Raise money

Angel & seed fundraising

Get your first believers to write cheques.

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How does seed fundraising actually work, step by step? You build enough proof (traction, team, or a compelling wedge) to make investors believe, then run a tight, time-boxed process where you talk to ma... Beginner 3 resources → How much money should I raise at seed, and how much equity do I give up? Raise enough to hit a meaningful milestone with buffer, typically 18-24 months of runway, and plan to sell roughly 10-20% of the company at seed. D... Intermediate 3 resources → How do I find and get intros to angel investors and seed funds? Warm intros beat cold outreach massively, so map your network and get founders in each investor's portfolio to introduce you. Build a target list r... Intermediate 3 resources → How do I create momentum and FOMO so investors commit instead of stalling? Run the whole process in parallel and time-boxed so investors feel a real deadline and real competition, because a 'maybe' is almost always a polit... Advanced 3 resources → How is raising a seed round in India different from the US? The instruments and paperwork differ: India commonly uses the iSAFE (a CCPS-based cousin of the US SAFE) and CCPS-heavy term sheets to fit Indian c... Intermediate 3 resources → What does an early-stage VC actually look for before writing a cheque? At seed it's mostly team, market, and evidence you can move fast and learn faster, because there's rarely enough traction to lean on numbers alone.... Intermediate 3 resources → What should be in my seed pitch deck, and what kills a deck in the first 30 seconds? Ten to twelve slides: problem, insight, product, why now, traction, market, business model, team, competition, ask. Lead with what you have actuall... Beginner 3 resources → How do I actually value a pre-revenue startup, and where does the seed number come from? At pre-revenue seed, valuation is not a spreadsheet output, it is a negotiation anchored by how much you raise and how much dilution you accept (us... Intermediate 3 resources → SAFE or convertible note or priced round: which instrument should I raise on? For a fast, cheap seed, use a SAFE (post-money, with a cap) if your investors accept it: no interest, no maturity, minimal legal cost. In India the... Advanced 3 resources → What documents and diligence do investors ask for at seed, and how do I get ready? Seed diligence is light but not zero: expect a data room with your deck, cap table, incorporation and founder agreements, any IP assignments, key c... Intermediate 3 resources → How should I split equity with my cofounders before I raise? Split it close to equal and split it before you raise, a founder who took 90 percent because they had the idea first is a red flag to investors and... Beginner 3 resources → What are the key deal terms in a seed term sheet, and which ones actually matter? Beyond valuation, the terms that bite are liquidation preference (insist on 1x non-participating), the option pool and whether it comes out of pre-... Advanced 3 resources → How do I run an angel round and pull together a syndicate of small cheques? Line up a credible lead angel who sets the terms and cheque size, then the smaller angels follow fast because someone they trust already committed.... Intermediate 3 resources → Should I go through an accelerator like YC or an Indian program to raise, and is it worth the equity? An accelerator is worth its equity if you need the network, the credibility stamp, and the forcing function more than you need the 5 to 7 percent i... Intermediate 3 resources → Where and how should I incorporate to raise, and does the Delaware flip still make sense for Indian founders? If your customers and team are in India, incorporate a Pvt Ltd in India, it is simpler and most Indian seed investors expect it. Flip to a Delaware... Advanced 3 resources → What traction or metrics do I actually need to raise a seed round, and can I raise on just an idea? You can occasionally raise on an idea plus a strong team and a clear insight, but for most founders, and almost every Anywhere Founder without a br... Beginner 3 resources → How do I handle a down round, a bridge, or running low on cash before I hit my next milestone? The moment you see you will miss your milestone, act: cut burn hard and raise a bridge from your existing investors before you are desperate, insid... Advanced 3 resources → How do I know if venture funding is even right for my startup, and what are the alternatives? Take VC only if you are building a business that can plausibly return a fund, meaning a path to a very large outcome, because VCs need outlier exit... Beginner 3 resources →

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