Sarah Irwin

A Guide to Venture Capital: Raising capital for your business? Dive into this comprehensive guide crafted by the Irish Venture Capital Association in collaboration with EquityNetwork. This resource is packed with actionable insights on: 1️⃣ Attracting Venture Capitalists: Learn how to present your startup as an irresistible investment opportunity. 2️⃣ Crafting an Investor-Ready Business Plan: Develop a plan that highlights your vision, market opportunity, and revenue model. 3️⃣ Benefits of Private Equity Financing: Understand how private equity can accelerate growth and open new opportunities. 4️⃣ Navigating Startup Growth Stages: From seed to exit, gain clarity on funding needs at every stage. 5️⃣ Key Investor Questions: Be prepared to answer critical questions about your product, market, and growth strategy. Whether you’re gearing up for your seed round or looking to scale, this guide equips you with the tools to position your startup for success in the competitive world of venture capital. #VentureCapital #StartupFunding #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #InvestorRelations PS. check out 🔔 for a winning pitch deck the template created by Silicon Valley legend, Peter Thiel https://lnkd.in/ejp-Bhnu

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Advice For SaaS Startups You're in a thrilling, fast-paced world, creating solutions that can change how businesses operate. But amidst all this excitement, there's something crucial you need to keep a laser focus on: legal advice ⚖️. And I'm not just talking contracts and compliance – I'm talking about the foundational legal wisdom that can make or break your SaaS startup. Here's the best legal advice that can set you up for success . 1️⃣ Tackle the Problem, Not Just the Product You've got a great product, sure, but what's the problem it solves? That's your goldmine. Think about how businesses like Intercom saw a gap – the fading world of toll-free customer service – and filled it with a solution that revolutionized customer interaction Your Action Plan: Pinpoint the exact problem your SaaS addresses. Your marketing, your pitch, your entire narrative should revolve around this problem and how you're solving it. That’s what sells, that's what gets investor attention , and that's what customers pay for. 2️⃣ Don’t Wait Too Long to Charge It's tempting to keep your service free while chasing user numbers, but here's a twist: start charging earlier than you think. Yes, funding is crucial, but customer revenue? That’s the real litmus test of your product's value. Why This Matters: Charging early validates your product in the real market. It shifts your startup from a 'cool idea' to a 'viable business.' Plus, it eases the reliance on funding rounds, giving you more control and stability. 3️⃣ Understand the Sales Cycle and Your Buyer In SaaS, sales cycles can be lengthy and complex. Know this cycle inside out. And who's buying your product? Understand your buyer persona down to the T. This isn't just sales strategy; it's legal prep. Your contracts, your negotiations, your entire approach hinges on these factors. 4️⃣ Prioritize User Onboarding and Experience How your users interact with your product in the early stages can set the tone for your entire relationship. Invest in smooth, intuitive onboarding. Make their first experience with your product memorable for all the right reasons. 5️⃣ Branding is More Than a Logo Your brand is your story, your ethos, your promise. It's what sets you apart in a sea of SaaS. A strong, consistent brand can be your legal shield, protecting you through trademarks and copyrights. Remember, as a SaaS founder, you're not just building software; you're building a business. And in business, the right legal advice is invaluable. Keep these points in mind as you navigate this journey. Here's to your success – go out there and make your mark in the SaaS world!

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If you're running a SaaS Business - you need to see how different growth paths could impact your bottom line. I have created this 𝘚𝘢𝘢𝘚 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘭 𝘚𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘴 template for just that. What makes this template powerful: - Instant visibility into best-case vs. worst-case scenarios - Compare up to 3 different high & low-case projections - View results monthly, quarterly, or yearly - Zero complex formulas - just plug in your numbers - Perfect for investor presentations & strategic planning The best part? It's 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 for my LinkedIn community! Here's how to get yours: 1. Connect with me 2. Comment "Model" below 3. I'll DM you the template Happy Modeling!

