Best Startup Espresso Podcasts (2025)

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Startup Funding Espresso – Tools for Fundraising 2:13

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1d ago2:13

2:13

Tools for Fundraising Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Before launching a fundraising campaign, set up the tools you’ll need. Here’s a list of key tools to support fundraising: Database. Create a list of prospective investors with name, email, phone number, and how …

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Investor Connect 850: Navigating Deep Tech Commercialization with Tim Raines of Rare Innovation 19:46

1d ago19:46

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In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin chats with Tim Raines, founder and CEO of Rare Innovation, a boutique consultancy that serves as an outsourced executive team for deep tech startups. Tim shares his extensive experience in science and technology commercialization, helping startups transition from research phases to market-ready produ…

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Startup Funding Espresso – The Four T’s of Startup Investing 1:44

2d ago1:44

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The Four T’s of Startup Investing Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are many ways to evaluate a startup. For investors funding SaaS startups, here are the four T’s to consider: Team. Does the team have the skills to build the proposed startup? Are they in place…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Pitch in a Down Market 2:00

3d ago2:00

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How To Pitch in a Down Market Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Down markets change the care abouts of the investor. The investor wants to know whether the business will survive difficult times. Here are some key points to consider when pitching your startup in a dow…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Prepping Your Website and Social Media for Fundraising 2:05

4d ago2:05

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Prepping Your Website and Social Media for Fundraising Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Before launching a fundraiser campaign, make sure your website and social media are prepped. The first place an investor goes after hearing your pitch is your website. They are p…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Startup Metrics in a Down Market 2:05

5d ago2:05

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Startup Metrics in a Down Market Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In an upmarket, startup metrics focus on growth rates, cost of customer acquisition, and scalability factors. In a down market, the startup metrics focus on efficiency. Here’s a list of key startup me…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Tell When the Startup Doesn’t Have Anything 2:05

8d ago2:05

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How To Tell When the Startup Doesn’t Have Anything Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups raising funding should bring customer engagement, if not traction, to the pitch. Founders raising funding often compensate for the lack of customer engagement through distra…

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Investor Connect 849: Industrial Transformation, AI in Operations, and Navigating the Tech Startup Landscape with Joe Perino 23:16

8d ago23:16

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In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin engages with Joe Perino, a seasoned industrial strategist, consultant, and engineer with over four decades of experience. Joe shares insights on industrial transformation, emphasizing the importance of technology-enabled business model changes that yield significant improvements. He discusses the imp…

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Startup Funding Espresso – LP Investing Mistakes 2:08

9d ago2:08

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LP Investing Mistakes Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Limited partners are referred to as LPs. They invest in venture capital funds. Just as angel investors make mistakes, so do LPs Here’s a list of LP investing mistakes: Not investing consistently. It’s easy to in…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Tips for the Startup Financial Pro Forma 2:12

10d ago2:12

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Tips for the Startup Financial Pro Forma Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Part of the fundraising documentation is the financial pro forma. Investors want to know what the founder proposes will happen if they raise the target fundraising amount. The financial pro fo…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Mistakes VCs Make 2:12

11d ago2:12

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Mistakes VCs Make Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture capitalists make mistakes just like every other investor. Here’s a list of mistakes VCs make: Not investing consistently through the market's ups and downs. Valuations are better in down markets, and good de…

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Startup Funding Espresso – The Dark Side of Venture Capital 2:01

12d ago2:01

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The Dark Side of Venture Capital Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. While venture capital brings many benefits to the startup ecosystem, it also has drawbacks. Here’s a list to consider: The venture model generates a high number of startup failures. By pushing the bus…

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Startup Funding Espresso – The Introductory Version of the Pitch Deck 1:56

15d ago1:56

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The Introductory Version of the Pitch Deck Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. For the first pitch to an investor, build an introductory pitch deck. The introductory version of the pitch deck simplifies your deal into its most basic presentation. The pitch deck should …

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Investor Connect 848: Transforming Science into Commerce with Earle Hager 18:07

15d ago18:07

18:07

In this episode of Investor Connect, host Hall Martin sits down with Earle Hager, Managing Partner of The Neutrino Donut, a consulting firm specialized in transforming scientific research into commercial solutions. Earle shares his extensive experience in technology evaluation, market planning, and commercialization strategies, highlighting his wor…

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Startup Funding Espresso – The Role of Venture Capital 2:09

16d ago2:09

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The Role of Venture Capital Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture capital brings innovation and growth to many industries. The VC model provides funding to startups to innovate and provide new products and business models. VC funding seeks out innovative ideas th…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Key Factors Investors Use To Evaluate a Startup 2:10

17d ago2:10

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Key Factors Investors Use To Evaluate a Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors review the startup founder’s pitch to determine if it's worth pursuing or not. Most startup pitches follow the same model of problem, solution, and how it works. The team, tra…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Organize Your Pitch 2:05

