Kelvin Kong’s Post

𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 - 𝟭𝟬𝗸 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝘀 , 𝗩𝗖𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 Is not available here.... Here's the hard truth: Cold emailing 1000s of investors who don't know you won't get you funded. It's HOW you approach investors that matter. As Paul Graham said "Do things that don't scale". This is one of those situations. Trust is the currency of investors. Trust is what unlocks capital. Building an Angel Network of of 1300 LPs and investing solely on deal-by-deal syndicates has helped me master fundraising. The startups I back fundraise successfully fundraise because of those pre-built connections. Founders—Here's what you should keep in mind: 1️⃣ Investors Aren't Walking ATMs Investors will sense right away if you're only after a check. If you don't have an investor network, start early. Spend time targeting and focus your energy on Investors that are interested in what you are building. Nurture those relationships well before fundraising. Ask for feedback, act on legitimate advice, show them progress. 2️⃣  Competition for attention is tough Startup investing is not a 'hair on fire' problem—No one NEEDs to invest in a startup. Investors receive a flood of pitches. You're vying for attention and have seconds to do it. Make your outreach message as succinct and compelling as possible. EVERY. WORD. COUNTS. 3️⃣ Be Diligence Ready Having a pitch deck is obvious. Be ready for what happens after. A basic data room shows that you're serious and organized. It doesn't have to be complicated: cap table, financials, product roadmap, incorporation documents, funding history. Anyone promising easy investor access is selling a lie. If there was a way to automate and scale this, I would have found it. Fundraising requires a phased strategic approach. If this post gets enough traction, I'll host a free masterclass: "Startup Fundraising Readiness" I did a session on this at Web Summit last week. I'll build another Masterclass webinar series for Founders if there's enough interest. If I've made an impact to you as an Angel, VC or Founder, help me make this post go viral! Philip Grother, Orlando Cintra, Sam Oliver, 🏳️🌈 Chris El Badaoui, Aastha Yadav, Alex Bradley MBA, Ella Maria Kadas, Uynghiem Ngo, Leesa S., Michael McKay, Mary N., Mabel Ubong, Stephanie Sakoda (She/Her), Ted Thetnaungsoe, Marco Cimmino, Martin Pasquier Join the waitlist here → https://lnkd.in/e2v_j4Zf 👉 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱!

Calling all Founders who are currently raising, between raises or about to start a raise! Venture.Community South Yorkshire upcoming event “So You’ve Been Given Term Sheet…What Next” will be an eye-opening deep dive into how to organise the end of a fundraising round. At this event we will hear lighting presentations from #VC’s and #AngelInvestors, experienced serial #entrepreneurs and a Partner of Corporate Finance Law at one of the biggest firms in the world. This is the best place to hear from all sides of the cap table for a holistic understanding of how to close a round. This event is on May 28th, 15:00-17:00 at the Advanced Manufacturing Park Technology Centre, supported by Creative Space Management and sponsored by Potter Clarkson. Why you should attend: - Decode the legal aspects of term sheets with Andrea Cropley (Partner of CF at Squire Patton Boggs) - Hear what Angel Investors are looking for when making early S/EIS investments with Edward French (Seasoned Founder, VC and Angel Investor),  - Hear from the mistakes and successes of an experienced entrepreneur. How venture funding can help your business and what to avoid to maintain control of your vision. Peter Hopton (serial Entrepreneur and Angel Investor). - Hear from the perspective of a professional VC on what criteria they prioritise, how they interact with other investors and what they structurally expect when investing. Speaker to be announced. - Understand the holistic perspective surrounding this crucial yet seldom discussed aspect of a Founders journey. Additionally, at this event we will be making three announcements for upcoming developments from Venture.Community. All of these announcements will relate to the upcoming accelerator program, Pitching opportunities and fund opportunities! Join us to keep your finger on the pulse of how Venture.Community can help your organisation. Tickets are free so make sure you sign up ASAP through this link: https://lnkd.in/eJkdDPsA See you there! Venture.Community

