Carta open forum

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi Peter! A question for you: what are you seeing currently in terms of layoffs and hiring? We've seen a lot of news around Tesla and Meta layoffs, is that consistent across startups or focused mostly on larger corporations? 

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi Shawn,

So the data for startup layoffs and hiring isn't great either. Here's what we see for layoffs in particular (falling, but still high) and the hiring hasn't really picked up to start 2024. It's a tough tech job market out there for sure. 

Hi Peter! A question for you: what are you seeing currently in terms of layoffs and hiring? We've seen a lot of news around Tesla and Meta layoffs, is that consistent across startups or focused mostly on larger corporations? 

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Very interesting to see! Has fundraising returned to pre-pandemic numbers? Wondering if hiring/layoffs follow the fundraising numbers? 

Hi Shawn,

So the data for startup layoffs and hiring isn't great either. Here's what we see for layoffs in particular (falling, but still high) and the hiring hasn't really picked up to start 2024. It's a tough tech job market out there for sure. 

Hi Peter! A question for you: what are you seeing currently in terms of layoffs and hiring? We've seen a lot of news around Tesla and Meta layoffs, is that consistent across startups or focused mostly on larger corporations? 

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Lots more on hiring in our State of Startup Compensation Report: https://carta.com/blog/startup-compensation-h2-2023/

Funding is actually worse in many ways than it was pre-pandemic, which is definitely affecting hiring numbers overall.

Very interesting to see! Has fundraising returned to pre-pandemic numbers? Wondering if hiring/layoffs follow the fundraising numbers? 

Hi Shawn,

So the data for startup layoffs and hiring isn't great either. Here's what we see for layoffs in particular (falling, but still high) and the hiring hasn't really picked up to start 2024. It's a tough tech job market out there for sure. 

Hi Peter! A question for you: what are you seeing currently in terms of layoffs and hiring? We've seen a lot of news around Tesla and Meta layoffs, is that consistent across startups or focused mostly on larger corporations? 

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Do you have any data on in-office vs. remote hiring? 

Lots more on hiring in our State of Startup Compensation Report: https://carta.com/blog/startup-compensation-h2-2023/

Funding is actually worse in many ways than it was pre-pandemic, which is definitely affecting hiring numbers overall.

Very interesting to see! Has fundraising returned to pre-pandemic numbers? Wondering if hiring/layoffs follow the fundraising numbers? 

Hi Shawn,

So the data for startup layoffs and hiring isn't great either. Here's what we see for layoffs in particular (falling, but still high) and the hiring hasn't really picked up to start 2024. It's a tough tech job market out there for sure. 

Hi Peter! A question for you: what are you seeing currently in terms of layoffs and hiring? We've seen a lot of news around Tesla and Meta layoffs, is that consistent across startups or focused mostly on larger corporations? 

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi Magdalena - not amazing data, but here's what we do know:

This shows the percentage of new hires that were in the same state as the company HQ by hiring year and company valuation. Looks like in-state hires became a little more common in 2023. Now that doesn't really touch whether they were "remote" but it's a signal.

Do you have any data on in-office vs. remote hiring? 

Lots more on hiring in our State of Startup Compensation Report: https://carta.com/blog/startup-compensation-h2-2023/

Funding is actually worse in many ways than it was pre-pandemic, which is definitely affecting hiring numbers overall.

Very interesting to see! Has fundraising returned to pre-pandemic numbers? Wondering if hiring/layoffs follow the fundraising numbers? 

Hi Shawn,

So the data for startup layoffs and hiring isn't great either. Here's what we see for layoffs in particular (falling, but still high) and the hiring hasn't really picked up to start 2024. It's a tough tech job market out there for sure. 

Hi Peter! A question for you: what are you seeing currently in terms of layoffs and hiring? We've seen a lot of news around Tesla and Meta layoffs, is that consistent across startups or focused mostly on larger corporations? 

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi.

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi Kay - I know you asked a question yesterday (pasted below)

I think it candidly really sucks that this investor is suggesting you have to bring on a CEO of a different gender and ethnicity in order to fundraise. The data does show that more capital is fundraised by white, male CEOs - but this is your company. I don't have any good advice on whether it will work out but I believe personally it's your company and you know the product better than anyone else possibly could.

Hi, Peter. I (CEO) founded a nanodrug delivery company 5 years ago (Nano PharmaSolutions) and we are ready for our first clinical trial for Parkinson's Disease. My background is Ph.D. (organic chemistry) and MBA. This Co is based on my own invention. We have raised >$4M in equity and about to start $10M Series A VC round. The Seed equity round lead investor sits is a director in our board (per the term). He has been raising loud noise that it is time to bring in external CEO with much experience in venture relations because I (an Asian female scientist, technical founder) am not what VC would like to fund. We operates on a cash conservative mode and I don't take salary, we have 3 FTE and many consultants. I can agree to his assertion that Series A will go quicker and better with a while male Caucasian who has done this many times with successful exits before. We are about to start a national talent search for this position...I am not sure how to pick one with confidence that it will work out (have not done this before).   

Hi.

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Thank you. Since we started a search, what should I look for other than obvious experience and connections to VCs? 

Hi Kay - I know you asked a question yesterday (pasted below)

I think it candidly really sucks that this investor is suggesting you have to bring on a CEO of a different gender and ethnicity in order to fundraise. The data does show that more capital is fundraised by white, male CEOs - but this is your company. I don't have any good advice on whether it will work out but I believe personally it's your company and you know the product better than anyone else possibly could.

Hi, Peter. I (CEO) founded a nanodrug delivery company 5 years ago (Nano PharmaSolutions) and we are ready for our first clinical trial for Parkinson's Disease. My background is Ph.D. (organic chemistry) and MBA. This Co is based on my own invention. We have raised >$4M in equity and about to start $10M Series A VC round. The Seed equity round lead investor sits is a director in our board (per the term). He has been raising loud noise that it is time to bring in external CEO with much experience in venture relations because I (an Asian female scientist, technical founder) am not what VC would like to fund. We operates on a cash conservative mode and I don't take salary, we have 3 FTE and many consultants. I can agree to his assertion that Series A will go quicker and better with a while male Caucasian who has done this many times with successful exits before. We are about to start a national talent search for this position...I am not sure how to pick one with confidence that it will work out (have not done this before).   

Hi.

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi.

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

I've heard plenty of people talking about how there is 'dry powder' sitting with VCs. Why aren't we seeing it used? Is fundraising actually as slow as it seems?  

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Are there any trends in how founders are splitting equity? I know there are variables, but wondering if there's data to show what's fair. 

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi Peter -

I am curious what trends you are seeing for late stage private companies (granting RSU with double trigger) as far as vesting schedules for new hire grants and annual refresh ?  Our concern is dilution.  What trends are you seeing do late stage stick with the standard 4 year vesting schedule - 1 year cliff and refresh is quarterly over 4 years?   Are you seeing many starting to mimic trends from public companies such as 3 year vesting schedules?  

Thanks appreciate your insight.

Christie 

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!

Hi Everyone!

I'm Peter and I run the Insights team here at Carta. We are focused on discovering key narratives across the private market ecosystem.

Prior to Carta, I was Head of Marketing for the media analytics company PublicRelay and also led the data visualization team at the Covid Tracking Project at The Atlantic during the peak of the pandemic. I love hiking and walking around San Francisco with my wife and corgi puppy Penny!

Super excited to kick off this AMA - send me all your questions around startup valuations, equity, fundraising, anything and everything. I'll do my best to answer!