Aug 16, 2024 | 2024, Advising, Birmingham, Business Lessons, COVID-19, Entrepreneurialism, Financing, Founders, Investing, New Dynamics in Seed Funding and Financing Series, Post-Covid Investing, Risk, Seed Investing, Start-Ups
In this evolving world of seed investing, the re-evaluation of risk is significantly impacting early funding rounds, which are decreasing in number — and with fewer rounds, there is an increase in pro investor terms. This trend is driven by market dynamics and...
Aug 9, 2024 | 2024, Alabama, Birmingham, Birmingham Funded Start-Ups List, COVID-19, Economic Development, Entrepreneurial Assessment, Entrepreneurialism, Financing, Founders, Investing, Mid-Year Assessment, Seed Investing, Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, Start-Ups
It is that bi-annual time of year when I make my usual plea that we are not providing enough equity support. Once again, this is true, but perhaps this is also time for me to offer more productive thoughts. Thanks to Will Wright, the Head of Innovation at Protective...
Feb 17, 2023 | 2023, Books and Resources, Business Lessons, COVID-19, Economic Development, Entrepreneurialism, Founders
I read for a lot of reasons, but I read business books primarily to help me shape my thinking. They provide new perspectives and help me to articulate thoughts not yet fully formed. Reading business books also allows me to hear stories that provide insight and...
Jun 23, 2022 | 2022, Alabama, Birmingham, Business Lessons, COVID-19, Entrepreneurialism, Founders, Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, Start-Ups, World Games
“And you may ask yourself, ‘Well, how did I get here?'”– The Talking Heads, “Once in a Lifetime” As Randall Woodfin and Protective Stadium get ready to welcome the world to Birmingham, we need to to remember that the journey towards...
Jan 12, 2022 | 2021, 2022, Birmingham, Birmingham Funded Start-Ups List, COVID-19, Entrepreneurial Assessment, Entrepreneurialism, Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, Start-Ups
As always with the new year, we’re taking some time to pause and reflect. First Avenue does so by compiling our annual list of funded start-ups in Birmingham, which helps us analyze the health of the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. I also like to take stock...
