Entrepreneurs must understand that venture capitalists sometimes filter more than a thousand startups annually and can only invest in a handful. Therefore, by definition, their job is to say “No.”  After every meeting, and certainly if you are rejected, which could happen in person and more often via email, you should reply and thank them for taking the time to meet with you.   Maintain a long-term relationship with all your VC contacts.  Don’t fall in love with your idea.  Do not take VC rejection personally.  VCs require very high returns in a specific time frame that may not be relevant to your specific startup.  Perhaps VCs are pickier, timelines may increase and round sizes may get smaller, but most of the investors and buyers will not back down from a good deal.  Read More >>