Navigating the challenge of securing capital as a newcomer to the business world can feel overwhelming. But you don’t have to face it alone. I’m here to guide you through every step of the process, turning this daunting task into a manageable, strategic plan. Together, we’ll start by refining your business idea and creating a compelling business plan that showcases your vision and potential. This is essential for attracting the attention of investors and lenders. I’ll help you leverage your existing network, turning family, friends, and acquaintances into potential supporters for your venture. Additionally, I’ll assist you in exploring crowdfunding options, allowing you to present your idea to a wider audience and attract small investments from many sources. We’ll also identify grants and startup competitions that offer capital without the need for repayment, reducing the financial burden on you. To ensure you stand out, I’ll guide building a strong online presence and connecting with industry communities to draw interest from angel investors and venture capitalists. Finally, I’ll connect you with local small business resources and organizations that offer funding opportunities, mentorship, and support. By combining these tailored strategies, you’ll be well-equipped to secure the capital you need and confidently embark on your entrepreneurial journey. Let’s transform your business aspirations into reality together!

Is Your Startup Fundraise Ready? Here’s How to Nail It Founders, the fundraising journey is not for the faint of heart. It’s a marathon, not a sprint—and being unprepared can leave you stranded before you’ve even crossed the starting line. Whether you're raising your first round or your next, preparation is everything. Here's how you can ensure you're fundraise-ready, inspired by this essential guide from Qapita https://buff.ly/3TcFhuq: 1️⃣ Investor Mapping is Key: Not all money is good money. Research potential investors thoroughly. Look at their portfolios—do they align with your vision? Target investors who have a track record of supporting startups like yours. Remember, investors bring more than just capital; they bring credibility and connections. 2️⃣ Craft a Killer Tear Sheet: Your tear sheet is the hook. It’s a one-pager that highlights the most crucial details of your startup—financials, mission, and team. This is what grabs an investor’s attention and makes them want to know more. Keep it concise, compelling, and make sure it sparks curiosity. 3️⃣ Your Pitch Deck: The Deal Maker: Your pitch deck is your story—tell it well. This is where you dive deep into your mission, the problem you’re solving, why now is the time, and why you’re the team to make it happen. Cover all the bases—market size, competition, product, business model, team, and financials. Make it a narrative that investors can’t resist. 4️⃣ Robust Financial Model: If your pitch deck catches interest, investors will want to see the numbers. A solid financial model shows that you have a clear plan for growth and understand your business inside and out. It’s your chance to prove that you’re not just a dreamer—you’re a planner with a vision grounded in reality. 5️⃣ Cap Table Clarity: Investors want to see who owns what. A clear and well-structured cap table can make or break a deal. It shows how equity is distributed, who the decision-makers are, and what the potential future of the company looks like. Fundraising is tough, but it’s also an incredible opportunity to refine your vision and sharpen your strategy. The better you prepare, the more confident you’ll be—and that confidence will shine through in every pitch meeting. Get out there, do the work, and make your mark. #Revveon #kavedonkapital #kavedon #tech #funding #venturecapital #venture #vc #startup #startups #founders #investing #investor #Fundraising #Startups #PitchDeck #Investment #VentureCapital

Going on with the solutions to a few of the different challenges faced by startups during fundraising, shall we discuss three more solutions? ➡️ Crafting a compelling value proposition : One of the first challenges you may encounter is how to pitch your value proposition to potential investors. You need to convince them that your idea is worth investing in, that you have a clear problem-solution fit, that you have a viable business model, and that you have a competitive advantage. You also need to tailor your pitch to different types of investors, such as angels, VCs(venture capitalists), or crowdfunding platforms, and address their specific criteria and expectations. To craft a compelling pitch, you should do your research, practice your delivery, use clear and concise language, and showcase your traction and metrics, or reach out to a professional to help craft a well-detailed one! ➡️Identifying suitable investors: Another challenge you may face is how to find the right investors for your startup. Not all investors are suitable for your stage, industry, vision, or goals. You need to identify and target the ones who are most likely to be interested in and aligned with your startup. You also need to build relationships and trust with them before asking for money. To find the right investors, you should leverage your network, attend events, use online platforms, get referrals, and follow up with feedback. ➡️ Understanding the funding process : Your start-up has to go through the perfect process to become a success. You need to understand the hurdles in your funding process so that it may become easier. The funding process will go through different stages, and the payment options will vary according to each stage. Please note that until your product or service becomes public, you need to remain focused and capable of answering a flurry of questions. Let's discuss a few other solutions later. I hope you found this information valuable! 😇 PS:Don't forget to reach out for your well-detailed business plan! There are a lot of Ogas in this picture 😂Abdul-Qawi Laniyan, Abdulaziz Akanbi, Ibrahim-Abdulrauf Muhammad-Naasir, Khaerat Alaran, and others 😇🤲

