Funding, an overview, post #4 of “Startup Briefs”
Every first-time entrepreneur is excited and intimidated by the concept of fundraising. It’s a world that they don’t know, and it lures them while scaring them. They ask people like me numerous questions: What is my company...
Startup Briefs
I have always counseled my students to read the first 50 pages of a business book, and the last 50 pages. I advise them to skim, or even skip, the middle ~200 pages. Authors generally write their strongest argument in their first...
Congrats to the Pittsburgh startup community. Oh, and stop congratulating yourself.
Pittsburgh is simply better than it ever was before. Period. This is a guest post by Greg Coticchia, of ENTRA and Entrepreneur in Residence at the Innovation Institute at Pitt. When I look around I see lots of exciting companies:...
What Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Pittsburgh’s Renaissance
In 1970, foreign competition, an outdated manufacturing base and poor labor relations helped to bring about the collapse of the steel industry in the Pittsburgh region. By January 1983, adjusted unemployment rates throughout...
Thoughts on advisors and directors
Recruiting and managing a strong advisory board and board of directors is one of the more challenging tasks facing an early stage entrepreneur. The benefits can be great. But most first time startup leaders don’t understand this...
Thoughts on team
Team. The old VC adage “I’d rather invest in an A+ team with a B+ idea than an B+ team with an A+ idea” is definitely true. Your people are the most important asset in a new venture. I suggest that you to look at three different...
The Importance of Scientists Taking Technology Commercialization Classes
As a graduate student or a postdoctoral research associate we are so focused on getting the experiment done or writing a publication worthy research article that we often forget that there is always a possibility that our...
Raising money is like painting
Every first-time entrepreneur is excited and intimidated by the concept of fundraising. It’s a world that they don’t know, and it lures them while scaring them: What is my company worth? Will I still have control? How will I find...
Teaching those Turks
A week of teaching entrepreneurship in Turkey made me realize, once again, how the world needs entrepreneurship. Students, professors, technology transfer professionals all want to know HOW to do entrepreneurship because they...
An entrepreneur’s journey
Letter to Bobby Zappala, Ken Hendrata (of Thrill Mill) and Babs Carryer (teaching at Thrill Mill) I just wanted to send you a brief update about my progress in the Thrill Mill program. Last fall I remember feeling frustrated that...