Boxabl Deal Memo (Closing Date: 2021-07-31)
Deal Abstract
Innovative construction company is building a new Boxabl home. Can they take the product to market?
Financials (VRB)
Question | Notes |
---|---|
1. Fundraising Target? | $3000000 |
2. Fundraised So Far? | $3925405 |
3. Pre-Money Valuation? | $226000000 |
4. Previous Year's Annual Revenue | $90000 |
5. Previous Year's Annual Net Income (+ Profitable, - Burning Cash) | ~$-1162792 |
The 6 Calacanis Characteristics ("Sow Passion, Not easy mediocrity", or S2 P6 N18)
Criteria | Yes/No |
---|---|
1. A startup that is based in SV? | False: Las Vegas, NV |
2. Has at least 2 founders? | True: Two |
3. Has product in the market? | False: 'We are currently launching a 170,000 square foot factory with the capacity to produce thousands of easily shippable homes and millions in revenue.' |
4. 6 months of continuous user growth or 6 months of revenue? | True: Though revenue growth from 2019 to 2020 super modest |
5. Notable investors? | False: No one I recognize |
6. Post-funding, will have 18 months of runway? | True: Needed ~$2mm and already fundraised past that |
The 7 Thiel Questions (Every Time Man Profits, Don't Dismiss Serendipity)
Question | Score | Notes |
---|---|---|
1. Engineering? | 3 | Interesting engineering, but not sure how this beast prefab homes |
2. Timing? | 2 | Construction costs not going down |
3. Monopoly? | 1 | No market share presently as far as I know |
4. People? | 2 | Good team but no one has lead a construction startup yet |
5. Distribution? | 2 | Sell directly to customers? B2B? |
6. Durability? | 4 | Basically as durable as you can get, unless someone gets a more innovative materials sciences patent |
7. Secret? | 2 | New housing costs are going to be Boxabl homes instead of prefab/3d printed/any of the traditional construction ways |
What has to go right for the startup to return money on investment:
1. Deliver product at scale; 2. Figure out margins; 3. How is it that Boxable homes don't need to plug into utiliites?
What the Risks Are
1. Construction innovation super challenging; 2. Become full-stack provider of customer service in addition to being a manufacturer not easy; 3. Going to market and making sure margins stay competitive while risk of innovation doesn't incur additional costs
Bonus Muhan's Notes
Need to figure out more about the innovation, seems a little too good to be true
Updates
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Review these deal memos every time the startup raises a new round
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