A comprehensive guide on how a startup should execute, in order to:
- Survive survive before initial funding
- Prepare the company to get initial funding
- Focus to attract the right funding
This Startup Guide is first introduced at HATCH! FAIR 2014 as a collaboration between HATCH! and Cinnamon, by Cinnamon President: Ph.D Hajime Hotta.
Starting a business has never been easier or less expensive. Thanks to dozens of free tools, tricks and techniques smart entrepreneurs are starting businesses, experimenting and iterating without spending a lot of money - learn how you can do it too. Presented at Brown EP event Palo Alto Feb 25
Startups are small teams, most often between five and 100 people. They’re backed by intelligent investors and led by visionary founders. They’re innovating, experimenting, growing, and most importantly for you—they’re hiring. (ALL the time—often even if they don’t post job listings.)
Startup Event in Mumbai
StartupLanes is organizing the Mumbai Launch Event on 25th January 2020 at Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Mumbai. Please join us and avail all the opportunities. As this is not just a startup event it's a rare opportunity.
Starting a business has never been easier or less expensive. Thanks to dozens of free tools, tricks and techniques smart entrepreneurs are starting businesses, experimenting and iterating without spending a lot of money - learn how you can do it too. Presented at Brown EP event Palo Alto Feb 25
Startups are small teams, most often between five and 100 people. They’re backed by intelligent investors and led by visionary founders. They’re innovating, experimenting, growing, and most importantly for you—they’re hiring. (ALL the time—often even if they don’t post job listings.)
Startup Event in Mumbai
StartupLanes is organizing the Mumbai Launch Event on 25th January 2020 at Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Mumbai. Please join us and avail all the opportunities. As this is not just a startup event it's a rare opportunity.
Venture & Angel Investments for Startups - 2021Crowd Product
The special event series will cover the following:
Raising First Cheque Seed Funding from VC
Why Lead Investor is Important ? How to Find One ?
20 Things Not To Do By A Startup Founder
2021 Sundsvall NTI Gymnasiet: making magic possible - Things I learned runn...Kay Gruenwoldt
This is a talk I gave on invitation by NTI Gymnasiet, which allowed me to share some of the learnings over the last decade of managing games studios and teams.
A primer for founders on how to raise that first round of venture capital from Harvard Business School professor and Flybridge general partner Jeff Bussgang
Transition from founder to ceo brown ep Naeem Zafar
This presentation outlines key learnings as one learns to be a CEO of a startup company. Given at the Brown University Entrepreneurship program Silicon Valley
Have you ever considered becoming an Angel Investor? Wondered why people join angel groups as opposed to going it alone? Then this session is for you.
Join MLA Chair and Angel Investor Gerard Buckley as he leads a session that will answer the following:
What is Angel Investing?
Why would someone be an Angel Investor?
Who are Angel Investors?
What types of companies do Angels invest in?
What is Maple Leaf Angels and what are the benefits of joining?
Angel Investing Made Easy, Shanti Mohan, BangaloreSanjay Jha
Angel Investing Made Easy
Workshop for angel investors; quick primer on angel investing, valuations, Term Sheets, SHA, trends, how syndicates and Lead Investor model works.
The workshop is aimed at acquainting HNIs and prospective investors with early stage risk investments in start-ups.
It is structured to impart an understanding on developing and maintaining a deal flow of startups, enabling discussions with practicing angel investors and learning through case studies which reflect the realities of angel investing in India, for HNIs and new angels in India.
These are the things I learned about Angel Investing. If you're thinking about investing in startups, either directly or via services like AngelList, my hope is that these tips can help you avoid some common mistakes.
How to define and position your VC brand to attract funding and dealflow.
* note: more recent updated version below:
https://www.slideshare.net/dmc500hats/branding-strategies-for-better-dealflow-and-fundraising-aka-the-helpful-vc
In this special edition of Insights Success, we celebrate the spirit of innovation & entrepreneurship as we bring Emerging Startups to Watch. These home-grown companies are trying their bit to bring their ideas to life and services to you.
How to Raise Your First Round of Capital - January 2020Jeffrey Bussgang
A step by step guide to raising your first round of capital -- from angels or venture capitalists (VCs) -- from a VC veteran and Harvard Business School (HBS) professor
Startuplandia Unplugged - How to do a StartupNeal Dikeman
Thoughts in graphics from a 7x tech startup founder on how what makes a startup tick, what's needed to raise money, and how startups ecosystems evolve and thrive.
