Comments on: Are VCs threatening lawsuits to stay spotless at TheFunded?

By: edhardy622

edhardy622 — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:42:31 +0000

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By: Venture firm EDF moves to silence entrepreneur at TheFunded » VentureBeat

Venture firm EDF moves to silence entrepreneur at TheFunded » VentureBeat — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 03:48:24 +0000

[...] retaliation is apparently an attempt to silence the entrepreneur, a trend at TheFunded we’ve written about [...]

By: The Funded rates individual VCs — now the heat is really on » VentureBeat

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:30:07 +0000

[...] nasty remarks on the the site about firms, which distressed some VCs so much that at least a few have threatened lawsuits to try to muzzle critical [...]

By: TheUnFunded asks entrepreneurs: You can dish it out, but can you take it? » VentureBeat

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:39:35 +0000

[...] you’ll find.) TheFunded has run into some problems with its similar model, which we outlined here. Basically, a number of venture firms pressured entrepreneurs — in some cases by threatening [...]

By: What Is The Point Of TheFunded.com? | Crenk

What Is The Point Of TheFunded.com? | Crenk — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 09:12:27 +0000

[...] lot of attention from folks eager to learn salacious gossip about bad VCs. It has been reported by Venturebeat that TheFunded has been removing posted comments about VCs for more favourable [...]

By: Enterprise "-2.0" | John M Willis ESM Blog

Enterprise "-2.0" | John M Willis ESM Blog — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 05:13:01 +0000

[...] Are VCs threatening lawsuits to stay spotless at TheFunded? [...]

By: Simon

Simon — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:50:44 +0000

Nothing new about VCs protecting their names. They realize that their brand is their only product. Recently VCs have been very diligent coordinating efforts to counter negative publicitiees. Early articles from Venturebeat about Worldview and Crescendo pretty much killed those funds, not to say that those funds would have survived without Venturebeat publicity. Since then, an article on Bay partners was followed by a very coordinated flow of positive comments from entrepreneurs within 4 to 5 hours of initial posting. Is it a coincidence? Highly unlikely that the entrepreneurs have time to trol Venturebeat (despite its great content) to have responded in such a short time frame. Bay obviously called them to urge their responses as they know blog comments, if not refuted early, can get out of control. This is serious stuff for VCs. Expect more of these supressions going forward.

By: Private Equity HUB - peHUB First Read

Private Equity HUB - peHUB First Read — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:04:48 +0000

[...] * Are VCs threatening lawsuits to keep their reputations untarnished on TheFunded? Matt Marshall has the evidence. [...]

By: Are VCs Threatening Lawsuits To Stay Spotless at TheFunded? | Matt Marshall | Voices | AllThingsD

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 07:06:34 +0000

[...] Read the rest of this post Print all_things_di220:http://voices.allthingsd.com/20080324/are-vcs-threatening-lawsuits-to-stay-spotless-at-thefunded/ Sphere Comment Tagged: TheFunded, venture capitalist, Matt Marshall, VentureBeat, VC, lawsuit, Voices | permalink [...]

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 04:06:13 +0000

Are VCs threatening lawsuits to stay spotless at TheFunded?…

TheFunded, a site that lets entrepreneurs rate and comment about venture capitalists, has drawn a lot of attention from folks eager to learn salacious gossip about bad VCs. Over recent months, though, there’s been an odd development: Certain post…

By: rick

rick — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 18:18:09 +0000

I’ll say this, I like TheFunded and have contributed both positive and negative reviews of VCs I’ve worked with.

Further, you’ll notice both extremely positive and harsh negative comments on lots of guys listed in there. It’s all a matter of perspective. Like with any anonymous comment system though, you have to take it all with a grain of salt.

Here’s where TheFunded adds value for me: People will share their operational experience – like, “I found this guy to have little power in the firm so it’d be wise to approach through a different partner.”

that and I got to post a cathartic rant against one of the bigger dolts I’ve worked with. So, you know, take that with a grain of salt.

By: no-saying

no-saying — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 09:03:28 +0000

Life is too short. Any negative review – forget it. There are enough VCs and other sources of money out there. It just is not worth it to take a chance on a bad VC apple. All three firms have gone on my “no list”.

By: similar artists

similar artists — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:59:24 +0000

[...] Blues pioneer Big Bill Broonzy was one he ventured abroad in his 50s, beginningthedistrictweekly.comAre VCs threatening lawsuits to stay spotless at TheFunded? TheFunded, a site that lets entrepreneurs rate and comment about venture capitalists, has drawn a [...]

By: Hogwash!

Hogwash! — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:40:20 +0000

The “victims” at GHV have a way of twisting the facts and exaggerating their capabilities. If you read the comments written by some of the other submitters on The Funded, it indicates that GHV has a record that is not quite as rosy as Martinez would like the world to believe.

If it walks like a duck.

By: AnLP

AnLP — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:19:00 +0000

About two years ago VentureBeat (then SiliconBeat) reported on Worldview’s inability to raise a fund and said that firm was likely “closing down.” Numerous entrepreneurs and executives experienced in working with Worldview commented on the problems they experienced with that firm, naming partners such as Mike Orsak specifically as very difficult to work with and likely to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. One or two executives still on the payroll of companies on whose boards Mike Orsak sat piped in speaking in favor of him. And Worldview denied they were closing down forcing VentureBeat and even PEHub to amend their story to “not closing down but still in business with existing funds…”

Guess what? VentureBeat and PEHub and others were right. Worldview is shutting down. Their partner, Colin Savage, left. Their founder, James Wei, recently admitted in public and to reporters that they have wound down several of their investments and will soon get out of the few they still hold. He also said we are to expect more GP departures. And so on, all confirming the initial story you had on Worldview and the numerous comments that were sent in. All in contrast to the few “positive” comments that those that were still getting their salaries from Worldview (guess what, those companies are shut down and those executives fired and are they willing to talk now?)

Moral of the story here is that VentureBeat and PEHub and others do valuable service to entrepreneurs in reporting the shady behavior and track record of venture firms and partners. It helps direct new entrepreneurs to more deserving firms and partners and the value for that is unquestionably positive and good and up and up. Anything involving whitewashing, denials, etc. doesn’t serve anyone’s interests other than those venture firms and partners attempting to benefit.