Private equity investments hit a new record in 2017 with ~$453 billion raised. This surpasses the previous record of $414 billion, which was set in 2007. This is due, in part, to an increase in fund sizes – for example, … Continue reading
angel investors
Amazon. Airbnb. Snap Inc. Groupon. 23andMe. While these companies wouldn’t initially seem to have much in common, they were in fact all started by non-tech founders. Jeff Bezos of Amazon initially worked on Wall Street before founding the billion-dollar company; … Continue reading
Depending on your personal investment strategy, you may seek out investment opportunities within a certain industry, such as tech or finance. You may prefer debt- or equity-based financial instruments, or you may prefer short- or long-term investments. These all come … Continue reading
As an entrepreneur and startup founder, one of the biggest challenges you can take on is raising funds. A startup’s first outside round of financing, series seed, can help founders begin operations, hire a small team, launch products, and rent … Continue reading
It’s been over one year since MicroVentures teamed up with Indiegogo to form First Democracy VC (FDVC), a registered funding portal that allows investors like you to support startups. Since then, more than 20 startups have been funded via FDVC … Continue reading
While startup founders may receive the majority of news headlines and recognition surrounding their companies, there is often another group involved in making business decisions: a board of directors. A board of directors is a group of individuals that act … Continue reading
When you’re trying to raise money for your startup, it can seem like any funding offer is a good offer. Typically, however, venture capitalists (VCs) and angel investors don’t just hand startups money. More often than not, they will also … Continue reading
For startups in need of financing, there is nothing more sought after than access to angel investors or venture capital firms. While venture capitalists (VCs) are willing to invest due to the potential of high returns, they also experience major … Continue reading
We recently discussed what not to do when meeting with a VC for the first time. Ranging from over-ambitious financial projections to missing the “no,” there are any number of ways to make a bad impression. But what should you … Continue reading
Today is the final part of our series on what VCs and other investors look for in startups beyond financials. We’ve already mentioned the importance of having an experienced management team, up-to-date social media profiles, and strong information security. Now, … Continue reading