When Founders Need Referrals to Meet Investors, Fix This About Your Startup Ecosystem
Friday, 08 November 2024
In a well-functioning startup ecosystem, founders should know who their potential investors are and how to connect with them. In a supportive startup ecosystem, founders should know how to develop ventures that attract attention, supported by journalists and ecosystem leaders who promote fundable startups, so that investors engage them. Yet, we often see founders struggling
- Published in Raising Capital, Startup Ecosystems
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Rethinking Startup Ecosystems to Build What Investors Really Want
Monday, 28 October 2024
In most of the world, startups are in disrepair. No more effectively can we just reboot or defrag a computer to actually fix it, than we can try again and again to host demo days, networking events, and run incubators, expecting different results, when there is a virus in the system. Begging the question, that,
- Published in Economic Development, Industry, Insights / Research, Local, Startup Ecosystems, Startups
October 28, 2024 | SEC’s Enhanced Disclosure Rules Could Transform Startup Fundraising
Monday, 28 October 2024
Monday Ventures: Weekly What’s Shaping the Startup Economy In late October, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) passed new rules on private capital raise disclosures that have drawn widespread attention in the startup community. Historically, private companies and venture capitalists in the U.S. have enjoyed relatively light regulation in fundraising disclosures, which has allowed
- Published in Monday Ventures
The 6 Considerations of the Economic Development of Startups
Thursday, 29 August 2024
In my work with cities throughout the world, guiding how to foster entrepreneurship, few realize or fully appreciate that the experiences of my life inform what works and what doesn’t, in a region of the world trying to help startups. Raised in Michigan, I spent years exposed to what it means to have a city
- Published in Economic Development, Featured, Insights / Research, Startup Ecosystems, Startups
What it Takes to Make Your City “Next” in Innovation
Friday, 29 September 2023
So, the guy who chose and loves Austin has some thoughts about the potential of Houston. I had a chance to sit with Chris Howard during their interview series when in Austin, for Forging the Future through Softeq, where we talked about how culture and distinction draws entrepreneurship, tech, and capital. How Houston is on
- Published in Economic Development, Startups
Founders, VCs Might Not Like My Sharing This, But They Should
Thursday, 21 September 2023
One of the more challenging skills to help develop in a founder, is being able to discern b.s. from experienced and valid advice. As you might imagine (and I hope you can relate from the all too prolific frequency with which this happens), it’s particularly difficult to know how to put questions back on a
- Published in Insights / Research, Startups
Startup Founders, a Good Idea Solves a Problem, A Great Idea Creates Value
Thursday, 29 June 2023
We have a huge problem in the startup ecosystem; that’s that most founders have been misled by a lot of people to think in terms of Problem / Solution. That a solution to a problem is what matters foremost in a startup. And that has led to the notion that validation is a simple matter
- Published in Insights / Research, Startups