Professional networking sites like LinkedIn help millions of people connect and build their professional network, but if you’re an actor or performer, LinkedIn probably isn’t the best destination if you want to get discovered for your next on-camera role. Casting Depot is the network for on-camera talent connecting casting directors and actors/performers. AlleyWatch caught up with Cofounder Lacey Kaelani to learn more about the company’s public launch and the company’s mission to bring much-needed change to the casting industry.
RFC-AW
5 Keys to Negotiating Your Fair Share of Any Startup
Just because it was your idea doesn’t mean you “deserve” 90% of the equity. The value in a startup is all about tangible results, so I see no equity value in the idea alone. Thus the real discussion must start with who will be doing the work, providing the funding, and delivering results. Each cofounder should get equity for value, based on these key variables.
Onda Raises $1M for its Sparkling Tequila Beverage in a Can
Is there anything more refreshing on a hot summer day than a cold refreshing drink? Onda is making this possible with tequila. The newly-launched spirits brand offers a line of canned sparkling tequila beverages that are each 5% alcohol, 100 calories, zero sugar, zero carb, and naturally gluten-free. CEO and Cofounder Noah Gray shares more about launching the brand in the middle of the pandemic, the shift to digital, and the company’s recent funding round led by 25madison.
Leverage Market Downturns as Investment Opportunities
Chaos followed for most businesses in the wake of the Coronavirus: the stock markets crashed, product demand fell and unexpected losses started to build up. Most businesses did everything they could to batten down the hatches to help them best weather the storm, including stopping all discretionary investments. But, should they have? Most great investors, like Warren Buffett, have been quoted as saying their highest return investments were made during the middle of economic downturns. So, theoretically, your highest return investments could be made right now, during the peak of the negative economic impact coming out of COVID-19. So, instead of retreating right now, you may be best served long term by accelerating your long term investment efforts, if you have the capital to do so. Allow me to explain.
The Weekly Notable Startup Funding Report: 8/10/20
The notable startup fundings for the week ending 8/8/20 featuring funding details for Krisp, Ginger, PandaDoc, and much much more.
Sanzo Raises $1.3M For the First Asian-Inspired Sparkling Water Brand
Sandro Roco, self-financed Sanzo, an Asian-inspired sparkling water brand, for a few years, which meant (pre-pandemic) taking subways with a hand truck, Ubers at 6AM to beat traffic (and surge pricing) and meeting 1:1 with customers, retail partners, and suppliers. Today, the product is found in Whole Foods throughout the Northeast, available direct-to-consumer, and the business is profitable. Roco shares some insight into how the recent popularity of Asian culture in America inspired the launch of Sanzo, self-funding the company, operating as a solo founder, and the experience of raising capital primarily through angel investors rather than funds.
The 15 Largest Global Startup Funding Rounds of July 2020
Smalls Raises Another $9M for its Direct-to-Consumer Cat Food Brand
Despite cats as pets outnumbering the number of dogs, cats have been overlooked with most of the focus on our canine friends, and much of the products for cats are really just repurposed from dog-centric offerings. Smalls is the direct-to-consumer human-grade cat food brand designed specifically for cats and their loyal owners. AlleyWatch caught up with CEO and Cofounder Matt Michaelson to learn more about building a cat-centric brand in a dog-centric world, the company’s biology-based approach, and recent funding round from investors that include Left Lane Capital, Founder Collective, and Companion Fund.
The AlleyWatch July 2020 New York Venture Capital Funding Report
NYC startup funding exceeds $1.1B for July; up a healthy 12.24% from June and 12.63% from July of 2019. Find out where it went… Aggregate statistics for all NYC funding deals by stage of funding (Early, Series A, Series B, and Late) including mention of notable rounds for July 2020.
KUDO Raises $6M to Make Multilingual Web Meetings Seamless
In 2017, KUDO launched its Language-as-a-Service platform to support multilingual web conferences and events. The pandemic has exacerbated the need for these services and the company has gone from interpreting 200 thousand minutes to roughly 30 million minutes per month. CEO and Cofounder Fardad Zabetian shares some more about the impressive traction, expansion plans, and recent round of funding from investors that include Felicis, Global Founders Capital, ID8 Investments, and Advancit Capital.
