Do's and Don'ts of Fundraising for early stage founders.

Do's

- You should have a clear plan for atleast next 12 months that can be seen on excel sheet, which clearly shows, what this fund raise is going to achieve for you.

- Start the process 4-6 months before you actually need the funds

- Get an understanding of funds portfolio/thesis/decision making process by reaching their portfolio companies prior to pitching.

Don'ts

- Try not to mention about valuations untill explicitly asked. Do not become rigid on a number, try to negotiate and substantiate your number.

- Don't keep high hopes from 1 single investor, keep talking to multiple people at the time. But at same time be transparent about the options to them, whenever you start doing serious conversations on terms and stuff

- Do not mess your cap table with number of people, keep it as clean as possible, it makes your life much much more easy when raising next rounds!

The eChai Effect - In Their Words

“You don’t plan to build a company via eChai. You just keep showing up … and one day, you realize you did.” I’ve known Jatin since 2012, when I was still deciding what kind of second innings I wanted to play as an entrepreneur. Over the years, through events, chai breaks, intros, and seemingly small conversations, eChai helped shape not just Upsquare but also refined the lens through which we see collaboration. At Upsquare, we’ve hired talent, met partners, discovered co-investors, and built lifelong friendships. One of our joint ventures exists today only because a casual eChai memory sparked a deeper trust. Now, as we build House of Starts — our venture builder — eChai continues to fuel our mission: co-creating a shared future. eChai isn’t just a startup network. It’s a trust network. And for business builders like me, that makes all the difference."
Utpal Vaishnav - Founder @ Upsquare & House of Starts • Angel Investor + LP
Utpal Vaishnav
Founder @ Upsquare & House of Starts • Angel Investor + LP
"eChai has been a game changer in my journey. It connected me with real people, real support and real opportunities. From building HMMBiz to launching Mindalcove, eChai has played a key role at every step. Grateful to be part of a community that truly believes in growing together."
Hardik Manwani - CTO, Mind Alcove
Hardik Manwani
CTO, Mind Alcove
“eChai has been that turning point in my journey. It gave me a platform when I wasn’t looking for visibility but needed direction. Over the years, it became more than just a network. It became my tribe; a place where conversations sparked collaborations, and strangers became trusted sounding boards. What I value most is how effortlessly eChai brings people together - no airs, no filters, just genuine people with shared dreams. I owe a lot to this community and to Jatin, whose consistency and belief in people have shaped journeys like mine. Forever grateful to be part of something so real.”
Rushabh Shah - Managing Partner - STIR Advisors
Rushabh Shah
Managing Partner - STIR Advisors

eChai Partner Brands

eChai Ventures partners with select brands as their growth partner - working together to explore new ideas, open doors, and build momentum across the startup ecosystem.