18d ago2:05

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Startup Funding Espresso – Start With a Fractional CTO 2:00

19d ago2:00

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Start With a Fractional CTO Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In launching a startup, the watchword is minimal. Minimum fund raise, minimum team, minimum viable product. The CTO is a key component of the startup team. Start with a fractional CTO rather than a full-ti…

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Investor Connect 847: Backing Talent, Not Just Tech with Ivor Stratford of Morpheus Group 19:58

22d ago19:58

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On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Ivor Stratford, co-founder and CEO of Morpheus Group, a leading consultancy specializing in talent solutions and executive recruitment. Located in London, Morpheus Group works with organizations across the globe, particularly in the U.S., to help founders and executives align their culture, values,…

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Startup Funding Espresso – The Benefit of Short-Term Returns 1:57

22d ago1:57

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The Benefit of Short-Term Returns Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In startup investing, many investors swing for the fences. The goal is to make each investment a homerun. In most cases, home runs will take a substantial amount of time to complete. There are benefi…

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Startup Funding Espresso – When the Investor Won’t Sign an NDA 2:01

23d ago2:01

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When the Investor Won’t Sign an NDA Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. During the diligence phase, startups may ask investors to sign an NDA. If the information is truly confidential and proprietary, then it may make sense to ask for it. Some investors may choose not …

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Startup Funding Espresso – It’s Not Your Fault, but It Is Your Responsibility 1:59

24d ago1:59

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It’s Not Your Fault, but It Is Your Responsibility Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In fundraising, the ultimate responsibility lies with the CEO. The CEO must know their numbers, how their operations work, and exactly how the product performs. From time to time, th…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Always Have a Customer Update 2:00

25d ago2:00

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Always Have a Customer Update Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, it’s important to show progress with customers. In each interaction with an investor, bring up new information about a customer. Investors care less about how the product works and mo…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Ideal Size of a Due Diligence Team 2:03

26d ago2:03

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Ideal Size of a Due Diligence Team Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Due diligence works best when it’s a shared endeavor. It can take a substantial amount of time to diligence a startup. The ideal size of a due diligence team is six people. Here are the key roles an…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Good Design Techniques for the Pitch Deck 2:00

29d ago2:00

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Good Design Techniques for the Pitch Deck Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The pitch deck is the primary tool in fundraising. It’s important to develop a pitch deck that’s clear and engaging. Here are some key techniques to improve the design of your pitch deck: Use…

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Investor Connect 846: Navigating the Investment Landscape with Ron Ondechek Jr of South Highland Ventures LLC 21:58

29d ago21:58

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In this episode of Investor Connect, host Hall Martin engages with Ron Ondechek Jr., a seasoned investment executive and the founding managing director of South Highland Ventures LLC. With over 15 years of experience and a track record of leading more than 100 transactions totaling over 1 billion dollars, Ron shares insights on South Highland Ventu…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Invest in Vertical SaaS 2:14

1M ago2:14

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How To Invest in Vertical SaaS Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Vertical SaaS is a recurring revenue business that focuses on a specific application or a narrow vertical sector. By narrowing the scope of the target application, the startup can focus its efforts more…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Advisor Shares 2:09

1M ago2:09

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Advisor Shares Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders can find additional support through advisors. Advisors are typically experienced operators who previously ran a startup and now provide coaching and consulting services. The startup brings in an adviso…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Impact of VC on the Entrepreneur Ecosystem 2:07

1M ago2:07

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Impact of VC on the Entrepreneur Ecosystem Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture capital plays a key role in entrepreneur ecosystems. The VC sits at the nexus of startups, innovation, and entrepreneurship. While not all startups receive VC funding, most startups …

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Write Concise Investor Updates 1:59

1M ago1:59

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How To Write Concise Investor Updates Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders should keep their investors up to date on the business. Investor updates on a regular basis are important. Here are some key elements to include in your investor update: Remind the inves…

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Startup Funding Espresso – The Challenge With Solo-Founder Startups 1:56

1M ago1:56

1:56

The Challenge With Solo-Founder Startups Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Many investors avoid investing in startups with a solo founder. Here are some reasons why: The company is at risk in case something happens to the founder. There’s no one there to pick up the …

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Investor Connect 845: Innovating Healthcare: From Emergency Medicine to Health Tech with Uli Chettipally of Sirica Therapeutics 23:32

1M ago23:32

23:32

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin welcomes Uli Chettipally, a distinguished physician, researcher, and healthcare innovator from Burlingame in the San Francisco Bay Area. Chettipally shares his journey and expertise in driving physician-led innovation and collaboration through his firm, Innovator MD. He discusses how frontline medica…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Incentives for Investors 2:01

1M ago2:01

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Incentives for Investors Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Closing the fundraiser can sometimes be a challenge. In down markets and uncertain economic conditions, investors hesitate to commit. Consider incentives for investors to move the fundraising to a close. Here…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Answer Questions You Don’t Know 2:00

