fund invested. Call out why the startup chose to take funding from the MicroVC. End with the value the team provided to the startup. Investors care little about the general record of similar funds. Each fund is unique, so the investor wants to know how this fund will be successful. Include these elements in your MicroVC pitch deck.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Investor Access to Customers Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In the diligence process, investors may want to talk with the startups' customers. Their goal is to determine how well the product works and how committed they are to the startup's solution. This can be a sensitive topic for founders as their customer relationships are highly confidential and often kept close to the chest. It's best to have a few customers who will talk with investors and give them a positive review of the product and the company. This can be accomplished by providing great service and, in some cases, an additional discount. This can be a negotiated point between the founder and the customer. The customer often asks for a discount, so the founder counters with an additional ask, such as taking interviews from prospective investors. Keep the more sensitive customers off the list. Also, make the customer interviews the last step in the diligence process. The founder should continue the negotiations with the investor by indicating that if the customer passes the investor's test, then the investor commits to funding. This prevents too many investors from contacting the same customers with only a potential investment on the table. Consider these steps in handling the investor interaction with the startups' customers.    Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

The CEO Leads the Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In a fundraiser, the CEO should lead it by setting the strategy and engaging investors. This doesn't mean the CEO must do everything by themselves. It does mean that the CEO does the pitching and investor follow-up. CTOs and CFOs can be helpful, but not by pitching the investor. The investor wants to hear from the CEO as they want to know more about them. Can they communicate well? Do they have a clear vision? Do they know their business well enough to cite the growth numbers? What is their story? Do they have all the key elements lined up to be successful, such as a great team, a solid product, and a large target market? Others can help in building the pitch deck, researching the investors, and lining up investor pitches. Advisors and investors can help by making warm introductions to other investors. They can coach on fundraising strategies. They can also help make decisions around oversubscribing fundraising rounds and other key points. Make sure the CEO is signed up to lead the fundraising round, but line up additional support throughout the process.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Non-Dilutive Funding Options Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup funding comes in two forms: dilutive and non-dilutive. Equity funding is dilutive in that the fundraising reduces the ownership of the founders. Debt is non-dilutive in that the fundraise doesn't change the founders' ownership. Here's a list of non-dilutive funding options. Loans -- these tend to be short-term loans from a bank.  Grants -- these are most often acquired from government agencies that make grants to startups to foster innovation. Rewards/prepay crowdfunding -- this generates funding for startups in the form of prepayment for a product to be delivered later. Licensing -- funding comes in the form of licensing the technology to other companies who use the technology in their product. Tax credits -- funding comes in the form of tax breaks, such as an angel tax credit offered by many states. Factoring -- funding comes in the form of short-term loans for manufacturing the product. Venture debt -- a form of loan that uses the startups' raised capital as collateral. Subscription-based financing -- loans to startups with recurring revenue that use the subscription revenue as collateral.  Consider these non-dilutive funding options for your startup.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

When To Consider Venture Debt Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In startup funding, there is venture capital and venture debt. Venture capital takes an equity stake in a startup in return for funding. Venture debt makes a loan to the startup for that funding. Both have their place in the startup ecosystem. Venture capital comes in at the early stage of the business as the startup needs funding but has no revenue to pay it back. Venture debt comes in at the later stage of the startup because the business has revenue with which to repay the funding. Venture capital launches the business, but venture debt continues the growth. As the startup grows from the early stage to the later stage, equity becomes worth a great deal more. At the later stages, the founders calculate the value of their equity and compare that to the cost of a loan.  Dilution in the form of equity funding becomes expensive to the founders. Founders turn to venture debt when the dilution from the funding costs more than the loan repayment. Consider the use of venture debt in replacement of equity funding from venture capital for your fundraising.    Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin, CEO of 10 Capital, introduces co-host Kat DeLillo and special guest Brian Wood of Wave Ventures. Brian delves into the innovative approach of Wave Ventures in partnering with universities to commercialize intellectual property. He shares the backstory of Wave Ventures' collaboration with Baylor University and how this partnership successfully accelerated the university's research status to R1 in record time. Brian outlines their unique model which allows Wave Ventures to hold over 80% equity in their startups, and how they strategically place business experts to guide these deep tech innovations from conception to market. The discussion covers various successful projects, including advances in digital display technology, novel ventilator systems, and significant improvements in propeller design for drones and aircraft, all sourced from university partnerships. Brian also shares personal anecdotes about his unexpected journey into the venture capital space, highlighting his background in medicine and previous success in the entrepreneurial world. This episode provides a comprehensive view of how Wave Ventures is not only financing the next generation of deep tech startups but also de-risking these investments to secure substantial returns. For more information on Wave Ventures' projects and their innovative investment strategies, stay tuned to Investor Connect. To engage with Wave Ventures and learn more about their upcoming initiatives, please visit their website and explore their wide range of high-potential startups transforming deep tech landscapes.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. ________________________________________________________________________   For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

