Entrepreneurial DNA fascinates Tim Dieckmann about the founder scene - perhaps also because he knows how much fun it is to establish a company. As a partner in the Deal Advisory and Venture M&A division at PwC, Tim is also entrepreneurial and has been advising growth companies, financial investors and established companies with an industry focus on technology, media & entertainment for over 15 years.
Together with Enrico Reiche he founded the Venture Deals Advisory division. They support the structuring and execution of financing rounds, M&A transactions and exits of young, fast growing companies with founders, venture capital funds, family offices as well as private and listed companies. As an intrapreneur, Tim established our online valuation platform PwC eValuation in 2016 and knows about the hurdles that need to be overcome when corporate structures and startup initiatives meet. For this innovation, Tim and his team won the Advanced Prototype Award 2017 presented by PwC Global. As a regular speaker on corporate finance, Tim is also keen to pass on this expertise.
I always recommend three elementary things to startup teams:
Focus on finding a compatible investor, especially in the seed round. Receiving the highest possible valuation is secondary. The right investor will help the startup strategically and operationally to make it past the next rounds.
Secondly, never overblow a valuation in early phases. The pressure to get to a comparable level for the next round can break up a well-functioning team.
Finally, carefully consider how much capital actually needs to be raised to reach the next milestone. External investors give money to startups in the confidence that the investment will be sensibly brought to fruition in a short time. Too much money can quickly lead to a misallocation and result in the end of the startup.
It is the innovative power and dynamism in startups that inspires Enrico. With over 12 years of transaction experience, as co-head of the Venture Deals team at PwC, he brings his expertise in venture deals execution and corporate venture capital as well as his network, to create added value for startups, investors and established companies. It is precisely this triad, when it works properly, that he sees as the basis for a continuously growing and successful venture capital ecosystem. As head of Raise, the PwC fundraising program, he supports and accompanies B2B SaaS startups in their first institutional financing round.
For me and most startup investors, the innovative power of startups is a constant source of inspiration. This inspiration must be put into practice together with the right partner. In addition to selecting the right partner, it is crucial for me to accompany the growth story over the long term and lead it to success after the investment has been made.