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How to Diligence a Therapeutic Startup

How to Diligence a Therapeutic Startup

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    You have to look beyond your backyard

    November 13, 2022

    2min read  You have to look beyond your backyard Recently there has been a lively debate about the lack of funding in Texas. It’s not a new debate but an ongoing dialog between entrepreneurs and investors.  Entrepreneurs feel funding is scarce in Texas compared to other parts of the country.  Investors counter that they would invest more and more often if the deals were further along and better prepared. The debate is not new.  It comes up every year.  The solution is to change the way fundraising is handled.  It’s no longer in your backyard.  You must have a national focus on your fundraise from day one. When I was the director of the Central Texas Angel Network, we had just restarted the formal angel community in Austin.  The previous group, the Capital Network, had gone out as they were tied to the dot com world, and when that went away, they went away with it. At that time, it was a great boost to have a formal angel group in Austin so central Texas entrepreneurs could raise money in their backyard.  It worked for a while.  When we started, we had 15-20 deals on each round, of which 4 would receive presentation slots and 2 would get funding on average. As the years progressed, two things happened.  First, the number of deals grew.  Today it’s not unusual to see 75 to 100 deals considering CTAN, of which 4 will get to pitch to the membership, and 2 will get checks.  The funding rate is higher because there are more members, but fundamentally, entrepreneurs looking for funding have a 2% chance of getting it from the group. Daunting odds. Crowdfunding The second thing that happened is that crowdfunding came into its own.  After several years of debate and government ()activity, the rules are starting to change.  It’s now possible to raise from non-accredited and accredited investors who are not in your backyard.  At CTAN, we all gathered at the Headliners club in downtown Austin to see the live pitches.  With crowdfunding, one can source angels from across the country, if not further, because the pitches are online.  The tools are improving, and the entrepreneur’s ability to use those tools is increasing. The world of angel investing is going vertical.  The chance that an angel investor interested in your particular application (mobile apps, enterprise software, consumer product goods, etc.) is in your backyard is shrinking.  You must reach the country to reach an investor interested in your stage and type of deal. Crowdfunding is how you do that.  By placing your deal, online angel investors can now find you.  You can now reach angel investors from a broader area. It’s helpful to have some support from your local area, but from day one, entrepreneurs should have a national perspective on their fundraise.  If you have a real business (not just an idea), you probably have an investor out there who would be interested in your deal.  He’s no longer in your backyard. Read More TEN Capital Education Here Hall T. Martin is the founder and CEO of the TEN Capital Network. TEN Capital has been connecting startups with investors for over ten years. You can connect with Hall about fundraising, business growth, and emerging technologies via LinkedIn or email: hallmartin@tencapital.group

    Funding Analytics–How it helps you raise funding

    November 10, 2022

    2min read Funding Analytics–How it helps you raise funding Fundraising is moving from a local exercise to a global one.  One can still get a loan from a local bank or an equity investment from a local angel group, but the availability of capital throughout the world awaits those who know where to find it. Investment Analytics shows investors how to make better investment decisions.  Funding Analytics shows entrepreneurs how to find better investors.  By researching the track record and criteria of venture capital funds, private equity funds, and angel group portfolios, entrepreneurs can more accurately target the right investor group for their deals. Funding Analytics includes the current market rate for valuations — always a key decision in negotiation with investors. Analytics shows the best way to approach investors and keep them informed of your progress. Funding Analytics shows which investors have funds ready to deploy versus those who are still raising their next fund. Funding Analytics shows the required due diligence documents and how to build them. Total capital investment throughout the world is over $100 Trillion. The funding is there — to find it you’ll need Funding Analytics. Read More TEN Capital Education Here Hall T. Martin is the founder and CEO of the TEN Capital Network. TEN Capital has been connecting startups with investors for over ten years. You can connect with Hall about fundraising, business growth, and emerging technologies via LinkedIn or email: hallmartin@tencapital.group

