What we'll cover:
What investors actually look for – Beyond the buzzwords, what genuinely catches an investor's attention at the seed stage. Traction, team, market size, and the less obvious factors that influence their decisions.
Building a pitch deck that works – The anatomy of a compelling deck, slide by slide. What to include, what to leave out, and how to structure your story so it lands.
Storytelling with numbers – How to present early metrics honestly while making them compelling. Framing revenue, growth rates, and projections without looking naive or overconfident.
Finding the right investors – Not all money is equal. How to research investors, understand their thesis, and target people who actually invest in your space and stage.
The warm intro game – Why cold emails rarely work and how to navigate your way to warm introductions without feeling like you're begging.
Handling tough questions – The questions that trip up first-time founders and how to answer them without fumbling. What to say when you don't have an answer.
Negotiating terms – A plain-English breakdown of term sheets, valuations, dilution, and what actually matters versus what's just noise.
The timeline reality – How long fundraising actually takes, how to manage the emotional drain, and keeping your company alive while you're constantly in meetings.
What happens after the yes – Due diligence, legal steps, and getting the money in the bank. The bits nobody tells you about.
Format:
We'll hear from founders who've recently closed their seed rounds sharing honest stories about what worked, what completely flopped, and the lessons they learned the hard way. There'll be plenty of time for open questions, whether you're months away from raising or about to send your first cold email tomorrow.
