Fundraising & Investors

How do I actually get value out of my investors beyond the cheque?

A starting point

Make specific, concrete asks in every update, whether it's an intro to a hire, a customer, or a follow-on investor, because vague 'let me know if you can help' gets ignored. Investors help the founders who make helping easy and low-effort. Treat them as an on-demand network you activate deliberately, not a distant scoreboard.

Go deeper

Read

📄 Article
Free Beginner

How to Write the Perfect Investor Update (Tips and Templates)

From Visible.vc by Visible.vc 15 min read

Why we picked it

The most practical guide to investor updates, from a company that exists purely to help founders send them. Concrete structure plus real templates you can copy this month.

  • Five core parts: summary, KPIs, highlights, lowlights, and specific asks
  • Consistency and cadence matter more than polish; send it every month
  • Make asks specific and easy so investors can actually act on them
Open visible.vc →

Use

📋 Template
Free Beginner

Y Combinator Investor Update Template

From Visible.vc by Y Combinator / Visible.vc copy-paste template

Why we picked it

A ready-to-use version of the update format YC recommends to its founders. Removes every excuse for not sending a clean, professional monthly update.

  • A simple, proven structure: asks, key metrics, highlights, lowlights, team updates
  • Designed for the monthly cadence seed-stage founders should keep
  • Copy it, fill it in, and ship it in under 30 minutes
Open visible.vc →
🛠️ Tool
Free Intermediate

a16z Startup Metrics Template (for updates and reporting)

From Visible.vc by Visible.vc (based on a16z metrics) template

Why we picked it

Turns the a16z metrics framework into a concrete, reportable template so your investor updates carry the numbers investors actually want. Great bridge between knowing metrics and reporting them consistently.

  • Standardizes the core metrics (revenue, growth, burn, runway, retention) for monthly reporting
  • Consistent definitions make your trends readable over time
  • Report the handful of numbers that tell the real story, not vanity metrics
Open visible.vc →

People also ask

How do I write a great monthly investor update? Keep it short and consistent: top-line metrics, a couple of highlights, the honest lowlights, and one or two specific asks. Send it every single mo... Beginner 3 resources → What metrics should I actually report to investors? Report the handful of numbers that tell the real story of your business: revenue or ARR, growth rate, burn and runway, and your core engagement or ... Intermediate 3 resources → How do I share bad news with investors without spooking them? Tell them early, directly, and with a plan attached, because investors fund founders through bad months but lose faith fast when they get surprised... Advanced 2 resources → How often should I update investors, and does it help me raise the next round? Monthly at seed and early stage, moving to quarterly as you mature, and yes, consistent updates directly warm up your next round. Investors who've ... Beginner 3 resources →