Archive: Uncategorized
The Startup Valuation Madness Continues
By Adam Sharp on August 17, 2021
I recently went down to Miami for the Mining Disrupt conference. I met some very interesting startup founders building promising crypto companies. But I didn’t invest in any of them. The reason is simple: they were too expensive. For example, there was one pre-revenue startup in the crypto payment space. The founder was very charismatic, technically savvy, super smart and had very cool ideas. But the valuation was $15 million. As much as I liked the…
The Hottest Sector in Venture Capital
By Adam Sharp on September 22, 2020
Generally speaking, I don’t believe that online startup investors should have a set-in-stone investment thesis. Since deals come to us, we have to invest in the most attractive ones that come along. If we stick to a certain industry or category, we screen out potentially good…
Expanding the Definition of Accredited Investors
By Adam Sharp on September 1, 2020
This week the SEC expanded its definition of “accredited investor” (AI). Now investment professionals — as well as certain other individuals and groups — can qualify without satisfying the SEC’s income or wealth requirements — $200,000 annual income for the last two years…
Republic Founder Kendrick Nguyen Discusses Crowdfunding’s Future
By Vin Narayanan on August 5, 2020
Last week, Republic founder and CEO Kendrick Nguyen joined us for an exclusive live webinar. As many of you know, Republic is one of the most innovative equity crowdfunding platforms. In addition to helping everyday investors like you and me invest in startups, they also provide access to…
Invest in the Next Generation of Coders
By Andy Gordon on July 16, 2020
Deal Details Startup: CodeCombat Security type: Preferred equity Valuation: $25 million Share price: $1.71 Stage: Series A Minimum investment: $500 Where to invest: SeedInvest Deadline: August 7. (But campaign may end earlier if maximum target is reached.) CodeCombat…
Webinar: New Crowdfunding Portal Comes Online
By Andy Gordon on April 13, 2020
Crowdfunding portals are a critical part of the startup investing ecosystem. And the newest investment platform in the group, Equifund, is trying to add some new wrinkles in the space. Meet Equifund's founder and CEO, Jordan Gillissie, in this special webinar.
Crypto Monitor Is Back (and So Is Bitcoin)
By Early Investing on February 14, 2020
Adam Sharp and Vin Narayanan explain why they're bullish on bitcoin and why they're keeping a close eye on altcoins. They also suggest some good books to read.
Facebook’s Coin Will Repackage the Status Quo
By Andy Gordon on May 8, 2019
Facebook is already being hailed as revolutionary for looking to create its own digital coin. But it hardly fits that description.
News Fix: New York Stock Exchange Parent Company and Facebook Make Big Moves into Bitcoin and Blockchain
By Vin Narayanan on May 11, 2018
It’s hard to keep up with the news these days. Between CNBC, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Facebook and Twitter – just to name a few – there’s so much information flying around that it’s become hard to tell what’s really important… and what’s just noise. The cryptocurrency news…
Crypto Monitor Episode 7: What Does Good Regulation Look Like?
By Adam Sharp on May 11, 2018
One of the biggest things preventing institutional investors from entering the crypto market is regulations. They’re itching to get in, though. This week, we found out the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange is planning on building a bitcoin trading platform for big investors. Goldman Sachs…
Ethereum Scrutiny Might Actually Be Good News
By Vin Narayanan on May 3, 2018
Founder’s Note: I’d like to introduce you to Vin Narayanan. He’s our new senior managing editor and analyst. Vin knows his stuff when it comes to crypto, and today he’s giving us an update on the latest crypto regulation news. – Adam Sharp, Co-Founder, First Stage Investor Dear First Stage…
Dealflicks: New Round
By Adam Sharp on March 3, 2015
Dear Startup Investor: We recommended Dealflicks to you right before Christmas. We liked this impressive little startup then. We like it even more now. And for the best of reasons. It’s making great strides with its marketing and getting more and more theaters to sign up with it.