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Raising Capital:
Closing the Deal
           Joe Beninato
         August 27, 2009
   joe |at| beninato |dot| com
       Twitter: @beninato
Topics
• Preparation
• Should I Raise Money?
• Angels vs.VCs
• Convertible Note vs.
  Priced Round
• Finding the Right Investor
• The Approach
• The Meeting
• The Follow-Up
• Closing the Deal
                     © Joe Beninato 2009
Who Is This Guy?
• Joe Beninato
• MIT aerospace engineer
• 20 years in Silicon Valley
• 6 startupsacquisitions, 2 TBD
  2 IPOs, 2
             full-time

• 15+ startups advisor/board
• $200+ million capital raised
• >$1 billion in exits


                      © Joe Beninato 2009
“Be prepared.”
    © Joe Beninato 2009
Preparation
• Raising money is not formulaic
• Present company in best light
• 9/1 is the beginning, not the end
  • “Show a little leg”
  • Get to first base
• Identify targets in advance and
  find them 9/1 -- scrum
• Long process -- get mentally
  prepared
• You will hear “no” “yes” more
  than you will hear
                     WAY

• Some of you will not get funded
                       © Joe Beninato 2009
Q: Should I Raise Money?
A: Only if you have to
  • Professional investors change your life &
    company
  • What’s your goal?
  • Can you wait?
  • Breakeven now or soon?
  • Credibility
  • Rainy day fund
  • Competition
             © Joe Beninato 2009
Angels vs. VCs

  Angels              Angel                    Seed                  Seed Funds              VCs
                      Groups                Incubators
 Ron Conway          Band of Angels            fbFund REV                  fbFund             Sequoia
 Reid Hoffman       Sand Hill Angels          Y Combinator          First Round Capital     Benchmark
Russ Siegelman       Angels Forum               TechStars                   True               Accel
 Aydin Senkut      Golden Gate Angels           Seedcamp                  SoftTech          Sutter Hill
 XG Ventures        Keiretsu Forum          Launchbox Digital             Baseline         Union Square
  Ariel Poler            PAPA                                              Maples            Foundry
Brett Bullington                                                     MHS (Sugarman)            Shasta
 Mitch Kapor                                                              Amidzad             August
  Chris Sacca                                                           Alsop-Louie          Greylock
   Bill Harris                                                        CRV Quickstart      Founders Fund
     Joi Ito                                                              Tugboat               DFJ
 Esther Dyson                                                              Nueva                CRV
Michael Dearing                                                             Agile              Trinity
Naval Ravikant                                                             Amicus              Matrix
                                                                     O’Reilly AlphaTech      Venrock
                                                                    Founders Collective    Andreessen-
                                                                                             Horowitz
                                                                                                 ...


                    *My apologies to anyone omitted on this slide...no offense intended

                                           © Joe Beninato 2009
Convertible Note vs. Priced Round
•   Convertible Note
    •   Loan that gets added to next round
        with perks (discount, warrant
        coverage, cap)
    •   OPM = “Other People’s Money”
    •   Delays valuation determination
    •   Significantly lower legal fees ($5k?)
•   Priced Round
    •   Investors generally prefer
    •   You know where you stand
    •   Higher legal fees ($30-50k for both
        sides)
                             © Joe Beninato 2009
Finding the Right Investor is Hard
  “I’m on            “not
                                      “no revenue
 too many          enough
                                        model”
  boards”          traction”




“it’s a small                             “too
  market”                              expensive”



“I don’t like                         “my partners
                “weak team”
   sports”                            don’t like it”

                © Joe Beninato 2009
Finding the Right Investor is Hard




              © Joe Beninato 2009
Maximizing Your Chances
•   Be honest
•   Credibility
    •   fbFund REV winners
    •   Team accomplishments
    •   Advisors
    •   Lawyer
    •   Other investors
    •   Cool demos
    •   Users
    •   Page views
    •   Partnerships
    •   Revenue!
    •   Profit!!!!!
                          © Joe Beninato 2009
The Approach
•   Identify relevant targets and make a spreadsheet
•   You need a warm intro
•   Don’t approach competitors
•   Don’t waste time on associates
    if you can avoid it
•   Send intro paragraph & 1 page
    exec summary and/or link to site
•   Be clear on your “ask”
•   NEVER COMMUNICATE
    A VALUATION!
•   Be persistent, but once declined,
    back down
•   Lather, rinse, repeat
•   NOTE: Be really friendly to assistants

