Investor Connect Podcast

Regulatory for Private Funds Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Regulatory for private funds includes venture capital funds. VC funds can find an exemption from regulatory requirements by one of the following: Having fewer than 100 owners in the fund. This excludes entities created for the purpose of investing in the fund, such as SPVs or Special Purpose Vehicles. This is known as Section 3(c)(1). A qualifying venture capital fund can have up to 250 beneficial owners if the fund is less than $10M. It must pursue a venture capital investment strategy. It cannot be highly leveraged with debt. It cannot have redemption rights. Section 3(c)(7) concerns a fund that requires qualified investors. A fund cannot have more than 1,999 investors, so it's not a reporting company. Only qualified investors, not accredited investors, can invest. Qualified investors have $5M invested or they are an entity with $25M of investments. Review the regulatory requirements around a venture capital fund before launching one. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Automating Your Dealflow Process Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup investors see a tremendous amount of deal flow. Finding quality deals is the challenge. Here are some key steps to automate the dealflow process: Set up tools to search for founders with a specific background. For example, one can set a search to find founders from Y Combinator or Techstars. Search for founder configurations. One can search for startups with two co-founders, which in some analyses, have a higher success rate. Search for early-stage startups in the MVP phase. Most venture capitalists don't look to invest at the very earliest stage. Connect with angel groups deaflow by connecting to their pipeline. Set growth criteria and tune the search for those with a higher growth rate. Set the search for specific sectors such as life sciences, tech, or consumer product goods. By determining the key criteria, one can automate the search process to find deals that fit those criteria. Consider what criteria you are looking for and set up automation tools 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Key Criteria for Venture Capital Investment Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture capital requires a specific type of startup to meet its investment objectives. Here's a list of key criteria VCs look for: Large market size. The market is large and growing fast. This provides the startup numerous opportunities to find a position in the market. Large market population. The market population provides ample opportunity to scale the startup. Short sales cycles. The startup can close customers quickly and at a relatively low cost. Amenable to technology. The startup can use technology to provide a portion of the solution. This gives the startup the ability to automate the business process. Perception of value. The customer gets the value proposition of the startup quickly. This makes customer acquisition efficient. Sustainable value proposition. The product provides value over a substantial amount of time. Flash trends are hard to grow in the long term. Look for these criteria in startups to fund with venture capital dollars. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Andrew Kazlow, entrepreneur, writer, and host of The Diligent Observer. Andrew shares how he moved from an engineering background into the business side of industrial automation, then returned to Texas A&M for an MBA where he studied what's "broken" in angel investing and found that volunteer-driven investor networks often create a slow, painful process for founders, especially around due diligence. He explains what angels commonly overlook, starting with self-awareness and having a clear investing strategy, then emphasizes prioritizing demand-side validation over product excitement and using frameworks such as team, tech, and TAM to surface red and yellow flags. Andrew also discusses PitchBack's evolution from diligence-as-a-service into outsourced operations and emerging software that consolidates the many tools needed to run angel networks, as well as how AI is accelerating screening while making human-to-human judgment more important. He closes with advice on becoming more disciplined as an angel and why founder "platform" and audience matter in fundraising and distribution. Visit The Diligent Observer at thediligentobserver.com Reach out to at linkedin.com/in/andrewkazlow, and on x.com/AKazlow ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Handle Soft Commitments Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors provide soft commitments to hold their place in a fundraise but delay the actual investment. The soft commitment is not legally binding. Investors often provide soft commitments while they go through their own diligence process. It's often the case that the investor drops out before making the investment. Here are some steps the founder can take to close a soft commitment: Make it clear other investors are joining the round now by listing their investments. Calculate in dollars the interest and committed funds and share the results with soft commitment investors. Update this number weekly and show how the raise is reaching completion. Baby-step the investor through the process of interest, term sheet signing, and diligence. As the investor invests more time into the deal, they become more committed because their time is in it. If there are several soft commitments, then combine them into one fundraise and put a price on the round that most agree with. This treats the multiple soft commitments as a lead investor. Consider these steps in managing soft commitments 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Perform Due Diligence on an Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the founder should be doing as much diligence on the investor as the investor is doing on the startup. Here are some key steps to perform due diligence on an investor: What type of investor are they? Angel, venture capitalist, family office, other? What is their track record in investing? Have they invested for a short period of time or for a long time? What type of network do they have? Will this help with fundraising? How well do they know your industry, sector, and business? What is their reputation in the community? Do they make follow-on investments? What do they look for in the investment? The team, the product, the strategy, other? What deal terms do they bring, and does it make sense for the startup? How much equity are they looking for, and does it make sense for their level of commitment? Consider these steps in diligencing an investor 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

The Basic Due Diligence Process Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors funding a startup must first complete the due diligence process. The objective is to understand all the particulars about the company and the team. Here is the list of the basic due diligence process: The investment. This includes the term sheet, other investors in the round, and dilution impact. Financials. This includes the income statement and balance sheet. If they have revenue, then how much is recognized and when? Do they have debt on the books? What do the financial projections look like for the coming 3 to 5 years? Tax returns if there are any. Team. Who is on the team, and what does their CV look like? Background checks should be run on the key personnel. Contracts. What contracts have been signed for generating revenue? Employee contracts and IP assignments are in this category. Corporate What legal entity is the business filed under? C-Corp, LLC, other? Intellectual property What patents were filed and when? Sales and Marketing What are the current sales channels, revenue, and marketing programs? What are the main products the company sells? Consider this basic list of due diligence for your next 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

