Once the funding process is completed for a start-up, the real work for a VC begins in terms of helping to grow its business. A primary way this is done is via on-going Board meetings in which the VC partner/Board members actively engage in understanding how well (or not) the business is performing. Board meetings…More
Stock traders used to sift through charts to make decisions on what to buy and sell. As a trader, you could take advantage of inefficiencies in the market before others did. As more robust computer systems were developed, PhDs built sophisticated machine algorithms that made split second decisions on trades. While human traders still operate…More
We often are asked by entrepreneurs how we find startups to potentially invest in (in essence, our deal flow). The ways in which an entrepreneur might best connect with VCs has been covered by a number of other VCs across the web, but we thought it might be helpful for entrepreneurs to put this question…More
One of the best speakers at last month’s SXSW in Austin was Becky Wang. Becky is the Head of Analytical Strategy at Drog5 in NYC. She has an interesting background involving financial services, film production and new media marketing. She presented a compelling presentation on the power “big data” (i.e. any data created by an…More
While a growing number of businesses today are starting to use social media in marketing their business, there is always a risk of putting execution before strategy. This is a real danger with social media because too many businesses realize too late that once you begin a social media initiative (such as a Facebook Fan…More
Over the past year at Thomvest Ventures, we’ve seen startups raise money much faster and at valuations sometimes several times higher than was possible just a short time ago. One place that the investor community has pointed to as fueling the recent fundraising boom is AngelList, a website that allows startups seeking funding to post…More
When you live in Silicon Valley like we do at Thomvest, you can’t help but be amazed how quickly what you hear as a rumor turns into a consumer reality for sale at your local retailer or online. This is especially true for consumer electronics that are currently undergoing an unprecedented explosion of innovation and…More
This blog is the second half of a series on how we evaluate startups using our recent investment in Apsalar to provide a practical example. To read Part I please click here. This blog covers the final 3 phases of the investment process, including: (i) final due diligence and Thomvest internal review, (ii) negotiating terms,…More
As a young VC trying to understand the inner workings and financing of startups, my first year has been crammed full of reading tech articles, books, Hacker News, Quora entries, and watching Ustream and YouTube clips. While there is a large amount of helpful information for entrepreneurs seeking funding, I haven’t found many thorough descriptions…More