                             © Joe Beninato 2009
The Meeting
•   Do your homework
•   Confirm the night before via email
•   Don’t be late
•   Don’t meet for lunch
•   Find out how much time you have
•   Have a great deck - concise, clear
•   Be confident, smile, show passion
•   Know your business
•   Know your pitch inside and out
•   Teach them something
•   Don’t argue
•   If you don’t know an answer, say
    “I don’t know, let me follow up”
•   Be clear on your “ask” - NEVER COMMUNICATE A VALUATION!
•   If you don’t suck, and you feel there’s interest, ask about next steps
                                 © Joe Beninato 2009
The Follow-Up
•   A game of patience and persistence
•   A few hours after meeting, send follow-up email
    •   Thank them for their time
    •   Make sure they know you heard their issues
    •   Follow-up on any open issues
    •   Confirm next steps (if any)
•   A day after they miss the next step (and they will), email again
•   5 days after they miss the next step (and they will), call them
•   Pay close attention to the feedback
•   Don’t be insulted with a “no”
•   Keep reviewing your spreadsheet and following up

                           © Joe Beninato 2009
How VCs Say “No”
• “No” “Nein” “Non” “Nyet”
• They don’t return your calls or emails
• “We love what you’re doing but would like to see
  more progress”
• “We’d like to see what your beta looks like”
• “Have you thought about hiring a _______ ”
• “Have you thought about approaching _______ ”
• “We’re interested, but we don’t want to lead”

                    © Joe Beninato 2009
Closing the Deal:
               Angels
• Angels don’t need to own 20% like VCs
• They invest in people/concepts they like
• Get an angel to commit and leverage that
• You need a lead investor to provide term sheet
  • Sometimes you can provide term sheet
• Make sure your angels aren’t wannabe CEOs
• No board seats for angels
• Rely upon your lawyer and advisors for advice

                    © Joe Beninato 2009
Closing the Deal:
                VCs
• VCs typically want 20% minimum
• Get angel(s) to commit and leverage that
• Ideal: get multiple VCs to compete
• Never rush an investor
• Don’t lie about a fictitious term sheet
• Rely upon your lawyer and advisors for advice
• Due diligence takes time
• Check references on your investors
• Board composition REALLY matters
                    © Joe Beninato 2009
Best of luck!
   © Joe Beninato 2009

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Raising Capital: Closing The Deal

