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Dreamit Ventures

2 resources from Dreamit Ventures we point founders to, and the questions each answers.

📄 Article
✓ Link checked Free Intermediate

Why we picked it This is the canonical takedown of the 2x2 you conveniently sit atop, written by a VC who screens decks for a living. It hands you the concrete replacement: a Power Grid (you in the left column, three or four real rivals in the rest, five to ten benefit rows ordered by what the customer actually cares about) and insists you quantify every row (30 percent faster, not much faster) instead of scattering vague checkmarks. That is exactly the honest feature-comparison structure to build.

How to Create a Killer Competition Slide (Hint: Don't Use a Magic Quadrant!)

From Dreamit Ventures by Jack Kaufman 8 min read

  • A magic quadrant tells the investor you can only differentiate on two axes; a Power Grid shows many dimensions at once
  • Order rows by customer importance and put quantified numbers in your cells, leave rival cells blank rather than using qualitative words
  • Compare against the three or four rivals your buyer actually considers, not the most famous name in the category
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Answers What is the right way to show competition without either ignoring rivals or trashing them?
📄 Article
✓ Link checked Free Intermediate

Why we picked it This is the tactical companion to the framing: it hands you the actual structure of the ask so you show up with a specific number and a milestone, not a runway plea. 'Build a bridge, not a pier' is the whole discipline in one line, tie the money to a fundable value inflection point and size it for at least three months of cushion past your next close. It also coaches you on the awkward question every Indian insider will ask (are the existing backers putting money in?) and how to answer without triggering a negative signal, plus the discount/cap terms that keep an insider convertible fast and clean.

Startup Funding Explained: How to Raise a Bridge Round

From Dreamit Ventures by Steve Barsh 10 min read

  • Raise a bridge to a specific fundable milestone, not just to extend runway; 'build a bridge, not a pier.'
  • Size the round for at least three months of runway past your next round's close so you never bridge to another bridge.
  • Be ready to state whether existing investors are participating, and structure the note (roughly a 20% discount or a cap) to price the risk fairly.
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Answers How do I ask my investors for a bridge round or more money without looking desperate?