Archive: startup

Premium

New Pick: Invest in the Google for Videos

By Andy Gordon on April 8, 2021

Deal Details Startup: Vyrill Security type: Convertible Note Valuation (cap): $8 million  Minimum investment: $250 Where to invest: Wefunder Deadline: April 23, 2021  There’s a big black hole in the internet’s video search capabilities. One small company is way ahead of anybody else in filling it. And in doing so, it…

Why SPACs are Good for Startup Investors

By Vin Narayanan on April 7, 2021

Have you ever been in a conversation or argument where you come up with the perfect response five minutes after the talk ends? It happens to me all the time. And I hate that empty feeling. You can’t return to the conversation to share your comeback or key…
Premium

Startup Insider: How to Judge Cannabis Startups

By Vin Narayanan on April 5, 2021

Andy Gordon and I have run across plenty of cannabis startups raising capital over the past few months. But none of them stood out as good investment opportunities. So we decided to sit down today and talk about what we’re looking for in a good cannabis startup —…

Why Founders Refuse VC Money

By Andy Gordon on March 31, 2021

Venture capital (VC) investing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Last week I talked about the many things that crowdfunding does that appeal to founders and investors alike. Today, I’d like to focus more on the VC side of investing. And why…
Premium

Three AngelList Syndicates Worth A Look

By Adam Sharp on March 30, 2021

I’m an AngelList superfan. It’s a beautiful marketplace for early-stage investors. The site has grown incredibly since I started investing in 2014, and today there are more than 100 syndicates to choose from. Here are some of my favorites. Jenny Rooke – Biotech …

Choose Startups for Tech Exposure

By Adam Sharp on March 26, 2021

Tech stocks are getting eye-wateringly expensive. Here are a few examples using their price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. Tesla: 997x Square: 490x Netflix: 83x Amazon: 73x Zoom: 140x These are all very well-run companies which probably have bright…
Premium

A Brighter Future Through Startups

By Andy Gordon on March 25, 2021

I’ve been thinking a lot about the “big picture” and the future recently. I guess it’s because last week I welcomed my first grandchild into the world. I want Sammy to live a happy, meaningful life. And I worry that for many of our newest humans, that’s becoming…

What VC Gets Wrong About Crowdfunding

By Andy Gordon on March 24, 2021

A tech startup founder was bragging to me about his recent hires a couple of days ago. He found some outstanding people and said that the talent available in 2021 was off the charts.  But it wasn’t just luck or happenstance. The highly experienced people he…
Premium
Last week, the SEC’s new rules around equity crowdfunding went into effect. Now companies can raise up to $5 million per year from the crowd. On the first day, we got a good idea of the potential of this new medium. Gumroad — an online platform…
Premium

New Pick: Invest in the Future of Capital Formation

By Adam Sharp on March 19, 2021

DEAL DETAILS Startup: Wefunder Security: Preferred Stock Round size: Side-by-side round — up to $5 million under Reg CF Valuation: $160,000,000 Share price: $2.19862 Minimum investment: $100 Investment portal:…

Venture Capital Is Facing Real Competition at Last

By Adam Sharp on March 19, 2021

On Monday, the SEC’s new startup investing rules went into effect. Startups can now raise $5 million annually through equity crowdfunding. That’s a 5x increase from the previous limit. I really can’t overstate how important this change is. It’s a monumental moment for startups — and…
Premium

New Pick: Invest in Ending Opioid Addiction

By Andy Gordon on March 18, 2021

DEAL DETAILS Startup: Phoenix PharmaLabs Security type: Common stock Round size: Side-by-side raise – up to $1.07 million under Reg. CF  Share price: $1.00 Valuation: $26,790,283  Minimum investment: $99.00…
The tech sector is under attack. Lawsuits. Politicians. Regulators. They’re all gunning for the tech industry. But what about the venture capital firms that financed the industry’s growth?  These companies should also command our attention. Their money nurtured big tech companies in their early years. More…
Premium
I’ve been writing about rising valuations for a while now. But this week, I saw a deal that was so crazily priced, I just have to write about it again. This young San Francisco-based startup had about $700k in annual recurring…
Premium
Equity crowdfunding and venture capitalism share some similarities. But they’re also fundamentally different ways to invest. So it’s important to understand how they’re different. That way, investors can make the right decision when they’re crowdfunding a startup. In this week’s Startup Insider,…
Premium

Startup Insider: Why CityZenith Is Hosting its Own Raise

By Early Investing on March 11, 2021

Andy Gordon first recommended CityZenith as an investment opportunity at a $20M valuation in the summer of 2019. He recommended them again this past September at a $27.4 million valuation. CityZenith briefly paused that raise (watch this week’s…