Venture Capital Strategy: How to Think Like a Venture Capitalist
“value proposition.” It is not good enough to be clever or novel. An idea must somehow make the world a better place. It must change the world for the better. However, this needs to occur in the context of a world that hates change.
Patrick Vernon • Venture Capital Strategy: How to Think Like a Venture Capitalist
The answer is that both numbers are negotiated and are influenced by a variety of factors, some driven by the startup and its needs, and some by the VCs and our needs.
Patrick Vernon • Venture Capital Strategy: How to Think Like a Venture Capitalist
It is most important because it guarantees the VCs the right to continue to invest in a startup as it grows.
Patrick Vernon • Venture Capital Strategy: How to Think Like a Venture Capitalist
explore product/market fit, we are going to deconstruct Marc’s definition into three key questions about a startup: How are we solving customers’ problems?Value Proposition Are there enough customers out there? Market Size Can we prove that customers really want it?Traction
Patrick Vernon • Venture Capital Strategy: How to Think Like a Venture Capitalist
how easily other companies might enter the market, whether there are other types of products that could solve this problem and the relative power of buyers and sellers.
Patrick Vernon • Venture Capital Strategy: How to Think Like a Venture Capitalist
- the need for cash to grow; and 2) the desire to avoid dilution.
Patrick Vernon • Venture Capital Strategy: How to Think Like a Venture Capitalist
The best tool for estimating exit valuations is identifying comps, or comparables: other startups that have already exited.
Patrick Vernon • Venture Capital Strategy: How to Think Like a Venture Capitalist
VC firms often come together in a deal by syndicating, meaning having multiple VC firms participate in an investment round.
Patrick Vernon • Venture Capital Strategy: How to Think Like a Venture Capitalist
Daily Active Users (DAU) / Monthly Active Users (MAU) This metric has evolved into the gold standard of engagement for many types of startups. It is represented as a raw number of users or a percentage of overall users who interact daily or monthly.
Patrick Vernon • Venture Capital Strategy: How to Think Like a Venture Capitalist
with potential customers, getting their feedback and responding quickly to their needs.