My first hand experience in dealing with some VCs.
Its much easier to open doors if you have an early prototype to show
(along
with a very concise concept description).
There are just too may guys out there with portal or related ideas.
Hope that helps.
Pras
KPMG LLP
Silicon Valley
> -----Original Message-----
> From: SIPA - VENTCAP SIG [SMTP:[email protected]]
> Sent: Monday, December 20, 1999 10:54 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: request for info
>
> Contributor/REPLY TO "John Shaw" <[email protected]>
>
> Hello All,
>
> I am really impressed with the quality interactions within this group,
> and
> would like to present an issue that I face. Your valued
> comments/suggestions
> will be greatly appreciated.
>
> Over the past six months, I have been involved in researching the
> potential
> for a portal with a highly targetted, differentiated and mass market
> business model.
>
> We have two options - either to approach VCs who fund ventures at zero
> stage
> or build a prototype/proof of concept and the seek expansion capital.
We
>
> would like you to advise us on the costs/benefits of both routes. In
the
>
> first case, we would obviously be giving up a larger part of the
> company.
> But how much??? How much does an entrepreneur usually give up at zero
> stage?? What if me and my partner are both business persons rather
than
> high-end technical gurus?? Would that cause us to lose much more??
>
> Please help!
>
> Sincerely,
>
> J. Shaw