TechCrunch+ Roundup: Korean Investor Survey, 1-Hour Board Meeting, Venture Leasing Basics

Image credit: Caban Images/Toby Harriman/Getty Images

After sales software startup TigerEye closed its Series A and formed a board, the co-founders warned the board:

One thing we never want to do is a three-hour board meeting that is too chaotic and non-strategic.

“Every board deck I’ve made and seen has been over 80 pages long,” says Tracy Young, co-founder and CEO of TigerEye. “I’m not exaggerating.”

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In this TC+ article, she explains how to structure a one-hour board meeting that creates real value for founders and investors. Step 1: Replace the voluminous material with a 3-page note.

We will be closed on Monday, May 29th in observance of Memorial Day. So, starting today, he’ll be back with another TC+ recap in a week’s time.

Have a great weekend!

Walter Thompson
TechCrunch+ Editorial Manager
@your hero

Why are venture capitalists reluctant to fund cybersecurity startups?

Accelerating the transition to digital is great for mature cybersecurity companies, with Palo Alto Networks, Scaler, and CrowdStrike showing strong revenue multiples, reports Alex Wilhelm.

But there doesn’t seem to be a halo effect for venture-backed cybersecurity startups. Funding for companies in this space fell 58% in Q1 2023 compared to Q1 2022, according to Crunchbase.

“Given the general decline in valuations, cybersecurity stocks have fallen dramatically today despite still being more expensive than other technology subcategories.” Alex writes.

Profitability Over Growth: Five Investors Explain Their Belief in Korean Startups

South Korea has experienced a unicorn boom in recent years, but like the rest of the world, it is feeling the effects of the global market correction.

“Venture funding in Asia in Q1 2023 was down 33% from Q4 2023 and 57% from Q1 2022,” reports Kate Park. He surveyed five investors to get their projections for 2023 and find out how they advise companies in which they invest. :

• Han Kim, Altos Ventures General Partner
• Tim Chae, Managing Partner, 500 Global
• JP Lee, CEO and Managing Partner of SoftBank Ventures Asia
• Yeemin Chung, Managing Director, BRV Capital Management
• Eunsu Lee, Founder and Managing Partner at 541 Ventures

Ask Sophie: What options do I have if a company cancels my OPT offer?

dear sophie

I am an international student graduating this month, but the company I was supposed to work for through OPT canceled my job offer.

what are my options?

— Grappling Grad

3 things companies should do to secure their applications in the AI ​​era

Companies using AI-enabled applications give malicious actors a broader attack surface for phishing, bots, and other attempts to access customer accounts.

Reed McGinley-Stempel, co-founder and CEO of Stych, a customer identification and access management (CIAM) platform, said, “There are already examples of AI-powered sites being reverse-engineered for free AI computing. are being seen,” he said.

Venture leasing: The unsung hero for struggling hardware startups

Hardware startups have always faced challenges in terms of high initial capital expenditures and unrestricted R&D schedules.

Luckily, venture leasing has created a “happy vehicle that works particularly well between expensive debt loans and venture capital funding,” said co-founder and chief executive of robotic food delivery company Kiwibot. CEO Felipe Chavez Cortez said.

To get products to market faster while avoiding dilution, his company signed a $10 million venture lease.

“Hardware companies shouldn’t feel limited to VC funds to fund high-risk, high-growth businesses,” Cortez said.

Pitch Deck Breakdown: Faye’s $10 Million Series A Deck

Insurtech startup Faye has shared an edited version of the 19-slide material its founders used to raise their $10 million Series A round.

“Let’s solve this problem immediately,” says Haje Jan Kamps. “This is a really nice pitch deck.”

• cover slide
• Overview slide
• team slide
• problem slide
• market size slide
• insurance market overview slides
• product overview slides
• Product Features Slide 1
• Product Features Slide 2
• Product Features Slide 3
• Product Features Slide 4
• go-to-market slide
• Financial growth indicator slide
• Customer growth indicator slide
• Customer verification slide 1
• Competitive landscape slide
• “Ask a question” slide
• Customer verification slide 2
• Final slide with mission statement