financing Archives - Startup Economist

Startups, It’s About Returns to Investors

Wednesday, 20 November 2019 by Paul O'Brien

I’ve had a particularly interesting week in Austin; through some events and lots of coffees, I’ve meet with a ton of founders, perhaps more than ever in 3 days alone. Interesting why? Easily half, argued with me that startup investors are seeking revenue and don’t require an exit. At least, that’s what they’re being told.

Published in Startups

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How Startups and Small Businesses Differ When it Comes to Funding

Monday, 04 March 2019 by Paul O'Brien

Funding doesn’t determine a startup from a small business; the nature of the business determines the funding. Twist of logic perhaps, so let’s explore it. Very frequently, I find small businesses looking to raise venture capital; let me cut to the chase that such efforts are almost always wasting their time. The distinctions between small

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Published in Startups

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Frequently Asked: How can I identify venture capital companies and investors who might be interested?

Thursday, 22 June 2017 by Paul O'Brien

Where can I pitch my startup? Who will fund us? Those are the questions typically heard and occasionally, too rarely, someone asks the more valuable question, how do I figure out who will fund me? Who will fund you gets the heart of an exercise far too few startups conduct; asking the question of whether

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Published in Startups

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Pitch Slap – How Your Attempt to Get Your Startup Funded is Failed by Your Pitch

Wednesday, 22 June 2016 by Paul O'Brien

You take the stage, perhaps at a demo event or perhaps even in a smaller sense, with an Angel cattle call, group of investors, or even with the press. You’ve been practicing in front of the mirror for weeks the pitch designed for you by the local incubator, crafted after Guy Kawasaki’s famous 10 slides,

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Published in Raising Capital

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Where are Austin’s Venture Capital Firms?

Tuesday, 03 May 2016 by Paul O'Brien

Of late I’ve been exploring, discussing, and working with Austin’s venture capital economy. We’ll not belabor the ongoing discussions of the state of venture capital, lack of funding, future of financing, and otherwise here; rather, what struck me as potentially helpful is a mere layout of where venture capital is found. Certainly, before we can

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Published in Industry, Insights / Research, Raising Capital, Texas Startups

17 Comments

Why Should Anyone Fund Your Startup?

Tuesday, 12 April 2016 by Paul O'Brien

Referred to by a couple local financing executives as “the best seminar they have been to here in Austin,” I recently had the honor of moderating a discussion of venture capital funding, thanks to the support and hard work of Texas State University’s SBDC and Frost Bank. Why so compelling? That’s precisely the question we

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Published in Industry, Insights / Research, Startups

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Why Tech Startup Investors Expecting Revenue are Wrong

Monday, 04 April 2016 by Paul O'Brien

A far too frequently overheard conversation in the startup community goes something like this: “Apparently neither Instagram nor Snapchat had paying customers while receiving both seed and series A funding?! I couldn’t believe it. Investors, advisors, and incubators these days are constantly trumpeting that a monetization model (or at least an anticipated revenue trajectory) is

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Published in Startups

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