In this insightful episode of "Venture Declassified," hosts Ben Pidgeon, Mike Kelly, and Jacob Schpok join guest Toph Day to explore the rapid shifts within Indiana's burgeoning tech ecosystem. The discussion centers on the theme of "Innovate or Evaporate," emphasizing the need for businesses to adapt to swiftly evolving technological landscapes, particularly with AI advancements.

In this engaging episode of "Venture Declassified," hosts Mike Kelly, Ben Pidgeon, and Jacob Schpok unpack the various types of investment vehicles and the appropriate contexts for their use. The episode is loaded with expert insights into the nuances of safes, convertible notes, and equity financing, making it a must-listen for both budding entrepreneurs and seasoned investors.

In this engaging episode of "Venture Declassified," hosts Mike Kelly, Ben Pidgeon, and Jacob Schpok unpack the various types of investment vehicles and the appropriate contexts for their use. The episode is loaded with expert insights into the nuances of safes, convertible notes, and equity financing, making it a must-listen for both budding entrepreneurs and seasoned investors.

In this enlightening episode of "Venture Declassified," hosts Ben Pidgeon, Mike Kelly, and Jacob Schpock tackle the subject of waterfall analysis, offering listeners a clear understanding of its role in the investment process. The topic comes to life through a real-life scenario where their portfolio company faced an acquisition offer, leading to choices between cash, equity, or a mix of both.

In this episode of "Venture Declassified," hosts Jacob Schpock and Mike Kelly dive into an engaging discussion centered on using AI tools to create a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). They explore the necessary skills, costs, and time commitment involved in product development with a focus on leveraging low code/no code platforms and developer productivity tools. Mike emphasizes how tools like Figma can generate front-end experiences quickly, allowing for iterative design, which is particularly beneficial for early-stage companies.

In this episode of "Venture Declassified," hosts Mike Kelly and Jacob Spock, along with special guest Nick Wangler, co-founer and COO of Orthodontic Details, delve into the intricate dynamics of venture capital and startup fundraising. The episode offers invaluable advice for founders navigating the challenging VC landscape, focusing on practical strategies to enhance their pitch and financial planning.

 In this special episode of "Venture Declassified," recorded live at the Rally Innovation Conference, hosts Mike Kelly, Ben Pidgeon, and Jacob Spock engage with a series of live pitches and conversations with entrepreneurs and founders. They unpack the complex dynamics of the fundraising landscape for startups, exploring how the backgrounds of entrepreneurs—whether they are repeat founders or first-timers—significantly influence their approach and success in securing investments.

Listeners gain valuable insights into the behind-the-scenes efforts of managing angel syndicates and the strategies involved in balancing deal flow with investor engagement.

The hosts emphasize the significance of transparency and thorough due diligence in maintaining investor trust. They also discuss the benefits for individual investors of joining an angel group, which helps filter out less favorable opportunities and ensures more efficient use of their time.

Stay with us as we declassify the fine print of startup investment, question conventional wisdom, and strive to empower founders and investors alike with actionable insights. Let's get started.

Venture Declassified's episode is not just about the content—it's a masterclass in fine-tuning the pitch to align with the investor mindset. Listeners can expect to gain valuable insights on constructing a pitch that not only resonates with investors but also positions their startup as a beacon of focus and potential. 

Tune in to hear their insightful discussion on AI's transformative impact on investment strategies, and why it's a missed opportunity for angel investors not to leverage these powerful tools.

Our hosts explore into the nuances of good board hygiene. They underscore the significance of managing personal biases and relationships in boardroom decision-making. The conversation also touches on the value of board observer rights and the strategic use of 1099 contractors as operating partners to enhance board insights without compromising control.

Throughout the lively discussion, the hosts share insights on the mindset of early-stage startups, the significance of revenue growth, and the potential role of warrants in incentivizing partnerships and aligning interests. They also touch on the necessity for founders to have a realistic valuation and available growth strategy to attract further investment.

The hosts first navigate a complex situation involving dissolving a preferred stock arrangement within a company and the potential repercussions of allowing private sales of shares post-funding on a company's growth trajectory. They stress the importance of positive metrics like pitch quality, revenue, and retention rates in their investment decisions, highlighting the impact of overvaluation and the potential for renegotiation if founders feel the deal was too rich.

In today's episode, we're diving into the complex world of startup fundraising as companies transition from pre-seed to seed stages. Our co-host experts, Jacob Schpok and Ben Pidgeon, join me in deciphering the intricacies of setting valuations, focusing on the nuances of revenue pro forma and the leap into Series A capital raising.

Welcome to another intriguing episode of Venture Declassified. Today, we delved into the captivating world of starting a distillery, as entrepreneur Mike Kelly shared his in-depth plans and strategies for establishing a distillery business in Indianapolis.

We'll dissect whether venture capital always aims for a "home run" or if it can be content with "singles or doubles," as Jacob suggests, might be more in the wheelhouse of private equity. We'll also evaluate the asset class's shifting landscape, becoming more conservative amidst a rocky journey.

Welcome to another episode of Venture Declassified. We are excited to welcome a very special guest, Rory Billing, a savvy entrepreneur disrupting the sports app industry. The idea for The Fan's Place was born out of a desire to find a way for everyone to win from their love of sports. The brothers, Rory and Connor, had been playing fantasy sports for years and realized that the casual fan needed something different.

Welcome to the show, episode zero, where we are going to tell you a little bit about why the three of us are sitting here together talking about venture investing. We appreciate you guys listening in. We’ve got our first episode coming up soon and look forward to carrying on the conversation.