Deal Abstract
Bootstrapped $5m run rate alternative coffee company is raising money to give Four Sigmatic a run for their money.
Financials (VRB)
Question | Notes |
---|---|
1. Fundraising Target? | $5000000 |
2. Fundraised So Far? | $2914528 |
3. Pre-Money Valuation? | $25000000 |
4. Previous Year's Annual Revenue | $2502241 |
5. Previous Year's Annual Net Income (+ Profitable, - Burning Cash) | ~$32030 |
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: Boulder, CO |
2. Has at least 2 founders? | True: Two |
3. Has product in the market? | True: Revenue generating |
4. 6 months of continuous user growth or 6 months of revenue? | True: Doubled revenue from 2019 to 2020 |
5. Notable investors? | False: No one I recognize |
6. Post-funding, will have 18 months of runway? | True: Profitable! |
The 7 Thiel Questions (Every Time Man Profits, Don't Dismiss Serendipity)
Question | Score | Notes |
---|---|---|
1. Engineering? | 2 | Better than coffee, allegedly |
2. Timing? | 2 | Lots of demands for alternative healthy drinks now |
3. Monopoly? | 3 | Solid revenue, but I wonder if this is a smaller version of Four Sigmatic coffee |
4. People? | 3 | Really strong team with solid performance to boot |
5. Distribution? | 2 | Not sure how they're distributing but they got to $5m run rate |
6. Durability? | 1 | My main question, is this just another mushroom coffee business? |
7. Secret? | 2 | Mushroom and adaptogenic beverages are enough to make this company the Pete's Coffee of mushroom coffee |
What has to go right for the startup to return money on investment:
1. Keep branding Rasa as a premium beverage; 2. Get into more distribution; 3. Develop further proprietary blends
What the Risks Are
1. There are other mushroom coffee companies with bigger brands and more dollars; 2. The market isn't growing that fast for this beverage; 3. This is a product not a business
Bonus Muhan's Notes
Updates
This is where I’ll post updates about the company. This way all my notes from offering to post-offering updates will be on one page.
Review these deal memos every time the startup raises a new round
Test if original thesis still applies
Notice trends in how you think
So, did I invest?
Click here to find out.Other thoughts, questions, comments, or concerns? Write me at mail@muhanzhang.com and let me know.