Viaduct Ventures visiting Gibraltar from Silicon Valley

When and why does your startup need venture capital? Tech giants, for example such as Google, Facebook, Airbnb and Uber would not have been able to survive without venture capital.

These are internet companies that during their early days have negative cash flows. Some of the reasons are:

1. Revenue streams are not dedicated
2. Not enough customers and need to market
3. Spend a lot on technology to build a great product

For these types of startups to survive long term, there is a need for external capital to fund the company because they are losing money. Venture capital invests in these very high risk businesses, when they believe they could be a success.

Founders our responsible for creating massive businesses from scratch, VCs usually stay low key in contributing to making these companies successes. Aside from providing capital, the work is based on depositing trust in the founders that translates into guidance, ways to improve the business, exposure to relevant networks and a wealth of knowledge for the startup.

It’s estimated that of all the firms VCs invest in:

• 65 percent fail and return less than the capital invested
• 25 percent barely give a return on the investment (i.e. a 1-5X)
• 6 percent give a good return (i.e. a 5-10X)
• 4 percent give a spectacular return (i.e. a 10X or higher)

On the 19th November as part of the US - Gibraltar Enterprise & Thanksgiving Week we are hosting Vadim Balashov one of the Managing Directors of Viaduct Ventures a Technology focused early-stage venture fund based in Palo Alto California who is visiting Gibraltar on business exploration trip for the first time.

Viaduct Ventures is an impact investing and sector-building initiative that connects foundations and private individuals with impact-driven entrepreneurs in Europe in order to accelerate innovative solutions to social and environmental problems and generate financial returns

The fund invests in Silicon Valley startups with significant impact that offers a product or service that has the potential to solve a relevant social/environmental problem or improves existing solutions substantially. 

We will cover what they look for in the type of startup model for investment and advise on how to reach those goals.

• Scalability of impact 
• Measurable improvements
• Team 
• Financial sustainability
• Typically 1-3 years old with clear growth plans, existing clients and a proof-of-concept 

Vadim Balashov is passionate about new technology and the people who create it with 28 years experience in technology and telecommunications and 25 years cross-border transactions and management. He has been an EY Partner/Practice leader for Telecom and Technology, advised technology companies from early stages to IPO and specialises in growth business, corporate governance and finance. He is also the MD of GVA LaunchGurus Seed Fund.

Viaduct Ventures provides superior returns to investors by capturing seed stage startups, de risking them through mentoring and acceleration, and helping them raise Silicon Valley VC funding. 

Join us for a Fireside Chat on how to create a business model for Venture Capital funding at Sapphire Bar at Sunborn Gibraltar. 

Tickets Available: