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Founder's Pocket Guide: Startup Valuation

A plain-language crash course in valuing your early-stage startup.

by Stephen R. Poland

This concise pocket guide walks first-time founders through the core concepts behind early-stage startup valuation. It explains how investors think about pre-money and post-money value, dilution, and the methods used to put a number on a young company, with step-by-step worked examples.

Founders raising their first round often negotiate valuation without understanding the math behind it. This short guide demystifies the terms and methods so a founder can hold their own in conversations with angels and VCs.

Where to get it