Investor Connect Podcast
Hall T Martin interviews angel and venture capital investors on how they invest and talks with CEOs who discuss their sector and what to look for. Hall T Martin also leads the Startup Funding Espresso series in which you can learn about startup funding and investing in the time it takes to have an espresso. https://investorconnect.org/
Episodes
In this episode of Investor Connect, host Hall Martin welcomes Darcy Bachert, Founder and CEO of Prolucid Technologies. Darcy shares the journey of Prolucid Technologies, a software engineering firm that specializes in designing and developing mission-critical systems for highly regulated industries such as med tech, nuclear, and industrial applications.
Darcy explains how the company pivoted from industrial automation to focusing...
The Downside of VC Funding
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
Venture capital can enable a startup to reach the next level through funding.
There are downsides to VC funding.
Here's a list:
The founders' ownership goes down by 20-25% on each fundraising round.
T...
The Failure Rate for Startups
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
The failure rate for startups is high at almost 90%.
Here's a list of reasons why startups fail:
The founders underestimate how long it will take to gain traction in the market.
The startup runs out of cash.
Six Months To Build, Six Months To Sell
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
Building a minimum viable product or MVP is a key step in a startup launch.
After some market research, there's an ideation step on what to build.
The rule of MVPs is that it should take no longer than six months ...
Founder Dilution
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
Founders raising funding incur dilution.
Their ownership stake goes down as they raise more funding.
Founders start with 100% ownership.
Each round of funding dilutes them by 25% or more.
On average, founders o...
Sizing Your VC Fund
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
In raising a VC fund, the size of the fund is a key component.
Here are the factors that impact the size:
The stage of startup.
The later the stage, the larger the fund size.
Sectors targeted.
S...
In this episode of Investor Connect, host Hall T. Martin speaks with the CEO of World Tree, who highlights the company's mission to commercialize the fastest-growing hardwood species, the Paulownia tree, also known as the Empress Splendor tree. This species is non-invasive, nitrogen-fixing, and capable of regenerating from its stump, providing renewable lumber over 50 years. Key points include the increasing demand for lumber and t...
How Investors Provide Mentorship at Scale
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
Startups seek out investors not only for funding but also mentorship.
Most pitch sessions are valuable not because they raised funding, but because they provided feedback to the founder.
The challenge for invest...
How To Analyze AI Startups
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
Artificial intelligence-based startups continue to grow and increase.
Investors funding AI companies should look for the following:
Market size.
New markets can be difficult to measure.
For brand ne...
The Importance of Unit Economics
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
The unit economics of a startup determine its success.
The stronger the unit economic case, the higher the margins, the faster the company grows.
In analyzing a startup, measure the unit economics regarding customer acqu...
What Is a Fund of Funds
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
Unlike most venture capital funds that invest in startups, a fund of funds invests in other funds that invest in startups.
Instead of investing in multiple funds, an investor can gain diversification by investing in a fund of funds.
Read more
The Fallacy of Stealth Mode
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
Startups often choose to stay in stealth mode in the early days to protect their idea.
In most cases, stealth mode doesn't help the startup and can actually hurt it.
Here's the downside of going into stealth mode:
Read more
In this edition of Investor Connect, Hall Martin sits down with Sanjay Kalluvilayil, founder and CEO of Stonehaas Advisors and host of The AI Space Podcast. Sanjay discusses his extensive consulting experience and how he now uses it to support AI startups. By offering both advisory services and fractional CXO support, Sanjay helps AI founders define their target markets, secure their first clients, and eventually scale their operat...
How Limited Partners Select VC Funds
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
Limited partners consist of pension funds, university endowments, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals.
Here's how LPs select VC funds for investment.
Track record.
The VC must have a track rec...
How To Learn To Pitch
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
Pitching is a key skill in startup fundraising.
Here are some key steps to learn how to pitch:
Consider taking classes and tutorials.
There are many tools now available online.
Consider signing up for a To...
Stick With It
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
Launching a startup is hard work.
The hours are long, and there are many obstacles to overcome.
The key to a successful startup is not funding from investors, but rather founders who stick with it.
Losing faith in the business...
Core Skills for Startup Founders
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
Startup founders are successful because they execute.
Many founders have ideas, but the execution separates the winners from the losers.
Here are the core skills of a startup founder:
They pick an idea and d...
What Makes for a Great Angel Investor
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
What makes for a great angel investor is a great fit for the startup.
An angel is a great fit for the startup if they meet the following criteria:
They have knowledge of your industry and can explain the insights in...
In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin welcomes Devin Baker, a writer, investor, and the founder of Comma Partners. Devin shares his journey into the world of crypto starting from 2020, his fascination with blockchain technology, and why he believes it's a transformative force similar to the internet.
He discusses the foundation and vision of Comma Partners, a fund investing in crypto, and how he perceives the intersectio...
What Are FormDs?
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
In the startup funding world, there's an SEC registration called a FormD.
A FormD is an SEC filing for those who raised funding under Regulation D rules.
It's a public notice indicating an investment has been made.
For comp...
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