How To Stand Out From the Crowd Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, it helps to stand out from the crowd of other startups pitching. Most founders will give the standard pitch, often with slides in the same order. Here are some key pointers to make your startup stand out. Show your business model in unit economic terms. Show your growth story with a chart that goes up and to the right at a 45-degree angle. This demonstrates there's a growth story happening in your business. Point out the recurring and repeating revenue streams you already have. Show the skill set in its entirety that your team brings to the table. List the team's exits and other performance wins. Show your business with numbers that the investor can digest. Choose three compelling metrics and show them in the presentation. The investor will have a hard time remembering more than three, so choose the best. Show the customer engagement with your product in terms of daily, weekly, and monthly active users. Show how you have figured out customer acquisition and its repeatability. Show your ideal customer profile.  Make it clear you know who you want. Consider adding these points to your presentation.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Show the Business Model Unit Economics Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Early-stage companies pitching investors often have little revenue traction. In place of traction, show how the business model performs on the unit economic level. Calculate the cost of acquiring a customer and the expected lifetime value of that customer. Show the ratio between the two and make a note of it. Show how your business model is profitable at the unit economic level. This will resonate with investors who seek working business models. Discuss the variability of the costs and how the costs will scale with the business. Make a note of the gross margins and the profit margins at the early stage. Some investors judge the business based on the margins and the variability of costs. This allows the startup to ride the economic waves of good times as well as bad times. Show how the business is close to breakeven already. Note how few customers it will take to reach break-even. Show how the business is profitable at the very early stages. Show the business model in unit economic terms when pitching to an investor.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Raising Funding in a Down Market Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The best time to start a new business is during a down market. Labor is plentiful. The competition is on their heels. Yet, customers are still looking for a solution to their problem. In a down market, it can be even more difficult to raise funding than in an up market. The outlook is gloomy, and uncertainty about the future hangs in the air. Here are the key steps to raise funding in a down market: Bring your A-game to the table. Show all the values in the business, including a strong team and a large target market. Also, show your key insights into the customer problem and your unique solution. Show initial interest and traction with customers. Highlight the robust margins in the business. Talk about the short timeline to break even. If your business requires a long timeline and has thin margins, rethink your business model. Investors look for robust margins and short runways to profitability. Show how the business is up and running and stable, and can weather uncertain economic conditions.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

What Angels Look For Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Angel investors are not professional investors in the same way as venture capitalists. Angel investors are typically successful business people who want to invest in startups. The old angel saying is, they want to make a little money, do a little good, and have a little fun. They often have a broad or general investment thesis.   They don't focus on one sector or niche in most cases. They look for startups that are solving a big problem with a differentiated solution, and led by a strong team with experience. They look for product validation and market validation. The product works, and people will pay for it. Most importantly, they look for startups demonstrating the growth story. The revenue is growing, and the startup is making good progress on building the business. There needs to be a large potential reward but it doesn't have to be 100X as in the case with many VCs. They avoid companies that need to raise a large amount of additional capital, as this will dilute them. They get excited about an opportunity that has recently reached an inflection point.   This could be closing a lighthouse customer, launching the final version of their product, or hiring a team to accelerate sales. In raising funding, position your deal for angel investors with these care abouts.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

First Meeting With an Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After a number of calls with a prospective investor, there comes the first meeting in person. Here are some key steps in running that meeting: Introduce yourself and your team. Show the market you are pursuing. Present your solution. Show your sales process and how it works. Explain your go-to-market strategy. List the milestones you plan to achieve with the funds raised. Define the fundraising status, including the amount, terms, and how much has been raised so far. Make the presentation a collaborative effort, taking questions along the way to ensure everyone is tracking with you. Answer questions directly and to the point.  If the question begins with How many or How much then the answer should be a number. If the question begins with When, then the answer is a time or date. Stay on topic and avoid long, meandering stories. Finally, come prepared knowing your numbers. Consider these points when preparing for your investor meeting.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

