HubSpot For Startups’ Post

The Ultimate #VC list... a useful list to screen which investors can be a fit for your company!

Choosing the right investor is just as important as a VC choosing the right founder to back! When you're looking for capital think about the skills and capability gaps and choose an investor that will help fill those gaps. Some questions to help with reverse due diligence. 🤔 What is your IIP - Ideal Investor Profile? Define the ideal traits and characteristics you seek in an investor. Consider factors such as industry expertise, network, operational experience, and cultural fit. 🤓 What are your expectations? Clarify your expectations from the investor. Are you seeking access to their expansive network, specific subject matter expertise, or a seasoned generalist to offer diverse industry insights? 👩💻 Do you need a strong product or GTM investor to help with your next phase? Assess whether your next growth phase requires specialised guidance in product development or go-to-market strategy. Look for investors with a track record of success in these areas who can provide invaluable insights and support. 🌏 Is going global the next key milestone in your journey? Consider whether your potential investor has a proven track record of helping launch in international markets. Their firsthand experience can be invaluable in overcoming challenges and seizing opportunities abroad Remember, the right investor isn't just a source of capital but a strategic partner who can help propel your venture to new heights. Join us at OnePitch VC's reverse pitch viewing party: https://lu.ma/77jftdye

Imagine asking two founders to step down from their business—only to have both return as LPs in your next VC fund. That’s the level of trust and respect that Samir Kumar, General Partner at Athera Ventures, inspires in his portfolio founders. With blockbuster exits like redBus, PolicyBazaar, and Unbxd to his firm's name, Samir says that a healthy VC-founder relationship is what nurtures growth and drives profits for LPs. At MJV’s Annual Investor Meet on 11th Jan in Bengaluru, I had the privilege of sitting down with Samir Kumar to dive deep into the dynamics of the VC-founder relationship. Here are 7 invaluable lessons I walked away with from our conversation.

During my frontline sales days at Wipro Infotech, Sherif was that legend from R&D who smoothly resolved complex technical problems, thus dousing customer fires for us worried sales folks. So, it was an honour and delight to be invited for a conversation with him at his firm (Mount Judi Ventures') Annual Meet. Our talk is neatly summarized in his post below. Credit for the specific happening mentioned by him goes squarely to my partner, Parag, who handled that difficult situation admirably well. "Disagree without being disagreeable” is something I've learnt from him. Many of the summarized lessons are learnings from my long-time partners, Parag and Rutvik, both of whom I’ve been fortunate to work with for many years now. From the get-go, at Athera Venture Partners (formerly Inventus India) we have endeavored to be known not just for the returns we deliver, but also the way we do it. It starts with enormous Respect for the tough, and often brutal journeys that entrepreneurs undertake. We work hard to be true partners in their lonely journey (our name, Athera, meaning Path or Journey, stems from this). Humility is something each of us holds very dear. Without that, there is no empathy or compassion for founders. Trust is foundational to our business, and we believe we have achieved this not just with our entrepreneurs, but also our LPs and VC peers. This is why we have LPs who’ve continued to support us since inception, why we’ve won the trust of renowned institutions like HDFC AMC's FoF, and why we're continuing to add well-known entrepreneurs (including many of our own founders) to our LP base each day. When all is done and dusted, hopefully a couple of aeons away, we aim to be remembered as “The Folks who did it the Right Way!” Rajiv Mehta| Ishan Sinha| Kavya Prudhvi| Anshu Pandey| Tanya Sequeira| Mangala Jois| Kaushik A

In their latest blog post, Jeffrey Silverman and David Arcara share their journey to founding Laconia—from their first steps as angel investors to building a hands-on, founder-focused venture fund. Their story is full of lessons about embracing opportunities, staying curious, and leading with collaboration. As leaders of the Venture Cooperative, they bring this wealth of experience directly to our fellows—teaching how to apply these principles, navigate the VC world, and create meaningful impact. 👉 Learn from their story here: https://lnkd.in/gxMB55ff

At Focal, we've built the most accessible, efficient and collaborative way for top-tier founders to raise from leading VCs and angels. How does it work? ⏱️ 💨 Founders apply in 7 minutes. >250 leading VC funds see every application 🤔 VCs vote and introduce themselves to founders they like most, with the top 1% pitching 📥🔥 Investor interest flows in, building FOMO for your funding round It's a no-brainer. Don't just take our word for it, here's Jude founder and Dragon's Den legend Peony Li to give the inside track. Apply via the link in the comments 👇

✅ The due diligence (DD) process often takes founders by surprise as it is intense and requires a lot of preparation, which is often brushed over when talking about the fundraising process. 📘 Each angel or angel group will have their own DD approach, but there are some key plans and information that all investors will require. Being prepared with these won’t ensure you will raise, but it will impress the investors and allow for a quicker and smoother fundraise, if there is a good match. 💻 Last week, our Angel Raise Ready cohort attended an online masterclass hosted by Umulinga Karangwa, CFA, where they discussed how to navigate the due diligence process with angels. ⬇️ Pictured below are some key “must haves” for a startup to have ready for an angel investor during the due diligence process. If you’ve been through the due diligence process before, do you have any learnings to share? Let us know in the comments!

We had a great conversation with Doug Wyatt about his journey into Angel investing and why Maple Leaf Angels helped him find a way to give back and use his years of experience. Angel investing is a great way to be part of the Canadian start-up ecosystem and see some of the most innovative ideas in development. #investorinverview #angelinvesting #torontotech

CAV Angels has been ranked #16 among the Top 20 Angel Groups actively investing in 2023, as highlighted in the Angel Capital Association's recently released Angel Funding Report (AFR). CAV is the only angel group from Virginia to make the list, and joins notable groups such as VentureSouth (#11, Greenville, SC), New York Angels (#14), RobinHood Ventures (#17, Philadelphia, PA), and Central Texas Angel Network (#18, Austin, TX). In his annual letter, Pat Gouhin, CEO of the ACA, praised the resilience of angel investors, highlighting their crucial role in providing both capital and mentorship. This support has been instrumental in helping more companies achieve success, driving innovation, and fostering economic growth.

EQT’s Carolina Brochado recently spoke with Sam Shead at LinkedIn News Europe for their VC Wednesdays, a weekly Q&A series with a leading venture capitalist. Together, they delved into Carolina’s inspiring journey from aspiring diplomat to successful investor and discussed what it takes to build a career as a VC. Follow EQT Group for more insights, or dive into the full interview here ➡️ https://ow.ly/vMP050UbI67