The Importance of Vesting Shares Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Vesting shares means taking shares granted to an employee and having them earned over time. A typical vesting schedule is four years with a one-year cliff. This means the employee granted shares will not have ownership of the shares for the first year. At the end of the first year, the employee now owns 25% of the shares granted. After that, the employee earns another 25% each year, and after four years from the start, the employee owns 100% of the shares granted. It's important to apply vesting to shares to incentivize the employee to stay long enough to accomplish the work at hand. Co-founders without vesting can leave at any time and take their shares with them. Their equity is no longer working for the company. Investors often unvest founders' shares and require a vesting schedule to earn them back. This incentivizes the founder to stay with the company. If a founder leaves the company early, then there's equity to compensate those who take their place. Consider applying vesting to the founders in startups you 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

What Is Reverse Due Diligence Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Due diligence is the process of reviewing the condition of a company to be acquired. The purpose is to understand the company's current status, including risks, assets, liabilities, and potential opportunities. Reverse due diligence is when the company being acquired reviews the condition of the acquirer. Here are several reasons why one would execute reverse due diligence: This validates the financial stability of the acquirer. The acquisition process takes at least six months and requires a substantial amount of time. It's important to know that the acquirer has the capability and resources to make the acquisition. The acquirer has several options for how to manage the acquisition. The acquired company could be integrated into the acquirer company, or it could be kept separate. A reverse due diligence could help make that determination. A reverse due diligence also determines the best placement of the acquired company's team into the acquiring company. Reverse due diligence is as important as the diligence of the acquired. Consider running a reverse due diligence on your next acquisition. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

The Importance of a Data Room Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. A dataroom is a collection of the key documents of a startup for a fundraise. The dataroom can be kept in software specifically designed for dataroom access or in a simple storage folder. These documents include legal entity filings, patents, financials, forecasts, cap table, contracts, and more. A well-organized data room is a must-have component of a fundraise. Here are several reasons why the founder needs a good dataroom. Provides a single location for all the documents of a startup raising funding. This prevents the fundraise from becoming a paper chase for the investor. Gives the founder a method for communicating a potentially large amount of data to the investor. Provides a source of information for all the investors in a fundraise. A well-organized data room inspires investor confidence in the company. Provides transparency of the company to the investor, which builds even more investor confidence. Can be useful to the investor and founder post-fundraise by providing the historical documentation. Consider building out the data room before launching a 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

In this episode of Investor Connect, we welcome Jason Taylor, founder and president of CodeLaunch, who shares how he created the program in 2012 to help early-stage tech founders overcome the catch-22 of needing a product to raise funding but needing funding to build the product. Jason explains how CodeLaunch runs regional competitions that narrow hundreds of applicants down to six finalists per region, then pairs each finalist with a three-person team of elite improving developers for an intense pre-event build session designed to accelerate and polish products for launch and fundraising. He also discusses what makes CodeLaunch different—no equity taken, meaningful software development support, and a high-production "venturetainment" live showcase—along with what he looks for in applicants, lessons learned from international expansion, his take on Shark Tank versus Next Founder Up, examples of founder outcomes, and upcoming events in Toronto, Guadalajara, and Dallas. Visit CodeLaunch at www.codelaunch.com Reach out to at jason@codelaunch.com ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Invest Using a Fund of Funds Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investing in a series of venture capital funds is one strategy for venture investing. This is a fund of funds investment strategy. Venture funds give the Limited Partner access to the best VCs in the industry. Each of the funds used will also bring a set of management and carry fees with it. The goal is to model out a portfolio of VC funds that provide the best return. The LP can expect a return of 20% IRR each year. Here's how to invest using fund of funds: Choose from a variety of seed and growth funds. Seed funds can have a higher return given the lower cost of entry. Growth funds can return gains faster since they invest in later stage startups. Diversify across sector, stage, and geography. Within the investment thesis diversify across experienced and emerging managers. Assign a numeric score to each facet of the fund and one for the overall score to rank order the funds. Make the portfolio selection based on the rank ordering. Choose funds to fill the gaps in the overall portfolio. Consider these steps for investing in a fund of funds. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Best Practices for Networking Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Networking is a key skill in startup fundraising. The founder must be able to navigate a community to find investors for their fundraise. Here are some best practices in networking in advance of a fundraise campaign: Always ask for referrals. In each discussion, ask for two names of other people to contact. Instead of pitching what you do, ask for advice on what you should do. This involves the listener in the deal and makes them an active contributor. Identify your core mission and make it a part of the discussion. This gives purpose to the conversation. Highlight what your startup offers to solve the problem. This shows a clear benefit of the startup. Look for those with a similar mindset. This helps build your following. Use blogging and social media posting to help find more contacts. This extends the reach of your network. Consider these best practices for networking 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Dilution by Startup Stage Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Dilution is a major issue for founders. Each stage of fundraising causes another reduction in the founder's ownership. Here are the levels of dilution at each startup stage based on current data: Seed round -- 20% Series A round -- 20% Series B round -- 17% Series C round -- 13% Series D -- 11% Series E -- 10% In the early days of the startup, the founder gives up 20 to 25% of the equity to investors. As the rounds continue, the amount of dilution decreases. By the Series C round, the dilution drops below 15%. In the early days, some founders may have given up 25% or more. It's clear they are giving up more equity than other startups. To reduce dilution, consider the following: Map out the rounds of funding for the life of the startup and factor dilution into the plan. Run a what-if cap table analysis to determine the impact of dilution on the founder's ownership. This will inform the founder on what valuation must be achieved at each stage. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Problems Are Startups Waiting To Happen Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Ideating a new startup begins with a problem. Here are the steps to ideating your next startup: Scan the market for problems. Review the news to find startup ideas. Review customer reviews of products and services. Talk with others about the problems they encounter. Make a list of problems found and categorize them as small annoyances, medium issues, or major problems. All of the above can be solved with a startup. Match the solution to the problem. Small annoyances can often be solved with a mobile phone application. Medium issues can be solved with service solutions. Major challenges can be solved with a larger-scale system. Look for problem-solution fit. Make sure not to over-engineer the solution, as customers won't be able to afford it. Take large problems and break them into smaller ones that can be solved more easily. Consider these steps in finding problems to solve and turning them into startup solutions. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

