21 lessons from TrackDuck startup exit

Wait — you just started a company, why do you need an exit strategy? When we say “exits” we’re talking about ways for investors to get a return on their investments. Because they don’t want to invest in a company that eventually goes bankrupt, and they don’t want to own stock in a private company that leaves them with no opportunity to sell. No matter how much they love your company, investors want to see a huge return, so it is essential to know your exit strategy and aim to get big and get out when you start your company. Grow your startup fast, grow it huge, and then get out. In a framework of EiR mentorship program in Ukraine we invite you to meet Edmundas Eddy Balčikonis, Product Manager at InVision and Co-Founder of TrackDuck, the first mentor of the program. In 2017 TrackDuck was acquired by InVision — world's leading digital design platform. During the meetup Eddy will share his experience of exit from A to Z. Including such issues: Marketing and PR strategies. Agreement with co-founders and team preparation. Incorporation, IP and legal preparation. Product development decisions. Ramping up sales. Fundraising and communicating with investors. Exit strategies. Language: English. When: 19:00, March 29th. Where: UNIT Core event hall, UNIT.City, 1 Dorohozhytska St., Kyiv. Get tickets: https://2event.com/uk/events/1304967 300 UAH Please be aware that seats are limited. Register now to ensure your participation. Feel free to tweet your questions @edmundas4 ahead of time and be ready for active networking after the event! More about the speaker: Edmundas 'Eddy' Balcikonis is a Lithuanian entrepreneur, former CEO and founder of TrackDuck.com. He started TrackDuck in 2013 with 2 founders from Belarus during a hackathon in Minsk. They raised 1st funding round from Startup Sauna accelerator in Helsinki, Finland. In 2014 TrackDuck raised $250 thousand seed round from Kima Ventures in France, Practica Capital in Lithuania and reached break-even in the end of the same year. After multiple experiments with SaaS business models, considering a flip to the US and enterprise projects TrackDuck was acquired in 2016 by InVisionApp Inc. Eddy mentors startups, mostly in B2B/SaaS field regarding product development, growth and fundraising. He consults venture capital funds regarding early stage startup product market fit and due diligence. The program Entrepreneur-In-Residence brings experienced international entrepreneurs to Ukraine and connects them with local startup ecosystem and top Ukrainian startups. Launched by UNIT.City Innovation Park together with Max Gurvits (Founder of EIR Europe, Head of Cross Border Angels in the CEE, CIS and MENA countries), with the support of u.ventures, the Western NIS Enterprise Fund. http://eir.unit.city