Investor Connect Podcast
by Hall T Martin
Hall T Martin interviews angel and venture capital investors on how they invest and talks with CEOs who discuss their sector and what to look for. Hall T Martin also leads the Startup Funding Espresso series in which you can learn about startup funding and investing in the time it takes to have an espresso. https://investorconnect.org/
Episodes
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Startup Funding Espresso – Reverse Criteria for Deal Flow
Reverse Criteria for Deal Flow Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors often have criteria for the startups they are looking for. Some investors also have reverse criteria for deal flow to point out startups…
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Investor Connect 902: Max Schuster of Capacura on Impact VC, AI Screening, and Expanding Startup Investing to Individuals
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Max Schuster, entrepreneur, startup investor, and marketing lead at Capacura, a German venture capital firm focused on impact investing. Capacura specializes in education technology, health technology, and climate technology, backing companies...
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Startup Funding Espresso – The Many Challenges in Angel Investing
The Many Challenges in Angel Investing Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Angel investing comes with many challenges. Here's a list of how to deal with them: One's angel investing experience will inform one's...
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Startup Funding Espresso – The Value of Proprietary Insights
The Value of Proprietary Insights Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In selecting startups to fund, investors often use various deal flow channels to find the ones that fit their investment thesis. In addition to…
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Startup Funding Espresso – Alternatives to a Down Round
Alternatives to a Down Round Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. During down markets, the founder may find it a challenge to raise funding at a higher valuation than the last round. If the company is not doing well,...
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Startup Funding Espresso – The Jockey, the Horse, or the Track
The Jockey, the Horse, or the Track Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders building their pitch deck have a choice as to how they frame their deal. They can focus on either the jockey, the horse, or the track....
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Startup Funding Espresso – What To Outsource in Your Fundraise
What To Outsource in Your Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising requires a great deal of work. At the core of it is the CEO pitching and following up with investors. There are elements that can be...
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Investor Connect 901: Investing Beyond Silicon Valley with Brian Birk
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Brian Birk, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Sun Mountain Capital Advisors. Brian brings a unique combination of experience as an entrepreneur, business operator, and investor, with a background spanning technology, life sciences, venture...
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Startup Funding Espresso -- Building a Go-to-Market slide
Building a Go-to-Market slide Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. A key slide in the pitch deck is the Go-to-Market slide. This slide shows how the startup will enter the market and generate adoption. Here are some…
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Startup Funding Espresso – Deciphering the Investors' Response
Deciphering the Investors' Response Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After the pitch, the startup seeks feedback from the investor. Sometimes the follow-up is clear and cogent. Other times, the feedback is vague…
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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Make the Advisor Role Successful
How To Make the Advisor Role Successful Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup advisors can be a great resource to founders. Here are some key factors that can make the advisor role successful Be selective in...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Why Give Stock Options to Employees
Why Give Stock Options to Employees Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups give stock options to employees as part of their compensation package. Most startups create an options pool at the Series A fundraise.…
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Startup Funding Espresso – Allowing Employees To Sell Stock on the Secondary Market
Allowing employees to sell stock on the secondary market Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups that take a long time to reach an exit should consider allowing employees to sell stock on the secondary market....
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Investor Connect 900: Building Ontario's VC Ecosystem, Governance, and Scaling Innovation with Brenda Hogan
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Brenda Hogan, CIO at Venture Ontario, to discuss how Venture Ontario operates like a sovereign-wealth-style investor focused exclusively on backing venture capital funds across general technology, life sciences/medical devices, cleantech, and...
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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Handle an Exploding Term Sheet
How To Handle an Exploding Term Sheet Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. An exploding term sheet is one that comes with a specific deadline, including a time of day and date. It often gives the founder very little...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Key Factors Impacting Investor Returns
Key Factors Impacting Investor Returns Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup investors seeking higher returns should consider the following factors: Due diligence -- there must be a meaningful amount of due...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Building a Startup Portfolio
Building a Startup Portfolio Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup investing requires a portfolio approach. Here are some best practices for building a startup portfolio. Determine how much time and investment...