High-Value Startups Do Things Other Startups Cannot Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In ideating a new startup, focus on things other startups cannot do. High-value startups do things other startups cannot This value comes from several sources as follows: Technology edge. The startup has technology that translates into higher revenue and/or lower cost of service. Consider what new technologies can be applied to your business that other startups in the space are not using. Network connections. The startup has founders with connections in the industry that give it access that others do not have. Consider what resources or customers the startup can leverage with their connections. Business model innovation. The startup has applied a new business model that generates more revenue than others. Consider a new business model for the industry that is currently not being used. Applying recurring revenue is one example of a business model that brings high value to the startup. Consider these options in moving your startup into a high-value business. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin welcomes Per Nordling, an entrepreneur, angel investor, and SaaS operator who co-founded Medius in 2001, bootstrapped it to about $10M in revenue, raised capital to accelerate expansion, and helped scale the company internationally across Europe, North America, Australia, and parts of Asia before selling his stake. Per shares what founders need before going global, including a verified offer with real customer adoption, a clearly defined ideal customer profile, a deliberate go-to-market strategy, localization and regulatory readiness, and adequate funding. He explains why Partinc Capital focuses on B2B SaaS and AI, how active investors add value through ownership, board, and operational support, and where he sees European opportunities in helping SaaS companies integrate AI while Europe competes primarily through niche AI applications rather than infrastructure, amid heavy regulation and limited funding. Visit Partinc Capital at partinccapital.com/ Reach out to at per.nordling@partinccapital.com ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Reach Out to an Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders raising funding must first get the attention of the investor. Some connections come through warm introductions. Others can come through cold email. Here are some key steps to take in reaching out to an investor: Research the investor to understand their investment interest. This includes the sector and stage. Find some connection with the investor. This could be a university alma mater, mutually held contacts, or associations that both are involved in Write a short email no longer than four or five sentences explaining the purpose of the outreach. Include a short description of the connections you have with the investor. Write a one-line description of the startup and what it does. Ask for permission to send them more information. Then await a positive response. Always be grateful for their time. Never come across as entitled to anything from the investor. Because you are not. Consider these steps in reaching out 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Preparing Your Network for a Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. One often hears of other founders raising funding in a matter of weeks. While it appears the founder raised funding with little effort, this happens because the founder spent years building relationships and curating investors. Before launching a fundraise, be sure to prepare your network. Many founders raising funding go to people they don't know to ask for favors they didn't earn. While a few investors will do this, it won't go very far. Instead, research the market to identify the investors in the community. Then meet key investors and provide value in exchange for the time they spent. This process will take time, so give yourself at least six months to prepare your network. Building out a list of fifty investors you know and have helped will prepare your network for a fundraise. Helping people includes making introductions, coaching on how to do their job better, and helping them find people to hire. This builds the relationship and provides value first. Consider how to prepare your network for a fundraiser. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Importance of Warm-Up Meetings Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In preparation for raising funding, be sure to include warm-up meetings. Six months in advance of launching the fundraise, set up meetings with investors to indicate you will be raising funding soon. The purpose of the warm-up meeting is to gauge initial feedback on the idea. It also alerts the investor that a fundraise will be coming soon. In the warm-up meeting, ask permission to keep them informed of the progress. Most investors will agree as they are interested in the outcome. Use the interim time to update and inform the investor. This often provides feedback from the investor that guides the direction of the fundraise. A monthly update will give the investors six updates in advance of the fundraise launch. By the launch, the investor will know a great deal about the business. This makes the first formal meeting much easier, as the investor knows the deal. Consider taking the core list of investors and setting up a warm-up meeting for each. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Require Investors To Track Your Deal Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders raising funding pitch many investors. It's often the case that the founder doesn't know who is interested and who is not. One idea is to require investors to track your deal. They must remain engaged with it at some level or they are out. This pares down the investor funnel to a select few who you know have interest. It's best to focus your time on those with interest rather than those who do not. Investors go from pitched to interest to committed to diligence and then investment. For investors who are not moving from one stage to the next, make clear that there must be some forward progress on the part of the investor. This requires the investor to make a conscious decision. If they are not moving forward, then they are put on a list for semi-annual updates. This positions them for investing in the next round. Consider requiring investors to make a decision at each stage of the process. This will reduce your time spent checking in with investors for their interest. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

