Silicon Dragon panelist discuss current risks, innovations and challenges in the technology world. Founding general partner of Eniac Ventures, Nihal Mehta believes it is the greatest time to be an entrepreneur. He continues with that there is now access to so much capital and innovation coming from everywhere.
He explains that the startup market is ‘hugely disruptive’ and is expected to increase by a high margin over the next 4 to 5 years. Industries that have the most promising futures in that time frame continue to and will be largely in tech such as AI (artificial intelligence), robotics and even drone technology.
Despite so much opportunity for success, in the midst of vast promise for rising companies, many businesses will fail. According to Jim Robinson, cofounder and managing partner at RRE Ventures knows that early stage companies often make the mistake of raising too much money.
We live in the age of ‘startup promiscuity,’ is how Robinson puts it. So many startups do because they see potential for making money as an angel investor. What he points out that many entrepreneurs and startups need to know is that many angel investors often don’t make the money they hope to when the promise of a new company is not that profitable or successful over time.
In fact, most angel investors should prepare to lose most, if not all, their investments. Claudia Iannazzo, a partner at Pereg Ventures thinks startups need to be careful about taking money from investors. She says ‘It’s like a marriage,’ and you are practically married to your investors.
The key to good entrepreneurship according to Alessandro Piol, cofounder and partner at Alphaprime Ventures is not to be as dependent on IPOs (Initial Public Offering). Entrepreneurs need to try harder at raising money, and focus on spending less. He notes this is really difficult for new startup ventures, but is necessary.
Annemarie Tierney, VP of Strategy and New Markets at NASDAQ shares a similar perspective that startups have more control over when they want to “go public.”
Many startups overseas are bringing their innovations to the U.S. For instance, China whose entrepreneurs are primarily creating product for the Chinese market, bring some of them to key places in the U.S. like Los Angeles and San Diego Valley, CA.
In fact, Claudia Iannazzo explain ways in which China and other overseas countries like Israel have plans to go global and increase their marketplace profits by entering into U.S. markets.
The future venture capital is embarking on and in a lot of ways already experiencing is very exciting to panelists, and will lead to a more unified and diverse range of innovation in years to come.
