Live data from Hacker News

Wefunder (YC W13): Invest in Startups

wefunder.com

51–60 of 83 posts

Re: Wefunder (YC W13): Invest in Startups

#51

Maybe I'm missing something- but I can't see the valuations the companies are raising at anywhere (e.g. I can see that Company X wants to raise $490,000 - but how much of the business this is for) Surely this is question number 1 when you want to invest in a company? EDIT- Found it once I clicked the "Apply to invest" button". Maybe it should be a bit more up front though

[deleted]

Re: Wefunder (YC W13): Invest in Startups

#53
post #37

Just applied to put $1k into a YC company that I was very impressed with. I hope this becomes the default for YC companies. Fuck the VC's - invite the public to demo day and crowd fund the seed rounds! Quick math: investing $1k into Facebook with the same terms would be worth over $8 million today. For Dropbox, over $600k. For an OMGPOP-sized exit, $25k.

Are there any estimates for if you put $1k into every company from a batch?

Re: Wefunder (YC W13): Invest in Startups

#54
post #20

Seed investing is not something for amateurs, in fact frankly I don't think investing in public companies is for amateurs. I would tell ordinary people to invest in index funds and don't invest in startups at all. You should not be investing in startups because you think it is going to change your life. You shouldn't be doing it unless you're rich enough that your life wouldn't be changed by making lots of money. - P…

This is a devil's advocate question, but what's the difference between investing one's money, and one's own time & labor at a possibly high opportunity cost in a startup. Or stated another way, if an amateur shouldn't invest their money, what makes it ok for a startup employee to invest their labor?

Re: Wefunder (YC W13): Invest in Startups

#55
post #53
post #37

Just applied to put $1k into a YC company that I was very impressed with. I hope this becomes the default for YC companies. Fuck the VC's - invite the public to demo day and crowd fund the seed rounds! Quick math: investing $1k into Facebook with the same terms would be worth over $8 million today. For Dropbox, over $600k. For an OMGPOP-sized exit, $25k.

Are there any estimates for if you put $1k into every company from a batch?

[deleted]

Re: Wefunder (YC W13): Invest in Startups

#56
post #37

Just applied to put $1k into a YC company that I was very impressed with. I hope this becomes the default for YC companies. Fuck the VC's - invite the public to demo day and crowd fund the seed rounds! Quick math: investing $1k into Facebook with the same terms would be worth over $8 million today. For Dropbox, over $600k. For an OMGPOP-sized exit, $25k.

Can you show your work on that math, please? I am at work and do not have the ability to go through it myself, but that seems too good to be true...

Re: Wefunder (YC W13): Invest in Startups

#57
post #37

Just applied to put $1k into a YC company that I was very impressed with. I hope this becomes the default for YC companies. Fuck the VC's - invite the public to demo day and crowd fund the seed rounds! Quick math: investing $1k into Facebook with the same terms would be worth over $8 million today. For Dropbox, over $600k. For an OMGPOP-sized exit, $25k.

Can you show your work on that math, please? I am at work and do not have the ability to go through it myself, but that seems too good to be true...

These are just rough calculations and they ignore things like whether the valuation is pre or post-money and dilution from additional funding etc, but it gives a ballpark idea of potential returns:

$1,000 investment at $8,000,000 valuation = 0.0125%

Facebook valuation today of $63 billion x 0.000125 = $7.87 million (was a little off)

Dropbox valuation currently at least $5 billion (they raised at a $4 billion valuation in 2011) x 0.000125 = $625k

OMGPOP sold for $200 million x 0.000125 = $25k.

Re: Wefunder (YC W13): Invest in Startups

#58
I really hope uncapped notes are not allowed. If you look at the history, Dropbox turned a $6M investment into a $5 billion dollar company. Google turned a $25M investment into a $250 billion dollar company. I have a feeling, one of these startups is going to turn a $1M uncapped investment into a $1B company, and there are going to be some really hurt feelings. Someone is going to invest $1000 in the next Google/Dropbox/AirBnB and walk away with $1200.

Re: Wefunder (YC W13): Invest in Startups

#59

I really hope uncapped notes are not allowed. If you look at the history, Dropbox turned a $6M investment into a $5 billion dollar company. Google turned a $25M investment into a $250 billion dollar company. I have a feeling, one of these startups is going to turn a $1M uncapped investment into a $1B company, and there are going to be some really hurt feelings. Someone is going to invest $1000 in the next Google/Drop…

[deleted]

Re: Wefunder (YC W13): Invest in Startups

#60
post #20

Seed investing is not something for amateurs, in fact frankly I don't think investing in public companies is for amateurs. I would tell ordinary people to invest in index funds and don't invest in startups at all. You should not be investing in startups because you think it is going to change your life. You shouldn't be doing it unless you're rich enough that your life wouldn't be changed by making lots of money. - P…

This is a devil's advocate question, but what's the difference between investing one's money, and one's own time & labor at a possibly high opportunity cost in a startup. Or stated another way, if an amateur shouldn't invest their money, what makes it ok for a startup employee to invest their labor?

Employment at a good-ish startup is a good investment in your skill set. Yes, ideally you will make a lot of money on an IPO or acquisition, but even if not you will develop expertise and broaden your network. Just throwing a few thousand at something you can only watch from afar won't get you that.
Post reply on HN