Venture Chronicle’s Post

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝘁 𝟱𝗫 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲? 𝗛𝗢𝗪? 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟯 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲: 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆. This is the biggest question which I come across from founders - how do I value their startup? Upcoming and new budding angel investors also are on the lookout to figure out how to value the startup and whether they are paying the right price. Today we will be discussing one of the most widely used and common methodology - Comparables. In this approach, the value of the startup is determined by comparing it to similar companies that have already been established in the market. If the market is new then one can compare itself to similar companies in nearest adjacent markets that have raised money at that stage with that metrics. This method can be useful for providing a rough estimate of the company's value, but there is a catch here. Most of the startups valuation data is not public and hence not available to a founder or an Angel Investor. However, this data is collated by many investors through their own portfolio companies or sourcing it through their peer networks. Below is an image showcasing multiples across some sectors in the US Startup ecosystem. Follow Ujwal Sutaria Turn the bell "🔔" icon on my profile if you don't want to miss any content. Share this post with more people so they can start their angel investing journey. TDV Partners #VC #angelinvesting #comparables #investing #tdvpartners #ujwalsutaria

A treasure trove of resources for early-stage #founders: Ubiquity University Happy Monday! What's a better way to kick off a new week than sharing a platform of insightful & free resources for early-stage (pre-seed, seed through Series A) founders? I'm a big fan of the work that Sunil Nagaraj, solo GP of Ubiquity Ventures, does. His mantra of "early and nerdy" where nerdiness refers to someone being so passionate about a topic that they lose track of time while working on it resonates so much with me. Better yet, with an inspiration from the engineering concept of DRY (don't repeat yourself), every time Sunil gets the same question from founders of his portfolio companies 2-3 times, he records the advice he provides and share those sessions online. That's what Ubiquity University (https://lnkd.in/dzu9K4-C) is, a platform of open-to-all resources for founders of VC-backed #startups or those who aspire to seek #venture financing. Topics such as how to build a cap table, the path to product market fit (PMF) and how to raise VC as a bootstrapped startup are highly relevant to the very early-stage founder community. In addition, as a VC analyst, I attended the "Why Startups Fail" webinar (a recording of which can be found online as well) and found the session super helpful for getting a more in-depth understanding of the risks associated with the entrepreneurial journey. 🔗 to an earlier post I wrote about the webinar: https://lnkd.in/dBQAFt58 What's your favorite open resource for founders and the rest of the VC ecosystem? Feel free to comment below.

You want to meet investors. But how do you do it? Here are 3 free, easy ways to get in front of us: 1) OpenVC. OpenVC is an awesome platform that connects founders and investors. OpenVC is free and anyone can join. You post a blurb about your company on their website. Investors can see it and if they’re interested, they contact you. 2) Crunchbase. Crunchbase is a database of startups and investors. I troll the site several times a week, looking for interesting new startups. Anyone can submit their startup to the database for free. 3) Mercury Raise. Mercury Raise is a program that helps startups raise money. It’s open to all customers of Mercury. Mercury is a bank for startups. Many of my portfolio companies use it and love it. Mercury Raise sends a batch of startups to investors each month. Some even participate in a Demo Day with the founder, Immad. I attended one of those recently and it was great! How to submit your startup to Crunchbase and more at the link below... #startups #venturecapital https://lnkd.in/eVdCGpNC

David Tisch, your insights during yesterday’s session cut through the noise like few others can. In an industry increasingly dominated by giants focused on data, market trends, and short-term traction, you stood as a bold advocate for true innovation—pushing the limits in a landscape where many seem eager to crush it under the weight of their own agendas. The discussion on market movements versus startup funding felt like a clash of values. While some venture capitalists are obsessed with market sentiment and their oversized data-driven formulas, you reminded us of something more fundamental: that vision, partnership, and the courage to experiment are still at the heart of building great companies. Your message was a breath of fresh air in a room where too many are focused on minimizing risk, fixated on the numbers, and losing sight of the real game-changers. Today’s funding environment feels like a battlefield where innovation is being suffocated by the demand for immediate traction and polished spreadsheets. Venture capital Goliaths seem determined to bend the future to fit their narrative, to back only what is safe and proven, and in the process, they're missing out on the bold ideas that truly define progress. Your reminder that it only takes one critical YES to shift the landscape was empowering. It's a call to arms for founders who are constantly up against these giants—proof that the right partnership, the right belief in an idea, can still outmaneuver the stagnation of today’s metrics-obsessed market. Sitting there, I couldn’t help but feel like I was in a matrix, where the relentless focus on market data was drowning out what really matters—the idea, the team, the product, and the vision for the future. The industry seems disconnected from the essence of what venture capital should stand for: pushing boundaries, taking risks, and funding the next big leap forward. As the industry looks past tech and SaaS models, impact and infrastructure startups are rising to the forefront, and they need more than just a risk-averse investment. They need belief in bold visions. Your leadership and focus on daring to experiment is the mindset that can fuel this new wave of infrastructure and energy solutions that will truly reshape the world. I was inspired by the human side of you, a family man who cares about community—your efforts in dog adoption and your search for real, meaningful impact in the world. It’s clear you're looking to be inspired, just as much as you aim to inspire others. That’s the kind of leadership we need more of in today’s venture capital landscape. #DavidvsGoliath #VentureCapital #Innovation #ImpactStartups #Infrastructure #DisruptVC

In today's funding landscape, it's becoming clear that securing investment is no longer just about the product or the critical need it addresses. Over 80% of companies seeking funding are now focused on AI, but the obsession with market trends and short-term traction often overshadows the truly innovative solutions that can reshape industries. At Terra Energy, we believe that impactful, infrastructure-based innovation deserves more attention, especially in areas like energy resilience, sustainability, and the future of transportation. Check out our take on this challenging environment and how leaders like David Tisch stand against the grain in today's venture capital world.

