John Donboli
I write about venture capital and early-stage investing from San Diego, and I am building toward an investment practice focused on early-stage companies.
The First Raise Series
A six-part, free guide for first-time founders on whether to raise, what investors look for, and how a first fundraise actually works.
Recent writing on venture and startup investing
How I Evaluate an Early-Stage Startup: A Four-Part Framework
A working framework for sizing up an early-stage company: team, market, evidence, and deal structure, and the questions that sit under each.
Why Power Laws Shape Everything in Venture Capital
Venture returns are driven by a small number of outsized winners. Here is why that changes how portfolios, risk, and decisions work.
SAFEs, Convertible Notes and Priced Rounds: A Plain-English Primer
How the three most common ways to fund an early-stage company differ, and what investors and founders should understand before signing.
A First-Pass Due Diligence Checklist for Early-Stage Investors
A practical checklist covering team, product, finances, ownership, and legal basics to review before investing in an early-stage company.