The 1Mby1M Methodology is based on case studies. In this course, Sramana Mitra shares the tribal knowledge of tech entrepreneurs by giving students the rare seat at the table with the entrepreneurs, investors and thought leaders who provide the most instructive perspectives on how to build a thriving business. Through these conversations, students gain access to case studies exploring the alleys of entrepreneurship. Sramana’s synthesis of key learnings and incisive analysis add great depth to each discussion.
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The 1Mby1M Methodology is based on case studies. In this course, Sramana Mitra shares the tribal knowledge of tech entrepreneurs by giving students the rare seat at the table with the entrepreneurs, investors and thought leaders who provide the most instructive perspectives on how to build a thriving business. Through these conversations, students gain access to case studies exploring the alleys of entrepreneurship. Sramana’s synthesis of key learnings and incisive analysis add great depth to each discussion.
The 1Mby1M Methodology is based on case studies. In this course, Sramana Mitra shares the tribal knowledge of tech entrepreneurs by giving students the rare seat at the table with the entrepreneurs, investors and thought leaders who provide the most instructive perspectives on how to build a thriving business. Through these conversations, students gain access to case studies exploring the alleys of entrepreneurship. Sramana’s synthesis of key learnings and incisive analysis add great depth to each discussion.
As the numbers of women who are VCs and Angel Investors continue to grow, the startup ecosystem continues to evolve. Will a female perspective be an asset to your startup? Might the influence and support of a strong woman lead your venture to success?
Raising money is a low probability game. You need to understand how investors think to be able to raise money successfully for your startup.
Also, as you may have already learned in my courses, the early stage investment ecosystem has fragmented, it’s no longer just seed and Series A. The seed part has fragmented into a 5-stage process, spanning pre-seed, seed, post-seed, pre-Series A, small Series A, big Series A.
As part of your research to find entrepreneur - investor fit, you will also want to consider whether certain women investors would be best for your startup. We will also cover the issue of bias against female entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.
During this course, I will be teaching how women investors think about and analyze startups. We will have in-depth conversations around startups with several real world women investors.
Designed for tech entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs, this course provides insights into the minds of several women investors operating in this space for many years in their own words.
The 1Mby1M courses are all heavily based on interview-based case studies on Innovation, Business Models, Go To Market Strategies, Validation Principles, and various other nuances of an entrepreneur's journey. We offer extensive opportunities for entrepreneurs to learn the lessons from the trenches from successful entrepreneurs who have done it before and Investors who support their ambition.
What's inside
Learning objectives
- Through in-depth interviews with prominent women investors, learn how women investors think about startups, their thoughts on startup funding and trends.
- What investor-entrepreneur fit is and how to look for it before looking for funding.
- Why 99% of entrepreneurs who seek funding get rejected by vcs.
- Why traditional vcs only invest in hyper growth startups.
- What some of the key considerations are for investors when they evaluate startups.
- How entrepreneurs can position themselves for success while building a startup.
- What the common mistakes are that entrepreneurs make when pitching their startups to vcs.
- The fastest way to find relevant sources of funding for women entrepreneurs.
- Show more
- Show less
- Through in-depth interviews with prominent women investors, learn how women investors think about startups, their thoughts on startup funding and trends.
- What investor-entrepreneur fit is and how to look for it before looking for funding.
- Why 99% of entrepreneurs who seek funding get rejected by vcs.
- Why traditional vcs only invest in hyper growth startups.
- What some of the key considerations are for investors when they evaluate startups.
- How entrepreneurs can position themselves for success while building a startup.
- What the common mistakes are that entrepreneurs make when pitching their startups to vcs.
- The fastest way to find relevant sources of funding for women entrepreneurs.
- Show more
- Show less
Syllabus
Entrepreneur - Investor Fit
During this discussion from 2017, Cindy Padnos, Founder and Managing Partner at Illuminate Ventures, discusses a topic that we’ve been highlighting: the need for multiple seed rounds as a way to bridge the Series A gap.
