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New Pick: Invest in the Google for Videos

By Andy Gordon on April 8, 2021

Deal Details Startup: Vyrill Security type: Convertible Note Valuation (cap): $8 million  Minimum investment: $250 Where to invest: Wefunder Deadline: April 23, 2021  There’s a big black hole in the internet’s video search capabilities. One small company is way ahead of anybody else in filling it. And in doing so, it…

Why SPACs are Good for Startup Investors

By Vin Narayanan on April 7, 2021

Have you ever been in a conversation or argument where you come up with the perfect response five minutes after the talk ends? It happens to me all the time. And I hate that empty feeling. You can’t return to the conversation to share your comeback or key…
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Startup Insider: How to Judge Cannabis Startups

By Vin Narayanan on April 5, 2021

Andy Gordon and I have run across plenty of cannabis startups raising capital over the past few months. But none of them stood out as good investment opportunities. So we decided to sit down today and talk about what we’re looking for in a good cannabis startup —…
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Market Rallies on PayPal Crypto News

By Adam Sharp on April 2, 2021

Towards the end of last week bitcoin was trading around $54,000. And I honestly wasn’t sure which way we were going to break, up or down. I really would have been fine either way. As I said last week, the market needs a…
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Keep Your Eyes on Ethereum

By Vin Narayanan on April 1, 2021

Ethereum needs a better publicist. Bitcoin grabs all of the headlines. Yesterday we learned Goldman Sach jumped on the bitcoin bandwagon and will soon be offering bitcoin investment vehicles to its wealthiest clients. BlackRock has quietly begun trading…

Why Founders Refuse VC Money

By Andy Gordon on March 31, 2021

Venture capital (VC) investing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Last week I talked about the many things that crowdfunding does that appeal to founders and investors alike. Today, I’d like to focus more on the VC side of investing. And why…
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Three AngelList Syndicates Worth A Look

By Adam Sharp on March 30, 2021

I’m an AngelList superfan. It’s a beautiful marketplace for early-stage investors. The site has grown incredibly since I started investing in 2014, and today there are more than 100 syndicates to choose from. Here are some of my favorites. Jenny Rooke – Biotech …
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Today bitcoin is bouncing back, trading near $54,000. Over the last week it fell from a high of near $60,000 to a low of about $51,000. This is nothing to worry about for long-term holders in my view. Actually, it would be good for things to…

Choose Startups for Tech Exposure

By Adam Sharp on March 26, 2021

Tech stocks are getting eye-wateringly expensive. Here are a few examples using their price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. Tesla: 997x Square: 490x Netflix: 83x Amazon: 73x Zoom: 140x These are all very well-run companies which probably have bright…
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A Brighter Future Through Startups

By Andy Gordon on March 25, 2021

I’ve been thinking a lot about the “big picture” and the future recently. I guess it’s because last week I welcomed my first grandchild into the world. I want Sammy to live a happy, meaningful life. And I worry that for many of our newest humans, that’s becoming…

What VC Gets Wrong About Crowdfunding

By Andy Gordon on March 24, 2021

A tech startup founder was bragging to me about his recent hires a couple of days ago. He found some outstanding people and said that the talent available in 2021 was off the charts.  But it wasn’t just luck or happenstance. The highly experienced people he…
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Last week, the SEC’s new rules around equity crowdfunding went into effect. Now companies can raise up to $5 million per year from the crowd. On the first day, we got a good idea of the potential of this new medium. Gumroad — an online platform…
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The Most Interesting Person in Startups: Buck Jordan

By Early Investing on March 22, 2021

Some of you may remember the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World TV commercials. Buck Jordan, the CEO and founder of Wavemaker Labs, is the startup equivalent of the Most Interesting Man in the World. And Andy Gordon and Vin Narayanan interviewed him Friday for this…
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Don’t Get Caught Up in the NFT Craze

By Adam Sharp on March 19, 2021

What an amazing year it’s been for crypto investors. A year ago we were down in the dumps, and today we’re flying high. One of the most remarkable recent phenomena has been the rise in popularity of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). NFTs are digital collectibles that are…
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New Pick: Invest in the Future of Capital Formation

By Adam Sharp on March 19, 2021

DEAL DETAILS Startup: Wefunder Security: Preferred Stock Round size: Side-by-side round — up to $5 million under Reg CF Valuation: $160,000,000 Share price: $2.19862 Minimum investment: $100 Investment portal:…

Venture Capital Is Facing Real Competition at Last

By Adam Sharp on March 19, 2021

On Monday, the SEC’s new startup investing rules went into effect. Startups can now raise $5 million annually through equity crowdfunding. That’s a 5x increase from the previous limit. I really can’t overstate how important this change is. It’s a monumental moment for startups — and…