The Best Startups Pick the Investors Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Successful startup investing requires a consistent flow of quality deals. The best startups pick the investors. It's the law of supply and demand. Where there are more investors than capital available to invest, the founder chooses. Here are some key steps investors should take to build that pipeline of deals: Build a reputation for being helpful to founders. Startups look for investors who can bring more than just funding. Provide additional services to the community, such as meetups and incubator support. Startups look for those who are fully invested in their local network. Help funded companies find follow-on funding from later-stage investors. Founders look for investors who are well connected. Attract additional capital into the startup space. Founders look for those who are growing the community. Educate the community on startup funding and investing. Founders appreciate those who provide mentorship and advice. Consider these steps to position yourself as a quality 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

In this episode of Investor Connect, we welcome Rene Wiertz, founder and managing partner of Fundracer BV, who shares how his experience building and leading premium bicycle brand 3T led him to launch a micro-mobility-focused fund that he believes has been overlooked by traditional venture capital. Rene discusses the post-COVID stabilization and renewed double-digit growth in cycling and micro-mobility, driven by urbanization, space constraints for cars, and rapid infrastructure changes in cities like Paris, London, and New York. Rene explains how new tech talent from firms like Microsoft, Google, Apple, BMW, and Tesla is bringing advanced technologies into a historically hardware-driven industry to make micromobility safer and more convenient. He outlines what helps startups raise capital—perseverance, strong go-to-market planning alongside product development, and speed to market—while warning founders against inconsistent valuation shifts and being vague about use of proceeds. The conversation highlights Funracer's key investment themes in safety tech adapted for two-wheelers, including lightweight ABS, low-power AI vision detection for collision avoidance, and reusable airbags, as well as emerging autonomous capabilities such as steer-by-wire. Rene also describes how Funracer co-invests with larger funds by providing micromobility expertise to unlock capital for the sector, and he closes with relationship-building advice for founders. Visit Fundracer BV at fundracer.capital/ Reach out to at rene.wiertz@fundracer.capital, and on www.linkedin.com/in/ren%C3%A9-wiertz-76637/ ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Founders Should Have a Nationwide View of Their Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders raising funding should start with family and friends. It's not the amount of funding raised that counts, but rather the fact that one's family and friends support the founder. From there, the founder draws the circle wider to the investors in the local community. This includes the local angel network and any funds in the area. Again, it's not the dollar amount that counts; it's the proof that those in your community will support you. Founders should then draw the circle wider to include other cities nearby. Finally, the founder should reach out across the country to find investors. While local funding most likely won't take you all the way, it's important to raise from them as it generates proof of fundability. Founders should have a nationwide view on their fundraise from the get-go. It's important to start locally to prove support to investors outside your region. As you draw the circle wider, investors will increasingly look to proof points that other investors are in the deal. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Investor Focus at Each Stage of the Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup investors invest across all stages of startups. For each stage, the investor should focus on a key point. Here's a list of the investor focus at each stage of the startup: Pre-seed -- focus on the team. At this stage, there's little else to review. It's about the team's insight into solving the problem. Seed -- focus on the product. At this stage, the product has been built. It's about how well the product solves the problem. Series A -- focus on the traction. At this stage, customer adoption should be picking up. It's about organic growth proving the product fits the market. Series B -- focus on the revenue. At this stage, the revenue should be growing well. It's about revenue growth quarter over quarter. Series C - focus on unit economics. At this stage, the business should be profitable at the unit economics level. It's about low cost of customer acquisition and high lifetime value. Consider the stage of the startup for your investor diligence. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Making Money as an Angel Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Angel investors are high-net-worth individuals who invest in startups for a profit. They make money when the startup exits by selling the business to another company or going public. The vast majority of exits are through sales to another company. The challenge for the angel investor is that most startups will fail or turn into lifestyle businesses. A lifestyle business means the founders make a nice salary, but there's no exit for the investors. Angels come in early on the business and so must wait the longest to receive a return. Angel investors look for startups that are just entering the market, as the valuation is still fairly low. They come in when the startup initially gains traction. They look for product and market validation. The product works, and customers will pay for it. With this information, they fund startups with the hopes that the company will see an exit in five to seven years. They suffer dilution when additional capital comes in. Consider these points as an angel investor on how to make money from 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Advantage of Sending the Pitch Deck in Advance Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors often ask for a pitch deck in advance of the meeting. Here are the advantages of sending the pitch deck ahead of time. The investor has time to review the deck and prepare for the meeting. If the deal is completely out of scope for the investor, then canceling the meeting saves everyone time. It creates another touchpoint for the founder with the investor. It's an opportunity to engage with the investor even if it's only on email. Increases the productivity of the meeting as the investor comes prepared, knowing the basics. The investor has time to research the market or the technology space to understand how the startup fits within it. The meeting brings additional elements to the pitch as follows: It shows the enthusiasm of the founder. It highlights the skill of the team through answers to the investors' questions. Consider sending the pitch deck in advance for your next 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

