//podcastplus.net/feed/the-exponential-podcast~04d365fe The Exponential podcast is for entrepreneurs, investors, and those looking to build or help build the next great technology company. On the show, we discuss all things that help startups survive, grow, and prosper: from managing cash to selling to raising investment dollars and more. Topics vary greatly but are almost always associated with what it takes to start, run, and grow a young technology company. Hosted by Tim Bates and produced by the Exponential Group in association with the MESA organization. Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:25:12 +0000 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/Revenue_Based_Financing_Lighter_Captial_3_22_2021.mp3?dest-id=1836224 On the Exponential podcast, we are always on the hunt for alternative sources of capital to talk about and discuss and expose to our audience because only a tiny fraction of startups – 1%– secure the two most talked about sources of funding – Venture and Angel Capital. And in this podcast, we are discussing Revenue Financing a source of funding that is gaining visibility in the tech startup community and one under the right conditions that offers a sustainable alternative to venture capital funding. Revenue financing — also known as revenue-based financing or RBF — is a type of financial capital provided to a start-up in exchange for a percentage of future revenue. The idea actually dates back to mining companies getting financed to dig for oil, natural gas, and minerals. And Unlike traditional debt, revenue financing doesn’t restrict operational flexibility. And unlike angel investment or venture capital, the investors don’t take any equity in the business. Instead, the capita... Tue, 23 Mar 2021 21:47:42 +0000 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/Revenue_Based_Financing_Lighter_Captial_3_22_2021.mp3?dest-id=1836224 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/Revenue_Based_Financing_Lighter_Captial_3_22_2021.mp3?dest-id=1836224 On the Exponential podcast, we are always on the hunt for alternative sources of capital to talk about and discuss and expose to our audience because only a tiny fraction of startups – 1%– secure the two most talked about sources of funding – Venture and Angel Capital. And in this podcast, we are discussing Revenue Financing a source of funding that is gaining visibility in the tech startup community and one under the right conditions that offers a sustainable alternative to venture capital funding. Revenue financing — also known as revenue-based financing or RBF — is a type of financial capital provided to a start-up in exchange for a percentage of future revenue. The idea actually dates back to mining companies getting financed to dig for oil, natural gas, and minerals. And Unlike traditional debt, revenue financing doesn’t restrict operational flexibility. And unlike angel investment or venture capital, the investors don’t take any equity in the business. Instead, the capita... Tue, 23 Mar 2021 21:47:42 +0000 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/Revenue_Based_Financing_Lighter_Captial_3_22_2021.mp3?dest-id=1836224 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/PatDillon_MNSBIR01262021.mp3?dest-id=1836224 In the newest Exponential Podcast, we discuss an alternative source of capital with Pat Dillion who is responsible for the strategic direction and leadership of MNSBIR and its services to startups and small businesses in Minnesota. MNSBIR provides mentoring and coaching; training and education; to technology-based entrepreneurs and innovators looking to access SBIR/STTR funding. SBIR/STTR funding offers non-dilutive funding for game-changing, disruptive, cutting edge science and technology that has the potential for commercialization. Mon, 01 Feb 2021 17:51:06 +0000 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/PatDillon_MNSBIR01262021.mp3?dest-id=1836224 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/PatDillon_MNSBIR01262021.mp3?dest-id=1836224 In the newest Exponential Podcast, we discuss an alternative source of capital with Pat Dillion who is responsible for the strategic direction and leadership of MNSBIR and its services to startups and small businesses in Minnesota. MNSBIR provides mentoring and coaching; training and education; to technology-based entrepreneurs and innovators looking to access SBIR/STTR funding. SBIR/STTR funding offers non-dilutive funding for game-changing, disruptive, cutting edge science and technology that has the potential for commercialization. Mon, 01 Feb 2021 17:51:06 +0000 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/PatDillon_MNSBIR01262021.mp3?dest-id=1836224 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/ExponentialPodcast_A_Framework_for_Id_1st_Mrkt_to_Attack_04282020final.mp3?dest-id=1836224 As an entrepreneur and startup founder, you have to start selling your offering somewhere! For many, unless they pick the right market and the right people to engage with, they won't be able to generate the traction needed to either attract outside capital or produce it on their own to finance their startup's growth. Hence, selecting the first market to attack is critical and how the entrepreneur approaches the selection of this market will determine whether their startup gets off the ground or crashes and burns before it even gets started. In today's Exponential Podcast, we will address what makes a good first market to attack with Troy Thibodeau a highly experienced tech CMO as we talk through MESA's ( www.mesagroup.org )  newest Framework for startups. Identifying a First Market Segment to Attack for Pre-revenue and Early Revenue Companies. The framework is a set of seven precepts developed by the MESA organization along with the Exponential Group (www.exponentialgrp.com) to help startup founders ... Mon, 04 May 2020 18:21:36 +0000 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/ExponentialPodcast_A_Framework_for_Id_1st_Mrkt_to_Attack_04282020final.mp3?dest-id=1836224 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/ExponentialPodcast_A_Framework_for_Id_1st_Mrkt_to_Attack_04282020final.mp3?dest-id=1836224 