How much equity should I grant to advisors?
Clients regularly ask a variation of the above question, replacing advisor with CTO, COO, sales manager, front-end engineer, etc. It’s a great question. And one with varying answers and consequences depending on a company’s lifecycle stage. As a founder, one must understand that a company who has completed a late-stage financing round (Series A, Series B, etc.) can’t dispense equity like a fledgling startup can. Why not?
VW Venture Deals Year in Review 2016
In December of 2015, we released a three-year audit of early stage venture deals facilitated by VW and felt that the data was an indicator of early-stage financing trends and the good health of the venture industry in DFW. We’ve just […]
Getting To “No”
One of the biggest frustrations we hear from our clients about the capital raise process is that VCs are non-responsive or unwilling to make a firm investment decision. To help with this, I reached out to several VCs whom we see on a regular basis to ask for their input.
Securities Straight Talk Vol. 4: Why you Need to Consider Blue Sky Laws Before Conducting a Capital Raise
Not taking securities laws into account prior to the start of your offering can create a dark cloud over your otherwise bright, sun-shiny raise.
Securities Straight Talk Vol. 3: Keeping it Local—Changes to the Rule 147 Intrastate Offering Exemption
The SEC, wishing to facilitate capital formation by smaller companies, amended Rule 147 and adopted Rule 147A to modernize the intrastate offering exemption. These changes have liberalized the Rule 147 safe harbor and expanded the exemptions available for local securities offerings. The amended Rule 147 and new Rule 147A are largely identical, except for a few distinct differences.
Securities Straight Talk Vol. 2: Out With the Old (Rule 505), In With the New (Rule 504)
The SEC released its final ruling that amends Rule 504 and repeals Rule 505, altering Reg D as we know it. In a nutshell, the SEC has combined the best of Rule 504 (unlimited investors, no accredited investor requirement, no burdensome disclosures) with the best of Rule 505 (a $5,000,000 offering limit).
Securities Straight Talk Vol. 1: Securities Laws Matter To Startups (Yes, Yours Too)
So, what exactly is a security, and how does it relate to my startup? In this blog series, we will provide the straight talk on federal and state securities laws to help you navigate the web of regulation.
Don’t Have Enough Authorized Shares? There’s A Fix For That
Last September, the Texas legislature ratified Subchapter R, giving Texas for-profit corporations a statutory device for ratifying what were once considered void or voidable corporate acts or issuances of company shares. The new legislation applies to well-established and newly formed […]
Learning From “No”
Hearing ‘no’ from an investor doesn’t end the conversation; it pivots the conversation. If you’ve ever embarked on a round of funding, even a simple friends and family round, chances are you’ve heard some form of “no” more than you’d like.
Keep Your Investors Updated
One of the things we preach to our clients is transparency with investors. Besides the fact that investors have certain information rights under state law, clear communication serves multiple purposes. (Note: investors do not get access to everything – confidential […]