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Show HN: Startup funding simulator

fundingsimulator.com

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Re: Show HN: Startup funding simulator

#121

Post by latchkey »

tptacek wrote: post #74
mikewarot wrote: post #64

I don't have a clue what a "safe" is... but I made 36 million dollars in 3 steps. I'm a happy camper.

It's a standardized convertible note instrument, designed to replace convertible debt. Convertible notes are what you raise in a widely syndicated round before you have a firm valuation (ie, in your seed round). It's very easy to "sell" someone a convertible note, whereas an institutional priced round involves huge amounts of due diligence and legal fees. Convertible debt became the sort of default way seed rounds wo…

Great explanation, also link to the documents: https://www.ycombinator.com/documents

Re: Show HN: Startup funding simulator

#122

Post by [deleted] »

primitivesuave wrote: post #38
sjwhevvvvvsj wrote: post #7

Bootstrapping a business with my savings to retain full control is both the wisest and hardest thing I’ve done. I don’t understand why people are so quick to start giving up control out of the gate for software companies. Servers are cheap, it’s not like in say, manufacturing where you need a factory. You’re gonna let some VC bro tell you what to do for a SaaS product? Why exactly? Just go to market on the cheap. I’v…

Bootstrapping requires a rare breed of founder who is financially secure enough (or frugal enough) to manage life on a reduced salary, capable of building useful products on a budget, and willing to risk the missed opportunity cost of a cushy Big Co position. In my experience, the hardest thing to master is the actual building - plenty of people are bootstrapping "theoretically useful" inventions in basements/garages…

[deleted]

Re: Show HN: Startup funding simulator

#124

Post by throwaway2037 »

von_lohengramm wrote: post #72
jmknoll wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hahaha I’m glad I’m not the only one. I can’t find it now, but I’m sure I’ve seen a snarky PM game here on HN before. Thought it might be the sequel

I was expecting something similar to PhD Simulator: https://research.wmz.ninja/projects/phd/index.html

+9000. I never saw this before. Thank you to share. It is the academic version of "Papers, Please"!

Re: Show HN: Startup funding simulator

#125

Post by leetrout »

mlhpdx wrote: post #66
Draiken wrote: post #18

I'd love more help bubbles, since I'm not familiar with a ton of these toggles and boxes. I'd also love to see how much employees would get, not just me. I know people generally care more about themselves, but seeing how it would work if you gave a lot more to employees would be great.

Agreed. Adding the employee point of view would make this tool an excellent education piece. It’s always a struggle to explain.

Or, no snark, open their eyes to how little their options are worth.

Re: Show HN: Startup funding simulator

#128

Post by hamburglar »

zikero wrote: post #31
mikikian wrote: post #26

Great work! It would be cool if there was an option to "Exit / Sell the Startup" after a SAFE round i.e., before a priced round. This would simulate Jason Lemkin's one round scenario: https://www.saastr.com/venture-backed-theres-a-third-way-jus...

working on this one! thanks

An awesome addition to this would be to illustrate the effect of investor liquidation preferences during an exit. A graph of sale price vs your take would be really helpful for this since it’s nonlinear.

UI suggestion: allow click-drag on percentage boxes. I was tweaking percentages between 4 founders in order to come up with certain amounts post-round and it was a bit trial and error. On mobile it would have been tons easier if I could just nudge the values up and down rather than having to type them all in again.

Re: Show HN: Startup funding simulator

#130

Post by mdekkers »

leetrout wrote: post #125
mlhpdx wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. Adding the employee point of view would make this tool an excellent education piece. It’s always a struggle to explain.

Or, no snark, open their eyes to how little their options are worth.

I never count options as renumeration. Startups and scaleups may as well promise to pay me with lottery tickets. Cash please, thank you. If you want to talk about using equity to pay me, please come with real shares, and a say in how the business is run, at least in the areas where I have experience and expertise.
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