Fundraising toolbox
The guides, benchmarks, templates and tools worth your time when you raise, from Y Combinator, a16z, Sequoia and other top investors. Organized by step of the raise, with plain answers to the questions founders ask.
01
Incentives: how VCs think
Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome.
02
Process: build and ride momentum
Fundraise like a surfer: plan to take on investors in sets.
03
Equity and compensation
Equity is your most expensive currency. Use it wisely, and protect your startup with vesting.
04
Proof points: metrics and product-market fit
At pre-seed your story is the metric. At seed, it's traction quality. At Series A, it's proof of product-market fit.
05
Valuations
Valuation sets the expectations you'll live with. Today's price is the bar for the next round.
06
Storytelling: deck, data room, narrative
Your deck is the story investors repeat when you're not in the room.
- How to build a seed pitch deck: YC's template, slide by slide
- How many slides should a pitch deck have?
- How to make the title slide of your pitch deck
- How to write the problem slide in your pitch deck
- How to write the solution slide in your pitch deck
- How to make the traction slide in your pitch deck
- How to show your insight and competitive advantage in a pitch deck
- How to show your business model in a pitch deck
- How to show market size in your pitch deck
- How to make the team slide in your pitch deck
- How to make the ask slide in your pitch deck
07
Tools: the 80/20 fundraising stack
Tools won't win your round, but they can save you weeks.
08
Closing the deal: term sheets
Keep it simple and transparent. Know your walk-away. Be fair and reasonable.
09
Boards
A board should be leverage, not homework.
Get your deck reviewed the same way.
Comments on every slide, the words to change highlighted, and the 3 fixes that matter.