Ross Summers’ Post

In an industry marked by limited startup exits, understanding the nuances of this process is paramount for investors and founders alike. Our esteemed panelists at Venture West this April, will dissect potential exit pathways and offer crucial insights into market dynamics. Don't miss this pivotal discussion surround exit strategies with representation from globally-renowned companies. Venture West is now more than 50% sold out. Secure your place now to gain invaluable knowledge for navigating the complex landscape of the built environment's digital transformation. #constructiontechnology #ExitStrategies #MarketInsights

Yesterday, Monark ’s Co-Founder and CEO, Kelsey Hahn, joined Clay Swerdelian, Dan Erikson, and moderator Justin Krieger on RSM’s Tech Connection panel to discuss raising funds in the current economic landscape. Here are a few notes from the discussion ➡ - Challenges in Building a Business: Raising capital is tough with valuations down and investor revenue targets fluctuating. - Optimism for CDN Tech Companies: Despite challenges, there's optimism for those that can do more with less. Scarcity naturally drives focus, efficiency, and better decision-making. - Advice for New Founders/CEOs: Focus on sales rather than just appeasing investors. 🚀 #techfounders #startups #raisingfunds

Curious about how startups get their value? Valuation is a huge deal when it comes to getting investors and growing a company. It's all about numbers, but it's also about how much potential they see. In The Founder's Journey, you'll see the ups and downs of pitching to investors, trying to raise money, and figuring out what the company is truly valued at. If you're interested in how businesses grow, don't miss this inside look! Watch now the full video: https://loom.ly/YzP-Bv4

I've seen as many founder breakups as failures to reach product market fit. We’ve talked a lot on First Funders about product-market fit. Still, in my conversation with Julie Lein and Clara Brenner of the Urban Innovation Fund, they reminded me of the importance of a cohesive team. Is there a fit between the co-founders? I've started calling this cofounder-to-cofounder fit. As early-stage investors, we often only meet the CEO Founder during our process and not the rest of the team. It's a delicate balance not to take too much of a team's time, but it's also critical to understand working dynamics. Think about the last time you evaluated visit cofounders of a company together. How did they interact? Did they agree on the big things? Did they seem to actually … like each other?! These are all key observations investors need to make so they can choose founders with rock-solid relationships – not just ones who have opposite skills. I've hosted founder dinners to allow me to get to know teams. Julie and Clara take the time to go to the startups' offices, which is a great option! What else are investors doing to understand team dynamics better while respecting the team's time? #founders #cofounders #investors #vc

🚀 Deciding if you want to join a startup? Treat it like you're writing a million-dollar check! 💡 We had the privilege of sitting down with Xuhui Shao, Managing Partner at Foothill Ventures, and his insights blew me away. Xuhui shared insider stories about working with #startup founders, and I especially enjoyed hearing the tales of #resilience. His approach to early-stage deep tech investing is deeply analytical—likely shaped by his own successful career in tech. 👉 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gAEXQNii #Startups #Investment #DeepTech #FoothillVentures #Entrepreneurship

So often we praise startup founders for locking in a16z, Sequoia, and other big name firms. But what we fail to praise are the funding rounds made up of strategic angels and smart capital that propel the business forward without the detrimental reliance on big 💸💸💸 checks to save them. Founders doing it right, in my humble opinion... - Olamide Olowe, Founder of Topicals Sealed the deal with culturally aligned VC firms like Jay-Z’s Marcy Venture Partners for their seed and Series A rounds - yasmin sewell, Founder of Vyrao Leveraged her network of powerful female angel investors to close an early-stage round led by Estée Lauder - Erin Johnson Gore, Founder of Garden Society Secured a $7M Series A with an oversubscribed syndicate of all-female angel investors, one-third of whom were women of color - Quani B., Founder of Soft Rows Obtaining capital from accelerators aligned with her long-term goals, even at the pre-launch stage Tagging in the comments even more founders doing it right! + add yours! #venturecapital #angelinvestor #blackvc #femalefounders

Ready to navigate the ever-evolving world of funding? VC funding was down in 2023. When will things turn around? We’re seeing early signs of recovery this year, and many growth-stage startups are now planning their next fundraising round. Join our upcoming webinar with these top-notch investors Nancy Chou Adina Davis Camila Key Saruhashi Philip Edmondson-Jones on April 16th, as we explore: - What excellence looks like for early-stage SaaS businesses in 2024. - How companies can attract investment capital. -The most important metrics to monitor for sustainable growth. See you there! https://lnkd.in/gMu-3dbM

The most common regret we hear from founders? Not planning their exit earlier. Join my friend Alexander Shartsis on November 14th for a free webinar on Startup Exits - from early planning to late-stage strategies. #startupexits

☕ This morning I was able to attend the "New to VC: Taking the Platform Route" hosted by nextNYC !! "New to VC is an educational series for a group of relatively new investors who want to be exposed to the best venture and startup thinking. Each event is attended by accredited investors and non-partner VCs that skew intentionally, but not exclusively, toward underrepresented backgrounds." 🎤 Charlie O'Donnell is a phenomenal moderator and brought the audience together to discuss the platform role in VC and the career paths around it with 3 venture professionals who have experience on both the investment and platform teams. 💸 The panel consisted of Olivia O'Sullivan, Partner at Forum Ventures, Cat Middleton, GP at The Venture Collective (TVC) and Lexi Quirk, Head of Product and Platform at 645 Ventures. 📓 It wouldn't be one of my event recaps without some takeaways right? ⬇ When discussing the importance of nurturing relationships in the ecosystem: “We ask ourselves, how do we get to know the people before they become the company?” When discussing what's the best way to move up from a platform role: "Have a very candid conversation with partners about growth early on." When discussing how to drive value to portfolio companies: "Try to be proactive... build a team and process that goes to the founders at onboarding and says 'here’s our playbook on X, here’s our playbook on Y' " 💥 And for my favorite - what to do to make sure you stand out to Partners? "You need to have skin in the game, and find a way to contribute to the bottom line as an operator." 💪 Be sure to follow nextNYC as well as these awesome professionals, especially if you're looking to learn from some of the brightest in NYC Venture Capital And stop if you've heard me say it before, Cooley LLP's NYC office is always so great to visit!! #VCplatform #venturecapital #nextnyc #newtoVC #femalefunders

Ready to navigate the ever-evolving world of funding? VC funding was down in 2023. When will things turn around? We’re seeing early signs of recovery this year, and many growth-stage startups are now planning their next fundraising round. Join our upcoming webinar on April 16th, as we explore: - What excellence looks like for early-stage SaaS businesses in 2024 - How companies can attract investment capital. - The most important metrics to monitor for sustainable growth Save your spot below!