Control Points in Vertical SaaS

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Vertical SaaS is a great business model for startups to use.

It focuses the product on one specific sector.

This brings many advantages in funding, competition, application development, and more.

A control point is a strategy for controlling the customer account.

This provides a hedge against competition.

In a vertical SaaS business, there are three control points.

The first is the workflow.

If your product provides the core workflow, you own the operations of the customer’s business.

This makes it harder for a competitor to displace your solution.

The more the customer uses your workflow, the stickier your product.

The second is the data.

If you own the core data set of the customer’s account, then others must go through your system to access that data.

This makes your solution stickier and harder to move to another solution.

The third is the level of account engagement.

The higher your account contact in the organization, the stronger your position against the competition.

Consider how to engage these three control points for your vertical SaaS customer.

Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.

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On this episode of Investor Connect, we welcome Dr. Guy Cooper, MD, an orthopedic surgeon by training, who discusses his company's breakthrough treatment for bladder cancer, the world's most expensive cancer. Dr. Cooper explains that his company, Combat Medical, is seeking $2.3 million to close a $5 million investment round to further their innovative approach that utilizes heated chemotherapy. This method enhances the drug's effect, improves penetration into cancer cells, and significantly reduces recurrence and progression rates.

Combat Medical has already conducted over 100,000 procedures outside the US, generating $4.3 million in revenue last year and holding patents that cover their products globally. Dr. Cooper articulates the company's successful trials and their aggressive expansion plans that project a substantial market growth by 2032. He outlines the potential for significant exit opportunities through acquisition by major medical device companies or IPOs on the Nasdaq.

Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.

_______________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/
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Why Invest in Vertical SaaS

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Vertical SaaS is a venture sector in the tech space.

It narrows the scope of the startup to a single application.

Vertical SaaS has many advantages as follows:

It’s easier to position in the market and message to the customer.

By narrowing the scope, the startup can dive deeper into the application, providing a better solution.

Distribution can be easier as it focuses on one vertical.

Vertical SaaS is highly specialized for the customer’s needs.

There’s less competition because the overall space is smaller.

Vertical SaaS requires less capital to launch and scale the business.

The key to a successful vertical SaaS business is to ensure there’s a large enough market.

If the total available market is too small, it will be difficult to achieve a venture outcome.

The founder needs to be highly experienced in the sector.

For many applications, a vertical SaaS approach will yield a successful startup.

Consider focusing your startup on a specific sector.

Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.

_______________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/
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Raising an Inside Round

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Most startup fundraisers seek capital from outside investors who are new to the round.

This brings new investors into the cap table.

There are rounds in which the existing investors fund the startup.

This is often done for bridge rounds.

Instead of raising the next major round, the startup raises additional capital to prepare for the next major round.

This often happens between the seed and Series A, which is a bigger step compared to other rounds.

An inside round often occurs around an important milestone, such as reaching cash flow positive or achieving a specific metric.

They are often smaller fundraisers in terms of amount.

They focus on existing investors.

The goal is often a key metric needed to raise the next round.

They are often priced at the same valuation as the last one.

It’s easier to raise a small amount from the existing investors than from outside investors.

Inside rounds are common and don’t necessarily indicate the startup is in trouble.

Consider an inside round for your startup.

Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.

_______________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/
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Using Rule 701 To Issue Equity to Employees

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In a startup, it’s helpful to compensate employees with company stock.

Most companies use stock options.

Rule 701 gives the startup the ability to issue equity to its employees.

This works even if they are not accredited investors.

The limit is $10M or 15% of the outstanding shares in a 12-month period.

Once you set the 12-month period, it must remain fixed.

Rule 701 provides an alternative to the traditional stock option plan.

It’s more flexible than an options plan and can be used to create more specific compensation plans.

Founders often align the 701 disclosure with the fiscal year of the company.

The shares are restricted stock, which means they must be registered with the SEC before one can trade them.

Consider Rule 701 for your stock compensation plan.

Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.

_______________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/
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Create a Sense of Urgency

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

In running a fundraiser, it’s important to build a sense of urgency into the campaign.

Here are some key steps to create that sense of urgency:

Break your fundraising into smaller rounds or tranches.

Demonstrate this by showing the fundraising plan that has more funding to come, but at a higher valuation.

This lets you run deadlines at the end of each round, creating urgency with investors.

Show how other investors are joining the round.

Show the interest and committed investors, as well as the funds invested.

Call out milestone events such as finding a lead investor, closing the round, or hitting the 50% mark of the fundraise.

Start canvassing investors before you begin the fundraise to educate potential investors on the campaign.

This moves investors down the path by learning the details of the business.

Provide regular updates to the investor on your progress.

Show how now is the right time to invest.

Use these tools to create a sense of urgency for your fundraiser.

Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.

_______________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/
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The Role of AI and Data in Fundraising

Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.

Startup fundraising begins with family and friends and then expands to the founders' network.

In that part of the fundraising, founders will engage those they know well.

Half the reason these investors join the round is to help the founder.

After this group is exhausted, the founder draws the circle wider and starts to encounter investors they don’t know.

These investors will be more difficult to close because they don’t have a relationship with the founder already.

They will make an investment decision based solely on the merits of the business.

For this stage, founders will need to use AI and data tools to identify the most viable investors for their deals.

Founders will need to find those investors who fit their deals based on revenue, sector, and stage.

AI and data analytics are key tools to use in this part of the fundraising.

AI can search large amounts of data to identify the right investors to pursue.

The funds flowing through the industry are moving every day.

It’s important to have the latest data on who has dry powder and who may be looking to invest.

Consider the use of AI and data analytics for your startup fundraising.

Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.

_______________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/
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On this episode of Investor Connect, we are joined by Ron from South Highland Ventures for an enlightening presentation on search funds, touted as the best-performing asset class in the world. Ron dives deep into the 40-year-old model initially developed by Stanford and Harvard, highlighting its relevance and success today in addressing the $10 trillion succession challenge faced by businesses globally. He emphasizes the robust returns and lower risks associated with search funds compared to traditional venture capital or private equity, detailing how they capitalize on small, stable companies with strong profit margins that lack succession planning but have immense growth potential.

Ron also shares insights into the distinctive features of South Highland Ventures and its collaboration with Nova Stone Capital Advisors in building a streamlined deal flow machine, underscoring the firm's innovative and scalable approach to search fund investments. For more updates and information, connect with Ron through the contact details provided, and join us next time on Investor Connect.

Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.

Let’s go startup something today.

_______________________________________________________

For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org

Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/
For Investors check out: https://tencapital.group/investor-landing/
For Startups check out: https://tencapital.group/company-landing/
For eGuides check out: https://tencapital.group/education/
For upcoming Events, check out https://tencapital.group/events/

For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group

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Music courtesy of Bensound