    The Contractor Startup: Why it gives the investor pause

    November 7, 2022

    2min read The Contractor Startup: Why it gives the investor pause I hear many entrepreneur pitches, and the one point that stops the conversation cold comes when the entrepreneur says he can start building the business just as soon as he raises funding.  He explains why he can’t do anything unless he has funding. An investor hears that the entrepreneur and his team can’t (won’t?) build the product unless someone is paying them, and there are no customers to pay the team.  Again, the team can’t (won’t?) sell the product unless someone is paying them. I call this type of business– the “salaried startup.”  They only work when money is available to fund the process.  Bootstrapping, sweat equity, and doing it for the passion isn’t in the mix.  If the investor asks for traction or other evidence of progress, the excuses fly fast and furious–a thousand reasons why that’s not possible.  The investor imagines this conversation at a post-investment meeting and hears, “I can’t grow sales unless you give me more money to hire more people,” or “I can’t build more product unless you give me more funding.” At scale, this is certainly true. In a seed-stage startup, this is certainly not true. The investor is looking for team building and growing the business now.  It may grow slowly, but it is moving forward.  In the early days, the founders built it and sold it.  They’re not waiting for someone to pay them to do so.  Those who take that path are “contractors,” not “entrepreneurs”. You can start building your startup now.  You can grow it with or without funding. If the fully funded startup is your only path forward, you’ll find fewer investors willing to climb aboard. Read More TEN Capital Education Here Hall T. Martin is the founder and CEO of the TEN Capital Network. TEN Capital has been connecting startups with investors for over ten years. You can connect with Hall about fundraising, business growth, and emerging technologies via LinkedIn or email: hallmartin@tencapital.group

    The Three Levels of Due Diligence

    October 28, 2022

    2min read How much due diligence is enough? While there are many checklists and rules of thumb surrounding the process of due diligence, the endpoint never seems clear. Most investors dedicate a certain number of hours, 20, 30, or more, and when those hours are used up, they make the investment decision. In my experience, there are three levels of due diligence: First Level The first level answers the question, “do we invest or not?” After reviewing the standard documents and talking to customers and industry professionals, the investor decides if the potential rewards outweigh the risks. Second Level The second level of due diligence answers the question,” what will the startup have to accomplish to be successful?” This is not always an obvious answer, such as making sales, or gain a 10% market share, or ensuring the product works. There are often one or two critical factors that determine success. In today’s world, it increasingly comes down to cost. The cost of customer acquisition, product development, or something else. Yes, the startup can find customers and sell a product, but at the end of the day, the margins come out razor-thin, if not negative. Another critical factor I see is building the team. Can we find the right people to fill the gaps (and there are always gaps)? Do you know what the startup must do to achieve success? Third Level The third level of due diligence answers the question: What can the investor do to help the startup succeed? Nothing is more frustrating than seeing a startup failing and not being able to do much about it due to a lack of knowledge of the industry, the market, or the technology. If you can’t help the startup, it’s questionable that it’s a good investment for the angel.  I’ve never invested in a startup that, at some point, didn’t need help. On the other hand, if I can help the startup through connections, mentorship, or team building, then it may be a good fit. Read More TEN Capital Education Here Hall T. Martin is the founder and CEO of the TEN Capital Network. TEN Capital has been connecting startups with investors for over ten years. You can connect with Hall about fundraising, business growth, and emerging technologies via LinkedIn or email: hallmartin@tencapital.group

    Five Characteristics of a Lead Investor

    October 23, 2022

    2min read Five Characteristics of a Lead Investor I often hear of entrepreneurs stuck in their fund raise efforts with several prospective investors but no one willing to be the first.  That’s because the first investor could be the last in a deal, and no one wants to be that investor. The lead investor breaks down that barrier by providing the initial capital and due diligence that paves the way for others to join the deal. Here are some key characteristics of a lead investor: The Lead investor provides a substantial sum of capital, at least $100K. The $25K check writer should not be leading the deal. The Lead investor also gives advice. He should have experience in the industry and know well the problem the company is solving. By going first, he’s putting his reputation on the line, making him your lead advocate.  Keeping the lead informed is essential as he’s championing your deal more than other investors. He should also bring a strong reputation that attracts others to your deal. Finally, the lead investor performs the initial due diligence. All investors should be performing their due diligence, but most will use the lead investors’ work as the basis for their decision.  This can easily reach 30 to 40 hours of work.  Signing up a lead investor can be challenging if the entrepreneur doesn’t offer compensation. Finding a lead investor helps to start with those who know your industry and market.  Those with a successful business track record are ideal candidates. They say it takes seven touches to close a sale, so it takes seven touches to close an investor. Read more TEN Capital Network Education Here Hall T. Martin is the founder and CEO of the TEN Capital Network. TEN Capital has been connecting startups with investors for over ten years. You can connect with Hall about fundraising, business growth, and emerging technologies via LinkedIn or email: hallmartin@tencapital.group

