Exploring the Impact of Age Differences Among Co-Founders

CHART OF THE WEEK 📈

Some say starting a business with a co-founder is like a marriage. Finding the right person to start a business with is important to ensure good synergy and efficient work. This week, we look at the age range of teams of two or more co-founders offering equity deals online.

• Unsurprisingly, co-founders tend to pair up with founders who are very close in age; 12.82% of them even pair with co-founders who are the same age, likely met during their academic journey.

• 17.49% of teams have a 15 years or more age range, indicating that they pair with teammates from another generation. While this can bring differences in terms of cultural references, expectations, and values, it could be a good mix of experience and grit for teams who know how to exploit their age gap.

• The average age range between co-founders is 8 years, while the median range is 5 years. This is significantly higher than the average US marriage age gap of 2.3 years.

Presented by RADD America

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Join us on Thursday, May 16th at 12pm ET for an exhilarating showcase of highly-rated startups. See live pitches from the pioneering founders, ask questions directly, and listen in on our Roundtable discussion of these potential investment opportunities.

Founder Lineup Includes:

1. Leigh Colby - CEO of TriAgenics TriAgenics, is revolutionizing dental care with a pioneering treatment that prevents wisdom teeth from ever forming, offering a pain-free future to dental patients worldwide.

2. Conor Cullinane - President & CEO of Pirouette Medical Under Conor's leadership, Pirouette Medical is transforming emergency healthcare with their innovative, disk-shaped injection device designed for portability, affordability, and ease of use.

3. Caroline Strzalka - Co-Founder & COO of Overplay Caroline and the Overplay team are redefining interactive gaming, allowing users to create games from everyday videos. Whether it’s sports, dance, or playful pets, Overplay brings your creativity to life.

Don’t miss out on this exclusive KingsCrowd event! Mark your calendar and be part of the journey to discover and invest in the next big thing.

PITCH REVIEW 💸

Brief: Miso Robotics is at the forefront of transforming the food service industry with its AI-driven robotic solutions. Its flagship product, Flippy, works alongside human cooks to enhance efficiency and consistency in food preparation. Expanding its product range, Miso Robotics now includes Flippy 2 Wings, Flippy Lite, Sippy, CookRight, and CookRight Coffee, each tailored to meet specific culinary needs. The company has showcased its technology in venues like LA Dodgers Stadium and Arizona Diamondbacks Chase Field. It’s raising $25.3M with a Pre-Money Valuation of $266M and a minimum investment of $1,004.

Key People: President and Chairman Buck Jordan (8 years of industry experience), CEO Rich Hull, Co-Founder and VP of Engineering Rob Anderson.

Interested in Miso Robotics? Access the deal report HERE 🔓📈

Summary

Here's what we like: Miso Robotics stands at the cutting edge of the food service industry with its AI-enabled robotic solutions, heralding a new era of kitchen efficiency and consistency. The company's flagship product, Flippy, and extensions like Flippy 2 Wings and Flippy Lite represent a significant leap forward in automating and streamlining kitchen operations in commercial settings.

The technological sophistication of Miso Robotics' products, highlighted by its 12 patents pending and one awarded, underlines the company's strong position in a highly competitive market. With computer and thermal vision, Flippy and its variants can precisely operate alongside human chefs, a testament to the company's commitment to innovation and its potential to transform the way kitchens operate globally.

Moreover, Miso Robotics' impressive fundraising efforts, accumulating $96.9 million in prior rounds (per Crunchbase), along with its strategic partnerships with industry giants such as Ecolab, Meyer Global Management, and Levy Restaurants, underscore the market's confidence in its vision and products.

Here's what we don't: Miso Robotics faces several significant challenges contributing to a bearish outlook. First, the company operates in a moderately competitive landscape with direct competitors like Nala Robotics, Hyphen, Lab2Fab, and Picnic. While Miso Robotics has developed a range of products, including Flippy, Flippy 2 Wings, and CookRight, the presence of these competitors could limit Miso Robotics' ability to capture market share.

Miso Robotics's financial sustainability is questionable with an annual revenue of just $492,570 and a reported monthly burn rate of $960,843.17. The revenue multiple 540x further suggests that the company is significantly overvalued, which could deter potential investors looking for a more financially stable opportunity. The stark contrast between the company's valuation and its revenue indicates a disconnect that could be difficult to justify.

Another concern is the company's net income of -$24,452,313, which points to substantial losses. In an industry characterized by high barriers to entry and high capital intensity, Miso Robotics' current financial performance may not instill confidence in its ability to become profitable soon. 

ON THE POD

Chris chats with Dutch Mendenhall, CEO of RAD Diversified, Co-Founder of RADD Companies, and author of "Money Shackles." Dutch shares his journey from a baseball coach to a real estate mogul, emphasizing the strategic acquisition of diverse real estate properties from homes to golf courses and farmlands. He elaborates on RAD Diversified's mission to democratize real estate investment, allowing everyday investors to participate in diversified real estate portfolios through innovative financial platforms.

Listen HERE

STAFF PICKS 🌶️

Blackbird Foods

Blackbird Foods is carving a niche with its frozen pizzas and meats made from wheat protein, a plant-based ingredient crafted to mimic meat's texture and versatility. The company's product lineup, appealing to both vegetarians and traditional meat-eaters, includes plant-based frozen pizza, wings, and seitan. Blackbird Foods has rapidly expanded to over 3,000 distribution points nationwide, including major retailers like Target and Whole Foods, and has cultivated 300 restaurant relationships.

• Pre-Money Valuation: $15 million

• Minimum Investment: $249

Audicus

Audicus offers customized hearing aids at a cost 70% lower than competitors. This innovative approach has allowed them to achieve a gross revenue run rate of $14 million and an annual recurring revenue of $10 million.

• Pre-Money Valuation: $65 million

• Minimum Investment: $100

Sweater

Sweater, a venture capital fund, democratizes access to venture capital, allowing members to invest with as little as $500 into a diversified portfolio of emerging technology and product companies. Founded in October 2019 by Jesse Randall, Chad Lewkowski, and Matthew Klein, Sweater launched its pioneer fund, Cashmere, in June 2022. Since then, it has attracted 5,500 investors and invested in 33 startups.

• Pre-Money Valuation: $48.5 million

• Minimum Investment: $178