In the next lecture, I share our most recent conversation.
Read more
Syllabus
During this discussion from 2017, Cindy Padnos, Founder and Managing Partner at Illuminate Ventures, discusses a topic that we’ve been highlighting: the need for multiple seed rounds as a way to bridge the Series A gap.
In the next lecture, I share our most recent conversation.
Cindy Padnos, Founder and Managing Director at Illuminate Ventures, discusses the impact of Covid on the fund’s portfolio, as well as trends she sees.
Ann Winblad, Co-founder of Hummer Winblad, is one of the most successful women VCs in our industry, and as I mentioned in my introduction, I have never heard her whining about bias against women. One of the most encouraging things she discusses is how her firm is sourcing interesting ventures from all over the world, not just Silicon Valley. Mulesoft, one of their hot portfolio companies, had its CEO based in Malta, originally!
Susan Mason, General Partner at Aligned Ventures, talks about the dysfunctions of the broader venture capital model, and what her firm is doing to address those. Excellent conversation.
Julie Lein, Managing Partner at Urban Innovation Fund, discusses pre-seed and seed funding in companies focused on the betterment of cities.
Heather Hiles, Founder and Managing Partner at Imminent Equity, and a pioneering entrepreneur in the Black community. Heather also has deep experience in financing Black entrepreneurs, as well as on the education side to close knowledge gaps at scale.
During this podcast interview, Christina Brodbeck, Founding Partner at Rivet Ventures, talks about the firm’s investment thesis of funding companies that target the female demographic in its purchase decision cycle. Very interesting and under-served market.
Kerry Rupp, General Partner at True Wealth Ventures, discusses their women-focused investment thesis during this podcast interview.
Victoria Pettibone, Managing Director of Astia Angels, a group focused on funding women entrepreneurs. During this podcast interview, she discusses what they like to invest in, as well as the trends she sees in the deal flow and the portfolio.
Here I share some important lessons learned and advice from an interview I did for Women 2.0. We also have many other interviews with women investors for you to learn from, sharing a few here as external resources:
DFJ’s Heidi Roizen on Building a Unicorn and Walking Away with Nothing
What Angels Are Looking For With Swati Chaturvedi, Propel(x)
Women in Technology with Patricia Nakache, Trinity Ventures
Investment Strategy with Eva Ho, Fika Ventures
Focusing Exclusively on Women Entrepreneurs with Deb Kemper, Golden Seeds
Conversation with Successful Woman VC: Dafina Toncheva, US Venture Partners
Committed to Female Entrepreneurs with Kara Weber, Brilliant Ventures
Investing Around Media Technology with Susan Stone, Sierra Wasatch Capital
Think Through Your Working Capital Needs says Swapna Gupta, Qualcomm Ventures
Please pick your favorite case studies from the course and run them through a validation and positioning exercise. Use the 1Mby1M Self-Assessment questionnaire and try to answer each question in it.
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Reviews summary
Insights from women vcs on startups
Sramana's takeaways add helpful context.
Learn directly from experienced investors.
Activities
Review Startup Funding Stages
Show steps
Solidify your understanding of the different startup funding stages to better understand investor perspectives.
Show steps
-
Research the characteristics of each funding stage.
-
Identify the typical investment amounts for each stage.
-
Understand the key metrics investors look for at each stage.
Review 'Power to the Startup: How to Connect Your Passion to Your Profession'
Show steps
Explore the intersection of personal passion and professional pursuits in the startup world.
View
Alter Ego: A Novel
on Amazon
Show steps
-
Read the book, focusing on the author's personal journey.
-
Reflect on your own passions and how they align with your startup idea.
-
Identify ways to incorporate your values into your business model.
Review 'Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist'
Show steps
Gain a deeper understanding of the legal and financial aspects of venture capital deals.
View
Startup Boards: A Field Guide to Building and...
on Amazon
Show steps
-
Read the book, focusing on term sheets and valuation.
-
Take notes on key concepts and negotiation strategies.
