tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911672266822781901.post7461005918955165494..comments2023-11-21T00:58:09.580-08:00Comments on Kevin's Corner: Raising Seed Capital In The "Great" RecessionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911672266822781901.post-90085752740723411352009-02-14T07:29:00.000-08:002009-02-14T07:29:00.000-08:00MarkNZ,I doubt that US VC's would invest in a New ...MarkNZ,<BR/>I doubt that US VC's would invest in a New Zealand startup unless the proposition was extremely compelling. However, I would not discourage you from submitting your business plan to a number of VC's to get their read on your business.<BR/>You Never Know!!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12684118277386038574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911672266822781901.post-43294665988124953312009-01-16T00:31:00.000-08:002009-01-16T00:31:00.000-08:00Thanks Kevin. I'm actually in the process of looki...Thanks Kevin. I'm actually in the process of looking for funding for my company so this was a great article to read.emarketedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630183824528080828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911672266822781901.post-26740338870910311852009-01-07T12:13:00.000-08:002009-01-07T12:13:00.000-08:00Hi Kevin how realistic is it do you think for US a...Hi Kevin how realistic is it do you think for US angels/ VC's to invest outside the US? Im in New Zealand with a web 2.0 project for investment...2Reviewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10201111273826713837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911672266822781901.post-46130347685713553402009-01-02T10:37:00.000-08:002009-01-02T10:37:00.000-08:00Hey Kevin,Read all your posts on fund raising, lik...Hey Kevin,<BR/><BR/>Read all your posts on fund raising, liked them so linked them.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the great posts.<BR/><BR/>--<BR/>Kishore<BR/><BR/>http://smartrepreneur.wordpress.com/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911672266822781901.post-16285574596539706302008-12-29T15:08:00.000-08:002008-12-29T15:08:00.000-08:00I never considered the broker route. It sounds lik...I never considered the broker route. It sounds like you have extensive knowledge in this space. The financial adviser route is something I am familiar with. It would be great if you could point us to a broker network or individual brokers that can help some of the entrepreneurs get that first round.<BR/>Thanks,<BR/>KevinAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12684118277386038574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911672266822781901.post-21522555482114391732008-12-29T12:02:00.000-08:002008-12-29T12:02:00.000-08:00Excellent article. Here are some additional commen...Excellent article. Here are some additional comments which may be helpful. With regard to seed stage cos, the entrepreneur really needs to consider just what it is that he is looking for relative to the objectives of the "funding class". By funding class, I mean FFF, Angels or VCs or PE Funds. <BR/><BR/>Often startup companies are better off considering those funding sources with objectives that match the parameters of a startup; in other words, the three F's (friends, Family and Fools) and then Angels - it the amount to be raised that is relevant: 200K - $2MM. VC's tend to look at ventures that require a bit more in funding and are a bit further along. So where does one find these sources (Angels, HNW individuals, etc)? One source that is often overlooked is, believe it or not, brokerage firms and Investment Advisors. Not the Schwabs of this world, but the local mom-n-pop operations. They ALL represent high net worth individuals, often who are members of Angel Networks, etc. Many individuals are retired execs who may have a big interest in your particular project... It may be counterintuitive to think of a broker dealer or an RIA for this purpose - because many BDs want a fee for their efforts (never pay anything up-front!), and it is relatively difficult to establish a working relationship with a BD or RIA- but - small broker dealers represent client investors who really do the lionshare of capital formation in this country. Don't think of the bg deals you hear mentioned in mainsteam financial media - think of all the small businesses that get funded every day. Banks often cannot make loans for these kinds of projects, and it is Broker Dealers and RIAs who pick them up. In the aggregate, there is a tremendous amount of capital formation that gets done at smaller BDs and RIAs. <BR/><BR/>The Problem is, many broker dealers and RIAs simply don't engage in capital formation. <BR/><BR/>But there is an interesting trend amongst those who do... Given the recent crisis, firms are lowering their risk tolerance accross the board. And broker dealers and RIAs are coping by <I>spreading the risk</I> - forming placement agent relationships with other broker dealers and advisors to take down deals. <BR/><BR/>These networks are becomming very powerful, and allow for rapid information sharing -cutting months off of the normal traditional process for raising capital. Unfortunately, there are relatively few resources for locating these networks. But if you have a "smaller" project you may be pleasantly surprised at the results. Right now they are all struggling to stay in business - which means on the one hand lowered risk per deal, but on the other hand means more collaborative activity - more firms doing more deals - which can speed the plow dramatically.<BR/><BR/> This would not apply, of corse, to those doing projects outside of the United States.roganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10065518452348013991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911672266822781901.post-4217200155014323152008-12-28T05:10:00.000-08:002008-12-28T05:10:00.000-08:00I consistently get requests for funding and startu...I consistently get requests for funding and startup information from entrepreneurs outside of the US. I have personally been involved in discussions with a number of VC's outside of the US and consider VC's outside of the US to be great sources of capital to entrepreneurs in those countries and for startups not domiciled in the same country as the VC. In a future blog I will cover those resources. If any VC or investor would like to be identified in the future blog please let me know.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12684118277386038574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911672266822781901.post-52140022818255634692008-12-24T02:01:00.000-08:002008-12-24T02:01:00.000-08:00Great post Kevin, if you want to addto your inter...Great post Kevin, if you want to addto your international list we are a seed fund based in Europe that invests in 'Italian driven innovation'. So far we have funded 7 italian startups: 2 based in the US and 5 in Italy.<BR/>www.dpixel.itdgiluzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12644005461945198739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911672266822781901.post-47736441843678616232008-12-22T14:46:00.000-08:002008-12-22T14:46:00.000-08:00Possible. I am working with a group in Singapore t...Possible. I am working with a group in Singapore that invests in the Philippines. I will learn more about them over the next several weeks and will keep you in mind if I feel confident that they are actively investing in your country.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12684118277386038574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5911672266822781901.post-65041868109047575382008-12-22T14:12:00.000-08:002008-12-22T14:12:00.000-08:00Kevin,Thanks for your Leads. Your Blog is a timely...Kevin,<BR/>Thanks for your Leads. Your Blog is a timely guide for Start-up Entrepreneurs seeking "Seed Capital" in our period of this "Great Recession". I wonder however if you have any Lead seeking out Start-up Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries - and particularly.in the Philippines. Thanks again.<BR/>Ernie / manilaman_ecc@yahoo.commanilamanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00091646323212466336noreply@blogger.com