Blog > Startup

Unicorn Startup 101

The unicorn. A mythical creature that has become a behemoth in the world of startup and venture. This article breaks down the definition of a unicorn startup, the top unicorns by valuation and country, and the new definitions of unicorns that have emerged.

Posted by Shaun Gold | October 18, 2022

How Much Should Startup Founders Pay Themselves?

Founder compensation is a tricky topic. How much are you supposed to pay yourself? What will your investors think? And are you even allowed to compensate yourself when your team is subsisting on cold pizza and borrowing the Wi-Fi from the nearest office? This article breaks down the many dimensions of the "tech founder salary".

Posted by Shaun Gold | September 10, 2022

Founders, for the love of God, don’t do this

This article breaks down the mistakes founders make when reaching out to people they need. It is based on my personal experiences from my years working in every non-technical role in a variety of startups and a fund or two.

Posted by Shaun Gold | September 5, 2022

Pitch Deck Roast #2 with Alex Macdonald

On August 30, 2022, our special investor guest Alex Macdonald roasted 5 pitch decks of consenting startups in the presence of Roastmaster General Shaun Gold and Executioner-in-Residence Stephane Nasser. Watch the recording and read the transcript here.

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | August 29, 2022

The need for value-add investors in the early stages

Many startups are overwhelmed by what follows when their business starts to take off. There is a need for an investor that adds value during the funding stage, and continues to do so as the startup matures.

Posted by Brandon Maier | August 22, 2022

Evaluating competition as a VC

Venture capital is in the business of disruption. Naturally, the job of an investor necessarily includes evaluating how new startups will compete with existing incumbents. Learn how VCs think about competition in an uncertain environment.

Posted by Noble Hwang | August 8, 2022

Pitch Deck Roast #1 with Max Fleitmann

On August 2, 2022, our special investor guest Max Fleitmann roasted 5 pitch decks of consenting startups in the presence of Roastmaster General Shaun Gold and Executioner-in-Residence Stephane Nasser. Watch the recording and read the transcript here.

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | August 4, 2022

Join the OpenVC Pitch Deck Roast

What is a pitch deck roast? When is the next roast? How can you attend and even get your pitch deck roasted? This post sums up everything your need to know about the infamous OpenVC Pitch Deck Roasts.

Posted by Stéphane Nasser | August 1, 2022

Should your startup be in stealth mode?

A stealth startup is a company that operates in "stealth mode" i.e actively hiding its activities. Coda, Instabase, Clinkle, Theranos were all stealth once - with various degrees of success. Is stealth a smart move or a smokescreen? In this article, we break down the pros and cons of stealth mode for tech founders.

Posted by Shaun Gold | May 30, 2022