Extra Crunch Roundup: API Metrics, Startup Funding & SEO Tactics

Retail Zipline's Series A Deck: A Deep Dive

During a recent installment of Extra Crunch Live, Melissa Wong, the founder of Retail Zipline, and Lotti Siniscalco, an investor at Emergence Capital, participated in a discussion with Managing Editor Jordan Crook.

The session centered around a detailed review of Zipline’s Series A pitch deck, offering valuable insights into their funding journey.

The Power of In-Person Connection

A noteworthy aspect of Wong’s approach was her firm decision to decline a virtual pitch meeting.

Instead, she proactively requested an in-person presentation, a move that clearly resonated with the investors.

“She was remarkably assertive, perhaps uniquely so, in demanding to present to the team directly,” Siniscalco noted.

Wong skillfully utilized the projected screen to direct attention to the most pertinent data points, effectively maintaining the investors’ focus.

“Her technique was captivating; it was difficult to avert our gaze,” Siniscalco added.

Access to comprehensive Extra Crunch articles is a member benefit.
Utilize the discount code ECFriday for a 20% reduction on one- or two-year subscriptions.

Key Metrics Driving Success

Beyond the compelling delivery of the pitch, the discussion also highlighted crucial “customer love” metrics that contributed to Zipline’s success.

These included CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost), churn rates, and net promoter score.

Industry Expertise as a Competitive Advantage

“Looking back, I hadn’t fully appreciated the benefit of my background within the industry,” Wong reflected.

“However, this experience directly informed the data presented in our deck, as I possess a deep understanding of customer needs, future purchasing behaviors, and strategies for ensuring satisfaction.”

This insight enabled a more capital-efficient operational model.

Further Exploration

A complete recap of the conversation, featuring key highlights, is available for review.

Alternatively, the entire discussion can be viewed in video format.

Thank you for reading Extra Crunch this week!

Walter Thompson
Senior Editor, TechCrunch
@yourprotagonist

US Startup Funding Not Expected to Decelerate, According to Investors

Worldwide venture capital investment totaled $156 billion during the second quarter of 2021. This represents a year-over-year increase of 157%, as detailed in the latest edition of The Exchange by Anna Heim and Alex Wilhelm.

A significant number of new unicorn companies emerged during this period. Valuations experienced growth across various sectors.

While the total number of funding rounds didn’t reach unprecedented levels, the overall trend in Q2 venture capital was demonstrably positive for startups seeking funding.

Currently, Anna and Alex are conducting interviews with venture capitalists from diverse geographical locations. Their aim is to understand the factors driving this optimistic outlook and willingness to invest.

The initial phase of this interview series focused on the following U.S.-based investors:

• Amy Cheetham, Principal at Costanoa Ventures
• Marlon Nichols, Founding Managing Partner at MaC Venture Capital
• Vanessa Larco, Partner at New Enterprise Associates
• Jeff Grabow, Venture Capital Leader at EY US

These investors are providing insights into the current market dynamics.

Key Observations from Q2 2021

The substantial increase in global venture capital indicates strong investor confidence. This confidence is fueling growth and innovation within the startup ecosystem.

The rise in unicorn valuations suggests a heightened appetite for risk and a belief in the potential of high-growth companies.

The Exchange Interview Series

The interviews with VCs are designed to uncover the underlying reasons for the positive investment climate. Understanding these motivations is crucial for both startups and investors.

The Challenges of Disrupting the Construction Technology Sector

While considerable attention is given to innovation within the construction industry, significant hurdles impede rapid technological adoption, as noted by David Ward, CEO and founder of Safe Site Check In.

These obstacles stem from the distinctive characteristics of construction, ranging from project financing models to intricate and localized regulatory frameworks.

Unique Industry Constraints

A universal technological fix for the construction sector’s issues is unlikely due to its fragmented nature.

Investment in construction tech is attractive, but success hinges on several key factors.

• Ease of use is paramount.
• Simple deployment and accessibility on job sites are essential.
• Immediate gains in productivity must be demonstrable.

Technologies failing to meet these criteria will likely face resistance.

The industry demands solutions that offer tangible and rapid improvements to workflows.

Therefore, despite the potential, widespread disruption in construction technology remains a complex undertaking.

Expert Perspectives: Key Priorities for Andy Jassy as Amazon CEO

With the transition from AWS leadership to succeeding Jeff Bezos now complete, what significant hurdles lie ahead for Andy Jassy in his new role as Amazon’s CEO?

To gain insight, our enterprise reporter, Ron Miller, consulted with three industry analysts for their assessments.

• Robin Ody, representing Canalys
• Sucharita Kodali, from Forrester
• Ed Anderson, of Gartner

While Amazon holds the second position on the Fortune 500 list, numerous challenges remain. Sustaining growth, addressing unionization efforts, and navigating potential antitrust scrutiny both domestically and internationally are among his key duties.

Kodali emphasizes the importance of continuity. “The primary objective is to maintain the existing growth trajectory the company has demonstrated in recent years.”

Successfully preserving this momentum, according to Kodali, will be crucial for Jassy’s success.

Time to First Call: The Key API Performance Indicator

Simply launching an API is insufficient for startups; building and nurturing a developer community is the subsequent, and often more challenging, phase.

A recent study, focused on boosting API adoption through public workspaces, yielded key insights detailed in a guest post for Extra Crunch authored by Joyce Lin, Postman’s head of developer relations.

The study revealed that time to first call (TTFC) is the most critical metric for public APIs. This finding is logical, as a quicker TTFC enables developers to integrate and test new tools with greater efficiency.

Consequently, optimizing TTFC directly translates to a broader potential market comprised of more proficient users as the developer journey progresses, according to Lin’s analysis.

This information is valuable not only for developers, but also for product and growth teams who should prioritize this metric.

Enhancements to TTFC effectively expand the addressable market, even when targeting a specific segment within the developer community.

The Q3 IPO Market Gains Momentum: Couchbase Sets Pricing, Kaltura Re-enters the Public Arena

New filings were submitted on Monday by both Couchbase and Kaltura. Couchbase, a NoSQL database provider, has established a preliminary price range for its initial public offering (IPO).

Simultaneously, Kaltura is attempting to relist publicly, presenting updated financial data and a revised price range for its shares.

These developments are significant indicators of the strength of the Q3 2021 IPO landscape, according to analysis.

Couchbase IPO Details

The initial price range for Couchbase’s IPO has been announced. This allows investors to begin assessing the valuation of the company.

Kaltura’s Public Offering Revival

Kaltura is seeking to re-enter the public market after a previous attempt. The company has provided updated financial information to support this renewed offering.

A fresh price range has also been proposed, reflecting current market conditions and the company’s performance.

Implications for the Q3 IPO Cycle

According to Alex Wilhelm, these actions provide valuable insight into the trajectory of the Q3 2021 IPO market. The filings offer early signals regarding investor appetite and valuation expectations.

The performance of these IPOs will be closely watched as a barometer for the broader market.

Elevated SEO Strategies for Success in 2021

Mark Spera, leading growth marketing at Minted, provides valuable SEO guidance for smaller websites aiming to improve their visibility.

In a recent guest article, Spera explains that Google’s algorithm generally prioritizes safety, resulting in a preference for larger and well-established online properties.

Consequently, smaller sites face an inherent disadvantage. He emphasizes the need for a more focused and innovative approach to SEO. This involves implementing advanced techniques to maximize organic search performance and exploit remaining opportunities.

Spera labels these five strategies as “advanced-ish” due to their relative simplicity, while simultaneously highlighting their critical importance for search marketers throughout 2021.