Archive: First Stage Investor
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Startup Insider: Cortex Co-founder on Machine Learning and Marketing
By Andy Gordon on February 1, 2021
In December, Andy Gordon recommended Cortex as a potential startup investment. Cortex uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to help predict how people will respond to videos or pictures before they’re shot. This is a massive step forward for people shooting commercial videos and photos. In the past, they had no idea whether something would work until after the ad campaign had begun.
New Pick: Invest in Fully Staffed Pharmacies
By Andy Gordon on January 28, 2021
Deal Details Startup: ShiftPosts Deadline: Friday, January 29th, midnight Security type: Convertible note Valuation cap: $4 million Interest rate: 10% Note term: 36 months Minimum investment: $1,000 Where…
Startup Insider: Assessing CPG Startups
By Early Investing on January 25, 2021
Two weeks ago on First Stage Investor‘s Startup Insider, Andy Gordon and Vin Narayanan discussed how to evaluate biotech and pharmaceutical startups. In this week’s Startup Insider, Andy and Vin explore the different factors people need to consider before…
Three Factors that Signal Upside Potential
By Andy Gordon on January 21, 2021
Sometimes it’s good to go back to basics. And one of the basics that every investor has to consider before making a startup investment is upside — does this startup have the right pieces put together to provide significant upside on my investment? …
New Pick: Invest in Incredibly Accurate and Fast Food Safety Tests
By Andy Gordon on January 14, 2021
Deal Details Startup: SnapDNA Security type: Crowd SAFE Discount: 10% Valuation (cap): $28 million Minimum investment: $150 Where to invest: Republic Deadline: April 28, 2021…
Startup Insider: Making Smart Biotech Investments
By Early Investing on January 11, 2021
Seed stage investing in pharma and biotech companies is a little different than seed stage investing in other sectors. When pharma and biotech companies approach crowdfunders, they’re usually pre-clinical — which means that human trials haven’t begun yet. And they’re raising amounts of money that can’t possibly sustain…
Bitcoin’s Surge: Supply and Demand in Action
By Vin Narayanan on January 7, 2021
As I write this, bitcoin is trading around $38,300. That means investors that bought bitcoin at the previous market peak in late 2017/early 2018 are up 100%. And people that bought bitcoin at the beginning of 2020 are up about 432%. So why is bitcoin surging…
Startup Insider: Crowdfunders Poised to Beat VCs
By Early Investing on January 4, 2021
2021 is here and the startup investing landscape is changing! This year, the limit on how much a startup can raise through crowdfunding increases from $1.07 million to $5 million. That’s great news for investors like us. And venture capitalists (VCs) don’t know…
Closing Soon: Last Chance to Invest in Winc
By Vin Narayanan on December 28, 2020
About a month ago, the founders of Winc joined Andy and me on Startup Insider (click here to watch). They wanted to update the First Stage Investor members that invested in them on their progress. And they wanted to…
A Bright Future: Startups, Bitcoin and DeFi
By Vin Narayanan on December 21, 2020
I am hopeful. That’s not an easy sentence for me to write here at the end of 2020. Even as the new year approaches, there’s still plenty to be concerned about. A close friend’s dad has taken a turn for the worse (not COVID related —…
Bitcoin Breaks Past $20,000 Mark
By Vin Narayanan on December 17, 2020
Bitcoin did it! On Wednesday, bitcoin cracked the $20,000 mark and set a new all time high at $22,065.07. When I wrote to you last week, bitcoin was trading around $18,000. And I was hoping bitcoin would hang out around $18,000 for a…
New Pick: The Startup That’s Revolutionizing Visual Marketing
By Andy Gordon on December 14, 2020
DEAL DETAILS Startup: Cortex Security type: Preferred Stock Round size: Up to $1.07 million Valuation: $8.42 million Minimum investment: $250 Investment portal: Wefunder Deadline: February 15, 2021…
Slow and Steady is the Key to a Strong Crypto Asset
By Vin Narayanan on December 10, 2020
Slow and steady isn’t necessarily a bad thing — especially in crypto. Over the last seven days, the price of bitcoin has dropped about $1,000. As I write this, bitcoin is trading around $18,200. And that’s OK. In fact, if bitcoin decides to pitch a tent…
New Pick: Invest in Food Robotics That Works
By Andy Gordon on December 7, 2020
DEAL DETAILS Startup: Blendid Security type: Crowd note Valuation (cap): $50 million Discount rate: 20% or 25% Minimum investment: $100 Where to invest: MicroVentures Deadline: June 7, 2021…
Exclusive Crypto Update: The 2020 Crypto Surge
By Early Investing on December 3, 2020
The crypto markets are surging. Bitcoin is trading at more than $19,000. And the First Stage Investor crypto portfolio is in terrific shape. Monero is up 72% since we recommended it. Litecoin is up 82%. Ethereum is up 107%. Bitcoin is up 466%.
Startup Insider: Post-Pandemic Trends
By Early Investing on November 30, 2020
We finally have some good news on the COVID-19 front! It looks like the FDA will approve two vaccines shortly. And that by May or June of next year, we will start getting back to “normal.” So what does normal mean for startup investors? Which consumer…