Venture & Angel Investments for Startups - 2021Crowd Product
The special event series will cover the following:
Raising First Cheque Seed Funding from VC
Why Lead Investor is Important ? How to Find One ?
20 Things Not To Do By A Startup Founder
2021 Sundsvall NTI Gymnasiet: making magic possible - Things I learned runn...Kay Gruenwoldt
This is a talk I gave on invitation by NTI Gymnasiet, which allowed me to share some of the learnings over the last decade of managing games studios and teams.
A primer for founders on how to raise that first round of venture capital from Harvard Business School professor and Flybridge general partner Jeff Bussgang
Transition from founder to ceo brown ep Naeem Zafar
This presentation outlines key learnings as one learns to be a CEO of a startup company. Given at the Brown University Entrepreneurship program Silicon Valley
Have you ever considered becoming an Angel Investor? Wondered why people join angel groups as opposed to going it alone? Then this session is for you.
Join MLA Chair and Angel Investor Gerard Buckley as he leads a session that will answer the following:
What is Angel Investing?
Why would someone be an Angel Investor?
Who are Angel Investors?
What types of companies do Angels invest in?
What is Maple Leaf Angels and what are the benefits of joining?
Angel Investing Made Easy, Shanti Mohan, BangaloreSanjay Jha
Angel Investing Made Easy
Workshop for angel investors; quick primer on angel investing, valuations, Term Sheets, SHA, trends, how syndicates and Lead Investor model works.
The workshop is aimed at acquainting HNIs and prospective investors with early stage risk investments in start-ups.
It is structured to impart an understanding on developing and maintaining a deal flow of startups, enabling discussions with practicing angel investors and learning through case studies which reflect the realities of angel investing in India, for HNIs and new angels in India.
These are the things I learned about Angel Investing. If you're thinking about investing in startups, either directly or via services like AngelList, my hope is that these tips can help you avoid some common mistakes.
How to define and position your VC brand to attract funding and dealflow.
* note: more recent updated version below:
https://www.slideshare.net/dmc500hats/branding-strategies-for-better-dealflow-and-fundraising-aka-the-helpful-vc
In this special edition of Insights Success, we celebrate the spirit of innovation & entrepreneurship as we bring Emerging Startups to Watch. These home-grown companies are trying their bit to bring their ideas to life and services to you.
How to Raise Your First Round of Capital - January 2020Jeffrey Bussgang
A step by step guide to raising your first round of capital -- from angels or venture capitalists (VCs) -- from a VC veteran and Harvard Business School (HBS) professor
Startuplandia Unplugged - How to do a StartupNeal Dikeman
Thoughts in graphics from a 7x tech startup founder on how what makes a startup tick, what's needed to raise money, and how startups ecosystems evolve and thrive.
All the things an entrepreneur or start-up needs to know. Is it about the idea? Is it about a great product? How to build a team? Do I need a business plan? How do I raise money? What is a great business strategy?
Drilling down into business fundamentals, founders and fit, here are some effective questions Angels ask to see which startups stand-out.
An updated edition with expanded content prepared for https://www.sandboxph.org/
Marty Kaszubowski, Old Dominion University. Oops!... Another Startup Did It A...IT Arena
Martin Kaszubowski currently serves as the Executive Director of the Institution for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Old Dominion University. Marty has over 35 years of experience with a broad spectrum of public- and private-sector organizations promoting new venture formation, early-stage investment, technology commercialization, and innovation-led economic development. Marty has traveled with the CRDF Global STEP team since 2010, having made 12 separate trips to the former Soviet States: Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. In addition, he has spent significant time with CRDF mentoring entrepreneurs remotely, reviewing program applications, judging entrepreneurship competitions, and working with incubators, accelerators, and others interested in promoting innovation-based entrepreneurship in the region. Marty holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan, and a Master’s Degree in Technology Management from George Washington University.
HATCH! FAIR the Fifth was organized in three big cities in Vietnam: Hanoi (Sept 23), Danang (Oct 07), & Ho Chi Minh City (Oct 27-28). This event included 03 Elite Conferences in three cities and 01 Flagship Exhibition in HCMC.
This was the biggest annual startup conference and exhibition in Vietnam, which gathered 100+ exhibiting companies, 150+ startup applications, and 4,000+ participants and visitors in total.
