As a founder, raising your first round of funding is a major milestone, and preparing for it requires a solid understanding of the process, best practices, and key strategies to succeed. We’ve put together an essential startup funding library—a collection of educational videos designed to guide you through every step of raising a pre-seed or seed round. Dive in, and by the end, you’ll be ready to take on your fundraising journey with confidence.
Table of Contents:
1. When and How to Work with Lawyers
Overview: A skilled lawyer can be a huge asset for any startup, guiding founders through legal complexities and ensuring long-term protection. However, many first-time founders are unsure about when to seek legal advice or how to find the right lawyer, often hesitating due to concerns about high legal fees. This session dives into how to make the most of legal support without excessive costs.
Topics Covered:
Establishing a strong attorney-client relationship
When to consult a lawyer and tips for finding the right fit
Maximizing the value of your lawyer's expertise
Managing legal fees effectively
Speaker: Ben Hron
2. What to Consider Before Allocating Equity
Overview: Equity is often the strongest incentive for attracting talent. This session explores how to structure compensation effectively, including how to differentiate between early hires and co-founders, set terms, and manage vested equity when employees leave.
Topics Covered:
Defining co-founders vs. early employees
Typical terms for early equity grants
Key considerations for vesting and equity management
Speakers: Clement Cazalot, Sid Desai, Jason Furtado
3. Crafting Your Pitch Deck and Exploring Alternative Funding Options
Overview: This session offers insights on building an effective pitch deck and explores funding alternatives, particularly for student entrepreneurs. From pitch competitions to SAFE notes, it covers diverse funding strategies that allow founders to retain equity while raising capital.
Topics Covered:
Differences between angel and venture capital funding
Navigating different fundraising stages
Pros and cons of alternative funding options like grants, SAFE notes, and debt financing
Speakers: David Chang
4. Pitching Frameworks
Overview: Crafting a tailored pitch is key to attracting investors. This session features founders sharing frameworks for adjusting pitches to various audiences and funding stages, helping you deliver a clear, convincing message every time.
Topics Covered:
Anticipating investor needs and questions
Essential components of a bulletproof pitch
Frameworks for adapting pitches across contexts
Speakers: Nadia Shalaby, Vasilios Roussos, Kosta Ligris, Brandon Oliver
5. Creating Your Fundraising Strategy
Overview: Fundraising is essential to growing your business. In this video, experts cover how to build a comprehensive strategy, find the right investors, and create a narrative that resonates with funders, ensuring your capital goals align with your growth needs.
Topics Covered:
Finding the “right” investors
Developing a thorough fundraising strategy
Crafting a compelling story for investors
Planning for future rounds and assessing capital needs
Speaker: Allison Byers
6. Understanding Term Sheets
Overview: Term sheets are foundational agreements that outline the terms of an investment, creating a roadmap for investors and founders. This video provides a breakdown of essential components, negotiation tips, and when to bring in a lawyer.
Topics Covered:
Key elements to look for in a term sheet
Tips for negotiation and avoiding red flags
Guidance on when to involve a lawyer and resources for support
Speaker: Jeff Knox
7. Understanding Startup Valuation Cycles
Overview: Knowing how valuation cycles work is crucial for any founder. This session covers factors that influence startup valuations—from macroeconomic trends to industry-specific elements—and discusses how valuation expectations have shifted over recent years.
Topics Covered:
The dynamics of valuation cycles
Macroeconomic and industry-specific valuation factors
Pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic valuation trends
Aligning valuation expectations with achievable KPIs
Speakers: Ross Palley, Stephen Dow, Ashley Eknaian
8. Cap Table Best Practices to Help You Close Fast
Overview: A clean, organized cap table and data room can significantly accelerate your fundraising. This session covers best practices from legal, investor, and founder perspectives to ensure a smooth closing process and avoid unnecessary legal expenses.
Speakers: Kristen Craft, Ellen Chisa, Richard Rabbat, Michael R. Jabbawy
9. Navigating Your First Financing Round (The Legal Side)
Overview: This session walks you through the preparation, negotiation, and execution of your first priced financing round, offering actionable advice and strategies to ensure a successful outcome while avoiding common fundraising pitfalls.
Speakers: Alicia Dorner, Paige Moscow
Each of these resources offers valuable insights for navigating the complex world of fundraising. With these tools in your arsenal, you’ll be well-prepared to take on the challenge of raising your pre-seed or seed round and setting your startup on a path to success!
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