The Illusion of Startup Valuations: advice from a VC (with Lu Zhang from Fusion Fund)
In this episode I’m joined by Lu Zhang, Founder & Managing Partner of Fusion Fund to talk about how to structure your round as a founder, when to raise money and how to assess your company valuation.
Your next raise doesn’t have to depend on your runway. If fact, it’s better if it doesn’t.
Instead, getting to your next milestone is a much stronger reason to structure another round and raise.
You can tell the right story and show VCs motivation for raising again.
Compare that with “I’m running out of cash, help” narrative when you have 3-4 months of runway.
Here are the main talking points:
- How to structure your future financial round
- When is best time to raise money as a founder
- How serial entrepreneurs look at valuation & raising money vs first-time founders
About Lu:
Lu Zhang is the Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund, a renowned Silicon Valley based investor, a serial entrepreneur and a Stanford Engineering alumni. Fusion Fund is active in supporting early-stage entrepreneurs who are looking to build globally disruptive companies using innovative technologies to drive systemic change originating from the U.S market. For the past couple of years, Lu leads the Fusion Fund team funnels exits of multiple portfolios’ IPO and M&As.
Lu received the title of 2018 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum (Davos). She has also garnered other accolades including the Featured Honoree in VC of Forbes 30 Under 30 (2017), Silicon Valley Women of Influence (2018), Town & Country 50 Modern Swans – Entrepreneurship Influencer (2017) and Top 10 All America Chinese Youth (2018). Prior to starting Fusion Fund, Lu was the Founder and CEO of a medical device company focused on non-invasive technology for the early diagnosis of Type II diabetes (acquired in 2012).
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