Fundraising basics to raise tens of millions of dollars

Pitch deck construction, running a process, and mastering story-telling

The art of raising tens of millions of dollars starts with having an amazing pitch deck, orchestrating a time-bound fundraising process, and mastering the art of story-telling. Here are some learnings to get you started:

1/ You'll need a tight, punchy pitch deck. Practice and preparation is critical because you have a limited amount of time to share a ton of information. For example, you'll need one slide about the team, the problem you are solving, the product solution and roadmap, the go to market strategy, and your financial projections. Remember to leave time for Q&A. Every second matters, so get there early and start your meeting on time. Keep your points concise, because folks can at most only remember 2 things per slide. One technique that can be useful is writing the biggest takeaway for each slide, at the title of the slide.

2/ Time-box your fundraising process (e.g. 4 weeks max), and squeeze in as many meetings as you can during this time. One of the bigger mistakes I often see is when entrepreneurs meet with an investor or two, pause for a few months, meet with a few others, etc. Nobody wants to invest in the deal that everyone else passed on, and all deals die with time. You are generating a market for your company's stock, and having a time boxed process with timeline naturally creates scarcity, which creates competition. Competition can create more choices and better outcomes for your company and people.

3/ Master the art of story-telling, and let your passion shine through. Stories are powerful, memorable, and a skill that can be practiced and honed, with the proper coaches and practice. Your story for your own entrepreneurial journey, or the company, should naturally inspire folks to want to join the ride. If you can convince an investor for your vision for the future, it is likely you can also convince a person to join your team, or a customer to buy your product.