In this episode of Investor Connect, we welcome Alan Foreman, the CEO of Be Secure, who discusses the transformative journey of his company in the realm of heart health. Alan shares that he founded Be Secure nine years ago after a lengthy career in Accenture's Life Sciences division. Currently, the company is on a $12 million growth raise to commercialize its breakthrough heart health technology, which received FDA clearance recently. Be Secure focuses on making preventive rather than reactive heart health solutions, leveraging their powerful, device-agnostic software that offers high accuracy ECG readings in consumer and medical devices alike, such as the latest versions of the Whoop and Fitbit devices. Alan elaborates on how the recent challenges faced by Philips, a significant player in heart monitoring technology, present both a testament to the need for better solutions and an opportunity for Be Secure to make a substantial impact on the market. Alan details the company's innovative use of cybersecurity experts and detailed signal processing to develop technology that bridges consumer wellness and medical-grade ECG technology. He highlights how Be Secure's cloud-based and on-device solutions offer transformative accuracy and efficiency in heart monitoring, even earning the interest of major insurers like Blue Cross Blue Shield. The conversation turns to the scalability and swift deployment of Be Secure's solutions in medical environments, emphasizing how their data quality can accelerate and improve diagnosis in cardiologists' workflows. Alan stresses the importance of their upcoming scale-up and commercial focus, particularly in filling the funding gap to expedite the deployment of their remarkable technology in the healthcare space. We also learn about Be Secure's financials and investment strategy, which involves contributions from venture capital and venture debt providers. Alan emphasizes ongoing discussions with top medical companies and the anticipated rapid revenue growth fueled by the latest FDA clearance. The episode wraps with Alan addressing some practical questions about scaling, design timelines, and the lifecycle of deals with their partners, giving a comprehensive view of Be Secure's promising future. For more updates and opportunities to engage with Alan and Be Secure, stay tuned to Investor Connect.    Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Early Stage Traction Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In the very early stage of the life of a company, traction can be more than just revenue growth Here are some key traction points to look for. The founder has an idea. The founder has an idea and a pitch deck. The founder has an idea, a pitch deck, and an MVP or minimum viable product The founder has an idea, a pitch deck, an MVP, and a customer. The founder has an idea, a pitch deck, an MVP, and a customer with revenue. The founder has an idea, a pitch deck, an MVP, and a customer with revenue that is growing. The founder has an idea, a pitch deck, an MVP, a customer with revenue that is growing, and a repeatable process for signing up customers. By breaking the early stage into phases, one can better understand if the startup is making progress. Startup investors look for signs of traction and momentum in the deal before investing. Consider this more nuanced version of traction in assessing very early-stage startups.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Why Now? Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, it's important to instill a sense of urgency in the fundraiser. One of the key elements is describing why now is the right time for this fundraiser. Follow these steps to show how everything is aligned for success: The team is experienced and in place. The product is ready and has been validated. The market is ripe for disruption. The window of opportunity has been opened by a recent event. An inflection point now gives the startup an advantage over the competition. Show how all the elements have lined up to make this a successful endeavor. It's important to show the why now, as investors may assume that the startup can raise funding at any time. Make it clear, now is the time to pursue this opportunity. The chance of success is at its greatest.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Build Your Presence With a VC Fund Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding from a VC fund, it's important to understand the partner team. Each VC fund has a number of senior partners, junior partners, and others such as analysts and scouts. One of the partners will bring the founder to a weekly group meeting of the team to hear pitches from the founders. The partner bringing in the founder is the advocate. The founder pitches to the team. The team discusses and decides to pursue or pass. This process can play out over several weeks. The advocate's job is to convince the team that they should pursue the startup. The founder's job is to arm the advocate with updates and information to help close the team members. Each team member has their own list of founders they want the fund to support. The advocate must bring compelling information and overcome objections from others. In raising from a VC fund, provide your advocate with enough ammunition to build your presence within the VC fund. It's helpful to know more about the team and their careabouts. It's a must to always go through your advocate. Consider these points when raising funds from a VC fund.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