-
Relate the book's content to the course's case studies.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Mock Pitch Practice
Show steps
Practice pitching your startup idea to peers, simulating a real-world investor meeting.
Show steps
-
Prepare a concise and compelling pitch deck.
-
Schedule a mock pitch session with classmates.
-
Deliver your pitch and receive feedback.
-
Refine your pitch based on the feedback received.
Develop an Investor Persona
Show steps
Create a detailed investor persona for a hypothetical woman VC, including their investment preferences and criteria.
Show steps
-
Research prominent women VCs and their investment strategies.
-
Define the investor's background, experience, and interests.
-
Outline their investment criteria, including industry focus and stage.
-
Create a profile document summarizing the investor persona.
Create a Pitch Deck Analysis
Show steps
Analyze successful pitch decks from women-led startups to identify common themes and effective strategies.
Show steps
-
Gather pitch decks from successful women-led startups.
-
Identify the key elements of each pitch deck.
-
Analyze the storytelling and messaging techniques used.
-
Summarize your findings in a written report.
Attend Women in VC Events
Show steps
Connect with women VCs and other entrepreneurs at industry events to expand your network and learn from their experiences.
Show steps
-
Research upcoming women in VC events in your area.
-
Register for events that align with your interests.
-
Prepare an elevator pitch to introduce yourself and your startup idea.
-
Follow up with contacts after the event to build relationships.
Review Startup Funding Stages
Show steps
Solidify your understanding of the different startup funding stages to better understand investor perspectives.
Show steps
- Research the characteristics of each funding stage.
- Identify the typical investment amounts for each stage.
- Understand the key metrics investors look for at each stage.
Review 'Power to the Startup: How to Connect Your Passion to Your Profession'
Show steps
Explore the intersection of personal passion and professional pursuits in the startup world.
View
Alter Ego: A Novel
on Amazon
Show steps
- Read the book, focusing on the author's personal journey.
- Reflect on your own passions and how they align with your startup idea.
- Identify ways to incorporate your values into your business model.
Review 'Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist'
Show steps
Gain a deeper understanding of the legal and financial aspects of venture capital deals.
View
Startup Boards: A Field Guide to Building and...
on Amazon
Show steps
- Read the book, focusing on term sheets and valuation.
- Take notes on key concepts and negotiation strategies.
- Relate the book's content to the course's case studies.
Mock Pitch Practice
Show steps
Practice pitching your startup idea to peers, simulating a real-world investor meeting.
Show steps
- Prepare a concise and compelling pitch deck.
- Schedule a mock pitch session with classmates.
- Deliver your pitch and receive feedback.
- Refine your pitch based on the feedback received.
Develop an Investor Persona
Show steps
Create a detailed investor persona for a hypothetical woman VC, including their investment preferences and criteria.
Show steps
- Research prominent women VCs and their investment strategies.
- Define the investor's background, experience, and interests.
- Outline their investment criteria, including industry focus and stage.
- Create a profile document summarizing the investor persona.
Create a Pitch Deck Analysis
Show steps
Analyze successful pitch decks from women-led startups to identify common themes and effective strategies.
Show steps
- Gather pitch decks from successful women-led startups.
- Identify the key elements of each pitch deck.
- Analyze the storytelling and messaging techniques used.
- Summarize your findings in a written report.
Attend Women in VC Events
Show steps
Connect with women VCs and other entrepreneurs at industry events to expand your network and learn from their experiences.
Show steps
- Research upcoming women in VC events in your area.
- Register for events that align with your interests.
- Prepare an elevator pitch to introduce yourself and your startup idea.
- Follow up with contacts after the event to build relationships.
Career center
Venture Capital Analyst
Startup Founder
Chief Executive Officer
Private Equity Analyst
Angel Investor
Venture Capital Associate
Business Development Manager
Innovation Manager
Portfolio Manager
Investment Banker
Mergers and Acquisitions Analyst
Product Manager
Financial Analyst
Management Consultant
Strategy Consultant
Reading list
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