    How to Identify Quality Companies for Investment

    July 27, 2022

    3 min read When starting out, it can be difficult to know how to identify quality companies for investment. In funding startups, investors need to find a source of deal flow that provides venture-fundable deals. Venture-Fundable Deals Venture-funded companies typically share these characteristics:   Recurring or repeat revenue business model   Doubling revenue year over year   Tech-enabled   Strong team with industry experience   Large target market allowing the firm to scale In searching for a startup in which to invest, you should look for all of these characteristics. Learn About Sectors Before Investing Many startup investors begin with a portfolio theory approach in which one makes a few investments across a broad range of sectors. I often hear, “My strategy is to invest in good deals.” This is easier said than done. A broad-based investing approach requires the investor to come up to speed on each and every sector. That’s a lot of homework for an investment in one or two deals. Some investors choose to focus on a few key domains and become an expert in those areas. By diving deep, one can understand the trends, challenges, and factors that drive company success. There’s a risk that if you have too many companies in a sector, you are at risk for major disruptions. If the sector is broad enough, you can move to new areas within the space as it matures. How to Find Deals in a Sector To find deals in a sector, you can search Crunchbase for industry-specific reports. Pitchbook produces funded reports by sector by subscribing to their daily newsletter. Conferences are a great place to find personal introductions and meet with new startups. Also, venture capital is evolving into service models in which they not only fund the companies but also help with operations such as sales, CFO, etc. It’s not hard to find a list of VC firms focused on a sector. Identifying the Risks Every sector comes with its risks, such as regulations. Also, disruption from new technologies is an ever-present risk in the industry. By spending time with startups and investors in the space, it becomes clear where the threats come from and what one can do to mitigate the risk. Read more on the TEN Capital eGuide: How to Invest in a Startup Hall T. Martin is the founder and CEO of the TEN Capital Network. TEN Capital has been connecting startups with investors for over ten years. You can connect with Hall about fundraising, business growth, and emerging technologies via LinkedIn or email: hallmartin@tencapital.group

    How do VCs Make Money?

    April 25, 2022

    2 min read Many individuals looking to enter the investor realm will consider becoming a venture capitalist. This can be a profitable endeavor, however, it does come with unique challenges and obstacles to overcome. In this article, we discuss some of the challenges of being a VC as well as how VCs raise money and venture funding. Challenges of Being a VC Many people want to work for a VC especially those straight out of college. Most are not aware of the challenging dynamics that come with the VC life.  Here are a few: Raising Funding: Just like startups, the VC has to raise funds too.  LPs tend to be rear-view-mirror oriented and not focused on the cutting edge of new technologies and markets.  Working With Partners: You rarely make the decisions alone, but rather with the other partners.  Ego and other agendas are often at play. Getting Deals Done: You have to convince others you have a winner on deck and sell it all the way through the process.  Managing the Deal Flow: Untold numbers of startups want to talk with you and only a small fraction are meeting your funds’ criteria. Dealing with Co-Investors:  It’s rare for a fund to take the entire round. There’re usually other investors in the deal.  Who gets how much of the deal and what board seats, are often an issue.The rollercoaster ride that is the startup life- things often don’t go well at the portfolio companies and this weighs heavily on the VCs who invest in them. How VCs Make Money VCs charge the limited partners a management fee on the funds raised. This is traditionally 2% paid out every year for the life of the fund. Some funds stop the management fee around year six or seven as proceeds from the investments start coming in. MicroVCs often charge 2.5 or 3% of the funds raised since the number of funds is lower than standard.  The second source is called “carry” and is a percentage of any proceeds going back to the investor from the investments. This is traditionally 20%. Some funds start taking carry at the beginning of the investment returns, while other funds start this after the investor receives their initial investment. How VCs Raise Venture Funding VCs raise funding from limited partners which include family offices, high-net-worth individuals, foundations, pension funds, and other sources. Institutional investors, such as pension funds, require a track record. Due to this, first-time VCs tend to focus on family offices and high-net-worth individuals.  The VC develops an investment thesis which is a reason why their approach to selecting and funding deals will be successful. They build out their investment prospectus which includes the investment thesis, how it’s unique, the fees the limited partners will pay, and how the profits will be distributed. The VC then meets with limited partners to pitch the investment thesis, track record, and view of the market. Limited partners look to fund VCs who have a unique investment thesis and access to deal flow they do not. You can read more in our TEN Capital Network eGuide: How to Raise a VC Fund Hall T. Martin is the founder and CEO of the TEN Capital Network. TEN Capital has been connecting startups with investors for over ten years. You can connect with Hall about fundraising, business growth, and emerging technologies via LinkedIn or email: hallmartin@tencapital.group

