Gerard Grech’s Post

The updated version of the Fundraising Field Guide is here:

Bootstrapping vs fundraising is one of the most fundamental choices ventures have to make, and it can feel hugely existential. How do you know which one is right for you? This guide can help: https://bit.ly/3wq2Wii

💰 The Fundraising Landscape Has Shifted - Is Your Approach Keeping Up? In today's funding winter, investors prioritize: ✅ Capital efficiency over rapid scaling ✅ Sustainable growth backed by data ✅ Proven execution over grand visions Stand out by demonstrating: 📈 Scalable business model 💰 Cost management prowess 🎯 Unique competitive advantages 💡 Innovative solutions to market needs Don't just pitch a dream - show a roadmap to ROI. Proper preparation is key to fundraising success! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gnpF_YYz #fundraising #fundraisingideas #fundraisingtips #startup

၊၊||၊ Raising Above the Noise. Omri Amirav-Drory released a visionary column discussing why venture investors invest and how they form their mindset. It happened a couple of months ago, but I want to take the time and highlight it for both you and me. While I recommend reading the entire column, I’d like to highlight one interesting point: the “magic point of fundraising.” 1/ Omri beautifully outlines two conflicting vibes. Some founders you know might say that raising money is nearly impossible, while others claim it’s incredibly easy, smooth sailing, run cool etc. 2/ But why is that? Omri points out that there’s the "Magic Point", and when you crosses it, everything becomes straightforward — you easily raise your round, your story becomes convincing enough for investors, and things align in your favor. If you’re above this point, even if you’re close to it, you’re still in the noise zone, where everyone tells you “no.” It could also be called a "No" Zone. 3/ How to raise funds while being above this noise line? You need to address three aspects: 🔹 Demonstrate scalability: Typical early-stage investors bet on scenarios that could yield substantial returns — 10x+ or 100x+ on their investment. Achieving this requires your business to become significant. 🔹 Show differentiation: Investors won’t achieve the necessary returns by backing another Google/Apple/Amazon (you name it) competitor. Prove that your business and product have meaningful differentiation. 🔹Highlight your exceptional team: Convince investors that you have the best team fit for your goals. 4/ It might sound like simple logic, but it is not. Sometimes you can’t realize what changed, but you are surprisingly starting to experience massive investors' conviction after some point. Persistence, confidence, and determination are key. Keep pushing toward your goal, and you’ll eventually move out of the noise zone / "No" Zone to a "Fundraising is easy" Zone. 👉 Link to Omri’s article on the NFX blog: https://lnkd.in/dH926ykU ❓ Founders, feel free to share your cases when you felt that you passed the "magic point" and made it to the "Fundraising is easy" Zone. What made you sure that you are already there? Curious to learn more!

#startups | #duedilligence | Fundraising can be an exciting time for founders, but the due diligence involved can make it stressful. Read this article to discover:  - What due diligence is  - When it takes place  - What information investors typically look for and how to prepare for each stage    - Useful facts about the entire process https://lnkd.in/dkP_pwSG #startupfunding #fundraising #fundingreadiness 

You’ve just finished your #funding 💸 round, well done! You have been successful in searching for #BusinessAngels, making sure you speak to them the right way, setting up your funding round and raising the #funds that will get you to your next #milestones 🚀! You must be wondering what’s next. In our Startup Survival blog series, we’re sharing 5 things to do after fundraising. Keep on reading.

Raise Millions: The guide to fundraising for first-time founders Fundraising used to be reserved for an “elite” group of people. If you weren’t born into a family of entrepreneurs or grew up in an area like Silicon Valley, you would have no idea how to raise money. This meant the “elite” group of people were the only ones with the opportunity to fundraise and build billion-dollar companies, while everyone else had to struggle to figure things out. Well, not anymore. Hustle Fund wrote Raise Millions to bring transparency to the world of fundraising. So whether you’re a solo founder from India, a small team in Argentina, or a fresh college graduate from Minnesota, you’ll learn how to raise millions of dollars. What’s inside the book - Chapter 1: how the fundraising process actually works - Chapter 2: the essential ingredients of a killer pitch deck - Chapter 3: building relationships with investors - Chapter 4: how to pitch to investors - Chapter 5: steps to take once an investor verbally commits Bonus resources: email scripts, templates, and a cheat sheet of our entire book This book is educational and actionable. You’ll learn everything you need to know to fundraise from the pre-seed stage all the way to your Series A. Written by Tam Pham Interested in startups and venture capital? Check my free newsletter for more insights: https://lnkd.in/ds5K7MsR