Hackathon for Social Good - Information packageHATCH! PROGRAM
Hackathon for Social Good is a 48 hour coding competition to seeking for application and innovation that address social challenges.
2 days of Hackathon: October 24, 25, 2015
Media Clipping Book on HATCH! FAIR 2015 / IPP Midterm DemoHATCH! PROGRAM
HATCH! FAIR 2015 / IPP Midterm Demo was organized on October 31 and November 1, by HATCH! PROGRAM and IPP (an Finnish Government ODA Project).
The two-day event attracted 40+ startups to showcase, 150+ startups influencers and guest speakers and 1,600+ visits.
HATCH! FAIR 2015 / IPP Midterm Demo REPORTHATCH! PROGRAM
HATCH! FAIR 2015 / IPP Midterm Demo was organized on October 31 and November 1, 2015 bu HATCH! PROGRAM and IPP (a Finnish government ODA project).
This was the biggest annual startup conference and exhibition in Vietnam, which gathered 40+ startups, 150+ startup influencers and 1,600+ visits in two days.
HATCH! COACH 03 là khóa huấn luyện phát triển sản phẩm diễn ra từ ngày 30/05 - 20/07
Bản báo cáo ghi lại chi tiết tiến trình và kết quả đạt được của các đội tham dự khóa học
Khóa học đã kết thúc với quỹ ươm mầm được Tigers@Mekong trao cho OIC Book
Website: hatch.vn/coach
HATCH! COACH 04 đã mở đơn đăng kí, khóa học sẽ diễn ra từ ngày 05/09/2015 tới 26/10/2015
HATCH! COACH 03 - Huấn luyện Phát triển sản phẩmHATCH! PROGRAM
HATCH! COACH 03 - khóa huấn luyện phát triến sản phẩm tinh gọn, áp dụng vào tăng tốc các dự án đang thực hiện theo định hướng phù hợp.
Không đi vào vấn đề quản lý và kinh doanh như các khóa học khởi nghiệp khác, HATCH! COACH tập trung cải thiện yếu tố quan trọng nhất với bất kì khởi nghiệp nào cũng cần quan tâm: sản phẩm.
INNOVATION NEST kết nối các đơn vị NGO và các nhóm CNTT, nhóm khởi nghiệp để cung cấp dịch vụ, hỗ trợ lẫn nhau, và tạo ra các dự án sáng tạo xã hội mới.
HATCH! A YEAR 2015 (Report for 2014 and Plan for 2015)HATCH! PROGRAM
A short report of what has been done in 2014 by HATCH!:
- brought in World's biggest startup competition: SeedStars World
- sent Triip.me to Geneva, Switzerland
- organized World Bank's global hackathon to address challenges around natural disasters in Vietnam
- initiated INNOVATION NEST (co-working space and collaboration center) for social innovation in Vietnam
- introduced Angel Investor Network at HATCH! FAIR 2014
and its activity plan for 2015.
[Report] Code for Resilience: Code for VietnamHATCH! PROGRAM
Code for Resilience: Code for Vietnam được tổ chức nhằm tập hợp những nhà lập trình và những chuyên gia trong lĩnh vực ứng phó với thảm hoạ thiên nhiên, chung tay ứng dụng công nghệ cao vào dự báo, phòng tránh và giảm thiểu thiệt hại do thảm hoạ thiên nhiên gây ra tại Việt Nam.
--
Code for Resilience hay Chương trình lập trình giảm thiểu và phòng tránh thảm hoạ, là chuỗi chương trình hackathon toàn cầu của Quỹ toàn cầu về giảm nhẹ và phục hồi thiên tai (GFDRR) thuộc Ngân hàng Thế giới và tổ chức Code for Japan.
Năm 2014, Code for Resilience được tổ chức tại 10 thành phố đã và đang trực tiếp chịu những hậu quả nghiêm trọng của thảm hoạ thiên nhiên, bao gồm Hà Nội, Haiti, Nagoya, Manila, Bangalore, Ishinomaki, Dhaka, …
Đây là cuộc thi lập trình ứng dụng trên điện thoại di động, tập hợp những lập trình viên, những chuyên gia công nghệ và những chuyên gia về ứng phó thảm hoạ thiên nhiên, để phát triển những sáng kiến công nghệ trong cả phần cứng và phần mềm giải quyết những vấn đề và thách thức liên quan đến thảm hoạ thiên nhiên.