The First Call With an Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The first call with an investor is an important one, as it sets the stage for follow-up calls. Here are some key steps to take in the first call: Keep the conversation two-way rather than letting one side or the other monologue. The founder doesn't learn anything about the investor if the founder talks the entire time. Use questions to guide the conversation so it's productive. The purpose of the call is to inform the investor about the fundraise and learn more about the investor's interest and experience. After each portion of the pitch, ask for feedback from the investor about their impressions. This could be about the problem to be solved, the solution offered, or other. Ask for advice at key points to engage the investor and potentially learn something new. Explore the investor's diligence process so one can prepare for it. Finally, check interest on the part of the investor. See what level of interest the investor has. This will help rank-order investors by interest level. Consider these steps in engaging the investor for the first time. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin welcomes Brian Kerns, a mentor, angel investor, and product executive working with VentureWell, to discuss why climate tech can be a tougher fit for traditional angel investing. Brian explains that many climate tech startups involve deep technology that requires more capital, longer timelines, and multiple rounds, and some segments—like ocean and built environment—lack the big "proof point" exits many investors look for. The conversation covers how founders often inflate their capital asks, why the funding gap is widening as VCs move later-stage, and how specialized angel groups with domain expertise can better assess risk and navigate non-dilutive funding. Brian also shares his work as a co-founder of Unventure Capital, which targets strong, profitable companies that don't match the unicorn/VC model, using alternative approaches such as debt-based financing, embedded operator support, and different ownership structures to help companies reach profitability and optionality. Hall and Brian also dig into how the grants landscape has become less reliable, why corporate venture typically waits until Series A, which climate areas still fit angels (software, IoT/light tech, and key supply-chain components), and why today's market is pushing founders to prioritize building real, durable businesses over impact messaging alone. Reach out to at www.linkedin.com/in/brianlkerns/, and on venturewell.org/ ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Standard Practices for M&A Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Achieving an exit is the final hurdle in launching a startup using investor funding. Here are some key practices in going through the M&A process. The factor driving the entire process is the company's business model and how it will sustain over time. Recurring revenue businesses command higher valuations because of the business model. The stickier the product, the more valuable the business is. Another practice is that the more buyers are interested in the business, the higher the valuation. Consider how your business can fit with many potential acquirers rather than just a few. Most companies acquiring a business are seeking to fill a gap. The startup that provides the missing piece is the most valuable. Consider how your startup helps augment existing businesses. The more the buyer understands the startup, the more likely they will be interested in buying it. Consider how to raise awareness of your startup so acquiring companies see the value in it. Consider these practices for driving a successful buyout of 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Validating a Startup Idea Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Before launching a startup, a founder should first validate the startup idea. Here's a list of key steps to validate your startup idea: Is the idea big enough to justify a startup? Many ideas are simple side gigs with little return to the founder. Are you solving a real problem? Without it the startup will not succeed due to a lack of customer demand. Does the problem cause enough pain that someone will pay to fix it? There are many problems that people just learn to live with. How much does it cost to launch the business? Some problems require huge investment up front, which one will be unlikely to raise. Is there a beachhead market to enter the space? Finding an entry point into a market is one key element of success. Can it scale? It's easy to start a boutique business such as consulting, but it must be designed to scale. Who is the competition? Avoid believing there is no competition and look hard for those who are solving the problem currently. What unique insight do you bring to the business? You need to have some advantage over others. Is now the right time? A recent change in the market may be giving an opportunity. Finally, is the founder the right fit for this solution? Consider these steps in validating your startup idea. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

