Foreword xiiiPreface xvAcknowledgments xxviiPart One The Making of a VC1 The Business of Cash and Carry 32 Why Choose a Career in VC 113 Attributes of Successful VCs 154 Welcome to the Land of Ad-Venture 215 Developing Your Investment Career 416 A Business Where Enemies Accumulate 577 Generational Transfer and Succession 63Part Two Raising Your Venture Fund8 LP Universe 739 LPs of Choice: Fund of Funds 8910 How LPs Conduct Fund Due Diligence 9511 Defining Your Fund's Investment Strategy 9912 Investment Team Diligence 11913 Fund Size and Portfolio Construction 12914 Performance Analysis 13715 Terms of Fund Investment 15516 The Venture Firm's Ethos, Culture, and Values 17317 Raising Your First Fund 19318 The Fundraising Roadshow 20519 Why LPs Seek First-Time Funds 22120 Sourcing Investment Opportunities 229Part Three Building Your Portfolio21 Due Diligence Cheat Sheet 25522 Diligence 25923 Management Team Diligence: Assessing the Intangible 26924 Market, Product, and Business Model Analysis 29325 Terms and Conditions Apply 30326 Structure of the Term Sheet 30927 Buy Low, Sell High 31728 The Closing Process 353Part Four The Art of Value Creation29 Serving on Boards 35730 Board Culture and Orientation 36731 Let Me Know How I Can Be Helpful: Value Creation 37732 Challenges in the Boardroom 391Part Five Exits: Liquidity Events and Champagne33 Exit Strategies 40734 Acquisitions 41735 Initial Public Offering 43536 Secondary Sales 449Notes 451Index 485
MAHENDRA RAMSINGHANI, B. Engg., MBA, has over fifteen years of investment experience and is the founder of Secure Octane, a San Francisco-based cybersecurity fund. He is the former Managing Director of First Step Fund and has advised investment organizations in the U.S., Asia Pacific, and Middle East regions. He is a frequent speaker at engagements around the world, and contributes regularly to professional publications, including Techcrunch, Forbes, and Venturebeat.