    Five Key Elements to a Startup Story

    April 13, 2022

    2 min read Your story is a critical part of your fundraise pitch. There are five key elements to a startup story and they are the purpose, the hero, the mission, the obstacle, and finally, the plot. Continue reading below to learn more about each of these elements and how to incorporate them into your startup story. Purpose The purpose comes from what inspired your startup. There’s something about the world that you want to change, so you started the company to fix it. Next, connect your theme to a universal principle or truth that everyone recognizes. Now, build your story around that theme. Show how your startup’s mission reflects your core principles and values in your story. Also, avoid common mistakes such as trying to tell the investor how your product works in minute detail. It’s better to focus on the benefits of what your product does rather than the features. Hero The hero is the character whose journey the audience cares about the most. In a startup fundraise story, this is the CEO. Most heroes are trusty and likable. The audience empathizes with them in some way. Your story should focus on the hero and not just the product. Investors are seeking to build a relationship with people. The company takes on the persona of the CEO. If the CEO is trustworthy, then the company will be considered reliable. In your startup fundraise story, think how the CEO fills the role of the hero. Mission The Mission is the job to be done. It’s the goal of the hero both now and beyond the story. For your startup story, focus on what the CEO is trying to accomplish and how they plan to solve it. Outline how complex the problem is for the customer and how it can be easier. Show how the proposed solution will save time and money for the customer. Talk about the steps to accomplish the mission and how you will bring the solution to the market.  Finally, show how the product achieves the customer’s desired outcome. In telling the startup story, use the mission to set the direction. Obstacle The obstacle stands between the hero and the goal. All good stories have a conflict that needs to be overcome. Obstacles could be competitors, lack of knowledge, regulations, and more. The obstacle creates tension which holds the audience’s attention and helps them experience the story for themselves. For your startup story, show the CEO facing the challenge of bringing the product to the market.  Investors will empathize with the plight as they have been there themselves. Show how the CEO overcomes those challenges as the investors look for grit, determination, and persistence. Plot The plot is a series of events that leads to achieving the mission. Plots can be set up in several ways and choosing the right model will help make the story more engaging. You could play the David fighting Goliath, the small startup taking on the big corporation. You could tell a Rags to Riches story- how a small startup hit upon a big idea. Or you can position it as a quest by showing the entrepreneur’s journey and the lessons learned. From the story, the investor should see how you, the CEO, had an idea that changed the world.  Read more on the TEN Capital eGuide: How to Craft a Startup Story Hall T. Martin is the founder and CEO of the TEN Capital Network. TEN Capital has been connecting startups with investors for over ten years. You can connect with Hall about fundraising, business growth, and emerging technologies via LinkedIn or email: hallmartin@tencapital.group

    How do you know when to invest in a startup?

    April 8, 2022

    2 min read As an investor, it helps to have a specified investment strategy. This helps narrow down investment decisions and ensures that you are making the right decisions for your specific circumstances. In this article, we discuss the difference between investing in funds and investing in startups. Investing in Funds Investing in a fund works best when you are not familiar with a sector or geography and don’t have the time to research and learn more about it.  Additionally, if access to deals is time-consuming or difficult, then a fund may be a better approach. If the funding requirements are greater than your resources, you may want to invest through a fund. For example, some sectors require several millions of dollars to participate in a deal so it’s a good strategy to pool your funds with others to participate. Finally, funds provide diversification that can be more difficult to achieve with direct investments.  Investing in Startups Startups are very risky, and managing a startup investment can be a lot harder than it looks. Here are the basic points to consider: How much should you invest in startups? Invest no more than 3% of your discretionary income.  There are many good deals out there but for the most part, the investment is illiquid for a long time.  Where do you find deals? There are many sources including angel groups, networks, syndicates, and MicroVC funds that let you invest directly in the startup as well as the fund. Should you invest alone or in a group? This depends on your investing style.  A group can give you access to more deal flow and due diligence support.  On the other hand, the group may pursue deals you are not interested in and vice versa.   How do you get started? Figure out what you want to invest in and then ask what resources you need to do so successfully.  Seek investors and groups that can help you achieve your goal.    Read more in our TEN Capital Network eGuide: How to Invest in a Startup Hall T. Martin is the founder and CEO of the TEN Capital Network. TEN Capital has been connecting startups with investors for over ten years. You can connect with Hall about fundraising, business growth, and emerging technologies via LinkedIn or email: hallmartin@tencapital.group

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