Master seed round fundraising (2025): 12-week preparation timeline, target investor identification, multi-tranche SAFE strategy, pitching techniques, closing negotiations, cap table planning, avoiding the Series A crunch with 18+ months runway. Table of Contents Why Seed Rounds Matter More Than Ever…
Due Diligence Explained: What Investors Will Ask About
Master startup due diligence (2025): Financial audit checklist, team credential verification, customer reference calls, legal documentation review, technical code audit, what VCs evaluate, how to prepare comprehensive data room. Table of Contents What is Due Diligence and Why It Matters…
Post Startup Investment: Board Meetings, Reporting, Communication
Master post-investment founder responsibilities (2025): Board meeting structure and cadence, investor reporting requirements and templates, monthly updates, investor communication best practices, building long-term relationships beyond capital. Table of Contents Why Post-Investment Management Matters More Than Fundraising Board Structure: Composition and…
Finding the Right Investor: Angels, VCs, Syndicates, Accelerators
Master investor selection (2025): Angel investors vs VCs with check sizes and time commitment, syndicate platforms (AngelList, Wefunder, Republic), accelerator vs incubator programs, what each investor type values, decision criteria. Table of Contents Why Investor Fit Matters More Than Just…
The Pitch Narrative: Storytelling That Moves Investors
Master pitch storytelling (2025): Hero’s journey framework applied to startups, founder origin story that resonates with investors, problem-solution narrative structure, emotional connection psychology, why founders matter more than ideas, real examples from Airbnb Slack Dropbox. Table of Contents Why Storytelling…
Pitch Deck – Slide 9-12 – Financials, Ask & Use of Funds, Vision: Closing Strong
Master the final slides of your pitch deck (2025): Financial projections for 3-5 year models, fundraising ask amount and timing, use of funds allocation breakdown, cap table and dilution (12-20% seed standard), vision statement that inspires, real examples closing successfully.…
Pitch Deck – Slide 6-8 – Business Model, Traction, Team: The Money Slides
Master slides 6-8 of your pitch deck (2025): Revenue model with unit economics, traction metrics (MRR, CAC, LTV), team credibility signals, real examples from Airbnb Stripe Slack, how investors evaluate founders, proof points that close deals, Series A vs seed…
Pitch Deck – Slide 4-5 – Market Size & Competition: Why Size Matters
Master slides 4-5 of your pitch deck (2025): TAM/SAM/SOM calculation methods (top-down vs bottom-up), competitive positioning matrix, why “we have no competitors” is a red flag, real examples from Uber Slack Notion, AI market $1.8 trillion opportunity, investor evaluation framework,…
Pitch Deck – Slide 2-3 – Problem & Solution: Tell a Story, Not Features
Master slides 2-3 of your pitch deck (2025): Problem validation using P.R.O.V.E. framework, solution clarity without feature overload, customer journey mapping with real data, before-after visual storytelling, examples from Loom Front Canva, why 42% of startups fail due to weak…
Pitch Deck – Slide 1 – The Hook: Your Opening Must Be Killer
Complete guide to the pitch deck opening slide 2025: 7-second first impression window, company name + logo + tagline formula, value proposition in 8-12 words, design principles, real examples from Airbnb (Book rooms with locals), Dutchie (10% of all legal…