Founders here is YC's guide to seed fundraising. 👇 (and a summary of the most important info) The first question to ask yourself. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆? Yes it makes the headline and everything.  But it's not for everyone. YC says:  ➤ "high growth companies need to burn capital to sustain their growth prior to achieving profitability." The word choice here is super important.  Raising money is for high growth companies. Raising money is a support to get to profitability. But raising money isn't easy: ➤ "Fundraising is brutal: the process of raising money is often long, arduous, complex and ego deflating." You're certain that you need to raise money, now what? 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻, 𝗵𝗼𝘄, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲. 1️⃣When: when you have an MVP and some sense of traction 2️⃣How much: as much as you need to reach profitability 3️⃣How: convertible note, safe, equity, choose your own path! 4️⃣Price: the price that investors are willing to pay for it They are other factors in this guide to consider such as the valuation, the type of investors and how to navigate the process. Read the guide for more!  🔔 Follow me (Hugo) for more startup content 📰 Subscribe to my newsletter at the link below my name

Thank you Rubén D. for sharing "Raise Millions: The Guide to Fundraising for first-time Founders." This book is a beacon of hope and guidance for aspiring entrepreneurs worldwide, breaking down the barriers to fundraising that once favored the "elite." By demystifying the process and providing practical tools like email scripts and pitch deck essentials, it levels the playing field for founders from all backgrounds. Insights into building investor relationships and pitching effectively are invaluable. This contribution significantly enriches the startup ecosystem, offering every entrepreneur, regardless of their origin or status, a fair shot at success. #Paykio #JitenderSinghDahiya #FinTech #crossborderpayments #startupfunding #angelinvestor #Venturecapital #crossborderremittance #StartupFunding #Entrepreneurship #RaiseMillions

5 lessons from 100s of funding rounds, $16m raised myself And $400m total funding raised: 1) There isn't 1 path to success. There never will be. - First, read that again. You need to remember this. - Many have reached success on different paths - Why do some achieve success much faster? - A good network + investable narrative - Focus on solving those then test the right path for YOU 2) Simple is cool. Simple + actionable is legendary. - You’ll grow if you simplify difficult concepts. - But do you want to be in the top 1% of fundraising founders? - Then you gotta make sure you are actually actionable - Only then will you ACTUALLY do the things to successfully raise 3) Understanding your audience is mission critical. - Know why many struggle with fundraising? - You have zero clue how investors THINK - So you don’t know the tactics of how you: - Speak and complete a fundraise - All through investor psychology - How do I know? It used to be me. - And I’ve sat on both sides of the table 4) Free advice can cost you more than paid advice. - "You can get free advice on YouTube" they say - “It’s good to do a success fee” - But do you have the experience to unify it? - If you can't compound it into one strategy - Then you've wasted time. Lots of time. - And it gets even worse from there... You'll now spend the same money you tried to save so an “expert” can bail you out. When investors HATE that you are outsourcing your fundraise. 5) Fundraising is 100% different for everyone. - I’ve seen everything that can happen in a fundraise - The good, the bad and the ugly - Fundraising will never go exactly the same for you But there are constants you can focus on - Keep studying and practicing - Aim to upgrade every week - You will improve. 100%. Focus on these 5 lessons and you are putting yourself in a much better chance of fundraising. Which is always the main goal for fundraising. — P.S. I’ve launched my new program. All to help you fundraise better. So you can: → Create and tell an influential narrative that investors love → Build a functioning network that gets you 100+ warm intros → Complete an investor-psychology-led process that gets term sheets Hit me up in the dms if you wanna chat about how I can help you. #startups #entrepreneurship #venturecapital