How to Get Venture Funding, page 13

Web Resources, continued

Venture Capital Web Links is a directory of Web venture capital resources put together by the W. Maurice Young Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Research Center of the University of British Columbia.

VentureOne, a subsidiary of Reuters, provides database and other services aimed at the venture community.

Directories

For a fee you can download a database of information on more than 2,500 venture firms from VCPro Database.

The Venture Capital Resource Library provides a comprehensive listing of venture firms. Basic listings and contact information are free, but detailed reports on VC firms cost $1 each.

Directory of Venture Capital (Second Edition), by Kate Lister and Tom Harnish, published by John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0471361046, contains contact and profile information for more than 600 venture funds, as well as general advice on obtaining venture funding. The book is reasonably priced and is available from Amazon.com and other bookstores.

The Western Association of Venture Capitalists publishes an annual Directory of Members. Most venture capitalists in the West are members of the association and are listed in this directory. You can obtain it for a fee by contacting the association, 3000 Sand Hill Road, Building One Suite 190, Menlo Park, CA 94025, (650) 854-1322.

How to Approach a VC

As this briefing has emphasized, it is best to approach a VC via an introduction from a source trusted by the VC. (For tips about how to arrange an introduction, see “Six Degrees of Separation” later in this briefing.)

Whether you have an introduction or are relying on research and an “over the transom” approach, you should approach VCs with a polite, persistent, upbeat and professional attitude.

Expect to dress in the “business casual” style. Venture capitalists do not expect “new technology” entrepreneurs to wear suits and ties—and may even be turned off if you do so. On the other hand, it is unprofessional to show up for a VC meeting on Sand Hill Road in a Metallica T-shirt and torn blue jeans.

Continued next page

TOC || Page | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | More