While being an entrepreneur can be amazingly fun and inspiring, it’s also hard. In order to help, GSV’s goal is to distill the most interesting tidbits of information meant to help you build the next great startup. Inside the book, we include the following sections to help you go from being an immigrant to becoming a native in the Global Silicon Valley.
We list the key events to be at. Why? Two key things beyond your own talent that you need to be a successful entrepreneur are access to other talent and access to money. Being where the “right people” hang can make it smoother sailing to get your idea off the ground. Also, having fun is an important ingredient for long-term success.
This provides data from online startup and VC databases on how active the specific market is for attracting venture capital investment. While it’s true that money will find a great idea anywhere, if you’re trying to catch fish, you want to go where the fish are. By understanding and following the venture activity, you can find the right pond to land in.
Angel investors are usually different from venture capitalists, typically taking less time and doing less due diligence before they write a check. Hence, knowing the right angels in your region is important to get your idea going. However, angel investments are only a piece in the puzzle, as more institutional capital will be required to fuel the company beyond the early stages.