Is Your Startup Fundraise Ready? Here’s How to Nail It Founders, the fundraising journey is not for the faint of heart. It’s a marathon, not a sprint—and being unprepared can leave you stranded before you’ve even crossed the starting line. Whether you're raising your first round or your next, preparation is everything. Here's how you can ensure you're fundraise-ready, inspired by this essential guide from Qapita https://buff.ly/3TcFhuq: 1️⃣ Investor Mapping is Key: Not all money is good money. Research potential investors thoroughly. Look at their portfolios—do they align with your vision? Target investors who have a track record of supporting startups like yours. Remember, investors bring more than just capital; they bring credibility and connections. 2️⃣ Craft a Killer Tear Sheet: Your tear sheet is the hook. It’s a one-pager that highlights the most crucial details of your startup—financials, mission, and team. This is what grabs an investor’s attention and makes them want to know more. Keep it concise, compelling, and make sure it sparks curiosity. 3️⃣ Your Pitch Deck: The Deal Maker: Your pitch deck is your story—tell it well. This is where you dive deep into your mission, the problem you’re solving, why now is the time, and why you’re the team to make it happen. Cover all the bases—market size, competition, product, business model, team, and financials. Make it a narrative that investors can’t resist. 4️⃣ Robust Financial Model: If your pitch deck catches interest, investors will want to see the numbers. A solid financial model shows that you have a clear plan for growth and understand your business inside and out. It’s your chance to prove that you’re not just a dreamer—you’re a planner with a vision grounded in reality. 5️⃣ Cap Table Clarity: Investors want to see who owns what. A clear and well-structured cap table can make or break a deal. It shows how equity is distributed, who the decision-makers are, and what the potential future of the company looks like. Fundraising is tough, but it’s also an incredible opportunity to refine your vision and sharpen your strategy. The better you prepare, the more confident you’ll be—and that confidence will shine through in every pitch meeting. Get out there, do the work, and make your mark. #Revveon #kavedonkapital #kavedon #tech #funding #venturecapital #venture #vc #startup #startups #founders #investing #investor #Fundraising #Startups #PitchDeck #Investment #VentureCapital

Hands On Angel is excited to announce its new course “The Funding Accelerator” by Steve Walsh. The Step-by-step course designed to help you raise faster, get back to building and grow. Steve Walsh is the founder of Hands On Angel LLC. He is an entrepreneur and angel investor with over a 20-year executive portfolio across the sales, marketing and operations divisions of some of the largest technology and media companies including Comcast & Cox Communications. Steve has invested in over 60 early-stage companies (8 exits), helping them raise millions of dollars in capital and countless connections via Hands On Angel’s key strategic relationships and partnerships. Steve believes his unique, “hands on” approach to being not only financially but personally invested in a company’s growth and success sets him apart in the ever competitive start-up ecosystem. The Funding accelerator is a self-paced course with over 3 hours of content designed to help you navigate the challenges of fundraising. By answering questions such as: How to build an effective pitch deck? Where to find investors? What are the types of investors and which is the right one for you? What vehicles should you use to raise a round? Such as selling equity vs convertible debt vs a priced round. What you Get? ·       3 modules ·       37 video lessons ·       3 hours content ·       Downloadable content ·       Access to Hands on Angel community – Where you get to meet and network with hundreds of other founders, get additional information and tips about fundraising and exclusive access to events run by Steve all over the USA. Sign up now on the waiting list to receive 20% off. The Funding Accelerator (beehiiv.com) Help us spread the word by tagging below fellow founders and budding entrepreneurs who could benefit from this course