  • 1. Raising Capital: Closing the Deal Joe Beninato August 27, 2009 joe |at| beninato |dot| com Twitter: @beninato
  • 2. Topics • Preparation • Should I Raise Money? • Angels vs.VCs • Convertible Note vs. Priced Round • Finding the Right Investor • The Approach • The Meeting • The Follow-Up • Closing the Deal © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 3. Who Is This Guy? • Joe Beninato • MIT aerospace engineer • 20 years in Silicon Valley • 6 startupsacquisitions, 2 TBD 2 IPOs, 2 full-time • 15+ startups advisor/board • $200+ million capital raised • >$1 billion in exits © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 4. “Be prepared.” © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 5. Preparation • Raising money is not formulaic • Present company in best light • 9/1 is the beginning, not the end • “Show a little leg” • Get to first base • Identify targets in advance and find them 9/1 -- scrum • Long process -- get mentally prepared • You will hear “no” “yes” more than you will hear WAY • Some of you will not get funded © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 6. Q: Should I Raise Money? A: Only if you have to • Professional investors change your life & company • What’s your goal? • Can you wait? • Breakeven now or soon? • Credibility • Rainy day fund • Competition © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 7. Angels vs. VCs Angels Angel Seed Seed Funds VCs Groups Incubators Ron Conway Band of Angels fbFund REV fbFund Sequoia Reid Hoffman Sand Hill Angels Y Combinator First Round Capital Benchmark Russ Siegelman Angels Forum TechStars True Accel Aydin Senkut Golden Gate Angels Seedcamp SoftTech Sutter Hill XG Ventures Keiretsu Forum Launchbox Digital Baseline Union Square Ariel Poler PAPA Maples Foundry Brett Bullington MHS (Sugarman) Shasta Mitch Kapor Amidzad August Chris Sacca Alsop-Louie Greylock Bill Harris CRV Quickstart Founders Fund Joi Ito Tugboat DFJ Esther Dyson Nueva CRV Michael Dearing Agile Trinity Naval Ravikant Amicus Matrix O’Reilly AlphaTech Venrock Founders Collective Andreessen- Horowitz ... *My apologies to anyone omitted on this slide...no offense intended © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 8. Convertible Note vs. Priced Round • Convertible Note • Loan that gets added to next round with perks (discount, warrant coverage, cap) • OPM = “Other People’s Money” • Delays valuation determination • Significantly lower legal fees ($5k?) • Priced Round • Investors generally prefer • You know where you stand • Higher legal fees ($30-50k for both sides) © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 9. Finding the Right Investor is Hard “I’m on “not “no revenue too many enough model” boards” traction” “it’s a small “too market” expensive” “I don’t like “my partners “weak team” sports” don’t like it” © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 10. Finding the Right Investor is Hard © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 11. Maximizing Your Chances • Be honest • Credibility • fbFund REV winners • Team accomplishments • Advisors • Lawyer • Other investors • Cool demos • Users • Page views • Partnerships • Revenue! • Profit!!!!! © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 12. The Approach • Identify relevant targets and make a spreadsheet • You need a warm intro • Don’t approach competitors • Don’t waste time on associates if you can avoid it • Send intro paragraph & 1 page exec summary and/or link to site • Be clear on your “ask” • NEVER COMMUNICATE A VALUATION! • Be persistent, but once declined, back down • Lather, rinse, repeat • NOTE: Be really friendly to assistants © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 13. The Meeting • Do your homework • Confirm the night before via email • Don’t be late • Don’t meet for lunch • Find out how much time you have • Have a great deck - concise, clear • Be confident, smile, show passion • Know your business • Know your pitch inside and out • Teach them something • Don’t argue • If you don’t know an answer, say “I don’t know, let me follow up” • Be clear on your “ask” - NEVER COMMUNICATE A VALUATION! • If you don’t suck, and you feel there’s interest, ask about next steps © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 14. The Follow-Up • A game of patience and persistence • A few hours after meeting, send follow-up email • Thank them for their time • Make sure they know you heard their issues • Follow-up on any open issues • Confirm next steps (if any) • A day after they miss the next step (and they will), email again • 5 days after they miss the next step (and they will), call them • Pay close attention to the feedback • Don’t be insulted with a “no” • Keep reviewing your spreadsheet and following up © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 15. How VCs Say “No” • “No” “Nein” “Non” “Nyet” • They don’t return your calls or emails • “We love what you’re doing but would like to see more progress” • “We’d like to see what your beta looks like” • “Have you thought about hiring a _______ ” • “Have you thought about approaching _______ ” • “We’re interested, but we don’t want to lead” © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 16. Closing the Deal: Angels • Angels don’t need to own 20% like VCs • They invest in people/concepts they like • Get an angel to commit and leverage that • You need a lead investor to provide term sheet • Sometimes you can provide term sheet • Make sure your angels aren’t wannabe CEOs • No board seats for angels • Rely upon your lawyer and advisors for advice © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 17. Closing the Deal: VCs • VCs typically want 20% minimum • Get angel(s) to commit and leverage that • Ideal: get multiple VCs to compete • Never rush an investor • Don’t lie about a fictitious term sheet • Rely upon your lawyer and advisors for advice • Due diligence takes time • Check references on your investors • Board composition REALLY matters © Joe Beninato 2009
  • 18. Best of luck! © Joe Beninato 2009