I always tell entrepreneurs that two heads are better than one, so the first task in many startups is finding a co-founder or two. You need to find the skills or experience you don’t have in business, technology, or money. So the first question I usually get is what percent of the company or equity is that person worth? Giving a co-founder a salary won’t get you the “fire in the belly” you want.

In an ideal world, female start-up founders would not need to prove their value compared to their male counterparts. But research shows that women face negative attitudes during pitches. Investors ask women more about risk and losses, while men are asked about ambitions and achievements.

That’s tough luck for prejudiced investors. Female founders deliver higher profits. They are more likely to run their business in a socially responsible way. And, because they are more driven by ideas than money, they are a better bet for long-term success.

Image: https://businessfinancing.co.uk

The venture capital (VC) world often follows the general trends of the markets. When social media is the in-thing, investors will flock to all manner of social media startups. The same goes for any area of investing from mobile apps to live-work-play co-working places and everything in between. So too is the investor perspective on artificial intelligence. When it became clear less than a decade ago that AI was the latest, hottest place to build companies that could grow from tiny startups to huge public market exits of acquisitions, the VC community got all in. 

We know that by wearing masks, we can help reduce the transmission of COVID-19, and we know that not every type of face mask is equally good at blocking viral droplets when we cough, sneeze, talk – or even simply breathe. But how can we really know for sure?

Image: https://www.sciencealert.com

Colleges that have been struggling to get their yield rate equivalent (or at least close) to last year's may be in for a rude awakening.

SimpsonScarborough is releasing a survey tomorrow of incoming freshmen who aspired to attend a four-year residential college that finds that 40 percent of them say they are likely or highly likely to not attend any four-year college this fall. Further, 28 percent of returning students who have the option to return to their campus say they are not going back or haven't decided yet. (Some of both groups of students may be interested in attending a community college.)

BioHealth Innovation (BHI) was created in 2012 by Rich Bendis and key industry leaders to accelerate the commercialization of high potential scientist entrepreneurs and companies within the BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR), which consists of Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

If you’re a leader, it’s likely that not everyone who works with you will agree with the decisions you make — and that’s okay. Leadership involves making unpopular decisions while navigating complex relationships with colleagues, partners, and clients. But often, you will need to get buy-in from these constituents, and therefore you will need to convince them to change their mind.

Something remarkable happened as a result of the sudden emergence of the coronavirus. I'm talking about the companies that put their own goals aside and started partnering to address the Covid-19-related challenges. Siemens, BMW, Bosch, Bayer, Mastercard and even a handful of startups began working together to provide value in a time of need.

Many of the things you do online every day are protected by encryption so that no one else can spy on it. Your online banking and messages to your friends are likely encrypted, for example—as are government secrets. But that protection is under threat from the development of quantum computers, which threaten to render modern encryption methods useless. 

Image: A Google quantum computer GOOGLE

Crowdfunding has seen many outrageous successes over the last decade during its infamous rise in the consumer products industry. Everything from the Pebble Watch to the Coolest Cooler and even potato salad has funded successfully on Kickstarter, giving people hope that anyone can be a winner on this intensely popular platform. However, it isn't that easy. According to Fundera, the average success rate is merely 22.4% of crowdfunding campaigns across all platforms. If you look individually to Kickstarter, it goes up slightly to just over 37%. In reality, the odds aren't that great.

One of the best-kept secrets in the world of capital is that the federal government has billions of dollars it’s dying to give away to early-stage founders and inventors — and all you have to do is ask. Well, there’s a bit more to it than that, so here’s a guide to getting in the door of the massive Small Business Innovation Research program.

WATERLOO REGION — As the Canadian economy slowly emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is growing concern many of this country’s youngest startup companies may lose access to a vital source of early funding.

Companies often rely on so-called angel investors to fund the earliest stages of their growth, and it’s a crucial source of investment for businesses that aren’t yet big enough or have sufficient sales to capture the attention of major investment firms or banks.

Image: https://www.therecord.com

It may not be as sexy, but starting a new business which builds on an existing technology or business model is usually less risky than introducing that ultimate new disruptive technology. There are many levels of innovation that go beyond copying someone else’s idea, but stop short of pushing the leading edge (bleeding edge).

Image: https://blog.startupprofessionals.com

Every one of you has had to deal with the conflicting requirements of optimizing your business in the short term versus the long term. In the short term you need customers to find you at any price, and in the longer term you need revenue, profit, and return loyalty. Even a million users on your social media site won’t pay the bills until you sell some advertising or a premium service.

Image: https://blog.startupprofessionals.com

Angel investing in Canada topped $1 billion from 2010 to 2019, finds a report from the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO).

In 2019, angel investors put up $163.9 million across 299 investments — the highest dollar amount reported since 2010 — up 14.8% from 2018 and bringing the 10-year investment total to $1.02 billion. The previous annual record was $162.2 million in 2017.

How do we strike the balance between extreme caution and necessary risk-taking when navigating a crisis? Many of us in the third month of quarantine are experiencing a bifurcation between daily personal and business experiences. At home, we embrace a highly conservative posture. We’ve cut spending to protect our rainy-day fund, organized our kids around a highly routine schedule, and eliminated all unnecessary trips to the store and physical contact with non-family members. 

The last month has been an exceptional one for the higher education sector in Saudi Arabia. It was marked by government approval for three Saudi universities to implement “the new university system”. The three universities are: King Saud University or KSU, King Abdulaziz University or KAU and Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University or IAU.

The new system aims to promote greater university independence academically, administratively and financially.

This year, we have had to protect ourselves not only from a deadly virus, but also from some very dangerous ideas. Around the world, conspiracy theories have flourished, claiming that the virus is everything from a hostile attack, a hoax perpetuated by Big Pharma, or even a side effect of 5G networks. And while these theories may seem ridiculous, they can cause serious harm. Belief in these views undermines people’s trust in established organizations and tested, scientific solutions, and can lead to destructive behavior such as rejecting medical recommendations in favor of unproven treatments, or burning cell towers out of fear of 5G technology.

Each year, the FNIH recognizes outstanding achievements by a promising young scientist in biomedical research by bestowing the Lurie Prize in Biomedical Sciences, a $100,000 award. The prize is made possible by a generous gift from philanthropist Ann Lurie.

The awardee is selected by a jury of six distinguished biomedical researchers including:

Venture Capital investment has remained resilient in Scotland during the second quarter of the year, despite the economic and political uncertainty the country is currently facing.

22 VC deals were completed between April and June, which is an increase of four from the first three months of 2020. These deals equated to a combined value of at least £62 million, up from £32 millions.

The figures come from the latest KPMG Private Enterprise's Global Venture Pulse Survey.

Image: Amy Burnett, Manager with KPMG Private Enterprise in Scotland - https://www.insider.co.uk