How To Say No to a Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors receive pitches from startups almost every day. Many of these startups simply don't match the investment thesis of the investor. Here's how to say no to a startup. Respond with the same level of effort that the founder put into the outreach. For an automated email, simply don't respond. For a personalized email outreach, respond with a message “thank you for your outreach, this doesn't fit our investment thesis.  We look for” and explain your target area. For a warm introduction, respond with what you like about the deal, but admit this doesn't appear to be a fit. It's often the case that the founder will come back with more information. In this case, respond with feedback on how to make the deal more interesting. If the deal is missing key information, then advise the founder to include those key points.   This provides value to the interaction between the investor and the founder.    Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Don't Play the Scenario Game in the Pitch Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders are confronted with many options for their fundraising. If they raise more, they can achieve more milestones. If they raise less, they can achieve fewer milestones. Some founders play out these scenarios in the pitch to investors. This is a mistake. Multiple scenarios of varying amounts of funding with differing outcomes only confuse the investor. Investors often try to figure out what the startup is doing. Adding complexity with several fundraising options only makes the process harder. It's best to choose a fundraising amount and decide what can be done with it. Present this to the investor. If multiple investors indicate this is not the best path forward, then consider changing it. It's okay to have multiple versions of the pitch, each geared to a different investor type. Choose the appropriate version of the deck for the one you are pitching. Avoid the multiple-scenario game in the pitch.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin talks with Mike Sloan, CEO and founder of Simple Labs, about their groundbreaking product, Cogni. Mike shares insights from his background in both bourbon and wine country, emphasizing the industry's challenges such as significant losses from evaporation and spoilage. Cogni offers a comprehensive barrel monitoring solution, leveraging real-time data to optimize quality, efficiency, and profitability. The discussion spans their impressive ROI, their expansion plans across various spirit and wine markets, and their substantial growth potential, backed by existing patents and no direct competition. Mike also highlights their successful beta testing with major brands and raises the company's anticipated Series A funding to accelerate growth. Following Mike's presentation, Hall introduces Andrew Dahl from Biomes, who presents their end-to-end technology for diagnostics that captures raw patient samples and delivers lab-quality results with ease. Andrew emphasizes the uniqueness of their platform, which converts existing FDA-approved lab tests to point-of-need or at-home use, making sophisticated diagnostic tests accessible anywhere. The discussion includes their first-to-market canine Alzheimer's urine test in partnership with Hill's Science Diet, the team's extensive expertise, and their strategic business model targeting global brands for further growth. Together, Mike and Andrew showcase how innovative technology can revolutionize traditional industries, providing efficient, real-time solutions to long-standing challenges. They both illustrate the importance of having a strong, knowledgeable team and the strategic partnerships necessary for scaling and achieving success in the competitive market landscape.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Raising a Series B Round Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising a seed or Series A round, the story carries the fundraising pitch. Investors in those rounds are looking at a seven to ten-year trek to the exit. In Series B, the time to exit is much shorter. The fundraising pitch here focuses on the numbers. The Series B deck shows the repeatable, predictable process that generates money. Investors expect all the systems to be up and running and the bugs to be worked out. This means putting a process on every program and a funnel on every output. The Series B fundraise goes faster than the seed. The investor's focus shifts from the pitch deck to the data room. Make sure your data room contains all the relevant information about the deal. View your data to predict what questions the investor will ask.  Key questions from the investor focus on growth capacity. Without any more funding, how far can you go with revenue growth? What will be the limiting factor? How far will each fundraising dollar take you? The pitch deck for seed and Series A shows how you will sell the product. The Series B deck shows how you will scale it by highlighting the drivers behind cost and revenue. Consider these points for your Series B fundraise.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

European Waterfall Model Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture capital funds use different payback structures. Each varies the structure for how the Limited Partners receive their returns. The European waterfall model does not pay back the carried interest to the general partners until the limited partners have received all their capital and return. The American waterfall model pays the general partners on a deal-by-deal basis. This spreads the risk over several deals and throughout the life of the fund. The American model works at the deal level. The European model works at the fund level. The American model gives equal precedence to the managers and the investors. The European model gives precedence to the investors. Other factors to consider include the carry rate and the management fee. In raising funds, consider the payback structure for the investors.    Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

