Start-Up Guide for the Technopreneur: Financial Planning, Decision Making, and Negotiating from Incubation to Exit -- Copyright -- Contents -- Preface -- Overview of the Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Chapter 1: Finance for Start-Ups 101 -- Fundraising Stages -- Prefunding Period -- Seed Funding Stage -- Series A Funding Stage -- Series B Funding Stage -- Risk/Return -- Types of Funding -- Private Equity -- Debt Funding -- Alternative Types of Funding -- Public Funding -- Incubator/Accelerator Programs -- Capital Structure -- Intellectual Property -- Valuation -- Asset-Based Valuation Models -- Pro Forma-Based Valuation Models -- Comparable-Based Valuation Models -- Strategic-Based Valuation -- Exit Strategy -- Summary -- Chapter 2: Know Your Investors -- KYI #1: Their Primary Objective Is to Make Money -- KYI #2: There Are Many Types of Investors, Each with Different Expectations and Capabilities -- Types of Investors -- Investment Criteria -- KYI #3: Prospective Investors Are Looking for Success Traits -- Skin in the Game -- Innovation -- Defined Target Market -- Value Proposition -- Commercial Viability -- Risk Mitigation Factors -- Burn Rates -- Strength of Management -- Use of Funds -- Traction -- KYI #4: Money Is Not Enough -- Know the Space -- Nonfinancial Advantages -- Alignment of Interests -- Issues of Control -- Summary -- Chapter 3: Business Planning from a Strategic Financial Perspective -- Value of a Business Plan -- Composition of a Business Plan -- Executive Summary -- Defined Problem and Solution -- Product/Service -- Value Proposition -- Marketing Plan -- Management Team -- Strategic Partners -- Operational and Expansion Plan -- Company Objectives -- Current Positioning and Traction -- Risk Factors -- Financials -- Exit Strategy -- Business Plan Customization -- Marketing Plan -- Operational and Expansion Plan.

Company Objectives -- Financials -- Exit Strategy -- Business Plan Rudiments -- Summary -- Chapter 4: Financial Planning for Maximizing Returns -- Importance of Having a Financial Plan -- Assistance in Overall Business Planning -- Ensuring the Health and Integrity of Capital Structure -- Determining Sufficient Funding Amounts -- Securing Funding in a Timely Manner -- Securing Funds on the Most Favorable Terms -- Determining Appropriate Responses to New Challenges and Opportunities -- Instilling Discipline and Maintain Focus -- Maximizing ROI upon Execution of Exit Strategy -- Formulating a Financial Strategy -- Financial Objectives -- FREE -- FREE Measurement Tools -- Financial Plan Composition -- Rules of Thumb -- Summary -- Chapter 5: Successful Fundraising -- Planning Funding Presentations -- Prospectus Materials -- Executive Summary -- Business Plan -- Funding Proposal -- Private Placement Memorandum -- Shareholder Letter -- Technology Brief -- Demonstrations -- Market Trends and Research Report -- Other Miscellaneous Prospectus Materials -- Different Types of Presentations -- Elevator Pitch -- Lobby (PowerPoint) Pitch -- Conference Room Pitch (Formal Presentation) -- Summary -- Chapter 6: Becoming a Formidable Negotiator -- Prenegotiations -- Letter of Intent -- Nondisclosure Agreement -- KYI Research and Inquiries -- Leverage -- Negotiating Capital -- Due Diligence -- Due Diligence Checklist -- Due Diligence Response -- Actual Negotiations -- Term Sheet -- Negotiation Approaches -- Best Practices and Tactics -- Points of Negotiation (Terms) -- Have a Negotiating Plan -- Concluding Negotiations -- Successful Conclusion of Negotiations -- Unsuccessful Conclusion to Negotiations -- Negotiation Postmortem -- Summary -- Chapter 7: Establishing an Investment-Grade Organization -- Corporate Governance -- Attributes.

Benefits of Good Corporate Governance -- Corporate Governance Best Practices -- Corporate Governance Structures -- Ethical Behaviors -- Stakeholder Relations -- Summary -- Chapter 8: Financial Decision Making for Optimal Performance -- Financial Decision-Making Process -- Practicing Sound Corporate Governance -- Understanding Existing and Potential Decision-Making Dynamics -- Managing Financial Expectations -- Financial Decision-Making Structures -- Establishing Appropriate Decision-Making Bodies and Procedures -- Allocating Decision-Making Authority and Responsibilities -- Placing Individual Decision Makers on Appropriate Decision-Making Bodies -- Financial Decision Making in Practice -- Strategic Financial Planning/Fundraising -- Budgeting -- Operational (Day-to-Day) Financial Decision Making -- Financial Dealings with External Parties -- Exiting -- Summary -- Afterword -- Appendix A: Sample Financial Plan -- Appendix B: Sample Funding Proposal -- Sigma C, Inc. Funding Proposal -- Appendix C: Dictums of Entrepreneurial Finance -- On Knowing Your Investor -- On Early-Stage Funding -- On Public Funding -- On Business Planning -- On Pricing -- On Financial Planning -- On Negotiations -- On Corporate Governance -- Glossary -- About the Author -- About the Website -- Index.