Rubén D.’s Post

Do what you say. Show up. Put founders first. Great article on how to become an expert angel investor. #angelinvesting

Want to learn about VCs? We recommend reading 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 by Scott Kupor and gain: 1. 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: Understand VC operations, investment decisions, and portfolio management. 2. 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: Navigate the fundraising process effectively with practical advice on pitching, negotiating, and building investor relationships. 3. 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬: Learn how to align interests, build scalable businesses, and maximize growth potential for startup success.

Great guidelines for good #angelinvestors by Anh-Tho Chuong and Jean de La Rochebrochard. I point out just a few but read all of them. Do what you say — If you commit on a call, and the conditions of your commitments are filled, you must sign and wire. Don’t ghost, don’t renegotiate, and no, you can’t have second thoughts if you commit.  Sunk investment — Invest what you’re able and ready to lose. Be fast — Whenever you receive a document, sign it quickly. If you believe some information is missing, only ask for what is absolutely necessary. Dilution, Stock Options, Special Conditions, that’s it. And trust the process. Do not reproduce past trauma — Sometimes, angels who have experienced bullying from their investors about dilution, specific conditions or their lack of empathy can adopt the same attitude, without even noticing. Level up, not down. Perspective — Your advice is based on circumstantial experience. Don’t estimate that your answer is the answer. Your job is to help the founders gain as much perspective as possible. Founders first — Don’t think about your interests, think about the founders’ and the company’s interests. Act in that regard. For you, it’s one investment out of many; for them, it’s everything. 👼 (Good) angel investors are much needed in Europe for the ecosystem to thrive. Are you in? https://lnkd.in/eCwcgPu7

I personally think an elevator pitch is more important to get right than a pitch deck! That very first point of contact. Can you clearly and succinctly describe your business in under 60 seconds? Ideally, 30 seconds? Too many founders I meet ramble on for too long and focus on their current product, opposed to the problem they are looking to solve. Top Tip: Practise your elevator pitch relentlessly. Practise it on everyone you meet. Even your family! Get your whole team to practice it. Focus on perfecting a short, impactful pitch. It’s your key to opening doors and sparking interest. Remember, you’re not trying to close the deal there and then; you’re only trying to get investors interested enough to want to learn more. It was a pleasure to be featured in SeedLegals latest e-book and give some thoughts about raising investment.

And yet, many limited partners look for firms that fit a pattern they recognize and feel comfortable with . . . That pattern is a pattern that virtually assures failure. If we’re gonna fail anyway, I’d rather Lisa Morales-Hellebo and I fail in our own unique and glorious way while we build REFASHIOND Ventures: The Industrial Transformation Fund into the world’s best early-stage Industrial Transformation & Supply Chain Technology venture firm. At most venture capital firms, Industrial Transformation & Supply Chain Technology is a tiny, emerging “area of interest” . . . At REFASHIOND Ventures: The Industrial Transformation Fund it’s our entire world. Join us. #IndustrialTransformation #SupplyChain #Innovation #Technology #Startups #VentureCapital

Hot off the press after yesterday's launch at the leading event for CVCs, Counter V, hosted by SVB's great partners at Counterpart Ventures, this is our most comprehensive corporate venture survey yet, in this our 4th edition of the report. With 257 corporate VCs participating in the survey, representing 27% of active global corporate investors, this is the deepest CVC report yet. Huge thanks to all the participants! A massive thanks also to Patrick Eggen, Mikey Kailis, Abbie Wolf and the entire Counterpart Ventures team for being amazing partners, and to the SVB team, with a special callout to our own Charlie Walker for spearheading this, along with Mark Gallagher, Jake Ledbetter, CFA CFA, Eli Oftedal and Anjalika Komatireddy. The report is packed with data, from deal participation to team dynamics and more, but one of the key data points for me is that CVC's accounted for 28% of VC deals in 2024 and remains robust in a more challenging time for venture. The full report can be downloaded here: https://lnkd.in/gGGkSmcX

What actually impresses investors? 🤔 In this free guide, you’ll find insights from a diverse panel of active UK investors - from experienced angels to top-tier VCs - on what it takes to get them to an enthusiastic yes on an early-stage deal. Get the free guide here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eVdGDEg3 Download the guide to learn 🧲 How to find and attract investors 🧠 What makes a founding team investable 🚩 Green and red flags in your pitch deck and business plan  💸 How to approach valuation negotiations 🚀 Exit strategy: to plan or not to plan? 🔐 The common due diligence pitfalls 📊 How to manage post-investment communication A huge thank you to the investors who generously shared their insights with us: Eamon Tuhami, Eva Dobrzanska, Edward Stevenson from SFC Capital, Jonny Clark, Katie Ramsey, Yana Abramova from Pretiosum Ventures and Marc Cohen from unbundled vc 🙏

Michael Patrick Gibson is a philosophy dropout, one of the initial creators of the Thiel Fellowship, and now the founder of 1517 Fund, a venture capital firm backing dropouts, renegade students, and deep tech scientists. Michael was a founding advisor to Liberty Ventures and in this episode shares his unconventional path and approach to picking and supporting founders. Including: - Why Applications Aren't Good Predictors of Success in Entrepreneurship - Why Experience Matters More than Algorithms in Picking Winners as an Investor - How Being an Entrepreneur Exposes Your Greatest Weaknesses (And Transform You) - The Top 4 Reasons Startups Fail Watch on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eNr_U4qk Or Spotify: https://lnkd.in/ewdJ6QXa

1/ Trust yourself. Trust your instincts. Your ideas. Your talent. Especially if they lead you towards something. As VCs, our IP is our judgment in our field of work. If you don't trust yourself, nobody will. 2/ Have a sense of urgency. Most people overestimate what they can do in one year or in 10 years. Take a step back and think carefully about things.  Time is flying by. Two pieces of advice from Jonathan Sibilia. Partner at Molten Ventures. Judge at the European VC Awards. #venturecapital #angelinvesting #startupfunding #europe

Calling All Aspiring Angel Investors! Unlock the secrets to discovering the next unicorn with Gagan Singh's comprehensive "Angel Investing 101" guide. Learn about the fundamentals of angel investing, the risks and rewards, best practices, and how to position yourself for success in this high-stakes world. Want the full guide? Drop a comment below, and we'll send it your way! Let's get you ready to make impactful investments in 2025. #AngelInvesting #Investing101 #StartupInvestor #InvestingForBeginners #StartupFunding #InvestorTips