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FAQ

1. How do you charge for your services?

• For Start-ups

  Depending on the stage of the companies, we take different combinations of sweat equities (common stock or options) and cash compensation for our mentoring activities. As angel investors, we invest into preferred securities of C-corporations. We do not invest in LLCs or partnerships.

• For Investment companies

  Depending on the scope and the type of work needed, we charge by the hour or by the project.

• For Large Companies

  We typically break down projects into several phases with clear objectives, deliverables tied to budgeted cost and timeline. We normally charge a retainer to start the project.

2. Do you work with other angel investors?

We are active angel investors and have relationships with other large angel groups including Life Science Angels, Band of Angels, Tech Coast Angels, Keiretsu, Sand Hill Angels and Golden Seed Angels.

3. How deep is your venture capital network?

We have developed deep relationships with most life science venture capital firms in Northern California and in the US. These relationships were established over the last 25 years as we were venture-backed CEOs, joint directors on boards, co-investors, acting executives or hands-on mentors in their portfolio companies.

4. How early are the companies you have got involved with?

Most of our portfolio companies had only one or two scientific or clinical founders when we got involved.

5. What are the typical mistakes you see founders make?

• Focusing solely on technology improvement. Entrepreneurs need to balance and prioritize their limited time and resources carefully to decrease their company risks:
  • Product Risk: will it work? Patent protection?
  • Market Risk: how big is the market? Why would they buy? Decision making process?
  • People Risk: Proven CEO? Executive team? Missing skills or expertise?
  • Financial risk: exit strategy? Total investment needed? Financial projections?
• Not validating or iterating market needs. Entrepreneurs need to understand the difference between features and benefits that are needed beyond the early adopters to reach the larger market.
• Underestimating the time and resources needed to get to market acceptance. Most first-time entrepreneurs underestimate, by a factor of up to three times, the resources needed to achieve significant milestones. This can create unrealistic expectations and potential disastrous follow-on financing or leadership changes.
• Wrong expectation on impact of new investors. Many entrepreneurs focus on getting the “best financing deal” as defined as the biggest investment at the best valuation possible without recognizing the positive impact that the right investors can have and the negative impact of wrong investors on the company and their vision.