Sự kiện cho thấy tầm quan trọng của việc cùng chung sức ứng dụng công nghệ cao vào giải quyết những thách thức về giảm thiểu và quản lý thảm hoạ tại các nước thường xuyên chịu ảnh hưởng của thảm hoạ thiên nhiên nói riêng và toàn thế giới nói chung.
HATCH! PROGRAM - HCMC chapter are looking for people who want to be a part of a dedcated network that supports the sustainable development of entrepreneurship in Vietnam.
1. Startup Guide:
HOW TO GET
INITIAL FUNDING?
By Ph.DHajime Hotta
Chief Technology Officer
Cinnamon (Singapore)
a publication of
2. HAJIME HOTTAExperienced entrepreneur from Japan CTO at Cinnamon (Singapore) »Koala, selfiemessengerPh. D in computer science at the age of 25 »Got in total 350k grants for my research in AI x WebFormer Chief Architect at CiriusTechnologies »The world’s first Location-based ad tech provider »Acquired by Yahoo! JapanFormer CTO at Naked Technology (Japan) »Technology to enable smooth UI on smartphone »Licensed to big enterprises (NTT Docomo, Dentsu, etc) »Software distributed to 10M+ users in Japan »Acquired by Mixi, largest social game provider
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
3. TWO TYPES OF BUSINESSES
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
SME Small-to-Middle
Enterprise
IDE Innovation-Driven Enterprise
•Linear growth
•Local
•Bank/Family finance
•Lots of experienced people exist already
•Exponential growth
•National/International
•Equity Finance
•Less experienced entrepreneurs
4. IDE IS EXPECTED TO MAKE FAST GROWTH
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
5. IDE IS EXPECTED TO MAKE FAST GROWTH
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
SeedMoneySeries AMoneyPreparation$200k~500k$1.5M~5M
6. WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR EACH ROUND?
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
Series ASeedTeamBiz PlanProductTractionMinimum forProduct ValidationEnough to seeexponential growthValuation$1.5M-2M$4M-$6MMVP runningSolidExcellent LevelExcellent LevelExcellent LevelExcellent Level
7. WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR EACH ROUND?
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
Series ASeedTeamBiz PlanProductTractionMinimum forProduct ValidationEnough to seeexponential growthValuation$1.5M-2M
$4M-$6MMVP running
SolidExcellent Level
Excellent LevelExcellent Level
Excellent Level
HOW TO MAKE IT?
8. OPTIONS
Have a different profitable business (Outsource)
»Unstable resource allocation
Weekend
»Lose CEO’s attention to businesses
Personal debt from family and friends
»Perfect in case you are in such a lucky situation
Pre-seed Round
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
9. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRE-SEED AND SEED
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
Seed
Money
Series A
Money
Pre-Seed
$200k
~500k
$1.5M
~5M
$20k
~50k
10. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRE-SEED AND SEED
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
Seed
Professional
Investors(Institutes)
Experienced
Entrepreneurs
or Accelerators
Investor Profile
Put money
to scale up
the business
Surely lead to
IDE model
Goal of Investment
Pre-Seed
11. READINESS FOR “PRE-SEED” ROUND
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
SeedTeamBiz PlanProductTractionMinimum forProduct ValidationValuation$1.5M-2MMVP runningExcellent LevelExcellent LevelPre SeedN/A$300k-$800kProof ofExecution AbilityMarket DetectionExcellent Level
12. QUESTIONS
1.Is pre-seed round necessary? Aren’t advisors enough?
2.Who is the right investor on pre-seed round?
3.How to reach out to angel investors?
4.How to pull their commitment?
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
13. QUESTIONS
Is pre-seed round necessary? Aren’t just advisors enough?
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
14. ANSWER
Not necessary
if you are confident enough
as a perfect management team
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
15. DIFFERENCE BTW RIGHT ANGEL AND ADVISORY
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
Observe
Status
Find Critical
Problems
Find
Solution
Execution
Advisory’s
Value Add
Investor’s
Value Add
16. WHAT ARE TYPICAL HIDDEN RISKS?
»Polishing the product which CANNOT convince investors
»Do exceeding debt financing and BS/PL look weird
»Hiring too much at the early stage
»Building core team with weird ownership structure / allocate too much ESOP
»Pitch with bad quality or and get declined by VC already (typically no response / keep me updated)
»Chosen bad seed investor (point of no return)
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
17. QUESTIONS
Who is the right investor on pre-seed round?
