Paola Bonomo’s Post

Who are the Most value creating Angels in the world ? The 2024 Arete Index is live: A ranking of the top 1,000 angel investors around the globe, created to celebrate angels & their crucial contribution to the startup economy. This year we have not only looked at number of unicorns from early stage and value returns , but also asked all unicorn founders who has helped them the most! I have Personally met with 500 of the angels in the list. Angel investors say an estimated 1,000,000 yeses to founders every year and as a result have transformed the face of global business throughout history. They are born risk takers, and are driven, passionate, innovators who crave participation, improvement and progress. Have a look and see if you recognize the top names and the thousands for brands they've helped create: https://lnkd.in/d4kb_Qpb

Hey guys! Ever wondered how angel investors can turbocharge your startup? 💡💸 Here’s a breakdown of what I’ve learned about attracting these pivotal players: - Who they are: Angel investors are the financial jet fuel for startups, offering capital in exchange for equity, often stepping in when banks won't. - What they seek: More than just money, they bring experience and mentorship, betting on the founder's commitment and the startup’s potential. - Finding the one: From leveraging angel networks and online platforms to hitting up industry events and tapping into alumni connections, there’s a myriad of ways to connect with potential angels. - Making the pitch: Clear, concise, and compelling — that's what your pitch needs to be, with a solid business plan and a unique value proposition. Read more: https://bit.ly/3QEHkXe Navigating the angel investment landscape can be complex. If you're preparing to take this step and need a strategic sounding board, I’m here to help. Schedule a gameplan call and get your venture on the radar of the right investors. https://bit.ly/46ZGf1W #AngelInvesting #StartupTips #BusinessStrategy

I'll share a point of view on startups valuation using some some great insights from Peter Walker - Carta's State of Startups 2023. Digging into the data, there's a clear pattern in how valuation change at different funding stages. Here's my simple explanation for that: - Early Stages: It's more about what investors feel and the current market mood. Since fewer investors are involved, their opinions can really define how much a startup is worth. - Later Stages: For grown-up companies, it's less about feelings and more about the hard numbers. Things like discounted cash flow and solid business plans play a bigger role in deciding their value. So, early on, it's venture capitalists calling the shots, but later, it's all about the business basics. Would you agree with that? #StartupGrowth #InvestmentBasics #Valuation #VentureCapital #BusinessAnalysis

The best investors for your startup could be other founders. Especially if they had some success or an exit in your space. But you can't treat them as you do other angel investors. They might not have the cash to invest but they have so much more to offer. Read about it on our blog (link in the comments).

You reached PMF. Your sales team is crushing their sales targets. Your ARR is great and only getting better and better. You are now ready to crush that Series A round. Somehow getting those Series A investor commitments are just not going as you had hoped for. You can't stay in this position for much longer. Now is the time for troubleshooting and getting back on track. One possible explanation is that you have a messy cap-table. This will be really, really hard to fix! Not impossible, but difficult! A better option is to educate yourself on how to not mess up your cap-table and avoid the common pitfalls. Great post on this topic below.

From Techcrunch: The 7 best way to lose money as an angel investor ------------------------------- Investing at the earliest stages of a company is a high-risk activity, even with perfect information and context. #techcrunch #startups #breakingtechnews

From Techcrunch: The 7 best way to lose money as an angel investor ------------------------------- Investing at the earliest stages of a company is a high-risk activity, even with perfect information and context. #techcrunch #startups #breakingtechnews

Congrats on your seed round! Are you ready for the Series A Crunch? The transition from seed to Series A is where many startups stumble, not because they lack vision, but because they aren’t prepared for the rigorous demands of investors. At this stage, investors aren’t just looking for great ideas – they want solid data, robust operations, and a clear path to scalability. This is where many founders feel overwhelmed. You’ve done the hard work to secure initial funding, but now the bar is higher. It’s crucial to build strong data rooms and streamline operations to make a lasting impression on investors. FYA partners with you to ensure you are fully prepared. We specialize in creating investor-ready data rooms and optimizing your operations so you can confidently navigate the Series A Crunch. Don’t wait until it’s too late – start preparing now. Visit https://buff.ly/3MeZvQE to learn more about how we can help. #StartupGrowth #SeriesA #InvestorReady

A messy cap table structure is a red flag to investors 🚩 Here are the most common issues I come across with the cap tables of early-stage startups: 👉🏼 Previous founders who have left the startup but still have equity on the cap table. Referred to as 'dead equity', this is equity held by a non-contributing (no active role or no capital commitment) individual. 👉🏼 Organisations, advisors, or 'non-capital participating' angels (providing a service, usually agreed on with the founders verbally) who have significant equity allocations with no vesting schedules or performance hurdles. 👉🏼 Founders who have been heavily diluted by a previous 'lead' investor. Commonly an angel investor who is pricing the round themselves with limited reference points to the market and likely can't provide follow-on capital. Founders, protect your cap table at all costs. The investors on your cap table should be your dream team and must have alignment in the pursuit of your vision. A shoutout to Yair Reem for the graphic below which outlines the common cap table issues. #founders #vc #investment #startup

Here's a great illustration of what's not investable. Conversely, investors who negotiate hard to obtain a significant chunk of equity might win the battle but lose the war. Avoid being the reason founders are unable to raise the next stage of funding—because if you are, you'll end up owning a lot of shares in nothing. #venturecapital #entreprenuership #starups