Fundraising Fundamentals

What you'll learn

• Decide honestly whether raising is the right move for your business
• Build a narrative around one of the five investor-recognised story shapes
• Read a term sheet without panic and identify the clauses that matter
• Understand SAFE vs priced round mechanics and when each is appropriate
• Run a process that creates urgency without burning the relationship
• Manage investors post-close so they accelerate rather than slow you down

1. 01

   Should you raise at all?

   Raising is a strategic commitment, not a stage gate. This module covers the honest test for whether your business is venture-shaped, the alternatives, and the cost of raising when bootstrapping would have served better.
   3 lessons56m
   • 01The venture-scale test18m
   • 02Alternatives to equity dilution22m
   • 03The real cost of raising16m
2. 02

   Building the round (deck and narrative)

   Most decks fail not because they're badly designed but because the narrative doesn't survive 20 minutes of an investor's attention. This module covers the five narrative shapes investors recognise and how to fit yours into one of them.
   3 lessons1h 12m
3. 03

   Investor mechanics (SAFE, priced, term sheets)

   The legal shape of the round matters more than the headline number. This module covers SAFEs vs priced rounds, the term-sheet clauses that compound across years, and the negotiation moves that preserve optionality.
   3 lessons1h 18m
4. 04

   Post-close: managing investors

   The relationship with your investors compounds across years. This module covers the monthly investor update that actually builds trust, board mechanics at seed, and the patterns that determine whether the next round is easy or hard.
   3 lessons54m