Archive: startup

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Startup Insider: The Need for Equal Access

By Early Investing on November 9, 2020

We’re entering a new era in startup investing. Starting next year, startups will be able to raise $5 million from investors like you and me (instead of $1.07 million). That means we’re going to see even more high quality startups to invest in. But the new rules also create new (and solvable) problems. And one of the biggest problems is equal access to information. In this edition of Startup Insider, Vin Narayanan and Andy Gordon talk…

Startup Investing Just Got 5x Better

By Adam Sharp on November 6, 2020

Something monumental happened for startup investors this week. The SEC increased the limit for public startup fundraising rounds from $1.07 million to $5 million (per year, per company).  This is a very big deal. Startups can now raise almost five times…
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What the New Reg CF Limit Means for Founders

By Andy Gordon on November 5, 2020

I’m doing something different today. I want to give founders some advice. I’ve been alerting every founder I talk to about this. And I’m shocked that just a handful of them are aware of the biggest boon that has come their way in a very long time. So,…

Brick-and-Mortar Retail Isn’t Dying

By Andy Gordon on November 4, 2020

Thank goodness this isn’t the 80’s. If COVID-19 happened back then, we’d be in a full-blown depression by now. The rolling shutdown of non-essential stores and restaurants across the country would have maimed and crippled the economy. The 80’s had great music but no internet — and no…
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New Portal Joins the Crowdfunding Scene

By Andy Gordon on November 2, 2020

As early investors, we’ve seen dozens of exciting high-upside companies raising funds from the crowd this year. Deal flow has never been better. And crowdfunders have responded by backing these companies with record dollar amounts. It’s a good time to be an early investor (and a…

Big Tech’s Growing Vulnerability

By Adam Sharp on October 30, 2020

Today we’re going to talk about big tech censorship — and how it makes established social media platforms vulnerable to disruption. I’m going to try my best to avoid the political side of things and focus solely on the investing implications. YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Apple and…
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New Pick: Invest in Modernizing an Industry

By Andy Gordon on October 29, 2020

Deal Details Startup: SampleServe Security type: Common equity Round size: Up to $250,000  Valuation: $7,022,431 Share price: $1.00 Minimum investment: $99.00 Raise: Seed Investment Portal:…
The slow-moving, overly cautious SEC is finally doing the right thing. It’s reportedly raising the limit on Reg CF funding from $1 million to $5 million.  That means when a startup raises money through crowdfunding, they can raise up to $5 million. And that’s a big…
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Don’t Miss Out on Startup Deals Like I Did

By Adam Sharp on October 27, 2020

A few years back, I was invited to invest in Calm.com — a meditation app. “Meditation app?!” I thought. And then I quickly dismissed the deal. It’s gone on to be an absolutely massive winner. The company has grown incredibly — it’s now reportedly raising at…
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Startup Insider: Check Out the Competition

By Early Investing on October 26, 2020

When we evaluate startups, one of the key factors we look at is competitors.  Who are the company’s competitors?  Is the startup competing against other startups or against legacy companies?  How does this competition affect its chances of success? And…

Invest in Technological Disruption

By Adam Sharp on October 23, 2020

These are strange times, economically and socially. The future seems as uncertain as it’s ever been. At first glance, now might not appear to be a good time to invest in startups. But I truly believe it is. The primary reason I’m still investing…
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What Went Wrong With Quibi

By Andy Gordon on October 22, 2020

In calling it quits, Quibi proved the adage that nothing guarantees success except success itself.  The company seemed to have everything going for it. A massive pool of capital — $1.75 billion worth. An A+ roster of investors that included Alibaba, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and…

Webinar: The Next Generation of Fintech

By Early Investing on October 21, 2020

Fintech is making an interesting transition — from disrupting big banks to disrupting the disruptors. Companies like Robinhood, Lemonade and Credit Karma grew by addressing consumer needs that banks had ignored. Now a new generation of fintech companies is emerging. And they say their solutions are even better.
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New Pick: Invest in Efficient Energy Use

By Andy Gordon on October 15, 2020

Deal Details Startup: COI Energy Security type: Crowd SAFE Discount: 20% Valuation (cap): $18 million Minimum investment: $100 Where to invest: Republic Deadline: December 1, 2020…

The American Startup Surge

By Andy Gordon on October 14, 2020

There’s no denying that the economy is weaker than it was pre-pandemic. While industries like gaming and work-from-home tech have soared, many other businesses have struggled to survive. But in the midst of all this economic hardship, something rather fascinating has happened in the U.S.  The…
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Startup Insider: The Importance of Traction

By Early Investing on October 12, 2020

As angel investors, we’re told to look for startups with traction. We’re told that startups with real revenue, customers and growth are the best startups to invest in. But when investors don’t like a startup, they find reasons to ignore traction. Some of them are good…