Eqvista blog

Founders’ guide to equity, valuations, and company growth.

Benefits of Portfolio Valuation for Investment Managers

There is no static value or performance for the many investments that make up a portfolio. Many businesses employ investment management systems to pick and execute the best initiatives.  Whether you’re in the building industry, the oil and gas industry, the military industry, the technology sector, or any other sector, active portfolio management will guarantee …

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409A Refresh: What to Do Before Your 409A Valuation Expiration?

Suppose your company previously valued its stock at $10 per share on January 1, 2023. Following a Series A funding round on July 1, 2023, which valued the company at $20 million pre-money, the company conducted a 409A refresh. An independent valuation firm determined the new fair market value (FMV) to be $15 per share, …

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Interview With Marko Virkebau, CEO of Stargate Hydrogen

Welcome to another inspiring Founder Spotlight edition featuring Marko Virkebau, the CEO of Stargate Hydrogen. Stargate Hydrogen is a company at the forefront of green hydrogen technology. Stargate Hydrogen was Founded in 2021, aiming to produce affordable green hydrogen to help reduce carbon emissions in challenging sectors such as steelmaking, fertilizer production, and the chemical …

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Master Valuation Methods in Self-Paced Equity Management Courses Online

Equity management, which involves share acquisition, oversight, and even sale, is anchored on valuation. Assessing a business organization’s worth and its stock price is tedious. But investors have a way of working around this: valuation methods. These techniques can zero in on the real score of a company’s stocks. They can determine if a stock …

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Securing Safe Harbor Status for Fintech Startups

For centuries, safe harbors have given sailors respite from the most unforgiving seas. Today, the concept of safe harbors extends far beyond the seven seas. In the stock market, safe harbor assets help investors take shelter from market volatility. Similarly, in the winding and treacherous landscape of tax regulations, safe harbors offer certainty and stability. …

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Interview with Jesse van der Pluijm Co-Founder of WeTicket

Welcome to the latest edition of the founder spotlight interview with Jesse van der Pluijm, co-founder of WeTicket. Jesse and co-founder Nando Bennis were inspired to start WeTicket due to their experiences as event organizers. WeTicket was born out of a desire to challenge the “ticketing mafia” and promote transparency and fairness in the industry, …

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Is low valuation good for employees?

In the world of startups, founders often chase sky-high valuations to validate their success. However, high valuations can lead to disadvantages like overinflated expectations and increased risks of down rounds. Conversely, low valuations can lead to dilution of ownership in fundraising rounds and raise the risk of unfavorable acquisitions. One advantage of low business valuations …

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How Startups like Stripe are Handling the IPO Dry Spell?

Private equity investments, especially in startups, are notoriously illiquid. If a startup grows big enough, investors may breathe easy hoping for exits through initial public offerings (IPOs). However, trends are showing a significant decline in IPO volume and proceeds. Many startups are delaying their IPOs. This IPO dry spell has left investors searching for alternative …

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Interview With Dr. Evan Petkov, Co-Founder and CEO of Proptech Optiml

In this edition of Founder Spotlight, we’re featuring Dr Evan Petkov, Founder and CEO of Optiml, who aims to address the challenges of achieving Net Zero in the real estate sector. The inception of Optiml originated from Dr. Petkov’s PhD research at ETH Zurich, where he developed optimization algorithms that integrate profitability with sustainability considerations. Optiml’s …

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Valuation Methods Most Suitable for Companies in Highly Competitive Markets

Did you know that in the first seven months of 2024, more than 19,000 mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have happened? The highly-competitive consumer products and services industry accounted for almost 6,000 of these deals.  The high volume of deals in competitive industries makes business valuations very easy. After all, the main issue with private equity …

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Top Funded Open Source Startups in 2024

Most Fortune 500 companies, specifically 99%, implement open-source software. Open-source startups have collectively raised approximately $2.5 billion in funding, averaging $41.1 million per startup. This influx of capital indicates strong investor confidence in the open-source business model. While many startups are based in the U.S., there is notable representation from Europe, particularly Germany and the …

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Interview With Josh Puddle, Co-Founder, Momo Kombucha

Welcome to the latest edition of the Founder Spotlight interview with Josh Puddle, the co-founder of MOMO Kombucha, a rapidly growing brand based in the UK known for its high-quality, organic Kombucha. Josh started the company with his wife, Lisa, after discovering Kombucha during a trip to New York in 2016. Inspired by the drink’s …

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Top Active Venture Capital Firms in Q3 2024

Global venture funding showed signs of recovery in Q2 2024, rising 5% from the previous quarter according to Bain & Company, bringing relief to entrepreneurs worldwide. This uptick continues a trend of steady growth in venture capital funding that began in Q4 2023. While current levels remain below the record highs of 2021, this consistent …

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September 2024 Product Updates: Rule 701, Vesting report, Compliance sample report, Valuation cap and a discount for post-money SAFEs

At Eqvista, we believe that an equity management platform is essential for successfully managing a growing business, enabling founders to efficiently handle equity as their companies expand. Keep reading to learn about our latest platform enhancements. Rule 701 Calculator – Determine your eligibility now! Check out our new accurate Rule 701 calculator, a game-changer for …

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Interview With Shiv Bhakta, Co-Founder of Active Surfaces

Welcome to the latest Founder Spotlight interview with Shiv Bhakta, Co-founder of Active Surfaces. Active Surfaces is a company specializing in innovative solar technology. The company aims to revolutionize solar energy deployment by creating ultra-thin, flexible solar panels that can be applied to various surfaces. This innovation significantly reduces installation costs and expands the potential …

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A History Of 409A Valuations

Enron was an energy, commodities, and services company whose shocking malpractices shook the foundations of corporate America. The outcry of this scandal was so immense that it spawned various laws for raising the accounting standards for US companies, including the American Jobs Creation Act that introduced 409A regulations. These regulations govern the taxation and administration …

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Company Valuation Psychology: Emotional Biases in Investing Decision-making

Advanced mathematical techniques and high-quality data analysis often give us confidence that the company valuations we came up with are rational and accurate. However, when we value companies, we are often required to make certain assumptions and decide whether certain ideas, hypotheses or information is relevant or not. These decisions can often be influenced by …

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Interview With Marco Ries, Co-Founder and the Managing Director of ProteinDistillery

Welcome to the latest edition of the founder spotlight interview with Marco Ries, a prominent figure in the food technology sector who is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of ProteinDistillery. ProteinDistillery is a German food-tech startup focused on creating sustainable protein ingredients through innovative processes that utilize microorganisms, particularly by upcycling by-products from industries like …

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IP Valuation: Everything you should know

The intellectual property (IP) valuation market in the United States has shown massive growth in 2023. According to Fortune Business Insights, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reported significant patent activity, with over 515,000 new applications received and around 340,000 patents granted in FY 2023, reflecting a robust demand for IP management tools. The process …

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Preparing for the Estate and Gift Tax Exemption Sunset: Essential Steps

The estate and gift tax exemption sunset is drawing closer day-by-day. Right now, you could make lifetime estate and gift transfers of up to $13.61 million and not pay any taxes. However, from 2026 onwards, this limit could be reduced to $6.99 million, or even $5.49 million if inflation is not considered. Hence, many business …

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