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* What do you like to see before you invest? idea? product? traction? * What do you give more importance? idea or team? * You've had incredible dealflow recen

by aditya 16y ago

* What do you like to see before you invest? idea? product? traction? * What do you give more importance? idea or team? * You've had incredible dealflow recently, how are you getting into all these deals? (Foursquare, Square, StackOverflow, DailyBooth, Canv.as) * Since you don't lead, if you run across an interesting startup, do you make introductions or only co-invest in deals that come from other people? * Better location for a pre-funding consumer internet startup: NYC or Bay Area? * Bootstrap or raise money? Any particular reasons to choose the former or latter?

joshu 16y ago
> What do you like to see before you invest? idea? product? traction? I am trying to build intuition. So some of this is gut sense. Sometimes I look at deals and say, this is obvious. Sometimes I have to sell myself. I look for new things that are in spaces that have a comfortable competitiveness climate. > What do you give more importance? idea or team? Both are important. See above. > You've had incredible dealflow recently, how are you getting into all these deals? Luck is a matter of being in the right place at the right time, so I take care to be everywhere. I know everyone. Foursquare: I knew Dennis from NYC. Square: I knew Jack from twitter. StackOverflow: I was on a panel with Joel once. Canvas: I suggested moot to TED and introduced myself at the conference. Dailybooth: Asked for an introduction to me. > Since you don't lead If I like the product, I introduce it to relevant people. > Better location for a pre-funding internet startup I'm fond of both NYC and Bay Area. I started Delicious in NYC. > Bootstrap or raise money Venture money is only useful in some situations - where capital will help grow the business. I also want to see something where I will conceivably get out someday; that's either acquisition or IPO. Do many privately held companies pay dividends?
- aditya 16y ago
  Thanks! To rephrase the NYC vs SF question, if you were starting a new company today, where would you do it?
  - deleted 16y ago
    [deleted]
  - joshu 16y ago
    Personally I would be ok with either. I know great investors in NYC. There are more investors in the Valley. If you have something that is harder to get funded, it may be easier here.

by aditya 16y ago

joshu 16y ago

> What do you like to see before you invest? idea? product? traction? I am trying to build intuition. So some of this is gut sense. Sometimes I look at deals and say, this is obvious. Sometimes I have to sell myself. I look for new things that are in spaces that have a comfortable competitiveness climate. > What do you give more importance? idea or team? Both are important. See above. > You've had incredible dealflow recently, how are you getting into all these deals? Luck is a matter of being in the right place at the right time, so I take care to be everywhere. I know everyone. Foursquare: I knew Dennis from NYC. Square: I knew Jack from twitter. StackOverflow: I was on a panel with Joel once. Canvas: I suggested moot to TED and introduced myself at the conference. Dailybooth: Asked for an introduction to me. > Since you don't lead If I like the product, I introduce it to relevant people. > Better location for a pre-funding internet startup I'm fond of both NYC and Bay Area. I started Delicious in NYC. > Bootstrap or raise money Venture money is only useful in some situations - where capital will help grow the business. I also want to see something where I will conceivably get out someday; that's either acquisition or IPO. Do many privately held companies pay dividends?

aditya 16y ago
Thanks! To rephrase the NYC vs SF question, if you were starting a new company today, where would you do it?
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
- joshu 16y ago
  Personally I would be ok with either. I know great investors in NYC. There are more investors in the Valley. If you have something that is harder to get funded, it may be easier here.