Two things to keep in mind if you're a founder and find yourself in a meeting of VCs:
You are the smartest person in this room. Investors want to hear yes.
Many entrepreneurs miss this chance, even though they are able to direct questions and understand their BATNA (best alternative for a negotiated deal).
Kunal Lunawat, co-founder of Agya Ventures, said that the venture landscape is becoming more meritocratic, where institutional affiliations and resumes are less important. These strategies can make all the difference between a successful fundraise or a failure to meet.
You can read the Venrock VP Todd Graham's crash course on corporate development, which is great for anyone who is already involved in fundraising or if you are planning to do so in the future.
Graham says that if you want to be acquired, there are high chances that youre going spend a lot time with corporate development teams. The environment for acquisitions is very favorable, with a booming stock market, large amounts of cash, and low-interest debt.
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On Wednesday, August 24, at 3 p.m. Pacific Time (PDT)/6 p.m. Eastern Time (11 p.m GMT), Managing Editor Danny Crichton and Eric Dean Wilson will be having a Twitter Spaces conversation with Eric Dean Wilson, author of After Cooling.
Wilson's book explores how freon was banned in the wake of its disastrous effects on the ozone layer. They will be answering questions from the audience after their discussion.
Thank you for reading Extra Crunch this Week! I wish you a wonderful weekend.
Walter Thompson
Senior Editor, TechCrunch
@yourprotagonist
Apple is updating Mail Privacy Protection. Email marketers need to be prepared
Apple iPhone, Apple Mail, and Apple iPad account almost half of all email openings. However, privacy features in iOS 15 will enable consumers to block marketers seeing their physical location, IP address, and tracking data such as invisible pixels.
These metrics are crucial for email marketers, so they need to prepare now for any changes, says Melissa Sargeant, Litmus CMO.
She shares in detail several actions that marketing teams can take to leverage their email analytics and continue to deliver personalized experiences for customers.
Lets make a deal: A crash course on corporate development
Todd Graham, Vice President of Venrock, has some honest advice for founders of venture-backed startups: It is wise to generate some return.
He wrote a primer on corporate growth with this in mind. It outlines the three most common types of acquisitions and tips for dealing with banksers. Also, it explains why forming a partnership with large companies is not always the best option.
Graham advises that no matter what path you take, it is important to attend the meeting.
The worst case scenario is that you will get a few LinkedIn connections, and youre now a well-known quantity. A second meeting is the best scenario.
Chicago startups were ready to close the deal when VCs turned towards Zoom
The pandemic did not slow down the pace of venture capitalists investing money in startups. However, Chicago is a notable benefactor of the acceleration of venture capital activity as well as the rise of remote investment, Alex Wilhelm writes for The Exchange.
The world was shut down, and it didn't matter if someone was in NYC or SF (because everyone had Zoom), but the Windy City was ready for the challenge.
What does Brazil's new receivables law mean for fintechs
Brazil's Central Bank has made major changes to how payments are processed. This could open the door for e-commerce in South America's largest market.
Merchants that accept credit card payments have had two choices: They could receive the full amount in two to twelve installments or they could offer a deep discount to get a lower sum.
However, in June 2021 the BCB established new registration entities which allow any receivables buyer/acquirer make an offer for receivables. This allows buyers to be more competitive in their discounts, according to Leonardo Lanna (head of payment products at Monkey Exchange).
This new framework is good for sellers and consumers, but it also opens up new opportunities and business models for startups in the region, including credit and payments.
Brazil's startup market is growing rapidly and Brazil could see an IPO boom.
According to Alex Wilhelm and Anna Heim, the Brazilian startup market is characterised by notable acquisitions, an inflow of VC dollars and rising unicorn counts.
They write that Brazil's IPO market is changing. TechCrunch reported last year that only two of 56 Brazilian IPOs were technology-related in the decade prior to 2020. Recent years have seen a rise in the number of listed technology companies in Brazil to at least 16, compared with just four in 2019.
Here are some insider tips to simplify your SOC 3 certification application
Waydev CEO Alex Cercei wrote in a guest column that security certifications such as the SOC 3 are a tough one.
Waydev, an automated Git analytics tool that assists engineering leaders to measure team performance, has just received the SOC 3 certification.
Cercei writes that we learned so much through the process that it felt right to share our experiences with others who might be intimidated by the prospect.
Here's how to get teams to an SOC 3 without causing disruption.
Dear Sophie: Any tips on EB-1A or EB-2 NIW
Dear Sophie
I am an H-1B worker in the U.S. and live and work on it. I would like to apply for a greencard on my own. I don't want to rely on my employer. I want to be able change jobs and start a business. I've been studying the EB-1A NIW and EB-2 NIW.
Although I am not certain if I would be eligible for an EB-1A visa, my Indian birth means that I will have to wait longer for an EB-2 NIW.
Do you have any tips?
India's Inventive Companies
How to create a board of advisors for health tech startups
While most startups could benefit from an advisory board, it is a requirement for health tech companies.
Mentors with experience in navigating regulations, raising capital, and managing R&D are essential for founders looking to innovate in this field.
Patrick Frank, the co-founder and CEO of PatientPartner shared his personal experience with us. He also gave some specific suggestions about how to find and recruit them.
Frank says that you want to make use of these people so you can focus on the whole company and ensure that it is attractive to investors and the market.
The crypto world is showing signs of being quite bullish
Alex Wilhelm points out that there is no shortage of tech news. However, this week he examined crypto.
How did this happen?
He writes because there are some very bullish trends in blockchain that suggest the world is maturing.
Four common mistakes startups make when setting up pay for hybrid workers
According to a recent survey, 58% said that they would quit if they were not allowed to work remotely.
Startups that do not offer work-from-home flexibility to their employees are in a disadvantage. However, figuring out how hybrid workers should be paid raises complex questions.
