1. INTRODUCTION TO INVESTMENT PREP
Ian Gardner
Chief Strategy & Investment Officer
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2. Topic: Self fund or outside investors?
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3. Self Funding
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Pros:
• Maintain control
• Walk your own path
• Grow and comfortable pace
• Make more money

4. Self Funding
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• Cons
– Take all the risk
– Nobody’s pregnant
– Expensive
– Inhibits network effect
– How strong is your own team and how deep are your
resources?

5. Outside investment
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• Pros
– Diversify risk
– Force validation of business plan and roadmap
– Engage ecosystem and partners
– Easier to raise follow on capital
– Provides HR resources when enter growth stage

6. Outside Investment
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• Cons
– Dilution
– Outsider input into business operations
– May force growth prematurely to comply with exit timing
– Misaligment between investors
– Potential loss of control
– Founders may be transitioned when company starts to grow

7. presented by
Today
• Overview of investment process
• Taught by industry experts
• Key issues and strategies to consider