TechCrunch+ roundup: South Korea investor survey, 1-hour board meetings, venture leasing basics

After gross sales tool startup TigerEye closed its Collection A and established a board of administrators, its co-founders put them on realize:

Something we’d love to by no means do is the three-hour, too-in-the-weeds, non-strategic board assembly.

“Each and every board deck I’ve made and observed is greater than 80 pages lengthy,” says Tracy Younger, co-founder and CEO of TigerEye. “I’m really not exaggerating.”


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On this TC+ article, she explains construction a one-hour board assembly that creates actual worth for founders and buyers. The first step: exchange your monumental deck with a three-page memo.

We’re taking Monday, Would possibly 29 off to rejoice Memorial Day, so I’ll be again with every other TC+ roundup every week from as of late.

Have an unbelievable weekend!

Walter Thompson
Editorial Supervisor, TechCrunch+
@yourprotagonist

Why aren’t enterprise capitalists flocking to fund cybersecurity startups?

Web browser closeup on LCD screen with shallow focus with light shining through https padlock.

Symbol Credit: RobertAx (opens in a brand new window) / Getty Pictures

The sped up shift to virtual has been nice for mature cybersecurity corporations: Palo Alto Networks, Scaler and CrowdStrike are appearing robust earnings multiples, reviews Alex Wilhelm.

However there doesn’t seem to be a halo impact for venture-backed cybersecurity startups. In step with Crunchbase, investment for firms on this sector fell 58% in Q1 2023 in comparison to Q1 2022.

“For the reason that valuations are down around the board, as of late’s cybersecurity fairness costs were dramatically depressed, even supposing they continue to be dearer than different tech subcategories,” writes Alex.

Profitability over development: 5 buyers provide an explanation for their mantra for South Korean startups

Symbol Credit: Bryce Durbin / TechCrunch

South Korea noticed a unicorn growth in recent times, however like the remainder of the sector, it’s feeling the affects of an international marketplace correction.

“Undertaking investment in Asia within the first quarter of 2023 declined 33% from This fall 2023 and 57% from Q1 2022,” reviews Kate Park, who surveyed 5 buyers to get their predictions for 2023 and learn how they’re advising their portfolio corporations:

  • Han Kim, basic spouse, Altos Ventures
  • Tim Chae, managing spouse, 500 International
  • JP Lee, CEO and managing spouse, SoftBank Ventures Asia
  • Yeemin Chung, managing director, BRV Capital Control
  • Eunse Lee, founder and managing spouse, 541 Ventures

Ask Sophie: What are my choices if an organization rescinds my OPT task be offering?

lone figure at entrance to maze hedge that has an American flag at the center

Symbol Credit: Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch

Pricey Sophie,

I’m a world pupil graduating this month, however the corporate I used to be intended to begin running for on OPT has rescinded my task be offering.

What are my choices?

— Grappling Grad

3 issues companies should do to protected their packages within the AI technology

pink umbrella in a rain shower, conceptually photographed

Symbol Credit: Henrik Sorensen (opens in a brand new window) / Getty Pictures

Corporations with AI-enabled packages give dangerous actors a broader assault floor relating to phishing, bots and different makes an attempt to get right of entry to buyer accounts.

“We’re already seeing examples of opposite engineering AI-powered websites to get loose AI computing,” says Reed McGinley-Stempel, co-founder and CEO of Stych, a buyer id and get right of entry to control (CIAM) platform.

Undertaking leasing: The unsung hero for {hardware} startups suffering to lift capital

Puzzle pieces with word 'Lease’.

Symbol Credit: bagi1998 (opens in a brand new window) / Getty Pictures

{Hardware} startups have all the time been challenged relating to excessive preliminary capital expenditures and open-ended R&D timelines.

Thankfully, enterprise leasing creates “a contented medium between pricey debt loans and VC investment that works specifically neatly,” says Felipe Chávez Cortés, CEO and co-founder of robot meals supply company Kiwibot.

To convey merchandise to marketplace sooner whilst averting dilution, his corporate closed a $10M enterprise leasing deal.

“{Hardware} corporations shouldn’t really feel restricted to VC price range to finance their high-risk, high-growth operations,” in step with Cortés.

Pitch Deck Teardown: Faye’s $10M Collection A deck

Symbol Credit: Faye

Insurtech startup Faye shared a redacted model of the 19-slide deck its founders used to land a $10M Collection A spherical.

“Let’s get this out of the best way proper off the bat,” says Haje Jan Kamps. “This can be a in reality superb pitch deck.”

  • Quilt slide
  • Abstract slide
  • Staff slide
  • Drawback slide
  • Marketplace-size slide
  • Insurance coverage marketplace assessment slide
  • Product assessment slide
  • Product options slide 1
  • Product options slide 2
  • Product options slide 3
  • Product options slide 4
  • Pass-to-market slide
  • Monetary development metrics slide
  • Buyer development metrics slide
  • Buyer validation slide 1
  • Aggressive panorama slide
  • The Ask slide
  • Buyer validation slide 2
  • Last slide with venture remark