OpenVC Blog

Advisory Shares: A Guide for Startup Founders

In the tech startup sphere, advisory shares are a double-edged sword. Let's venture into the realm of startup advisory shares, addressing the whys, whos, and how muchs.

Posted by Shaun Gold | October 27, 2024

12 Best Startup Financial Model Templates [Free & Paid]

Need a financial model for your startup? Fear not. I have extensively compared the top 12 templates, free and paid, so you don't have to do it.

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | October 22, 2024

Russ Shaw CBE - From Harvard to O2, Skype and nurturing London's Tech Scene

This is episode 10 of The OpenVC Podcast. In this episode, Russ Shaw shares his journey from launching Skype’s mobile division to leading O2 as CMO, where he famously pulled Arsenal’s sponsorship. Now the founder of Tech London Advocates (10,000+ members), he discusses tech leadership, branding, and ecosystem growth.

Posted by Harrison Faull Russ Shaw | October 15, 2024

Why now is the time to invest in emerging markets

Emerging markets and developed markets have reached an inflection point like never before. And they’re heading in opposite directions. Now is the time for venture capitalists to invest in emerging markets.

Posted by Sahith Aula | October 14, 2024

Raising with SAFE

The Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) is a popular financial instrument for startups who want to raise funds. This post will teach you the specifics of a SAFE, which is more complex that the name suggests.

Posted by Côme Laffay | October 14, 2024

How to secure a lead investor for your startup?

Today, we cover three strategies you can use to secure your lead investor. But before that, let's understand what a lead investor exactly does, and why nobody wants to be one.

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | October 10, 2024

How startup studios build and grow startups

A "startup studio" or "venture studio" is a structure that builds and grow a startup from scratch. In this article, we’ll focus on how venture studios operate, the benefits provide to founders, and how they stand out in the startup ecosystem.

Posted by Ralitsa Ivanova | October 3, 2024

The Startup Lifecycle Stages: From Garage to Unicorn

A typical tech startup lifecycle consists of 3 major stages: Garage, Growth Machine, and Unicorn. Framework based on Steve Blank, Reid Hofman, Brian Balfour, Morgan Brown.

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | October 1, 2024

Serial Founder, Angel Investor & VC: Max Fleitmann

This is episode 13 of The OpenVC Podcast. In this episode, Max talks about how he started building websites at 13 and later scaled his edtech company, StudyHelp, to millions in revenue before exiting. Now leading Wizard Ventures, he shares insights on acquiring and scaling internet startups, driving traffic, and crafting effective pitch decks.

Posted by Max Fleitmann Harrison Faull | October 1, 2024