As an entrepreneur and startup founder, you have to start selling your offering somewhere! For many, unless they pick the right market and the right people to engage with, they won't be able to generate the traction needed to either attract outside capital or produce it on their own to finance their startup's growth. Hence, selecting the first market to attack is critical and how the entrepreneur approaches the selection of this market will determine whether their startup gets off the ground or crashes and burns before it even gets started. In today's Exponential Podcast, we will address what makes a good first market to attack with Troy Thibodeau a highly experienced tech CMO as we talk through MESA's ( www.mesagroup.org )  newest Framework for startups. Identifying a First Market Segment to Attack for Pre-revenue and Early Revenue Companies. The framework is a set of seven precepts developed by the MESA organization along with the Exponential Group (www.exponentialgrp.com) to help startup founders ... Mon, 04 May 2020 18:21:36 +0000 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/ExponentialPodcast_A_Framework_for_Id_1st_Mrkt_to_Attack_04282020final.mp3?dest-id=1836224 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/Exponential_Group_Investing_in_patents_04202020.mp3?dest-id=1836224 As important a resource as VC and angel investors are, …this type of startup financing is accessible to a very small population of entrepreneurs. Only about 0.05% of startups raise venture money or .91% of young companies raise angel money. Or putting it another way, ONLY 1 out of 100 startups get funded by either VC’s or Angel Investors. This stat is important for any aspiring entrepreneur to keep in mind as they attempt to fund their entrepreneurial pursuits. It highlights the fact that if you are the average startup founder, you need to look at and plan to leverage multiple funding sources other than VC and Angel investors as the likelihood of you getting VC or Angel funding is infinitesimally small. It is why from time to time the Exponential Podcast explores and discusses alternative sources of capital. And in this podcast, we are exploring one of them – a more esoteric financing method, but one that has interesting ramifications if you can utilize it. Today we talk with Russ Krajec autho... Mon, 20 Apr 2020 17:00:00 +0000 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/Exponential_Group_Investing_in_patents_04202020.mp3?dest-id=1836224 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/Exponential_Group_Investing_in_patents_04202020.mp3?dest-id=1836224 As important a resource as VC and angel investors are, …this type of startup financing is accessible to a very small population of entrepreneurs. Only about 0.05% of startups raise venture money or .91% of young companies raise angel money. Or putting it another way, ONLY 1 out of 100 startups get funded by either VC’s or Angel Investors. This stat is important for any aspiring entrepreneur to keep in mind as they attempt to fund their entrepreneurial pursuits. It highlights the fact that if you are the average startup founder, you need to look at and plan to leverage multiple funding sources other than VC and Angel investors as the likelihood of you getting VC or Angel funding is infinitesimally small. It is why from time to time the Exponential Podcast explores and discusses alternative sources of capital. And in this podcast, we are exploring one of them – a more esoteric financing method, but one that has interesting ramifications if you can utilize it. Today we talk with Russ Krajec autho... Mon, 20 Apr 2020 17:00:00 +0000 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/Exponential_Group_Investing_in_patents_04202020.mp3?dest-id=1836224 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/MesaOriginstory03072020_Final.mp3?dest-id=1836224 What does it take to startup and build a company designed to help startups? In this edition of the Exponential Podcast, we’ll hear that story, the growth story of the MESA Group, a firm founded in the middle of the great recession to help nurture and grow software startups in Minnesota and do so at a time when the Minnesota software industry was losing its vibrancy as well as its impact on the national stage. Joining us to tell that story are two talented business pros and long-time startup mentors, Jim Moar and Kevin Spanbauer two of the founding members of the Minnesota emerging software advisory group, or Mesa for short. MESA is a non-profit startup accelerator and mentoring organization PROVIDING PRO-BONO MENTORING SERVICES TO THE MINNESOTA SOFTWARE COMMUNITY and has mentored and helped accelerate the growth of 60 companies in the last 10 years. Mon, 09 Mar 2020 23:13:54 +0000 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/MesaOriginstory03072020_Final.mp3?dest-id=1836224 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/MesaOriginstory03072020_Final.mp3?dest-id=1836224 What does it take to startup and build a company designed to help startups? In this edition of the Exponential Podcast, we’ll hear that story, the growth story of the MESA Group, a firm founded in the middle of the great recession to help nurture and grow software startups in Minnesota and do so at a time when the Minnesota software industry was losing its vibrancy as well as its impact on the national stage. Joining us to tell that story are two talented business pros and long-time startup mentors, Jim Moar and Kevin Spanbauer two of the founding members of the Minnesota emerging software advisory group, or Mesa for short. MESA ( www.mesagroup.org )is a non-profit startup accelerator and mentoring organization PROVIDING PRO-BONO MENTORING SERVICES TO THE MINNESOTA SOFTWARE COMMUNITY and has mentored and helped accelerate the growth of 60 companies in the last 10 years. Produced by the Exponential Group www.exponentialgrp.com   Mon, 09 Mar 2020 23:13:54 +0000 https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/exponentialgroup/MesaOriginstory03072020_Final.mp3?dest-id=1836224