Wsgr early stage financings for start ups
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This document summarizes types of early stage financings for startups. It discusses options like bootstrapping, founder preferred stock, friends and family funding, customer funding, incubators, angel investors, seed rounds, convertible debt/equity, SAFEs, crowdfunding, and Series A venture rounds. For each financing type, it provides details on typical size, source of funds, security type used, valuation requirements, control rights implications, and liquidation preferences. It also discusses trends in early stage markets and considerations for choosing a financing path and VC partner.
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Wsgr early stage financings for start ups
- 1. September 2015 7645259 v.4 Early Stage Financings for Start-ups Asaf Kharal
- 2. WSGR Advise more than 300 public and 3,000 private enterprises Advise more U.S. technology companies on their initial public offerings than any other law firm (Capital IQ) Advise more technology companies on their M&A transactions than any other law firm (Bloomberg) Represent more companies that receive venture financing than any other law firm (Dow Jones VentureSource/ PitchBook) Most frequently hired securities litigation firm in the country (Securities Law360) Selected for inclusion in the Intellectual Property Hot List (The National Law Journal) 2
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- 4. High Level Trends in Early Stage Financings Pre-Seed is the new Seed; Seed is the new Series A; Series A is the new Series B Massive late stage rounds New sources of money (China, Russia, Middle East, India) More international startups Investors care more about pro rata rights SAFEs gaining ground 4
- 5. High Level Trends in Early Stage Financings Capex costs have decreased, but employee costs are increasing Traction bar to Series A is higher Marketing costs increase to achieve traction Companies need to survive longer (and raise more money) to achieve traction Series A crunch is more due to an oversupply of seed funded companies than a lack of Series A funding sources 5
- 6. The New Start-up Financing Ecosystem 6 Incubation (under $100K) Pre-Seed (Under $500K) Seed ($1M- $5M) Series A ($5M to $15M) Series B (Over $15M) Large Venture Funds Small Venture Funds Super Angels & Micro-VCs Incubators & Accelerators Pre-Seed is the new Seed Seed is the new Series A
- 7. Preparing for Financing Organization of the company Founder and team equity IP protection – Intellectual property is an important corporate asset, so taking steps to ensure that it is properly assigned to the company is essential. Agreements with contractors assignment of IP by founders CIIAs and PIIAs NDAs Record keeping 7
- 8. Types of Early Stage Investment Key Elements of a Financing Size – how much money should be raised Source – where is the money coming from Type of Security Valuation required – does the investment require a valuation of the company? Debt based/interest – does the investment mean a growing debt load? Impact on control rights Liquidation preference 8
- 9. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 9
- 10. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 10 • Founder funding and self funding • Varies in size based on company’s means and needs • Type – common stock or promissory notes • Important to document capital contributions and the expectations for equity, repayment or conversion • Expectations of repayment upon a future financing may not be met • Valuation must be handled carefully
- 11. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 11 • Converts into later round preferred stock if sold to investors in connection with later financing • Intended to solve founder sale of common at preferred price affecting common FMV • Must be fully vested (or potentially considered compensation income) • Typically, not more than 25% of founders equity is Series FF • Cannot be subject to board discretion to allow conversion
- 12. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 12 • Highly dependent on facts and circumstances • Varies in size though usually less than $50,000 • Type – common stock, promissory notes (convertible or non-convertible), contributions to capital • A valuation may be required • Equity or debt • Usually no impact on control rights • Typically no liquidation preference • Potential downsides • Risks to personal relationships • Investors usually have no experience to bring to the table • These investments are usually not sources of a large amount of money • Familiarity with investors can lead entrepreneurs into the trap of inadequate documentation
- 13. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 13 • Contracts with lead customers/early adopters for funding in exchange for early access to the developed product or service. • Varies in size • No Valuation, typically no debt or equity issued • Later strategic deals may involve ROFR or ROFN • No liquidation preference • Contracts can raise important issues including: • Commercial rights and restrictions • Ownership and rights in intellectual property • Confidentiality • Early strategic agreements can make or break a company
- 14. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 14 • Common stock at founder price • Plus convertible equity for $15-$100K • YC, AngelPad, TechStars • Avoid creating a high common stock FMV • Additional “blind pool” financing
- 15. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 15 • Size – $50,000 to $1M • Source –a single investor or a group of affiliated investors • Type – common stock, convertible debt, promissory notes • Valuation – depends on if debt or equity based • Control rights – depends on the size of the round, may include a board seat, protective provisions and participation rights • Liquidation preferences – yes if preferred stock
