How to hug a startup without crushing it

How to hug a Startup without crushing it

Andy Goldstein

“We are both talking about ‘time’,

but we are holding a stopwatch &you are looking at the calendar”

Andy Goldstein

Executive Director

>32 years of operational & entrepreneurial experience

• Acceleration & Entrepreneurship• Digital Transformation• Startup Incubation

Serial Entrepreneur/Board Director:

Avanquest, Carpooling.com

Co-Founder/ Managing Director

Agenda

Understanding the Startup‘s Challenge

Understanding YOUR Needs

Execution

Deal Structuring

Understanding the Startup‘s Challenge

- What is a profitable deal for the startup?

Understanding their margin calculation

- More work for more money?

Taking startups in the right direction

- Do they have the internal resources to execute the deal?

If not, they need to calculate the incremental cost in both time and money

- Who is the deal leader and what is the leader‘s role after closing?

Understanding YOUR needs

- What exactly is the problem that you need solved?

- What is the solution worth to you?

- Do you have a budget?

- Are you the decision maker, if not will he/she commit?

- What is the timeline for delivery and how does this fit into the startup‘s and your key timelines?

- What role do legal and purchasing play?

- Do the „Betriebsrat“ and IT need to approve?

Deal Structuring

- Work with a term sheet before moving to contract- Clarify all key points with the deal maker & decision maker- Write the contract- Startups can agree to almost anything except:

Cancelation for convenienceIndemnity beyond the amount of the contractWork for timePerson specific requirements

- Offer immediate or early payment- Allow automatic renewal after a reasonable exit period- Always look for the next deal

Deal maker must follow through on the execution management

Assign an internal champion as soon as possible

Set up regular meetings with the Startup and be sure there is a communication partner

Encourage them to communicate problems immediately

Listen to the casual observations of the team members working on the deal

Focus on easy wins and communicate those

Know who needs to be the hero and make sure he/she is one

Watch the deadlines and make sure they are correct and needed

Startup‘s Attitude: When the client says “jump“, ask “how high“

Don‘t ask the Startup to compromise their margin

Execution

Thank you!

Andy GoldsteinGeschäftsführer

Tel: +49 (0)89 2180 2231Fax: +49 (0)89 2180 [email protected]

Giselastraße 1080802 Münchenwww.entrepreneurship-center.uni-muenchen.de

Questions?