Comment by logicallee | Hacker News Reader

Comment by logicallee | Hacker News Reader

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I notice that you have made EUR 3 million in 2016 using a scalable hands-off model where you can turn adwords directly into cash without needing to own or touch any inventory, meet anyone, or have any infrastructure beyond a website, which you have built. You have also solved the chicken and egg problem, since high-quality companies will only take the time to craft thoughtful and serious searches if you have a pool of qualified candidates, and qualified candidates will only post thoughtful and serious listings if the are likely to reach serious companies they want to work for. Further, knowledge workers - the kind you connect with companies, as opposed to manual labor, comprise roughly $3 trillion in value and are among the most sophisticated job seekers and very likely to try your platform: even absent large economies of scale and network effects you have proven your ability to convert them and monetize them by offering both themselves and companies that seek them, value in an innovative and sustainable way.

As a European VC, this is not the kind of opportunity we are looking for. Please don't contact me again.

- Edit: see replies below.

The replies I mentioned have been (rightfully) detached from this thread.

I am adding this reply to make crystal-clear that the above is SATIRE about how hard it is for European companies to raise money from European investors. (I'm not a European VC.) You guys are killing it. I hope investors believe in you too.

Thanks ;)

As for my guess - is it true raising money is way harder than it should be, given your numbers? (And huge market.)

Or did you not have too much trouble and got fair valuations, terms, could close quickly etc?

(If you don't mind sharing.)

We tried raising money for 5 months last year and we talked to partners from about 20 European VC, but we were not successful. We got no or low-balling offers at best. I guess we were missing what people call "social proof".

This was our pitch deck by the way (not meant for marketing but for context): http://www.instaff.jobs/download/InStaff_Pitch_Deck.pdf

We don't need money, because we have been cashflow positive and growing for a while. And since fundraising was hyper time consuming we will not get back to fundraising again.

But I don't want to "rage" against the VC scene here. To each his own and I wish everybody who raises money successfully to grow his business all the best.

Thank you - I knew it. :)

You don't have to follow up, but if you do: what valuation were you seeking and what's the highest low-ball offer you received?

For me the lowest valuation given your numbers and model would be $10m - but I am certain you were seeking a much lower valuation, and did not even get that. So what were you seeking and what offer did you get?

(By the way, the way I analyze your story it's not a social proof question: it's that you weren't in silicon valley.)

If you don't want to reply here you can email me at the address in my profile. Thanks.

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