How to Value a Start-up

Different methods of valuing a start-up, DCF, Risk Factor Summation Approach, etc.

How to Value a Start-up
  • Berkus Approach

The Berkus Approach, created through American challenge capitalist and angel investor Dave Berkus, appears at valuing a start-up organisation primarily based totally on an in-depth evaluation of 5 key fulfilment factors: (1) Basic price, (2) Technology, (3) Execution, (4) Strategic relationships in its centre marketplace, and (5) Production and consequent income.

The Berkus Approach can also additionally from time to time be cited as “the Stage Development Method or the Development Stage Valuation Approach.”

  • Cost-to-Duplicate Approach

The Cost-to-Duplicate Approach includes thinking of all fees and costs related to the start-up and the improvement of its product, together with the acquisition of its physical assets. All such costs are taken under consideration in an effort to decide the start-up’s honest marketplace price primarily based totally on all of the costs.

  • Future Valuation Multiple Approach

The Future Valuation Multiple Approach completely makes a speciality of estimating the go back on investment that the traders can count on withinside the close to future, say 5 to 10 years. Several projections are achieved for the stated purpose, together with income projections over 5 years, increase projections, fee and expenditure projections, etc., and the start-up is valued primarily based totally on those future projections.

  • Market Multiple Approach

The Market Multiple Approach is one of the maximum famous start-up valuation strategies. In the marketplace, a couple of approaches works as maximum multiples do. Recent acquisitions available in the marketplace of a comparable nature to the start-up in the query are taken into attention, and a base a couple of is decided primarily based totally at the price of the current acquisitions.

  • Risk Factor Summation Approach

The Risk Factor Summation Approach values a start-up through taking into quantitative attention all dangers related to the enterprise that could have an effect on the return on investment. Under the risk factor summation approach, an anticipated preliminary price is calculated for the start-up the usage of any of the opposite strategies mentioned in this article.

  • Discounted Cash Flow Approach

The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Method makes a specialty of projecting the start-up’s future cash flow movements. A rate of return on funding, referred to as the “discount rate,” is then anticipated primarily based totally on which it is decided how tons the projected cash flow is worth. Since start-ups are simply beginning out and there may be an excessive danger related to making an investment in them, an excessive discount rate is typically applied.