Investors Look for Execution, Not Ideas

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Startup founders often believe their idea will carry the day with the investor.

They propose their idea to spark interest.

While that may be a good way to get attention, it will certainly not maintain it for long.

Investors look for execution, not ideas.

In raising funding, investors look for momentum and traction in the deal.

They will look for evidence of execution in sales, team, product, and fundraising.

These are the four core areas in which execution lives in a startup.

Consider your efforts in those areas in crafting an update to the prospective investor.

Showcase that story over a period of time, as execution occurs over time and not in a single moment.

Having an idea is interesting.

Understanding the customer problem and knowing the domain is helpful.

Having a key insight is useful.

Showing execution in a consistent manner is the winning ticket for gaining investor attention and interest.

Consider these points in pursuing funding from investors.

Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let's go startup something today.

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For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org

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Lessons From Napoleon for the Startup

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Napoleon never ran a startup, but his life provides many lessons for the startup founder.

Here are some lessons to take away from his life:

Underestimating risk -- Napoleon underestimated the harshness of the Russian winter and suffered great losses.

The startup should consider carefully the market to pursue before investing substantial resources.

Overconfidence -- Napoleon grew overconfident from his past successes.

The startup should consider each opportunity as a new way to succeed or fail.

Failure to adapt -- Napoleon refused to modify his traditional plan and suffered losses for it.

The startup should adapt to the market conditions and make changes to optimize the team for each stage.

Failing to take timing into account -- Napoleon refused to retreat from the Russian campaign and suffered for it.

The startup should ask if now is the right time to pursue a market.

Overextending -- Napoleon overextended himself in attacking Russia.

The startup founder should consider focusing resources on a few key priorities and not spread out over too many.

Consider the fate of Napoleon and his attack on Russia as a series of lessons 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/
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Product Strategy for AI

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Artificial intelligence is a disruptive technology that promises tremendous benefits to the tech industry.

Current products will be upgraded to use AI.

New products will be introduced using AI from the get-go.

Here's a list of product strategies for AI:

AI-based applications that use large language models called LLMs.

This could be a chatbot that replaces a traditional user interface.

AI-based networks that leverage AI for performance.

This could be a solution that gives a more complete picture of the system.

AI-based platforms that enable multiple applications using an AI engine.

AI-based marketplaces that enable new features for discovery.

Marketplaces are ideal for creating and capturing data, such as the most popular product in a category.

Marketplaces also make matches between a buyer and seller.

AI can perform more comprehensive matches and provide the buyer with help in finding the right product.

AI will find its initial success in creating assistants.

An assistant can guide one through a complex process, enhancing the user experience.

Consider these product strategies 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/
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Learning From Mistakes

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

A CEO once said, I don't mind people making mistakes.

I mind people not learning from them.

It's important to learn from mistakes.

There are several ways to do this.

Learn from your own mistakes.

Writing down the mistakes and what you learned helps reinforce your knowledge.

Learn from the mistakes of others.

This is easier to do in comparison to learning from your own mistakes.

There are so many other people making mistakes; there's no shortage of lessons.

Consider mistakes as learning opportunities.

To learn from your mistakes, recognize what the mistake was and how it happened.

What can one take from the mistake to improve in the future?

Consider how to avoid the mistake.

What caused it, and how can I avoid the same mistake again?

Delve into the root cause of the mistake to find a deeper understanding.

To do this, ask "why" five times to drill down.

Once you identify the root cause, there's a place to start work.

Consider these steps in learning from mistakes.

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/
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In this episode of Investor Connect, we welcome Kat DeLillo and Hall Martin from Ten Capital to discuss their innovative platform connecting startups and investors. Kat and Hall introduce Ten Capital's mission to streamline the investment process, spotlighting their robust event lineup that includes the Family Office Roundtable, Virtual Quick Pitch, and Life Science Syndicate. Ten Capital aids growth companies in securing funding by connecting them with angel groups, VC funds, high-net-worth individuals, and family offices, emphasizing the importance of building relationships between startups and investors.

The discussion takes an exciting turn with the introduction of Ava, Ten Capital's new AI venture assistant designed to simplify the startup ecosystem. This advanced chatbot leverages over 500 blogs, podcasts, and tools to assist both investors and founders with personalized investment strategies and fundraising tips. Ava is accessible 24/7 on the Startup Funding Espresso platform, exemplifying the integration of cutting-edge AI technology to facilitate venture capital endeavors.

The episode also features a detailed pitch by Nathan Monty of Enamel Pure, a company revolutionizing preventive dentistry with laser and AI technology. Nathan explains how their innovative device improves dental hygiene processes and integrates AI diagnostics, ensuring better patient outcomes. Enamel Pure's strategic partnerships with major distributors and planned monetization strategies highlight the company's significant growth potential. With insights from panelists and further discussions on market positioning and exit strategies, this episode offers a comprehensive look into the intersection of technology, dentistry, and investment.

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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/
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Stages of Technology Adoption

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Technology adoption goes through several stages over the life of that technology.

Here are the steps of adoption:

Unknown -- no one knows the technology.

Awareness -- some hear about it but don't know what it is.

Understanding -- those who know it understand how it works but don't know what to do with it.

Belittlement -- those who know it consider it an underperforming technology and discard it as a toy.

Usefulness -- some users find use cases for it.

Repeat usage -- more users find it helpful and use it repeatedly.

Designed in -- the tool becomes embedded into the workflow and is used constantly.

Locked in -- the tool is something the user has no choice but to use.

Regulated -- the tool becomes so prevalent that it attracts regulatory oversight.

In building your product, consider these stages for marketing the technology behind your product.

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/
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Acid Test for Startup Valuation

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Valuation is a key negotiating factor in startup investing.

There are many valuation models available.

The most common is the use of comps or comparables to see if the valuation is at market rate.

Consider using the acid test for startup valuation.

The acid test for startup valuation compares the money invested so far to the proposed pre-money valuation.

Some call this the Money-in method.

To calculate this value, take the pre-money valuation and divide by the total funding to date.

Total funding includes founder funding, investor funding, and non-dilutive funding such as grants.

This yields a factor.

A factor in the low single digits is a conservative valuation.

A factor in the double digits is a speculative one.

Most investors look for a factor in the single digits to make an investment.

Anything in the double digits requires more investigation to understand the value proposition of the business.

Consider this metric in reviewing the valuation of a 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

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Innovation Looks Trivial in the Early Days

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In the early days of a startup, innovation can look trivial.

Innovation is often applied to the lower end of the market.

New technologies often start as simple devices or applications.

These devices have minimal functionality and lack robust features.

In vetting startups, look past the minimal functionality to the rate of change of the technology.

While today it may seem trivial, a fast growth rate can move it into a more competitive position.

Look at the underlying growth driver.

For example, semiconductors double their density every eighteen months.

Genomics brings an even higher growth rate.

It's these drivers that determine the trajectory of a startup's product.

Startups that leverage growth drivers are positioned to succeed over time.

The incumbents often dismiss startups because their initial solution underperforms the current competition.

Over time, the startup's product will outperform.

Consider this in evaluating startups for 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.