Author: TechBrunch
More posts by this contributor Recognizing probability in budgeting and forecasting As an interest rate Returning to historical norms, the world has returned its focus to the cost of capital and the generation of free cash flow. In order for companies to adhere to traditional heuristics like the Rule of 40 (i.e., the idea that the sum of revenue growth and profit margin must equal 40% or more, a metric that Bessemer helped popularize) We are working hard. Executives at both private and public cloud companies agree that free cash flow (FCF) margins are just as important (if not more…
Baris Guzel is an engineer with experience working in top investment banking and venture capital firms. He is a partner in his BMW i Ventures and has led investments and supported many companies as a director and observer. Brian Wei is an associate at BMW i Ventures, focused on early-to-growth stage investments in B2B application and infrastructure software, industrial automation, mobility, and sustainability. Prior to joining BMW i Ventures, Brian was a strategy consultant at KPMG Strategy. Until recently, many Startups have prioritized growth at all costs, disregarding profitability and sustainability to acquire users and leverage deep venture capital to…
paris hayman Contributor More posts by this contributor Vertical AI: The next logical iteration of vertical SaaS Acquire, Retain, and Expand: Why SaaS Founders Need to Understand GDRs and NDRs As part of the In our Metrics That Matter series, we've written about three analytics for tracking your path to profitability and two metrics for aligning retention and expansion. These metrics serve as both outputs and inputs. They are the result of the work of people at companies who work hard to create compelling products, distribute them to customers, and move their businesses forward. These are also inputs into valuations,…
Generation AI is is a hot topic in the tech industry right now, but how can you make the most of it as a startup founder? Every year, TechCrunch showcases 200 of the most promising early-stage founders from around the world at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco. As part of the program, we will host masterclasses with industry experts and venture investors to provide tactical advice and insight to these founders. This is the third in a four-part master class series covering a wide range of practical and tactical advice for founders on how to build their companies. In this…
funds are needed It's part of growing and expanding a startup. However, investors do more than just provide funding to companies. Many VCs are experienced and can provide valuable insights and tips on running your business. Every year, TechCrunch showcases 200 of the most promising early-stage founders from around the world at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco. As part of the program, we will host masterclasses with industry experts and venture investors to provide tactical advice and insight to these founders. This is the fourth in a four-part series of Startup Battlefield Master Classes covering a wide range of important…
Dan Allred is the North American CEO of Liquidity Group. Allred is a fintech expert, with Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) where he worked for 20 years, most recently at Senior Market where he served as manager and head of domestic fintech operations. He is also a member of his FS Vector board of directors and an advisor to Modern Treasury. More posts by this contributor Essential tools modern CFOs need for growth-stage startups After spending several times, In my years leading the fintech division of Silicon Valley Bank and now as North America CEO of Liquidity Group, I've often come…
if someone can To make EV charging work, Buc-ee is a possibility. You may have heard of convenience store chains, but if you live outside of the southern United States, you may have never experienced one. And those are experiences. Buc-ee stores are respected throughout Texas for the cleanliness of their restrooms, the breadth and size of their food selection, and the ludicrously large number of pumps in most stores. Companies like Buc-ee have a lot to lose as the transition to electric vehicles continues. Most of the company's revenue comes from in-store sales, but the real draw is cheap…
Mediocre founders can't clearly articulate what's difficult about the problem they're trying to solve. I discovered something worrying Startup founders seem to think that running a startup is, in effect, a get-rich-quick method. Apart from the fact that that way of thinking is wrong and naive, I think there is something more insidious at work here. That's a fundamental misunderstanding of what startups are for. All businesses exist to exchange money for value. Your local lemonade stand will: Do you have a dollar and you're thirsty on a hot summer day? You can trade that dollar for a drink (if…
when you think When you think of Comcast, you probably think of cable and internet services, but it also owns NBCUniversal. Along with that comes considerable sports coverage, including the Olympics, NASCAR, WWE, and PGA, to name a few. As such, Comcast has an incentive to drive innovation in the way sports are covered and consumed. In 2020, the company decided it needed a way to support startups implementing disruptive sports-related technology. The Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Accelerator was born with a vision to find startups that bring innovation to sports league partners, while also providing startups with access to his…
global venture funding Crunchbase data shows a pretty bleak picture of late, with investment declining in the third quarter despite a late-game rebound from big AI deals. And this story is no different for SaaS startups. Net new SaaS sales in May were down from a surge in the first quarter, but churn rates worsened due to reduced intercompany budgets and higher borrowing costs. At the same time, extension rounds, a key indicator of the overall health of the sector, declined. U.S. VC SaaS follow-on activity rose from a high of $9.7 billion in 270 deals in March to a…