Florian Stege

10 things I wish I knew before my first startup investment. Three years ago, I jumped into angel investing with ROI VENTURES. Looking back, I wish someone had handed me a cheatsheet. Here’s what I learned the hard way: 1️⃣ Dealflow doesn’t come to you. You need to hunt for it. Go beyond your network-use LinkedIn, events, universities, accelerators. Meet as many founders as you can. 2️⃣ Find 5–10 investors with the same focus as you. Share every good deal. These are your dealsharing buddies and co-investors - your real support system. 3️⃣ Build a network of +100 investors. Track who invests in what and at which stage. Share deals with them - especially for follow-on rounds. Expand your network with intention. 4️⃣ Say NO fast. If a deal isn’t a fit, say it right away. If a founder wants a call but you know you won’t invest, decline. Saves time for everyone (including you). 5️⃣ Don’t always trust industry experts. Experts can miss new ideas because they’re too close to old ways. Listen, but trust your own analysis. 6️⃣ Stay away from FOMO. If the price goes up and everyone wants in, step back. Don’t chase hot deals. 7️⃣ Don’t bother portfolio founders for updates. Send them clients, intros, or insights instead. Be helpful - not another report to fill out. 8️⃣ Respond fast to founders. Reply to emails, sign docs, answer WhatsApps. Don’t make founders chase you. 9️⃣ Know every funding round, ownership and team change. Protect your interests as an early investor-no one else will do it for you. 🔟 Invest conviction-driven, not consensus-based. Your best investments come from your own belief, not from following the crowd. The job of an angel investor is to find great founders & then doing everything you can to make their lives easier. 💸 What’s the one lesson you wish you knew before your first investment? #investments #startups #venturecapital 📸 Fabian Klima

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Every VC website says "value-add." Most have never operated and are selling help they can't actually deliver. After 100+ investments, here's what real value looks like (and how to spot the BS). Last week, a founder asked me: "What value do you actually add beyond the check?" Fair question. I've heard every VC claim they're "value-add." Most aren't. The Marketing BS: "Access to our network" = We'll send one intro email, maybe "Strategic guidance" = We'll give opinions on things we don't understand "Operational support" = We'll suggest you hire a recruiter "Brand value" = We have a nice logo for your website I've watched founders waste months chasing these empty promises. What Actually Matters: After backing 100+ companies, here's the only "value-add" that counts: 1. Speed of Decision The best VCs get back to you in 48 hours, not 4 weeks. Time killed waiting for answers is time not building. One of my founders needed emergency bridge funding. Decision in 3 hours. Money wired same day. That's value. 2. Useful Introductions (With Context) Not "Hey, you two should meet." But: "Sarah, meet John. He solved the exact payment processing problem you're facing at scale. He's expecting your call Tuesday at 2pm." Context. Relevance. Follow-through. 3. Pattern Recognition That Saves You Money "I've seen this movie 5 times. Here's what killed the others..." When I tell founders not to hire a VP of Sales before product-market fit, I'm saving them $400K and 6 months of pain. 4. Being There When Things Break Every VC loves you when you're up and to the right. Real value shows up during layoffs, failed product launches, and co-founder breakups. 3am calls. Emergency board meetings. Actual support when everything's on fire. 5. Getting Out of the Way The most underrated value-add: knowing when to stop giving advice. Your company. Your vision. Your execution. The best VCs amplify, not override. The Litmus Test: Ask any VC: "What specific help did you provide your last 3 portfolio companies?" If they talk about their "platform team" or "exclusive events," run. If they name specific introductions, saved costs, or crisis moments they helped navigate - that's real. The Truth: Most "value-add" is BS because most VCs have never operated. They're selling a product they don't understand. The real value isn't in the services they list on their website. It's in the scars they earned building and failing themselves. I tell every founder the same thing: Judge VCs by their actions in your worst moments, not their promises in pitch meetings. What's the most valuable thing an investor has ever done for you (beyond writing a check)? #VentureCapital #Startups #Fundraising #RealTalk #Founders

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💰 How to Find the Right Investors In the past 15 years, I watch so many founders walk into rooms with brilliant ideas… and walk out with nothing more than a polite smile from the investor across the table. Here’s what still surprises me: most of those founders never bothered to learn who they were pitching. Every fund has its own internal physics—its power dynamics, its secret motivations, the odd little quirks that drive decisions. If you understand those dynamics, your odds improve dramatically. If you don’t, you’re flying blind. Behind every successful round is not just a great company, but a founder who took the time to understand the person on the other side of the table. Read my article on Substack so you can too build up your investor market map: https://lnkd.in/gnxuq6Ra #fundraising #venturecapital #VC #funding #startup #pitching #investors #seed #seriesA #growthcapital #capitalraising

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