How Performance-Based Valuations Work Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In startup funding, the valuation is often fixed and does not change. Performance-based valuation changes the valuation if certain conditions are not met. Here's how performance-based valuations work: Let's take an example. The startup proposes a valuation of $10M and forecasts revenue to reach $1M by the end of the year.  The investor agrees to a $10M valuation. If the startup does not achieve the revenue forecast, then the investor claws back some of the equity.  In the example, if the revenue falls short, then the valuation goes from $10M to $8M. The startup must achieve certain performance requirements to maintain the valuation. This provides an incentive to the founder to achieve the milestone promised to the investor. This compensates the investor in the event the milestone is not achieved. Consider a performance-based valuation for your fundraise.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Roadmap for Medical Device Startups Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The path for a medical device startup is clearly defined. In building a medical device startup or diligencing one, consider this roadmap. Market requirements -- establish the current state of the market, including size, needs, and current solutions. Product requirements -- define the requirements a medical device product must have to be successful with customers. Clinical unit -- a prototype that is used to run initial clinical tests. Preclinical validation -- initial test results with the clinical unit. First in human test -- clinical trials with human subjects. Clinical validation -- in human clinical test results. CE Mark -- regulatory approval to sell a product in Europe. First European orders -- initial sales of the product in Europe 510 K clearance -- regulatory approval to sell the clinical device in the US. First US orders -- initial sales of the product in the US. Break even -- sales equal operating costs. Growth then scale -- sales continue to grow. In reviewing a medical device startup, it's important to know the steps ahead and plan your fundraising for it.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Building the Competition Slide Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The startup pitch deck should contain a competition slide. Some founders start the pitch with, ‘we have no competition'. Avoid this, as investors will interpret this as if there is no market. The purpose of the competition slide is to show your competitive advantage. What do you have that others don't have? It's important to know your market and the players within it. It's also key to know what customers value -- price, performance, other? Here are the steps in building the competition slide: List out the direct competitors -- those who compete with you head-on. List out the indirect competitors -- other options the customer has, such as doing nothing. Show your market positioning -- where do you stand relative to others. Call out your differentiation -- how you are unique. Show potential competition that may arise. Show the product from the customer's point of view. If possible, define your competitive advantage with numbers. For example, our product reduces cost by 3X. Use these steps to build your competition slide.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin chats with Christopher Ezold, a partner at the Pennsylvania-based law firm Wisler Pearlstine, which specializes in business, employment, and corporate law. Christopher dives deep into the fiduciary duties of board members, emphasizing the duty of care, loyalty, obedience, and confidentiality. He explains that these duties are crucial at every stage of a company's lifecycle and discusses the complexities that arise when board members have conflicting interests, particularly in startups seeking venture capital investments. Christopher highlights the importance of having a diverse board, the significance of transparent documentation, and the hazards of self-interested decisions by board members.  Additionally, he touches on the repercussions of failing to meet these duties, ranging from shareholder lawsuits to regulatory sanctions and loss of trust among stakeholders. Hall also brings up a personal anecdote about dealing with a CEO who manipulated the board for self-benefit, with Christopher offering actionable advice on handling such situations. For more information or to contact Christopher, visit www.wislerpearlstine.com or email him at .    Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Party Rounds – Going Without a Lead Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, many founders believe they can't raise funding without a lead investor. At the seed level, this is not necessarily the case. Founders should launch their fundraising campaign with a convertible note so it's easy for the investor to join the round. Since valuation is not set, there's no need for a lead investor to start it. There is a valuation cap, but this means the valuation will be set later. At the seed level, it can be hard to agree upon valuation, so it's best to set it when there's more information available. Founders can fund their early rounds without a lead investor. At the seed level, founders can find enough funding to close the round. This is called a party round. Many but not all investors will provide support to the startup. In launching a Series A raise, one should start with a convertible note to pick up funding from investors while in pursuit of a lead investor. Consider a party round for your seed fundraising.    Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

SaaS Growth Metrics Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are several key SaaS metrics to know in evaluating a startup. Here's a summary of the key metrics: SaaS Quick Ratio  -- New MRR divided by the churned MRR. This measures how efficient your growth is.   Low efficiency will make scaling difficult. LTV: CAC -- Lifetime value to Cost of Customer Acquisition This measures how long customers continue to use the product and compares it to the cost of acquiring that customer. An early-stage company should see a 3:1 ratio. Over time, it should improve to 5:1 and later to 7:1 Churn Rate This measures how many customers drop off during a time period, such as a month. Segment the customers into groups to examine churn to see where the business is not succeeding. 40% Rule Growth and profitability should add up to 40% or more. There's a tradeoff between growth and profitability. The more invested in growth, the less profitability. This shows the viability of the business regardless of whether or not they focus on growth or profitability. Use these metrics to understand a potential startup investment.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