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Founders of Europe’s largest tech unicorns are joining forces with VCs to create “EU Inc” - a single pan-European entity that would promote startups and innovation in the EU and de-fragment funding across the continent. The launch of EU Inc as an initiative comes as numerous officials have been calling for major European reforms to help the bloc compete more effectively with the U.S. and China as an economic superpower. #EuropeanUnion #Europeaninvestors #EU #EuropeanStartups #startupfunding #techstartups #vcfunding #startupjourney #investments #business #startups #saasstartups #startupfounders #entrepreneurship #techentrepreneurs #startingabusiness #scalingbusiness #scalingup #businessexpansion #startupgrowth #vc #venture #fundraising #funding #capitalraising #earlystagestartups #startupfinancing #startupfounders #startupleadership #venturefunding #investors #startupsuccess #businessgrowth #foundersjourney #startingbusiness #unicorns #competition #momentum #EUinc #competitivelandscape #startupecosystem #startupcommunity #startupsupport #growthlevers #growthdrivers #innovationecosystem #innovation

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Let's face it, as a SaaS founder, your biggest fear is pouring your blood, sweat and tears into building an amazing product...only for it to flop harder than the Fyre Festival. 🔥 You put everything into making your vision a reality - countless late nights, mounting tech debt, arguments with your co-founder. And for what? To sell 2 measly subscriptions and contemplate taking that corporate job after all? But what if I told you there's a way to practically guarantee your SaaS idea will be a raging success before you even write a line of code? It's called pre-selling, and it's the secret weapon used by savvy startups everywhere. Pre-selling means validating demand and creating buzz for your product months ahead of launch. It's about systematically warming up your audience until they're foaming at the mouth desperate to buy from you. Sounds too good to be true? Let me break it down with 8 battle-tested pre-selling strategies: 1️⃣ The "Soft Pitch" - Get people interested without looking thirsty 2️⃣ The Drip Campaign - Dangle feature teasers to build crazy anticipation 3️⃣ The Waitlist Hustle - Everyone wants what they can't have, use scarcity 4️⃣ The Bonanza Bundle - Fatten your offer with irresistible extras 5️⃣ The Social Proof Play - Bake in testimonials from respected figures 6️⃣ The FOMO Accelerant - Urgency is your best friend, light a fire 7️⃣ The Free Preview - Give them a taste to leave them craving more 8️⃣ The Pre-Order Power Move - Capture real $ commitments upfront Using the right combo of these tactics, you could have a rabid mob fighting to be your first customers. No more struggling to get those critical early adopters on board. The best part? You don't need a massive audience or marketing budget to make pre-selling work its magic. So if you're ready to de-risk your SaaS idea and set yourself up for success from day 1, get pre-selling. It's the ultimate force multiplier for your startup hustle. Want help pre-selling your next SaaS idea?! Drop an emoji below with your questions, and let's get tactical! Like this post? Want to see more content like it, be sure to follow me for more and join 11k+ other founders by subscribing to my weekly newsletter. Link in my profile

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How early-stage startups are raising capital and takeaways for the future. HubSpot for Startups surveyed 500+ early-stage startup founders across Europe and the US to share their real-world experiences with fundraising. The data and insights include: ▪ Investor criteria detailing what investors are looking for in startups ▪ Successful strategies used by startup founders to connect with, track, and manage investor relationships ▪ Top tech stacks used by startups to manage investor relations ▪ Data on leading funding sources based on funding stage ▪ Most impactful metrics used by investors when making investment decisions based on funding stage ▪ Fundraising benchmarks by stage ▪ Insights from in-depth interviews with VCs, independent investors, and startup founders #stateoffundraising #techentrepreneurs #business #startup #techstartups #saasstartups #aistartups #startupfounders #entrepreneurs #funding #startupchallenge #startupgrowth #fundingstrategies #startupsuccess #earlystagestartups #scaleups #techfounders #fundraisingchallenge #startupjourney #startupfunding #venturecapital #vc #investors #fundraising #seedinvestment #seriesa #seedfunding #seedround #seedcapital #angelinvestors #investmentstrategies #stateofthemarket #investmentopportunities #investorawareness #venturefunding #venturecapitalists #angelinvestment #bridgeloans #2024trends #2025outlook #preseed #seed #marketsnapshot #fundingnews #fundingoptions #foundersadvice #foundersinsights #venture #vcinsights #marketstats #startupworld #capitalraising #vcfunding #globalvc #venturestats #vctrends #hubspot #researchreport #2024report #startupecosystem #techstack #startupfinancing #privateequity #scalingbusiness #scalingup #scaleups #keymetrics #gtm #gotomarket #gtmstrategy #benchmarks #investorpitch #investorrelationships #surveyreport #businessandmanagement #foundersjourney #venturemarket #startupcapital #annualreport

