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!
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
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Mehul Shah
Co-Founder at Counselvise & Ivy Growth
“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
"eChai has played a truly pivotal role in HummingBird’s journey — even before Day Zero. From ideation to establishment and into growth, it’s been a constant source of support. It connected me with incredible people who’ve become more than just friends. One of the biggest reasons I chose to stay in Ahmedabad is because of the eChai community. It has shaped my growth — both personally and professionally — in ways that are hard to articulate. Honestly, words fall short when I try to express what eChai means to me. I’m deeply thankful and forever grateful to eChai for being such an integral part of my journey."
Harsha Bhurani
Founder, HummingBird Consulting Group
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.