Team San Diego! I though you may find this as surprising as I did...we are not alone. Read this quick article from Jon Prentice's (Silicon Valley Bank) interview with with James Newell (Voyager Capital), published in GeekWire on Seattle's innovation ecosystem....they lament the SAME issues as we do in San Diego: * Lack of angel investors, (Especially, it calls out, given the local giant tech co's) * "We need low-conviction check writers." * Lack of "cachet associated with being an angel investor" - We have similar efforts (as described in the article) to drum up angel activity: NuFund Venture Group and, Interlock Capital (read the article and you'll see why the Interlock effort is tops as relates to "paying back into the ecosystem") Connect.org strives to 'connect' innovative companies with investors of all types (angel, VC, PE...) - just see "Innovation Day". Their Springboard program provides another great way for experienced entrepreneurs to give back through mentorship...as for the companies going through Springboard: "Ask for advice, and you often get $$" Your thoughts on the article or San Diego innovation ecosystem? https://lnkd.in/gfwq6mfq

#Founders, your pitch deck is your startup’s first impression—and you’ve got to make it count. 💡 Did you know 89% of investors expect a pitch deck before even considering an investment? Yet less than 1% of startups actually land funding. In this article by Dr. Andre Retterath and Jérôme Jaggi, they break down the perfect pitch deck for pre-seed and seed startups based on data & facts, offering practical, evidence-backed insights to help you secure that crucial funding. 📊 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gdcPCMDW #startupdevelopment

🔍 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐅𝐨𝐫 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭) 🔍 For early-stage startups, securing seed or Series A funding is a game-changer! Investors at these stages look for different qualities, from MVP validation and early traction in the seed phase to product-market fit and scalability potential at Series A. 📈 Here’s a quick overview: 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 are looking for a clear vision, a validated MVP, early traction, and a passionate founding team. 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 expect a proven product-market fit, strong financial projections, and a scalable growth strategy. Platforms like 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 help founders meet these expectations with: 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 – A directory of investors, co-founders, and mentors.Resources – 500+ templates and guides for pitch decks, funding prep, and growth. 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 – Exclusive events to connect with potential investors and advisors. Building a scalable startup takes resources, networking, and a focused approach. With The Valley, founders can confidently navigate each funding stage and make the connections that drive success. read the full article at : https://lnkd.in/eq7XKAYY 🌟#StartupFunding #SeedFunding #SeriesAFunding #TheValley #StartupGrowth #Entrepreneurship

VCs look to fund founders that solve real problems for real people. Don’t be that founder! Many founders are missing the part of validating the problem they are solving, and jump to the solution space and try to validate the solution. Here are 5 ways to validate your startup problem: 1. Get out of the building as Steve Blank says in his Lean Startup Approach and interview potential customers. 2. Read reports by the top consultancies like McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company or reports by venture ecosystem platforms like Dealroom.co (Yoram Wijngaarde). 3. Have conversations with angel investors and VCs just asking for feedback. Many founders think of the relationship between founders and investors as only potential for money transactions. However, developing a relationship of feedback and validation with investors is extremely valuable as long as you set the expectations. 4. Build a Facebook page or some social presence and run a short campaign. You don't have to build something in order to validate your product, you can do a landing page, a marketing campaign and use simple tools to validate those hypothesis - Greg Isenberg is writing about the topic and have valuable insights. 5. See if there is competition of other venture back startups solving similar problems. That's a tricky one, since if there is lots of competition, you might have no place for innovation? well sometimes, but competitors don't have to be direct ones, and you can disrupt the solution to the problem they validate for you. What problems are you working on? #VentureCapital #Pitch

The most common fallacy I see among startups is viewing competition as static and themselves as dynamic and ever-growing. Founders when talking about their own startup: “We’re currently targeting [small market], but will be expanding into [larger market] eventually” “We don’t have feature X but it’s on the roadmap” “We’re focusing on growth now and will turn on profitability later” Founders when talking about competitors: “We’re different because ____ only serves [small market]” “We’re different because _____ doesn’t have feature Y that we have” “We’re different because _____ isn’t profitable / doesn’t have a real business model” See the hypocrisy? Spoiler alert — if your competitor has raised venture capital (or a strong performing large company) they likely have the same aggressive growth/expansion plans that you do. A short-term tactical advantage is not a long term differentiated strategy. Know the difference, and act accordingly!