- 16. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 16 • Simplified series A financing documents available at http://www.seriesseed.com/ • Designed to save time and money relative to traditional equity based financing documents, they omit specific provisions in an effort to simplify • What they’re missing relative to traditional series A documents • Dividend preference • Registration rights • Anti-dilution protection and other protective provisions • Voting agreements • Comprehensive representations and warranties
- 17. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 17 • Size – roughly $500,000, typically not larger because of investors’ desire for protective provisions • Source – Angels, Friends and Family • Type - preferred stock • Valuation required – yes • Debt based/interest concerns – no • Control rights given up – often include a board seat, participation rights and protective provisions • Liquidation preference – yes 1x non- participating typical
- 18. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 18 • Lots of groups call their own documents “series seed” and these can differ from the standardized documents. Be wary. • The provisions are relatively inelastic and cannot be easily customized • They contain fewer investor protections by default • New documents often have to be drafted for later rounds and things like the certificate of incorporation must be amended
- 19. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 19 • A promissory note for the full investment amount with an interest rate and a maturity date • Typical maturities are one year • Automatic conversion on a “qualified financing” • Optional conversion on other financings • Discount and/or warrants on conversion • Premium on a change of control • Valuation caps for conversion • The larger the convertible debt financing, the less likely it is to be combined with the new money in a preferred stock financing
- 20. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 20 • Essentially a convertible note that lacks and interest rate provision or maturity date • Not debt, the instrument is best conceptualized as a placeholder for which the investor pays full value up front in exchange for a future security at a later date • Perceived to be founder friendly
- 21. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 21 • SAFE: Simple Agreement for Future Equity • Another form of convertible security • Like convertible security it strips the debt like attributes from the convertible note • Drafted to be layperson friendly as accessibility is prioritized over comprehensiveness as the document is only 6 pages long • It has the backing of Y Combinator and its partners
- 22. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 22 • Size – varies • Source – angel investors; accelerators • Valuation – no • Debt based – no • Control rights given up – typically no • Liquidation preference – yes
- 23. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 23 • The practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from large numbers of people, typically over the internet • It can be conceptualized in two different contexts • Preselling a product – pebble smartwatch, Shenmue III • Selling equity in a company • This is an evolving area of the law. The passage of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) in 2012 created opportunities for funding based on the sale of equity or debt through the internet, but details and a clear regulatory structure have been slow to emerge.
- 24. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 24 • Dangers of Crowdfunding: • Securities laws are complicated and securities offerings are subject to strict reporting requirements. Failure to comply with securities laws can lead to penalties and problems down the road with future offerings • Be cautious with Crowdfunding websites. Some websites allow the dissemination of investment information to anyone browsing the internet. This can constitute a securities law violation. It’s best to know the website you are dealing with and know who your information is being disseminated to • Since it involves disclosing your company and idea, this funding is more appropriate for some types of start-ups than others • Established sites that limit access to accredited investors are preferred
- 25. Types of Early Stage Financings 25 • Size – varies. Typically $2-10 million • Source – venture capital investors, often several • Type – preferred stock • Valuation – Yes • Debt based – Not typically • Control rights given up – Yes, at least a board seat • Liquidation preference – Yes Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round
- 26. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 26 • Choosing the right VC Partner • What network does the specific partner you are working with bring to bear? • What past experience does that partner have that might be helpful if on your board? • Speak to members of that partners current and past portfolio • or her? • How involved will the VC Partner want to be in your company
- 27. Types of Early Stage Financings Bootstrapping Founder Preferred Friends and Family Customer Funding Incubators Angels Seed Rounds Convertible Debt Convertible Equity SAFE Instruments Crowdfunding Series A Venture Round 27 • Key Parts of a Series A Term Sheet: • Valuation • Pre and Post Money Valuations • Liquidation Preference • Initial Preference • Participating or non-participating • Participation caps • Option Pool • Board Composition • CEO seat • Founder Vesting
- 28. ASAF KHARAL Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. 650 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto CA 94304 Direct: 650-320-4557 akharal@wsgr.com Thank You
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