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#Fundraising in 2023 was not easy, for founders or VCs. Sifted tracked just 40 new first-time funds that announced a first or second close in 2023 — compared to over 60 in 2022. But these #European #VCs are raising (and closing) first-time funds. Here are all the new first-time VC funds raised in 2024. #business #startups #europeanvc #eu #saasstaartups #sifted #saasbusiness #growthlevers #growthdrivers #vc #startupfunding #europeanstartups #vcfunding #startupjourney #investment #firstround #techstartups #scalingbusiness #scalingup #venturefund #venturecapital #startupgrowth #startupjourney #fundraising #investorrelations #earlystagestartups #preseed #seed #seedround #startupfinancing #startupinvestment #investors #venturecapitalists #capitalraising #fundingstrategy #venturefunding #prepmf #pmf #deathvalleycurve #startupdeathvalley #raisingmoney #2024report #funding #investorawareness #venture #CentralEurope #researchreport #vcfunds #newvc #firsttimefunds #2024outlook #scaleups #seriesa #founders #startupfounders

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The Essential Guide to Scale-up Challenges Are you a business owner or senior director of a scale-up business? Then this guide is for you. The grid of 16 key challenges makes it easy to identify key areas you need to tackle. Use it as a checklist to focus on areas of weakness. Packed with strategies and tactics to help achieve scale-up success. Just some of the topics covered include: 👉 Strategic direction – what exactly does this involve? 👉 Tools you can use to define your strategy. 👉 See how to develop your smart growth strategy. 👉 Essential metrics needed to make the right decisions. 👉 Funding options and where to start. 👉 Developing your profit improvement strategy. 👉 Tackling day-today management & operational challenges. 👉 How to create your exit strategy. Download the guide now and start checking off those challenges. #scalup #sme #business #BoardroomAdvisors

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The Essential Guide to Scale-up Challenges Are you a business owner or senior director of a scale-up business? Then this guide is for you. The grid of 16 key challenges makes it easy to identify key areas you need to tackle. Use it as a checklist to focus on areas of weakness. Packed with strategies and tactics to help achieve scale-up success. Just some of the topics covered include: 👉 Strategic direction – what exactly does this involve? 👉 Tools you can use to define your strategy. 👉 See how to develop your smart growth strategy. 👉 Essential metrics needed to make the right decisions. 👉 Funding options and where to start. 👉 Developing your profit improvement strategy. 👉 Tackling day-today management & operational challenges. 👉 How to create your exit strategy. Download the guide now and start checking off those challenges. #scalup #sme #business #BoardroomAdvisors

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How to position your business for long-term growth? Scaling up isn’t just about boosting revenue; it’s about building a robust foundation for growth. Some of the common (this is not an exhaustive list) questions we get at sclr labs from businesses looking to scale are the following: ❓What steps can I take to ensure my business is scalable and adaptable to changing market conditions? ➡️Build repeatable processes and systems that can grow with your business. Invest in technology and automation to keep things running smoothly and efficiently. ❓What role do customer feedback and market research play in positioning my business for long-term growth? ➡️Both will help you understand your customers and their often evolving demands. Use this insight to tweak and refine your strategy. ❓ How can I effectively manage cash flow and financial resources as I scale my business? ➡️Create a detailed financial plan outlining revenue streams, expenses, and anticipated cash flows. Keep an eye on financial metrics and adjust as needed to ensure you always have enough cash on hand. ❓ What are the most important metrics to track when scaling my business, and how do I measure and analyse them effectively? ➡️Focus on revenue growth, customer acquisition costs, customer lifetime value, and gross profit margin. Regularly track and analyse these metrics to identify areas for improvement and make informed decisions.

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Future of Work Tech entrepreneurs, are you maximising your SaaS company's value? In today's dynamic market, understanding the key drivers of SaaS valuations is crucial. From recurring revenue to scalability, these factors significantly impact your company's worth: 1. Recurring Revenue: Predictable income streams are gold in valuations 2. Scalability: The ability to grow without proportional cost increases 3. Customer Retention: Lower churn rates signal customer satisfaction 4. Market Size: Addressing a large, growing market boosts potential 5. Competitive Advantage: Unique features or IP can command premium valuations Are you leveraging these elements in your business strategy? Optimising these areas can position your company for a successful exit or fundraising round. Are you maximising your SaaS company's value? #FutureOfWork #SaaS #Technology #EdTech #HRTech #WorkTech #WellbeingTech #MergersAndAcquisitions #InvestmentBanking

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Your merchants are drowning in manual dispute handling. Especially in Q4. What they're telling you: "We've got our chargebacks under control." What they mean: - 2 full-time employees just for disputes - 22% win rate (often less) - 40+ hours weekly wasted - Growing backlog of cases - Rising chargeback ratio - Declining profitability This isn't control. It's slow-motion failure. That’s the reality for most merchants who handle disputes manually. Not our partners’ merchants though…