When the Investor Fails To Respond to a Fwup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The key to a successful fundraise is to follow up with the investor to close. It's important to maintain communication with an investor to carry the funding process through diligence. In some cases, the investor fails to respond to a fwup after a pitch. Here are some key steps to take when the investor fails to respond. After the pitch, ask the investor if you can keep them informed of your progress. Most will say yes either to be polite or because they are curious as to how it will turn out. This gives the founder permission to fwup. Send an email update on an every-other-week basis and invite for a fwup call to give more detail. If the investor fails to respond, then call them on the phone and indicate you need just two minutes of their time for a fwup. Given the shortness of the call, the investor will take it. Show progress around sales, team, product, and fundraising. Pick at least one news item to tell the investor to show the traction is growing. Avoid sounding desperate, as this is not a good look for a founder. Another technique is to ask for advice. This engages the investor in the startup and provides an opportunity for the investor to show their experience and knowledge. Consider these steps for following up with an investor who fails to respond. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Highlight the Benefits of the Solution Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching for funding, the founder identifies the problem to be solved. And then describes the solution to be offered. It's important to show not only the solution with its features but also the benefits. Show how well the solution solves the problem as follows: This could be a customer productivity enhancement number. This could be a cost reduction number. This could be a time-saving number. Talk not only about how the product works but what benefits the customer will find. Most founders assume the investor knows the value of the solution, but this is not a good assumption. Identify the benefits of your solution and list them out for the investor to see. The rule of pitching is if you don't articulate it, then it doesn't exist. If you don't know the benefits of your solution, then it's best to research it with current and past customers to identify them. Consider the benefits of your solution and capture it into your 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Build a Better Product Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Having a better product than the competition is no guarantee of success, but it does help with your fundraise. Here's how to build a better product: First, understand the customer and the work they must do. Know the overall process flow and how the customer's job fits within it. Analyze the customer job to identify how to make it faster, easier, and cheaper to do. This includes time and dollars spent. Identify a key insight about the customer problem. These insights come from working in the industry or holding the job yourself. Know not only the customer job itself but also the workflow around it. Design a product that fits the customer flow and provides a faster, better, and cheaper solution. If you're not in the industry, then take on a consulting job in the industry for a period of time. This will build not only your knowledge of the job but also the business around it. It will give you connections in the industry that will be helpful later. It will also help you understand how to engage the support of others. Consider these steps in building a better product 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Sophie Winwood, venture capital investor, ecosystem builder, and co-founder of UnlockVC. Based in the UK, UnlockVC is a global community supporting women in venture capital and connecting investors across Europe and the U.S. Sophie has spent the past seven years in venture capital, including investing at Anthemus with a focus on early-stage companies and fintech. She co-founded UnlockVC to help expand access, networks, and opportunities for women across the venture ecosystem. Sophie discusses the changing venture capital landscape, diversity in investing, the rise of solo GPs, AI's role in venture workflows, and why strong relationships and warm introductions still matter for founders and investors. Visit Unlock VC at unlock-vc.com/ Reach out to atwww.linkedin.com/in/sophie-winwood-92526241/, and on sophie@unlock-vc.com ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Startups Fail for Many Reasons Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups fail for many reasons. Here's a list of the more common ones: Ran out of cash. This is the most common reason of all. Could not raise additional funding. Lost too much business to the competition. Did not generate enough revenue to make the business model work. Had a too-high cost basis for running the business. Didn't hire the right people. Missed the market opportunity. The founders could not get along with each other. Lost interest in the business. Review this list for your startup. Consider how to mitigate these risks in your business plan. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

The Challenge of Angel Investing Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Angel investing can be a rewarding experience, providing not only investment returns but also making the world a better place. It also comes with challenges. Here is the challenge of angel investing: There's a small number of investable startups. There's a large number of startups to comb through to find the fundable ones. There's a substantial number of other investors chasing startups to invest in. This creates a competitive environment for the best deals. Most startups genuinely want to succeed, although there are a few that are outright scams. The process of sorting through the available startups takes time and energy. One can't always tell a good one from a bad one from a general review. It takes a deep dive to figure out which startups have the potential to succeed and which ones are destined to fail. Failure comes from pursuing a market that is too small or building a business that is not scalable, among other reasons. Consider how to mitigate this challenge in your angel investing. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

What Are the Odds? Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Early-stage investments require follow-on funding to reach a substantial size, providing a return to the investors that justifies the risk. Here are the odds that a startup will raise its next round of funding. After the first round, about half go on to raise a second round. This is not unusual, as many investors divide their investment allocation in half for the first investment. Of the original funded companies, about 30% will go on to raise a third round. This is equivalent to a Series A round. Of the original funded companies, about 15% will go on to raise a fourth round. This is equivalent to a Series B round. Of the original funded companies, about 9% will go on to raise a fifth round. This is equivalent to a Series C round. Of the original funded companies, about 3% will go on to raise a sixth round. This is equivalent to a Series D round. After the first round, there is a halving effect in which approximately half the companies are able to raise another round to move to the next level. Overall, about 70% of the companies will not make a return to their investors due to a lack of an exit. Startup investment is driven by the power law, which provides the majority of the returns through a handful of the investments. Consider these odds when making your 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Evaluating the Team Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In startup investing, the team is the most important factor pointing to success or failure. Here are some key steps in evaluating the team for your startup investment. Look for examples of execution on the current startup. Execution trumps the idea. If there's no execution, then it doesn't matter how great the idea is. Startups are difficult and often challenging. The team must have the skills to overcome any and all obstacles. Check the team's education to see if they have foundational knowledge in their domain. Next, check their past work experiences. Have they worked at key companies and on relevant projects related to their startup's mission? See how successful their previous projects have been. If their work was in the startup space, how many of their companies achieved an exit, and at what level? Check their passion for the project. Is this startup the one that will go to the moon, or is it just there to pay the bills till something better comes along? Finally, check to see that all the skills needed are accounted for in the team. Consider these steps in evaluating a team for your 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Close a Soft Commitment Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders raising funding often ask for general interest first with no commitment. A soft commitment is an interest from an investor just short of a commitment. Investors use this to maintain the dialog with the founder as they learn more about the deal. Some use this as a bargaining chip to gain more favorable terms. As a founder, here's how to close a soft commitment. Create a deadline and start driving investors towards it. The amount of funds raised should be increasing on a weekly basis. Show other investors are in the deal and they are moving forward. List names and show their interest. Show other investors are circling the deal and they represent a substantial amount of funding, albeit potentially. Finally, gather enough soft commitments to close the round and then set a priced round for it that is attractive to those investors. Make clear this valuation is only available for the next 30 days, and then it goes away. This creates FOMO Fear of Missing Out. Consider these steps in closing soft commitments for your fundraising round. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