Founders—Here's what you should keep in mind when fund raising: 1️⃣ Investors Aren't Walking ATMs Investors will sense right away if you're only after a check. If you don't have an investor network, start early. Spend time targeting and focus your energy on Investors that are interested in what you are building. Nurture those relationships well before fundraising. Ask for feedback, act on legitimate advice, show them progress. 2️⃣ Competition for attention is tough Startup investing is not a 'hair on fire' problem—No one NEEDs to invest in a startup. Investors receive a flood of pitches. You're vying for attention and have seconds to do it. Make your outreach message as succinct and compelling as possible. EVERY. WORD. COUNTS. 3️⃣ Be Diligence Ready Having a pitch deck is obvious. Be ready for what happens after. A basic data room shows that you're serious and organized. It doesn't have to be complicated: cap table, financials, product roadmap, incorporation documents, funding history. Anyone promising easy investor access is selling a lie. Fundraising requires a phased strategic approach. ----- ♻️Like, Comment, Share Follow Startup Vencha for more, Stop Thinking & Start Doing.

🚨 If you’re looking to bring in your first institutional funding - I have great news, Forum Ventures is investing in 30 companies from our accelerator fund over the next 3 months. Last week I posted about how essential it is to fundraise from institutional investors early on in the process. Most people agreed but it’s clear that raising funding from institutional investors, especially in smaller ecosystems isn’t easy. I don’t have a silver bullet for you but here’s how you can improve the odds: Accelerators can be your foot in the door: YC, TechStars & Forum write way more checks than seed funds so it's going to be way easier to get funding from them. This doesn’t guarantee your future fundraise will be easy but the top companies within a batch always end up with a ton of institutional meetings post-accelerator. Traction isn’t optional: We had a second time founder fresh off an exit pitching a Gen AI startup. Every investor came back needing to see traction before they were willing to invest. The ZIRP times are over - without customers on board it's probably not going to happen. Expect it to take 6 months: Most Series A+ founders took 70-120 meetings to raise their seed. It's extremely time-consuming and founders under-estimate how long and how much effort is required to raise those funds. Investors will want to see a track record of hitting goals and to establish that track record it’s going to take a couple of months of investor updates to prove that you can consistently hit your goals. Get out of your smaller ecosystem: Most VCs aren't in smaller ecosystems - even Techstars just pulled out of basically everywhere. Plan trips to SF, Toronto, NY, and Miami to be in closer proximity to circles of funding and build your network there. This is going to take longer than a one-week trip. Consider spending extended periods of time in those locations during your fundraise to build that network.

Securing VC funding is a key milestone for startups, but it's not without its challenges. Named by Crunchbase as among “39 Black Women Investors Inspiring a New Generation of Investors,” Lorine Pendleton shares four common mistakes founders make during the fundraising process and offer actionable solutions to overcome them. 1️⃣ Putting Your Eggs into One Investor Basket: Diversify your investor pool and have backup plans in place to ensure funding doesn't fall through at the last minute. 2️⃣ Not Showing Me the Money: Develop a minimum viable product (MVP) and gather meaningful data on user engagement and revenue to make your pitch more compelling to investors. 3️⃣ Unrealistic Valuation Expectations: Be realistic about your startup's valuation to align with market realities and increase your chances of securing funding. 4️⃣ Overlooking the Importance of Networking: Build connections with investors and fellow entrepreneurs through industry events, startup incubators, and active engagement to access funding opportunities and valuable mentorship. Don't let these pitfalls derail your fundraising efforts! Read the full article for more insights and strategies to navigate the VC landscape successfully. #Startup #VC #Fundraising #Entrepreneurship