Eric Tollenberg Is no longer co-chief executive officer on deck, A tech company trying to productize communities in a way that helps founders get funding and advice. Torenberg was an early Product Hunt employee and founder of investment firm Village Global, a role he held only a year ago. But now, Torenberg is returning to the chairman role as On Deck returns to its founder-focused roots and spins off its second business.
“Now that we’re a lean company with a focused mission, it makes sense to go back to our roots and operate as we’ve done most of our past,” an On Deck spokesperson said via email. “Erik will continue to be deeply involved in On Deck. , like he has been since our beginning.”
The move, shared internally with employees last week, is the latest restructuring of the business, cut one-third of the workforce a few months later a quarter of the workforce. Other changes for the well-known startup include closing several communities and spinning off its career development division into a new independent business entity. The spin-off cements On Deck’s goal of becoming a more founder-focused business, rather than a broad platform where anyone looking for community in the tech world can seek out a range of services.
David BoothCo-founded On Deck with Torenberg and will now be the sole CEO to lead the business. The company has raised tens of millions of dollars in venture capital from investors including Founders Fund, Village Global and Tiger Global. On Deck told TechCrunch that Booth was unable to conduct a phone interview today due to family obligations.
“A lot of people are happier because they don’t have to make so many weird trade-offs between two businesses run by two CEOs, going after two completely different customer segments, and figuring out how this brand extends to everyone is happy, ‘ a source said. “Everyone in the room is talking about the same person.”
Today, people can visit On Deck’s website to apply for its ODF program, which helps founders raise funds from anticipation. It’s similar to a classic accelerator, but probably a step ahead of Y Combinator. Instead of an equity exchange or check, founders paid more than $2,990 to be part of the program. The next iteration, starting September 27, will range from an onboarding process that introduces founders to the community, to weekly programming on skill development and workshops. There are also services that help founders find other co-founders, prepare for the fundraising process and build a minimum viable product.
This appears to be On Deck’s current flagship program for a full year. Other On Deck programs are shorter, ranging from 8 to 10 weeks, and focus on different roles. On Deck Scale is for founders of high-growth, venture-scale companies for $10,000, or about $1,000 per week. Although it says it focuses on founders, it still promotes projects for the rest of the startup world. As another example, On Deck Angels are for operating angels interested in expanding their network or starting a fund and donating $5,000 to On Deck’s access fund (recipients of which fellows can apply and receive the On Deck Scholarship Fund based on financial need. Over $2 million deployed since 2021). Execs On Deck is for seasoned leaders looking for VP and executive positions at startups for $5,000.
While this may seem like a different ad from the founders’ focus, On Deck believes it’s related. “We’re building the world’s most helpful community of angel investors and executives who are valued partners to founders at every stage of company formation,” the company said in an email to TechCrunch.
The improved and smaller offering comes after On Deck acknowledged difficulties in delivering targeted products. “During high growth over the past two years, On Deck has launched a community of more than 10,000 founders and career professionals. Our team has worked tirelessly to expand and cover large areas,” wrote the co-founders in a blog post Address the latest layoffs. “However, this broad focus has also created serious tensions. What we’ve always thought of as an advantage — serving multiple user bases and building a flywheel between them — also undermines our focus and our brand.”
As with other venture-backed startups established in today’s more cautious climate, tensions are common. However, the source explained that the unplugged Tiger Global term sheet was one of the first dominoes to fall, offering a rare glimpse into the inner workings of a company trying to launch many products at once.
tiger den
On Deck’s focus-themed pivot is a reaction to some of the difficulties caused by one of the startup’s biggest investors: hedge fund Tiger Global. Tiger Global quietly led On Deck’s $40 million Series B round in August at a valuation of $650 million, up from what it allocated when it closed its Series A round, according to documents seen by TechCrunch and sources familiar with the company. $175 million valuation. Financing round – First reported by The Information But that remains unconfirmed by On Deck – it appears that the startup is officially entering a growth phase.One
After leading On Deck’s Series B, Tiger Global put more money into the startup’s upcoming venture fund, sources told TechCrunch. It wasn’t an outdated bet for the hedge fund, which a few months later co-led a $100 million funding round with AngelList Venture at a $4.1 billion valuation.
In AngelList and On Deck deals, Tiger’s investment aims to give it a clearer view of the pre-seed and seed world. In return, On Deck has received a huge valuation boost and an anchor investor for its new venture business (which may have a good enough reputation to be of interest to other investors). Tiger Global continues to fund On Deck’s ODX Fund Vision, an investment vehicle to help it launch an accelerator. Until then, On Deck has been charging membership fees to generate revenue, and a fund will shift that to betting on longer-term returns.
A term sheet — a document — was on the table, the sources said. In response, On Deck began pitching the Tiger Fund’s commitment to other investors, culminating in a $100 million fund plan that could be used to invest in companies through its accelerator.
When it came time to make a capital call, Tiger Global told the startup that its funding commitment was still undergoing legal due diligence, the sources said. While the firm declined to comment on its relationship with Tiger Global at the time, a spokesperson for On Deck told TechCrunch, “Due to the delay in closing the fund LP, On Deck’s holding company made a capital credit call to the ODX fund… …following commitments to portfolio companies.”
Ultimately, Tiger Global walked away from its commitment to invest in the On Deck fund, even though it had invested in the company itself and appeared close to repeating its bet, the sources said. On Deck did not comment on the situation when asked. TechCrunch reached out to a Tiger Global spokesperson for comment, but did not hear back before publication.
It’s not unheard of to see companies scrap their term sheets after conducting due diligence or responding to a deteriorating economic environment, though it could ruin a round.It’s unclear why Tiger withdrew its term sheet after leading an investment, but the company has certainly Tough times for public markets.
In On Deck’s case, sources say Tiger’s abandonment of its commitments put On Deck in jeopardy. Without Tiger’s capital injection, On Deck has been spending off its balance sheet with just nine months of runway left. Then there are layoffs.
On Deck will have several rounds of cuts in May and August. The first round of layoffs was not enough, the sources said. The company then launched its career services platform, an effort that some employees were bullish on because of the individuals involved. The spinoff does not have a name but plans to launch in October. It is generating revenue.
From accelerator to classic investor
It’s a slow return to focus.staff on deck Erica Batista Became a general partner of the On Deck fund last month after helping build the company’s European accelerator. On Deck told TechCrunch that the fund is worth $23 million, about a quarter of its original vision.
When asked about the accelerator, On Deck said it no longer has an official accelerator. It provides a detail showing how it can support a new vision for early-stage startups — perhaps requiring less capital: Startups are now offering $25,000 for 1% or up to 2.5% ownership compared to previous deals. $125,000 for 7% of startups.
It may not have a $100 million fund to power its accelerator, but it does have a corporate venture arm for market deals and now has more established founders who don’t like fixed terms. “Most similar projects require founders to give up equity or receive funding from specific investors,” a spokesperson said in an email. “Many of us are seasoned repeat founders who have gone through traditional accelerators in the past and prefer our well-curated, non-dilutive program for founders in the earliest stages of a company’s existence.”
Tiger Global has reportedly poured $5 million into its portfolio companies since On Deck made these moves, reportedly dwarfing the size of the checks compared to the initial commitments. Meanwhile, On Deck is pivoting to revenue-generating projects, rather than basing its entire future on an accelerator model.
“Tiger Global is an important LP for our fund and firm,” a spokesperson said in an email. “We have no further comment on the relationship.”