In this episode of Investor Connect, we welcome Hemanth Sheelvant, who currently works in manufacturing consulting with Bosch Manufacturing Co-Intelligence. He discusses how digital twins and AI are reshaping industrial operations—and why even well-funded projects still fail. Hemanth explains the "iceberg problem" in enterprise and AI deployments, where teams focus on the visible technology while underestimating the governance, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, integration, and ongoing operations that drive the total cost. He shares how to avoid surprises by starting with customer discovery, aligning early with IT and key decision-makers, defining KPIs and budget for pilot-to-scale upfront, and assessing plant digital maturity through pre-discovery studies. The conversation also covers using AI first as a human-assist system, choosing simpler models when they meet the business outcome, building balanced teams with domain experts, and scaling via modular, deployable "Lego block" solutions and SaaS-friendly business models. Visit Bosch Manufacturing Co-Intelligence at https://www.manufacturing-co-intelligence.com/ Reach out to Hemanth at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hemanth-sheelvant/ ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Expand Product Sales Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups raising funding must show a growth story. The best growth story is a revenue curve going up and to the right at a 45-degree angle. For venture, the growth curve must be at least 50% year over year. Here are some key steps to take to expand sales: Increase sales with current customers by selling to more contacts within the account. This means using referrals from the existing users to find new ones. Increase the number of products sold to current customers. This means finding upgrades and additional products to sell to current users. Find new customers similar to the ones already buying the product. This means looking for new customers in the same industry or sector as current customers. Find new customers who are larger than the current customers. Larger customers can pay a higher price and potentially have a greater capacity for buying more. Finally, sell additional services that enhance the current product or service, such as payment facilities to help purchase the product, data analytics on customer usage, and artificial intelligence-enhanced features. Consider these steps in expanding product sales. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Calculate Burn Rate Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Burn rate is a key metric investors use to check the health of a startup. Based on the burn rate and cash in the bank, one can calculate how much time the startup has. Here's how to calculate burn rate. Use incoming cash as the first data point. It's a mistake to use revenue as the timing of the cash received is more important than when the orders are booked. Use outgoing cash as the second data point. Again, it's not the expenses on the accounting system that matters; it's what happened with cash flows. Burn rate is cash income minus cash outflow and is expressed in dollars. Track burn rate each month and over a long period of time. This will show the seasons and cycles that come with every business. Holidays often stretch out incoming cash flows, yet payroll still rolls no matter what. This will provide a range of burn rates throughout the year, making it easier to predict. Consider the burn rate 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How to Diligence a Crowdfunding Deal Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Angel investors are familiar with startups raising funding who come through their normal channels. Deals are often submitted on their software platform or referred by a trusted source. In the world of crowdfunding, startups come through a new compliance channel called Reg CF. The startup posts their deal on a software platform that allows anyone to invest using the Reg CF compliance rather than Reg D compliance. Investors see an overview of the investment, a video describing how it works, and some documents for diligence. The crowdfunding platform provides some diligence information. Here's how an angel investor should diligence that startup: First, the crowdfunding platform checked for compliance with the Reg CF requirements but has not necessarily performed the usual checks for investor diligence. For example, the financials are not audited, so the investor must verify the financials provided. Check the team to see how much experience they have and what role they currently play in the startup. The product may look like it's ready to go, but the investor should verify the current status. The deal has a valuation but is rarely stated in clear terms. The investor should check to see what the proposed valuation is and if it is market rate. Finally, the investor should check the terms of the offering to see what rights the investors have, if any. Consider these steps in diligencing a crowdfunding deal. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Be a Good Startup Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup investors not only provide capital but also ongoing support to the startup. Here are some key steps to be a good startup investor: Research the market and provide actionable recommendations to the team about customers to pursue. Provide ongoing support through the tough times as well as the bad times. Build a relationship with the team and then grow it. Give credit to the team for their hard work and avoid taking it for themselves. Define their contribution to the team and set expectations with them. Provide training to the team in their area of expertise. Make connections to help break through the barriers that hold back sales. Rally other investors around the fundraise on follow-on rounds. Coach the CEO on how to connect with investors. Connect the CEO with potential partners who can help drive sales. Reserve funds for a follow-on investment when needed. Consider these steps as a good startup 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Make Your Pitch More Engaging Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders raising funding must capture the attention of the investor. Here are some key steps on how to make the pitch more engaging: Include market research to validate the problem to be solved. This touches on the target market, the competition, and customer needs. Make clear the problem to be solved and the solution offered. It helps to show how the product works at a high level. Show the support for the business so far. This includes traction in the current business with leads generated, revenue growth, and support from others, including partners. Highlight the challenges in the space and the hurdles the startup must overcome. Pitch Decks with nothing but rosy projections are suspect. Investors appreciate knowing exactly what must be done to beat the competition. List the skills the team needs to succeed. It's often the case that the founder shows a list of people and claims they are a rock star team. But most investors don't know the people and can only go by where the team has worked before. List a key business skill, technical skill, and domain skill that the team has to show this is the right team. Consider these points in making your pitch deck more engaging. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