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
18. CHECK SHEET
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
SME
Background
Thought-type
IDE
Entrepreneur
Financial
Pessimistic
Optimistic
Quick Win
Sight
Long-term
Hands-on
Help
Hands-off
Expectation-Type
19. MY RECOMMENDATION
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
SME
Background
Thought-type
IDE
Entrepreneur
Financial
Pessimistic
Optimistic
Quick Win
Sight
Long-term
Hands-on
Help
Hands-off
Expectation-Type
+ Chemistry Match
20. QUESTIONS
How to reach out to angel investors?
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
21. WHERE ARE THE PRE-SEED INVESTORS?
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
Competition/
Programs
Accelerators
Friends’
friendsStartup WeekendEchelonHATCH! PROGRAMStartup Asiaetc. JFDIFounder InstituteiAxiletc. UseLinkedIn / Facebookto post messages
They are not professional investors,
therefore they don’t often say “I am investing”
22. WHERE ARE THE PRE-SEED INVESTORS?
For those who seems to experience startup founders and make some successful stories:
Magic Words:
Can we have a short meeting for the feedbacks to our product?
Ideas behind:
Advisory type experienced entrepreneurs are very happy
to see exciting idea and make feedbacks
because they’ve made a lot of mistakes before.
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
23. QUESTIONS
How to pull their commitment
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
24. READINESS FOR “PRE-SEED” ROUND
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
SeedTeamBiz PlanProductTractionMinimum forProduct ValidationValuation$1.5M-2MMVP runningExcellent LevelExcellent LevelPre SeedN/A$300k-$800kProof ofExecution AbilityMarket DetectionExcellent Level
25. SHOW YOUR EXCELLENT TEAM
Some of outstanding track record
»Ph.Dor Stanford/CMU/Harvard class univgrads
»Serial Entrepreneur (key role, has to be successful)
»Engineer, understanding business quite well
»Manage to reach amazing numbers (acquire 1M users, 100 brands connections, etc)
»Fluency in English
»Winner in competition (Startup Weekend, etc)
»Engineer worked for Google / Apple / Facebook
»Get strong recommendation by successful people
+ The quality of current product is really nice(less bug, natural/professional UX) How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
26. Investors’ concerns:
»The founders might break up
»Might quit soon
»Too confident
»Less transparent
»No value can be conveyed to the teamTell your own story to blow those concerns away:
»How strongly-tied with your cofounders? (single founder is not really nice)
»The history to show the will
»Show the strength and weakness honestly along with your one successful experience
SHOW YOUR EXCELLENT TEAM
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
27. MARKET DETECTION
The markets are already set in investors’ mind
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
Commerce
Mobile
Game
Uberification
Edu-Tech
Payment
O2O
Finance
Tech
IoT
SaaS
Crowd
source
Big Data/
Analytics
Ad-Tech
28. THE REALITY OF VC’S MIND
We are AdBoost, the crowdsourcing
approach of advertisement optimization
XXXXXXXXXXXX
(interested in ad tech / crowdsourcing)
Very interesting business model!! Come to tell me more
(interested in e-commerce)
Can take a look at this pitch, but basically I don’t believe in crowdsourcing approach….
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
Founder:
VCs:
29. MY PERCEPTION (PERSONAL)
Excellent team+ Excellent Market+ Excellent Plan
Excellent team+ Excellent Market+ Low quality Plan
Excellent team+ Not interesting Market
Excellent team+ No business plan
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
100
30. MY PERCEPTION (PERSONAL)
Excellent team+ Excellent Market+ Excellent Plan
Excellent team+ Excellent Market+ Low quality Plan
Excellent team+ Not interesting Market
Excellent team+ No business plan
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
10080409060~
31. TO ENGINEERS WHO WANTS TO START-UP
»You should contact potential angel investors for brainstorming
»and better to have a clear learning roadmap with mentors,
while working for similar startups
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
32. WORK AND LEARN TO BE ENTREPRENEUR
Email: hotta@cinnamon.is
Facebook: http://facebook.com/hotta
Facebook Group
Southeast Asia Startup Engineers and Founders
How to get Initial Funding? – Hajime Hotta
33. This amazing startup guide is the result of the collaboration between
HATCH! PROGRAM and Ph.DHajime Hotta, CTO at Cinnamon (Singapore).
Would you have any information or wisdom that should be posted?
Please feel free to contact us at:
xinchao@hatch.vn
(+84) 4 6275 7406
http://hatch.vn
CONTACT US