Never, ever outsource your core
It’s inevitable that any startup will lack expertise in some key areas needed to grow their business. The question is: should you hire and bring that expertise in-house or outsource it? Just last week, two startups reached out to get advice on this hire vs. outsource dilemma. The first startup, a vertical SaaS company, wondered […]
How to deal with the Series A crunch
Since CBInsights released its report in December, conversations have accelerated about the pending “Series A Crunch.” With headlines declaring that more than 1,000 seeded startups will soon be orphaned, it’s only natural that startups are concerned about the future funding landscape. While experts may differ on the implications or severity of the Series A Crunch, […]
Mission accomplished: Startup Visa Canada is here
Two years ago, Danny Robinson, Maura Rodgers and myself started to lobby for a Startup Visa Canada that would make it easier for foreign (tech) entrepreneurs to start their company in Canada. The initiative was inspired by the immigration struggles of the talented Summify team. In 2010, Cristian and Mircea arrived in Vancouver from Romania to start a […]
How much capital should you raise?
One of the biggest questions facing any entrepreneur is how much capital to raise for their startup. It’s a delicate question…one that can have a significant impact on the fate of any startup. Raise too much and you’re diluting your ownership; raise too little and your company will have trouble gaining traction or making it […]
New investment: tindie, a marketplace for the maker generation
I’m very excited to announce Version One’s investment in Tindie, a marketplace for gadget tinkerers and the maker generation. Many think that 2012 was the year of hardware. Today, getting a product ready for market is less risky and cheaper than ever, thanks to rapid prototyping with 3D printers, cheaper high-powered computers that can run […]