The accelerating pace of layoffs in the technology sector is increasing uncertainty for workers, but it is giving investors access to a new wave of tech and entrepreneurial talent.

There’s no easy test to determine which aspiring founder can turn their idea into a billion-dollar company, but VCs who know the questions to ask can discover the right mindset, says Sanjay Reddy, co-founder of Unlock Venture Partners.

In this TC+ article, he shares a comprehensive list of questions he asks new founders to gauge their relative strengths and weaknesses across different vectors.

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This post isn’t just aimed at VCs and angels: Reddy states that “investor confidence is mostly based on pattern recognition,” meaning aspiring CEOs must be able to credibly answer specific questions, such as:

• “Why are you doing this? Passion? Mission? Chip on the shoulder? Faith?”
• “Do you have control over your finances, both personal and business?”
• “How do you communicate your message to investors, colleagues, potential partners, etc.?”

There are tons of barriers to starting a startup, but impostor syndrome doesn’t have to be one of them. Anyone who can confidently answer the 20 questions in this post is ready to pitch an investor, IMO.

Thank you very much for reading TC+ and have a nice weekend.

Walter Thompson
Editorial Manager, australiabusinessblog.com+
@your protagonist

3 tips for crypto startups preparing for continued compliance

Image Credits: cagkansayin (Opens in a new window) /Getty Images

Most startups can avoid getting into the weeds about legal matters before launch, but crypto companies are in a different boat. Faced with a tangle of state and federal laws, inadequate compliance can quickly lead to regulatory issues and undermine customer confidence.

In a TC+ post, written by three lawyers from the law firm Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP, the authors share basic information relevant to all crypto startups operating in the US.

“Establishing a robust, risk-based compliance function…and staying abreast of the latest regulatory guidance will help cryptocurrency companies better position themselves to weather the crypto winter,” they write.

4 Indian investors explain how their investment strategy has changed since 2021

Image Credits: honey (Opens in a new window) /Getty Images

For our latest research, australiabusinessblog.com reporter Jagmeet Singh asked four Indian investors how their work has changed since the start of the global tech downturn.

Venture capital funding in the region “dried up in the second half of 2022,” so he inquired about their current deal-making pace, what investment trends they’re watching, and how founders can reach out to them.

• GV Ravishankar, Managing Director, Sequoia India
• Ashutosh Sharma, Head of Investment India, Prosus Ventures
• Vaibhav Domkundwar, CEO and founder of Better Capital
• Roopan Aulakh, Managing Director, Pi Ventures

How Fellow boottrapped for 8 years to build a coffee empire

Image Credits: Hey Camps (Opens in a new window) / australiabusinessblog.com (Opens in a new window)

It takes a lot of work to turn a college class project into a self-funded hardware startup.

Fellow first came to notice in 2013 with a Kickstarter campaign to fund the production of its Duo coffee maker. While that item turned out to be a dud, Fellow now sells a range of high-end kettles, grinders, and other gear. Last summer, the San Francisco-based company announced a $30 million Series B round.

“Looking back, not raising institutional money early was definitely the right decision,” CEO Jake Miller told australiabusinessblog.com+. “We only exist today because of that choice.”

Ask Sophie: Which visas allow us to expand our startup in the US?

Image Credits: Bryce Durbin/australiabusinessblog.com

Dear Sophia,

My co-founder and I launched a B2B SaaS startup in Poland a few years ago and are now looking to expand into the United States for market entry as we fit the market in a few countries in Europe.

We really need to be on site to interview our ideal users in the US. What visas can we do that with?

— Focus on America

Dear Sophie,

Can you provide details regarding the processing of work permit premiums for international students?

— Mindful student

Pitch Deck Teardown: Prelaunch.com’s $1.5 million seed deck

Image Credits: Prelaunch.com (Opens in a new window)

Earlier this week, Haje Jan Kamps interviewed Narek Vardanyan of Prelaunch.com to get his take on how hardware startups can validate products before they go to market.

In a follow-up, he analyzed the pitch deck for Prelaunch.com’s $1.5 million seed round, which showed investors how the company makes money from its product projections:

• Cover slide
• Summary slide
• Market Context Slide
• Problem slide
• Solution slide
• Problem with the existing solution slide
• Product slide 1
• Slide results
• Product slide 2
• Product slide 3
• Product slide 4
• Vision slide
• Value prop dia
• Scroll traction and stats
• Business model and pricing slide
• Shifting market trends
• Why move now
• Team slide
• The Ask Slide
• Contact us slider