How To Build Momentum in Your Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising has its ups and downs, including long patches of slow-paced activity. Here are some key steps in building momentum for your fundraiser.  Always break the total fundraising into smaller rounds. This makes the raise manageable from the start. Do the easy ones first. Investors who know you and believe in the deal will sign up the quickest. With those signups, you now have money in the deal. Use this to spur the momentum to other investors who are not yet ready to invest. Show why the other investors joined the round. Strive to reach the halfway point. From there, the optics on the deal will look better to the prospective investor. The risk of the deal not getting funded goes way down. Build a list of interested and committed investors. Assign an amount to each one and map them out on the remaining portion to be raised. Show all of them how this will close the round. For the remaining investors on the list, give them a deadline and push them to pass. This takes them off your list and lets you focus on closing the interested and committed investors.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

How To Show Your Market Size Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The market slide in the startup fundraise pitch shows the total available market opportunity. Here are some key steps in showing your market size. Show the components of your market, including the number of buyers and average selling price. Include the source of the market research so others can retrace your reference. Define the market segments clearly so there's agreement about what part you are pursuing. Include serviceable and obtainable sizings as well. Avoid phrases such as “only 1% of the market gives us $10B in revenue”. This means nothing to the investor. In fact, the investor is left wondering how you will enter the market. Instead, focus on the first twenty customers you'll pursue. Call this out as the beachhead market and show how you have already contacted the first twenty customers and have some traction with them. It's important to show the overall market as well as the initial segment you will pursue.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

Best Practices in Telling Your Story Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Storytelling is a key skill in fundraising. Use these best practices in telling your story in the pitch to investors: Declare the problem as the villain in your story. This sets up a conflict. Raise the tension by creating a sense of urgency. Raise your product as the solution to the problem. Spark interest by noting the possibilities of what the solution can do. “What if we could cure cancer with this?” Show the benefits of your solution at a high level. Don't just predict your growth story, show it happening now. Build confidence in the team by showing what they have done so far. Talk about the solution and what it can do at scale. Describe the big picture about where this is going. Invite the investor to join you on the journey. Investors want to make a return, but they also want to be a part of something great. Use these best practices in telling your story to raise funding.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin welcomes Herbert to discuss the pivotal role family offices play within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Herbert highlights the importance of understanding local accelerators, venture capitalists (VCs), and other funding sources in the community during the investment due diligence process. He emphasizes that co-investment requests from family offices to VCs are typically more successful than those from individual entrepreneurs, as they signify a commitment and vested interest from the family offices, thus encouraging VCs to engage more readily. Herbert also notes the unique contributions of family offices in supporting emerging managers within the venture capital space, often stepping in to fund those who have yet to build the extensive track records required by larger institutional investors like pension funds or foundations.  In the latter part of the episode, Hall introduces Mark Depa of BIO Oxo, a biotech company pioneering innovative treatments for conditions like stroke. Mark pitches their leading compound, BIO 01, which is in phase two clinical trials for treating intracerebral hemorrhage, a type of hemorrhagic stroke. He explains the compound's unique origins and mechanisms, derived from the saliva of ticks, and discusses its potential to address a significant unmet medical need. Mark also outlines the company's milestones, market potential, and funding strategy, emphasizing the strong backing and promising preliminary data that positions BIO Oxo for substantial growth and impact in the medical field.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .

How Much Funding To Raise Based on Valuation Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In planning the fundraiser, the amount of funding is a key factor to determine. The funding amount should take the company to the next major milestone. It should give the company 18 months of runway at a minimum. Investors expect the valuation to be around 3X to 4X that of the funds raised. Most investors want 20% to 25% of equity for each major round of funding. Therefore, the founder needs to see the valuation be at 3X to 4X the raise amount to account for the dilution. Each deal will vary based on the following factors: Growth rate of the sector -- some sectors are growing faster than others and can command a higher valuation. Location -- some regions offer higher valuations than others. Team -- strong teams with a great track record will command higher valuations than first-time teams. Traction -- those with stronger traction can command higher valuations. Use the 3 to 4x rule to set your valuation and fundraising goals.   Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. Let's go startup something today. _______________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at:   Check out our other podcasts here:   For Investors check out:   For Startups check out:   For eGuides check out:   For upcoming Events, check out    For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group    Please , share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of .