Archive: startups

On Tuesday, I attended a founder event hosted by Wefunder and Brex in New York. It was a chance for founders and investors to meet and get to know each other. And it was hopping! I spent so much time speaking to founders and other investors that I was hoarse by the end of the night. Almost every conversation began with founders explaining what their startup did or investors explaining their investment thesis. Almost every conversation…
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I never thought this day would come. I’m recommending a company that is replacing coffee with a hot beverage that is damn nearly as rich and roasty but a hundred times more healthy.  Listen, I love my coffee. I drink three to…

Data Is Eating the World

By Vin Narayanan on March 23, 2022

For more than 10 years, “software is eating the world” has been an article of faith among startup investors. Marc Andreessen — co-founder of both Netscape and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) — wrote these famous words in a blog post in…
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Startup Insider: The Power of Luck

By Early Investing on March 17, 2022

When investors evaluate startups, they need to consider a wide range of factors. Some factors — like founder experience and financial performance — are straightforward. Others — like profit potential and scalability — are more speculative and difficult to measure. Then there’s luck. As…
I once ran a business in Asia. And the only reason I made a bit of money was because I was more lucky than business savvy.  But when I went to Thailand, I was prepared. I had a great plan. Thailand had just approved some new…
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Startup Deals for Accredited Investors Only

By Vin Narayanan on March 15, 2022

Early Investing co-founder Andy Gordon and I recently met with several founders in Los Angeles and San Francisco. We’re looking for startups that you might be interested in investing in. The startups we looked at included cutting-edge robotics companies, medtech disruptors and moonshots that could change…
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Keeping an Eye Out for Startups That Automate Work

By Vin Narayanan on March 8, 2022

The labor market is tight. The American economy added 678,000 non-farming jobs in February as the unemployment rate fell to 3.8%. New jobless claims are at their lowest levels since the start of the…
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Startup Insider: Ukraine’s Mighty Startup Scene

By Early Investing on March 7, 2022

When news broke that Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, people around the world responded with shock. Now headlines about the ongoing war describe civilians fleeing their homes, protesters resisting Russian forces and government officials discussing their next moves. But the mainstream headlines may not tell…
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Competition is an essential part of the startup world. When evaluating a startup, investors need to study its target industry and understand what its competition looks like.  But this is where investors typically fall into a trap. If the startup has a lot of competitors, investors…

Is Hawaii a Startup Paradise?

By KingsCrowd on March 2, 2022

Note from Early Investing’s editors: There’s been a lot of buzz about how Silicon Valley may be losing its throne as a startup hub. Factors such as sky-high living expenses in California, the rise of remote work and online startup investing are changing the entrepreneurial and venture capital…

What Disruptive Startups and Figure Skating Have in Common

By Allison Brickell on February 23, 2022

In the startup world, big ideas have the potential to become big moneymakers. Good ideas — especially if they’re executed well — can change the world.  But revolutionary ideas scare people. They often fail because the world isn’t ready for them yet.  As startup…
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The Biggest Problem Remote Working Startups Need to Solve

By Vin Narayanan on February 15, 2022

Remote work isn’t going away. Workers want it — even if the companies that employ them don’t. And because companies are competing hard for top talent, they have to offer some flexible working options.  That doesn’t change the fact that it’s HARD to collaborate remotely. It’s…

How to Play Today’s Jittery Stock Market

By Vin Narayanan on February 9, 2022

The stock markets are a mess this year. The S&P 500 is down 4.07% this year. The Nasdaq is down 7.95% and in correction territory. The Dow is down 1.56%. And the Russell 2000 is down 7.69%. My group texts — normally reserved for sports discussions…
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Take Advantage of the Golden Age of Medtech Investing

By Vin Narayanan on February 8, 2022

A basic market inefficiency has created a massive opportunity for startup investors interested in medical technology and drug development startups. And angel investors savvy enough to understand what’s going on have a rare opportunity to invest in medtech startups with massive upside that have been significantly…
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Robo Advisory Startups Are Coming for Crowdfunders

By Andy Gordon on February 3, 2022

The buyout that caught my attention this week involved fintech wealth management firm Wealthfront. UBS — the largest private bank globally — bought it for $1.4 billion.  The acquisition got plenty of press. Several articles focused on the low buyout price. For venture capital (VC) firms…
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Lower Startup Valuations Are on the Horizon

By Vin Narayanan on February 1, 2022

Last week I wrote about how some of the country’s biggest asset managers are investing in startups because they simply can’t find a better alternative (and they really want one!). As a result, they’re all trying to identify and invest in the best…