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𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀? Founders trying to sell a perfect image. Glossing over the tough spots. All green flags? No bumps in the road? ✅ 🌈 Come on, we all know that’s not reality. Investors don’t need flawless—they need transparency. Showing your challenges (and how you plan to tackle them) is 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁. Investors aren’t just buying into a product; they’re buying into a realistic roadmap and founders who can adapt when things get tough. And when investors are right there in the trenches with you, like we are at Arcanys Ventures, honesty is ✨𝙖𝙗𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮✨ 𝙣𝙤𝙣-𝙣𝙚𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚. We don’t just write checks and cheer from the sidelines... we’re in it with you, providing dedicated tech teams to help you scale faster, tackle tech challenges head-on, and hit your goals. 🎯 𝗦𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀! Bring us the raw, the honest, and the roadmap to crush those challenges. I’ll be at #WebSummit next week connecting with founders who share this mindset! 🚀💥 If part of your raise is to scale your tech team and you're ready to dive into a real partnership, DM me your deck. #TechForEquity #StartupInvesting #WebSummit2024 #ArcanysVentures #ScaleYourStartup #TechGrowth #Founders #StartupFunding #TransparencyMatters

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This guide outlines the funding journey from Pre-Seed to Series C and beyond: - Pre-Seed: Focus on concept, team, and initial validation. - Seed: Prove market fit and scalability. - Series A: Demonstrate revenue growth and user base. - Series B: Scale operations with solid financials. - Series C+: Prepare for major expansion and exit strategies. Insight: Each funding stage builds on the previous one. Early rounds focus on validation and product-market fit, while later stages emphasize scaling and financial stability. The goal is to show continuous growth and potential to attract investors. Subscribe to ‘Siliconnector’ Telegram channel for insights and news from Tech world and Silicon Valley: https://t.me/siliconnector

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Why do SaaS Future of Work businesses command higher valuations than non-SaaS ones? 🤔💰 Our latest white paper dives into the unique characteristics of the SaaS business model that make it more robust and attractive to buyers and investors. 📈 From the predictability of recurring revenue to the scalability and larger market potential, we explore the key factors that drive premium valuations for SaaS businesses. 🌍 We also delve into the challenging trade-off between growth versus profitability and how the Rule of 40 helps distinguish the winners from the losers in the SaaS world. 🏆 To gain a deeper understanding of the valuation dynamics in the SaaS Future of Workspace, head to our website and download the full white paper. 📥 #FutureOfWork #SaaS #Technology #M&A #InvestmentBanking

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🚨 Attention SaaS Founders! 🚨 Are your MSAs hiding a pricing trap? 🤔 When signing deals with potential customers, beware of clauses requiring you to match the lowest price offered to any other customer. This might seem fair at first glance, but for SaaS businesses, it can spell trouble. Here's why: 1. Pricing Flexibility? Gone! 📉 Tailored discounts and promotional offers become a headache. 2. Administrative Overload 📊 Constantly tracking and reporting prices adds an unnecessary burden. 3. Revenue at Risk 💸 Lowering prices for one means lowering them for all—ouch! 4. Stifled Negotiations 🗣️ Fear of triggering the clause can hold you back from winning new deals. 5. Market Strategy Handcuffs 🚀 Tiered pricing and regional strategies? Say goodbye! 6. Competitive Disadvantage 🥊 Competitors without this clause can easily outmanoeuvre you. Instead of locking yourself into this pricing straightjacket, negotiate more balanced terms. Keep your pricing agile and ensure you remain competitive without sacrificing your bottom line. #SaaS #MSA #PricingStrategy #StartupTips #CustomerSuccess #SaaSFounders #BusinessGrowth 💬 Let's discuss how to navigate these clauses effectively and keep your SaaS business thriving!

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⏰ Founders - 4 days left to apply for something special 🚀 Last year’s Demo Day seemed to go well 😃 ✅ 800+ attendees, including 200+ investors ✅ 100 top-rated founders pitched ✅ Eight investor conversations from just one pitch Feels like the next Rare Founders Demo Day on 14 October could be even better. But it’s not just about securing investment on the spot. It’s about building relationships, getting invaluable feedback, and refining your pitch. So whether you’re at Pre-Seed, Seed, or Series A, this is your moment. Don’t let it pass by. 🗓️ Applications close this Friday, 16 August 2024. Apply now and be part of London’s largest and most impactful Demo Day. Let’s make your startup story one to remember 😍

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