

Software + Other Skill Startups - epicureanideal

Just a quick question.  Does anyone know how difficult it is to get funding for a startup that involves more than just web/business software?  For example, combining chemistry, biology, mechanical engineering, or physics?  I haven't heard much about this.  I suspect these sorts of startups are more expensive than the typical web startup because they probably require a longer period of unprofitability before the product gets launched, but it seems to me that they would be much more profitable in the long term.<p>Also, what about tech-integrated brick and mortar startups?  Again, typically more costly.
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curt
It's really hard raising funding without a huge list of credentials and
contacts. That was my world, I bridge the gap between the digital- physical
world. Had it down to an art form and could produce a mobile-physical, web-
physical, or pure consumer electronic prototype for about $10k. But I did most
of the work myself. Under a normal setting with a normal team you're talking
$50k for a prototype. That's why it's hard to start, too many things to know.

Also the channels have far more barriers, getting into Target and Wal-mart is
a pain in the ass and I know them. That's where you make the real money on a
consumer electronic devices.

If you have questions about it, I seem to be the person everyone contacts so
feel free. Take a look at my blog curtgeen.com might help you get an idea on
how to do it.

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robfitz
For the former, very different investors. Medical, biotech, and agriculture
each have their own VC & angel communities.

You can choose to position yourself as a more defensible tech company backed
by some patents if the core R&D is already complete, e.g. from your phd. In
that case you'd be talking to the tech investors.

Or, if you're going ongoing heavy R&D before market viability, or there are
big non-tech infrastructure costs, you're probably going to want to check in
with the alternate investor communities.

For example, the UK has big angel networks who invest almost exclusively in
product & medical innovations (the same sort of stuff you see on Dragon's Den)
and Atlanta has a strong biotech investment community.

No idea about brick & mortar.

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amorphid
Good investors look for an opportunity to scale and don't really care how that
happens.

