Tips to Maximize Business Funding Opportunities

How we raised our $1.4M seed round (and a step-by-step guide to help you raise yours) 👇 1️⃣ 👼 Get your round moving with angels The bulk of your seed round (80%+) will come from 1-3 institutional VCs. VCs, however, will rarely be your first check. The more traction your round has, the more confident a VC will be to invest. To find angels, tap into friends, family, and your network. We leveraged the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras alumni network in SF to collect several $10k-$30k checks, totalling over $100k. We got our first VC investment only after raising from angels. 2️⃣ 🗓 Get meetings with VCs booked Now that your round has traction, talk to VCs. NEVER send cold emails. That makes you look desperate, and VCs only invest in ‘hot’ companies. The BEST way to get investor meetings is through intros from their portfolio companies. Many of our Y Combinator batch companies introduced us to their investors! We also got our angels to introduce us to funds. Now’s also a good time to reach back out to investors who reached out when you weren’t raising. Usually, never ask an investor who has passed on you for intros. Only accept intros if the investor can't possibly invest in your company even if they wanted to, eg: they only do Series B+ rounds, they don’t invest in your space, etc. 3️⃣👩💼 Pitch! Make your pitch conversational. It should NOT be a one-sided presentation. Your slide deck should be <15 mins. Communicate that your market is large. Sometimes tweaks in positioning can make a big difference. For eg, expanding our target audience from just customer success to an all-in-one video & docs tool for CS, Product Marketing and L&D led to much more interest. At the end of the pitch, there should be clear next steps. Ask them straight up: “Are you going to invest?” If they say no, ask them why and answer their concerns. After the pitch meeting, follow up regularly. Send updates on new customers you’ve closed and new money you’ve raised. Build a sense of FOMO amongst VCs. 4️⃣ 🤝 Take money from whoever offers it to you Do NOT act smart and wait to hear back from the ‘top’ VCs before accepting offers on the table. Don’t try to schedule the meetings such that the “best” funds are first and the “worse” ones are later. Take money from whoever gives it to you. You want to wrap this up quickly and get back to the things that matter - building and closing customers. That said, a VC is going to be a long-term partner in your startup. If you want to learn more about their working style, you can ask them for referrals to portcos. 5️⃣ 🏃♂️ Keep at it As technical founders, we love building and talking to users. Running behind investors can be the least enjoyable part of your startup. Still, stick to it. If you can wrap this up now, you won’t have to come back for an extension round later. Even if it takes 2-3 months, get the job done. I'm happy to take any comments or questions on this strategy below! #funding #startups

As an angel investor, I’ve seen countless pitches from founders eager to secure funding. Some stand out, while others fall flat. The difference often lies in a few key strategies. If you want to turn investor interest into funding: - Clearly Define Your Value Proposition: - Show Market Traction - Highlight Your Team’s Expertise - Prepare for Questions and Objections This is how you convert investor interest into actual funding. Be the solution to their investment goals. ✔️Highlight the unique benefits of your startup. ✔️Share case studies showcasing real-world success and traction. ✔️Create content demonstrating your deep understanding of market challenges. Every interaction can move investors closer to funding your startup. One tip from my experience: - Always be prepared to follow up with a personalized message after your pitch. - Address specific concerns and demonstrate your commitment. It shows you're attentive and serious about their investment. I've seen founders who master these steps consistently secure funding. It’s definitely worth the effort. What's one strategy you've found effective in winning over investors? Share below! #startups #funding

Founders: here's everything you need to know about how to get the most out of your investors & advisors (bookmark these tactics if you're fundraising right now): Many people will tell you that giving up .25% or .50% of equity for an "advisor" isn't worth it. I argue those people just didn't know how to extract the value out of the relationship or simply picked the wrong advisor. And in many cases, the value is provided in one conversation 4, 5, or even 10 years down the road when that advisor makes an intro that leads to an M&A or fundraising event. I know this because I sold my company through a connection of one of my advisors! The important thing is to pick the right people to work with. Here are a few specific tactics to keep in mind: 1) First, choose people who have deep, tangible operating experience in your space. ➝ Do not pick the "super famous" (but too far removed to help) person. You need someone who can push back...not from an armchair quarterback position, but from in-market experience. 2) Second, it's on YOU to set the cadence, agenda, and depth of the meetings. ➝ Do not expect the investor/advisor to reach out proactively or even come prepared at all. You must provide all the prep work they need. Provide it in advance and again at the beginning of the meeting. I know it sounds silly - but if you want to get the best out of it, make it easy for them. 3) Mine their connections for partnership & exit opportunities. ➝ Go on LinkedIn and find out who they know that you want to know.  ➝ Prepare the intro blurb and send it to them to get the intro.  ➝ Invite them to be on a podcast with you so they have a reason to share your story 4) Trust your advisors and investors. I can't remember how many times I rolled my eyes at various feedback I was provided...only to be proven wrong 6, 12, or 24 months later. You know your business better than any advisor, but they have experienced the patterns, made the mistakes, and learned from them. Take note. We all believe that our situation will be different. "Surely my team wouldn't react the way they experienced." "Surely, I will be able to overcome investor objections - I won't be subject to the same issues they are describing." Wrong. Swallow your pride and adjust your direction to avoid the pitfalls of others. You may be the unicorn...but I would prepare to be the donkey just in case. How do you get the best out of your mentors, advisors, and investors? Let me know in the comments.