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Startup Funding Espresso – What To Include in a Due Diligence Report
What To Include in a Due Diligence Report Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The due diligence report is written by the due diligence team. It covers the financial, operational, legal, and strategic aspects of the...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Using the Four-Quadrant Slide
Using the Four-Quadrant Slide Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching the startup, the founder shows how the business will be positioned in the market. The four-quadrant slide is one tool to show how the...
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Investor Connect 899: JIP Strategy, Licensing, and Deal Readiness in Life Sciences with Gillian Fenton
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Marchant welcomes Gillian Fenton of LST Strategies, who brings more than 30 years of experience in licensing intellectual property and life sciences transactions, including work with GSK, Emergent BioSolutions, and Biogen, as well as university startups,...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Why Build a Financial Forecast
Why Build a Financial Forecast Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups should build a financial forecast for their business. Even if the future is uncertain and all the data is not known, it's still important to...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Be Founder-Friendly To Gain More Dealflow
Be Founder-Friendly To Gain More Dealflow Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders live in the center of the startup world and thus see many companies raising funding. A startup investor will do well to tap into...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Founderflow vs Dealflow
Founderflow vs Dealflow Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup investors spend their day looking for quality deals. There are business plan competitions, demo days, and other formats where founders pitch. Then...
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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Qualify an Investor for Your Startup
How To Qualify an Investor for Your Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders searching for investors need to qualify the investors for their deal. Here are key questions to ask an investor before pursuing...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Investing in Climate Tech
Investing in Climate Tech Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Climate Tech is an up-and-coming investment opportunity. Here are the sectors, benefits, and risks. The key sectors include the following: Renewable…
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Investor Connect 898: Jake Ryan of Tradecraft Capital: Digital Asset Investing, Trend-Following Strategies, and the Age of Autonomy
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Jake Ryan, Founder and Chief Investment Officer at Tradecraft Capital, a digital asset management firm focused on cryptocurrency, blockchain, and emerging technologies. Jake shares how he moved from software engineering and artificial…
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Startup Funding Espresso – How to Diligence an AI Startup
How to Diligence an AI Startup Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Artificial intelligence companies bring new challenges to the diligence process. Here are the key steps to diligence an AI startup: Does the AI…
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Startup Funding Espresso – Technical Due Diligence
Technical Due Diligence Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investing in startups requires due diligence. In addition to financial diligence, an investor should consider technical due diligence. Here are the key…
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Startup Funding Espresso – Why VC Funds Should Build a Community
Why VC Funds Should Build a Community Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. A community is a network of contacts who come together for a common cause. Venture capital funds should build a community. Here are the…
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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Validate the Startup's Potential
How To Validate the Startup's Potential Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors considering funding a startup should test the startup's potential. Here are some key techniques for evaluating the startup. Try to...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Regulatory Around the Fund Manager
Regulatory Around the Fund Manager Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are regulations around the fund manager. A fund manager is considered an investment advisor, which is defined as anyone who provides advice...
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Investor Connect 897: Renewable Energy, Greenhouses, and Rural Resilience with Al McGregor of Perfect Energy, Inc. & AgroEnergy Farms, Co.
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Al McGregor, COO of Perfect Energy, Inc. & AgroEnergy Farms, Co. Through Perfect Energy in Colorado with partners in Texas, Al connects solar and wind generation to practical commercial and agricultural use, arguing renewables and fossil fuels…
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Startup Funding Espresso – Regulatory Around the Fundraising Process
Regulatory Around the Fundraising Process Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are regulations around startup funding. These regulations provide an exemption from the securities laws. Here's a list of key...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Regulatory for Private Funds
Regulatory for Private Funds Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Regulatory for private funds includes venture capital funds. VC funds can find an exemption from regulatory requirements by one of the following…
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Startup Funding Espresso – Automating Your Dealflow Process
Automating Your Dealflow Process Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup investors see a tremendous amount of deal flow. Finding quality deals is the challenge. Here are some key steps to automate the dealflow...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Key Criteria for Venture Capital Investment
Key Criteria for Venture Capital Investment Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture capital requires a specific type of startup to meet its investment objectives. Here's a list of key criteria VCs look for: Large...