1M ago2:00

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How To Answer Questions You Don’t Know Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors ask many questions of startup founders. Founders should know their business and, in particular, their numbers. Sometimes an investor will ask a question that the founder doesn’t know. …

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Perform Technical Due Diligence 2:01

1M ago2:01

2:01

How To Perform Technical Due Diligence Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors perform diligence on a startup before investing. Most of the diligence focuses on the financial aspects of the business. Technical diligence is just as important. For startups, it’s al…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Benefits of Family Office Funding 2:01

1M ago2:01

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Benefits of Family Office Funding Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Family offices bring many benefits over other investor types as a funding source. Here’s a list of reasons why family offices should be considered for your fundraising: Family offices have deeper poc…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Hone Your Deal Selection Process 2:01

1M ago2:01

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How To Hone Your Deal Selection Process Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors funding startups go through a great number of deals to find the ones to fund. The investor won’t know for several months or years if the deal is going to work out or not. The startup’…

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Investor Connect 844: Navigating Legal Challenges for Startups: Insights from Abe Kwon of Lowenstein Sandler 28:17

1M ago28:17

28:17

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin welcomes Abe Kwon, a partner at Lowenstein Sandler, LLP, a renowned national law firm with a strong focus on emerging companies, venture capital funds, and investors. Abe Kwon shares his extensive experience as a startup venture capital lawyer and provides key insights into the critical legal conside…

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Startup Funding Espresso – The KISS Note 1:59

1M ago1:59

1:59

The KISS Note Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. KISS in the startup world stands for Keep It Simple Security. It’s similar to a convertible note. Here are the differences between a KISS and a convertible note: The KISS gives the holder the right to participate in fut…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Under Promise, Over Deliver 2:01

2M ago2:01

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Under Promise, Over Deliver Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In fundraising, the startup founder should underpromise and overdeliver to the investor. Here are some key areas to apply this: Forecasting. Most founders overpromise and underdeliver on their sales foreca…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Use Framing in Your Pitch 1:56

2M ago1:56

1:56

How To Use Framing in Your Pitch Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching investors, framing can be used to position the startup as a successful business. Framing is how you structure your message to shape how your audience perceives it. It can be used to genera…

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Startup Funding Espresso – The Myths of Biotech Investing 2:08

2M ago2:08

2:08

The Myths of Biotech Investing Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Biotech investing differs from tech investing. There’s often no revenue traction to assess. The startup must navigate the FDA path while dealing with cutting-edge devices and therapeutics. Here are some…

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Investor Connect 843: Investing in Transformative Health Tech with Rachna Dayal of Sugati Ventures 24:24

2M ago24:24

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In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin speaks with Rachna Dayal, a global health biotech and venture investment expert, founder of Sugati Ventures. Rachna shares her transition from corporate roles at Johnson & Johnson and Philips to founding and running a venture fund focused on transformative health tech startups. She talks about the ma…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Close a Strategic Investor 2:09

2M ago2:09

2:09

How To Close a Strategic Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Strategic investors are large companies that use startup investments to further their business objectives. They rarely invest to make a financial return. They fund startups to stay abreast of new tec…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Tips on How To Follow Up 2:02

2M ago2:02

2:02

Tips on How To Follow Up Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, investor follow-up is the critical work of the campaign. Timeliness is a key factor. Each day that passes without the follow-up degrades the value of the interaction. Here are some tips on…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Best Practices in Raising a microVC Fund 2:06

2M ago2:06

2:06

Best Practices in Raising a microVC Fund Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising a microVC fund, consider the following: It takes 12 to 18 months to raise an initial fund. Most funds start off in the $10M to $25M range. With a successful funding record, one can …

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Startup Funding Espresso – Investors Want To Know How the Business Will Be Successful 1:55

2M ago1:55

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Investors Want To Know How the Business Will Be Successful Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Most first-time startups pitch their product to the investor rather than their business. They often spend a great deal of time on how the product works. Investors want to kno…

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Startup Funding Espresso – What LPs Look for in First-Time Fundraisers 2:10

2M ago2:10

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What LPs Look for in First-Time Fundraisers Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Limited Partners investing in venture capital funds are similar to startups raising funds from venture capitalists. In pitching LPs to invest in a fund, include the following: They need to …

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Investor Connect 842: Navigating the Funding Winter with Tien Wong of Opus8 18:52

2M ago18:52

18:52

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin sits down with Tien Wong, CEO and Chairman of Opus8, a private investment advisory firm focused on life sciences, health tech, and marketing tech. Tian shares his extensive experience in leading and funding high-growth technology ventures and discusses the evolution of the Connect Preneur networking …

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Perform Investor Diligence 2:12

2M ago2:12

2:12

How To Perform Investor Diligence Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders raising funding should ask as many questions of the investor as the investor asks the founder. Here are some key points in the founders' diligence on a prospective investor: Before e…