Funding is obviously important to an early-stage company’s success. But there are other ways to offer startup support, too.
At York IE, we think about business development and sourcing deals differently than the standard venture capital firm. Investing isn’t our only priority, and there are many ways that we support startups. We like to keep every door open to explore all opportunities in which we can help reshape the way companies are built, scaled, and monetized.
The Many Faces of Startup Support
Leading business development at York IE allows me the opportunity to be the first interaction that an entrepreneur has when they walk in the door. It is such an honor because on a daily basis I get to speak with some of the most ambitious people in the world. Being a founder is an incredibly difficult path to embark on, and being empathic to the struggles that an entrepreneur endures is so important.
York IE evaluates over 50 deals a month that come to us for a potential investment or are seeking go-to-market help through our advisory services or Fuel platform. Most of the time, the entrepreneur is reaching out to us because they are raising capital and want us to participate in their round. Oftentimes it is not a fit because we have a very strict fiduciary duty where we cannot deviate from our investment thesis and we have to stick to what we know best: B2B SaaS.
Fortunately, even if a company is not a fit for an investment, we are still able to provide startup support in some fashion. This brings us great joy because we truly believe that rising tides raise all ships.
Growing the Startup Community
We always want to provide value to every founder and company we speak with, whether it is through a constructed advisory services partnership, or by connecting the entrepreneur with an individual or firm in our network that we believe will be beneficial for both parties.
We have been so fortunate with how receptive entrepreneurs have been to our model, where we do our best to put ourselves in their shoes. Our founders have structured York IE with the infrastructure to truly help support startups through our aligned incentives.
We want to continue growing the startup community and working closely with entrepreneurs, operators, and investors to help them build good companies, create new jobs, grow generational wealth, and impact the world.
