Optimize Fundraising

Many founders that are going through raising capital think that there is only one way to achieve their goal. And that is grinding their way to raise capital.

Many founders that are going through raising capital think that there is only one way to achieve their goal. And that is grinding their way to raise capital.

Many founders that are going through raising capital think that there is only one way to achieve their goal. And that is grinding their way to raise capital.

One of the traps that startup founders fall into is reading a lot of stories online from previous founders and trying to come up with a super-optimized way to raise capital.

First of all, there is no one way to raise capital.

Just as you may know, we at Capitaly have built a platform to help you with all the resources you need to get started and move forward in a structured way. This is from the very start and building relationships with investors that are interested in your stage and industry, up to giving you legal and finance templates and also giving you access to the academy so you can learn as you raise.


Valuation

A higher valuation means your company is more successful. This is simply not true. Many startup founders are under impression that the higher the valuation is a reflection of their success as a startup. Well, let’s face it. Raising capital means you are essentially raising debt against equity.

Understandably, many startups celebrate capital milestones. However, raising a round does not guarantee the success of a company.

In many cases, bootstrapping will be a better option because you are not sacrificing equity and ownership.

So, let’s not get sensitive about the valuation.

Investor

I saw a Twitter thread that really encouraged founders to be very picky about the “right investor”. Meaning, you need to go on a date with your investors and find out if they are a good fit for you and your startup. Basically, taking them into a long process of qualification and validation.

Let’s face it. You can only do that IF you have a choice.

As I am writing this blog post (late 2022), not many startups have that option.

They are super lucky if VCs want to talk to them.

So, let’s not super-optimize the process for investors. Get the ones that are passionate about your industry and move forward.

Dilution

Again, we see a lot of founders negotiating over 12% over 11%. At the end of the day, if you truly believe that you are going to build a $100M business, 1% difference does not make much of a gap.

So, as a founder, I encourage you to focus on how you can build a massive company rather than just negotiating over a few percent.

Focus on the big picture.

Speed

I have seen lot of founders that set an unrealistic timeline when it comes to raising capital. To be honest, it is much harder for first-time founders, underrepresentation founders, minority founders, and even in some geographies to raise money.

Unless you live in California, you may experience things very differently when you start the fundraising process.

I definitely encourage you to move as fast as you can but try to be realistic as well.

What to optimize for?

You still need to optimize your fundraising for specific KPIs. Let’s have a look at them.

1. Data Enrichment

The fundraising environment is changing. It has become more competitive, with fewer major VCs giving large sums to startups. This, coupled with a drop-off in investments in general due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, means that fundraisers must optimize their prospect research and prioritize engagement with VCs more likely to make investments.

Meanwhile, you have to be open to social listening and find new VCs that are popping up every day around the world.

2. Optimizing Your Ask

Asking the right VC for the wrong amounts can be as damaging as asking disengaged VCs. You have to be on top of the fund size and average check size so you can optimize for the check size.

This includes predictions about a VC giving behavior that shows you what the likelihood of their ability will be in the future based on the information at hand.

3. Fine-Tuning Your Message

While it is critical to reach the right investor at the right time, it is equally important to get the right wording and messaging in your communications. In fact, creating personalized, tailored messaging for investors helps foster deeper relationships and can increase investment.

Personalizing the message that goes out to VCs is putting your best foot forward – so to speak – for fundraisers, giving themselves a solid platform to cultivate and nurture relationships in the long term.

Raising capital is not a project. It is a process.

bare in mind that we have built a platform for you to have access to everything you need to start the process and optimize it for your specific requirement.