“You had a job” might be funny when birthday cake decorating goes wrong, but the stakes are higher when we’re talking about executives who aren’t there for board meetings.
“Sophisticated or underdeveloped boards aren’t bad for CEOs and LPs. They’re bad for everyone,” writes Matt Blumberg, founder and CEO of Bolster.
“That’s a lot of moving pieces to manage, but doing so kept the meeting fresh and well-paced.
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Many entrepreneurs see board meetings as an obstacle to avoid or overcome, which is unfortunate. Well-run sessions are legitimate opportunities to discuss challenges and ask for help when needed.
Example: No one wants to read slides at a board meeting, so distribute the material well and ask attendees to submit questions via email. A board meeting should be a work session, not a monologue.
To promote inclusion and diversity, Bloomberg recommends adding one independent director for each investor board seat and reserving one seat for a founder or team member.
“There’s no doubt that running an effective board or serving as an effective director takes time, energy and dedication,” he said. But that’s no reason not to try.
Thank you very much for reading
Walter Thompson
Editorial Manager, TechCrunch+
@your main actor
Today: Q&A with Silicon Valley immigration attorney Sophie Alcorn.
I am hosting a Twitter space today at 10 am PT/1 pm ET With immigration attorney and TC+ columnist Sophie Alcorn.
If you’re trying to navigate the byzantine US immigration process — or know someone who is — please join the conversation and bring your questions.
8 Investors Discuss What to Expect for Reproductive Health Startups in a Post-Ro World
Dominique-Madori Davies surveyed eight investors about the role venture capital can play in this new era of abortion-free Americans.
The Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision affects more than health care and personal privacy: Will capital and talent that limit reproductive rights flee US states? Will investors support more startups that expand health care?
Noting the “tight relationship between venture capital and ethics,” Dominique-Madori asked the group how they intended to make an impact — and how they chose to approach entrepreneurs.
- Hessie Jones, Partner, MATR Ventures
- Lisa Calhoun, Gary Peet and William Leonard, Valor Ventures
- Mecca Tartt, Executive Director, Startup Runway
- Ed Zimmerman, Founding Partner, First Close Partners
- Theodora Lau, Founder, Extraordinary Ventures
- McKever Conwell, Founder, RareBreed Ventures
Pitch Deck Teardown: Party Round $7M, er, Party Round Deck
In the year In November 2021, Party Round, a startup that aims to help automate seed-level fundraising, used its platform to raise $7 million.
The founders recently shared an unedited 10-slide slideshow with us so TC+ members can see what they’ve been up to:
- Cover
- Motto
- Solution
- value proposition
- Product
- Competitive advantages
- “Why now?”
- Mission
- group
- to close
Dear Sophie: My EB-2 priority date is 2 years late! what should i do?
In her latest column, Sophie Alcorn answers questions about green cards for professionals in the EB-1A category of Special Skilled and International Managers, EB-2 NIW and PERM, and EB-3:
Dear Sophie,
I was so close! I prioritized my EB-2 application for permanent residency only nine days from the date listed in the September 2022 visa bulletin, but now the date in the October 2022 visa bulletin is over two years back!
I’m a software engineer and wanted to get my green card before changing jobs, but now I’m reconsidering my path. The only thing that holds me back is that I’ve heard that workers face penalties if they leave their employer before they get their green card.
What advice do you have?
– Beaten by Bulletin
Dear Sophie,
I am currently on L-1B, and my employer sponsored me for an EB-3 green card. I only had one year left on my L-1B, so my employer put me in the H-1B lottery, and I was selected!
If I convert to H-1B, will I still keep my EB-3 priority date?
– Busy worker
Dear Sophie,
I’m an author and motivational speaker, and I’m 60 years old. Can I apply for an EB-1A green card?
– A successful speaker
Founders and investors in Latin America want to balance caution and optimism
If reviews are your measure, the Latin American startup ecosystem has matured a while ago.
The region’s first unicorns have appeared in the past five years, “marking a long-awaited inflection point,” says Julio Vasconcelos, managing partner of VC firm Atlantic Co.
In his third annual TC+ report, Vasconcellos compares Latham’s recent gains to the U.S. in telemedicine, grocery delivery and fintech, saying, “Pandemic market darlings … have been forced to reduce headcount as utilization levels return to pre-pandemic historical levels.” Trend Line”
What CHIPS and the SCIENCE Act mean for the future of the semiconductor industry.
For more than two years, the global semiconductor supply chain has been stretched to the limit.
There’s no single reason: With inclement weather, COVID-19, the protracted trade war between the US and China, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine being just a few contributors, demand for cryptocurrency mining is on the rise.
The US accounts for only 12% of global semiconductor production, but the recent CHIPS and SCIENCE Act of 2015
“The CHIPS Act appears to be a green light for domestic manufacturing,” said Simon Butler of Perforce Software.
“However, the president’s executive order published earlier this year could be a hindrance to semiconductor design shops eager to serve national security projects.”