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Investor Connect 896: Andrew Kazlow on Building Better Angel Due Diligence with The Diligent Observer
On this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Andrew Kazlow, entrepreneur, writer, and host of The Diligent Observer. Andrew shares how he moved from an engineering background into the business side of industrial automation, then returned to Texas A&M for an MBA where he studied what's...
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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Handle Soft Commitments
How To Handle Soft Commitments Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors provide soft commitments to hold their place in a fundraise but delay the actual investment. The soft commitment is not legally binding....
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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Perform Due Diligence on an Investor
How To Perform Due Diligence on an Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the founder should be doing as much diligence on the investor as the investor is doing on the startup. Here are some...
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Startup Funding Espresso – The Basic Due Diligence Process
The Basic Due Diligence Process Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors funding a startup must first complete the due diligence process. The objective is to understand all the particulars about the company and...
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Startup Funding Espresso – The Importance of Vesting Shares
The Importance of Vesting Shares Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Vesting shares means taking shares granted to an employee and having them earned over time. A typical vesting schedule is four years with a…
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Startup Funding Espresso – What Is Reverse Due Diligence
What Is Reverse Due Diligence Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Due diligence is the process of reviewing the condition of a company to be acquired. The purpose is to understand the company's current status,...
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Startup Funding Espresso – The Importance of a Data Room
The Importance of a Data Room Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. A dataroom is a collection of the key documents of a startup for a fundraise. The dataroom can be kept in software specifically designed for dataroom...
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Investor Connect 895: Jason Taylor of CodeLaunch on Solving the Pre-MVP Catch-22 with Venturetainment
In this episode of Investor Connect, we welcome Jason Taylor, founder and president of CodeLaunch, who shares how he created the program in 2012 to help early-stage tech founders overcome the catch-22 of needing a product to raise funding but needing funding to build the product. Jason explains…
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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Invest Using a Fund of Funds
How To Invest Using a Fund of Funds Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investing in a series of venture capital funds is one strategy for venture investing. This is a fund of funds investment strategy. Venture funds...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Best Practices for Networking
Best Practices for Networking Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Networking is a key skill in startup fundraising. The founder must be able to navigate a community to find investors for their fundraise. Here are…
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Startup Funding Espresso – Dilution by Startup Stage
Dilution by Startup Stage Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Dilution is a major issue for founders. Each stage of fundraising causes another reduction in the founder's ownership. Here are the levels of dilution at...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Problems Are Startups Waiting To Happen
Problems Are Startups Waiting To Happen Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Ideating a new startup begins with a problem. Here are the steps to ideating your next startup: Scan the market for problems. Review the…
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Startup Funding Espresso – High-Value Startups Do Things Other Startups Cannot
High-Value Startups Do Things Other Startups Cannot Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In ideating a new startup, focus on things other startups cannot do. High-value startups do things other startups cannot This...
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Investor Connect 894: Per Nordling of Partinc Capital on Scaling B2B SaaS with AI and Active Investing
In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin welcomes Per Nordling, an entrepreneur, angel investor, and SaaS operator who co-founded Medius in 2001, bootstrapped it to about $10M in revenue, raised capital to accelerate expansion, and helped scale the company internationally across…
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About this show
Hall T Martin interviews angel and venture capital investors on how they invest and talks with CEOs who discuss their sector and what to look for. Hall T Martin also leads the Startup Funding Espresso series in which you can learn about startup funding and investing in the time it takes to have an espresso. https://investorconnect.org/
Hosted by
Hall T Martin