In this episode of Investor Connect, we welcome Dave Blivin, founder and managing director of Cottonwood Technology Fund, who shares how he invests at the intersection of science, capital, and commercialization to turn hard technologies into real companies. Dave explains Cottonwood's focus on early-stage deep tech across areas such as photonics, advanced materials, sensors, med tech, energy, robotics, and advanced manufacturing, with a regional emphasis on the US Southwest and an expansion into Northwest Europe through partners in the Netherlands. He outlines Cottonwood's approach of leading rounds, taking board seats, and writing larger early checks (often around $2M within $2–$4M pre-seed syndicates) to fund prototypes and recruit business leadership, while leveraging a strong corporate venture network for diligence and follow-on rounds. Dave also discusses how he evaluates patent-based innovation with little prior art, why people and fundraising matter as much as working technology, challenges with national lab commercialization, common deep tech pitching mistakes, insights on building ecosystems outside Silicon Valley, and why renewed demand for hard tech is rising alongside AI-driven infrastructure needs. Visit Cottonwood at www.cottonwood.vc/ Reach out to at www.linkedin.com/company/cottonwood-technology-fund/ and on x.com/cottonwoodvc ________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https:/_/tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

It Takes a Process Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors looking to invest in a startup often look at the revenue as a sign of traction. In the very early stages, the presence or absence of revenue indicates the fundability of a company. As the company grows, one can look at the growth rate as a sign of traction. In addition to the presence of revenue and the growth rate, the investor can also look at the process behind the sales. This process includes generating leads, qualifying and then closing them. Check to see how sophisticated the process is. More importantly, check to see how predictive the process is. The better the sales process, the better the sales outcome for the company. The process often shows how much the founder knows about selling the product. A fully featured sales process that consistently takes prospects through to close is a key indicator of success. As an investor, review not only their revenue traction but also the process behind it. It takes a process to make a successful startup. As a founder, don't wait to build the process; start on it immediately after launch. 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Get Your Fundraise Started Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Starting a fundraise can be a daunting task for the first-time founder. Here are some key steps on how to get your fundraise started. Research the market by talking with other founders who are raising funding. Check the current climate for fundraising. Look at their fundraise documents, including the pitch deck and terms sheet. After reviewing four to five fundraises, the content and format of the documents will be clear. Break the fundraise campaign into manageable tasks. Start with investor document preparation, then build a list of potential investors, and finally, set up a timeline for meeting the investors. Look for advisors who know the fundraising process and can give guidance. Spend time with other founders raising funding to learn from their experience. Practice your pitch and watch other founders pitching to hone your presentation skills. Start pitching to family and friends and then draw the circle wider to friends of friends and finally seek out investors who you don't know. Consider these steps in launching 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

Return on Mission Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups generate a return on investment for their investors by measuring how much their business generated funds returned compared to investment. For the impact space, one can calculate the return on mission. Here is how to measure the return on mission for your impact startup. Calculate the overhead-to-program expense ratio. See how much of the program cost goes to overhead. Overhead is anything that does not directly drive the cost to produce the product or service. This should be less than 10% in most cases. One can calculate return on mission by dividing a financial investment by the amount of producing the product or service. For example, if an expense is $10K, and the cost of producing a product or service is $1K, then the cost of the expense is 10X. The objective is to determine how much a business expense compares to the cost of providing a service or product. This casts expenses in terms of producing the product or service, which frames the expense in mission terms. Consider calculating the return on mission for your impact 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.

How To Connect With Investors in Your Pitch Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching investors, founders should strive to connect with them. Here are some key steps to connect with investors: Fit the startup fundraising standards. Too many out-of-standard details such as fundraise amount, terms, and valuation will put off the investor. For example, traditional first rounds are $500K to $1M. Asking for $4M in the first round will have the investor wondering why this is different. Provide the standard information investors look for, including problem, solution, and how it works. A good practice is to say what you do in five words or less so the investor knows what the startup does. Without context, the investor will have a hard time connecting to your deal. Many founders talk about how the product works without first identifying what problem they are solving. Avoid long-winded stories and get to the point. Include the fundraising ask with a clear use of funds. Investors want to know where the business stands today. Show current traction and avoid rosy projections as the investor knows those rarely come true. Finally, demonstrate the team's capabilities. Since there's little revenue at this stage, the investor will make the investment decision on the team. Consider these steps in connecting with investors in your 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: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/ For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/ For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/ For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.