This playbook gives you key pointers and tips for raising from VCs. Use it as you start to develop your fundraising strategy and approach VCs. Remember: industry validation and traction attracts investors to you – build momentum around what you have. Build warm relationships with investors before you need money from them. If you show them the milestones you plan to hit and then prove that you have hit them, you boost your credibility by demonstrating your ability to execute.
Contents
The sections of this playbook are designed to be read chronologically, building from the very beginning of the process.
- VMindset & Philosophy of Fundraising
- VTiming, Preparation, & Fundraising Funnel
- VInternal Alignment & IP Management
- VFinancial Strategy & Round Sizing
- VInvestor Strategy & Qualification
- VRunning the Fundraising Process
- VSignalling & Positioning
- VInvestor Conversations & First Meetings
- VBuilding Leverage & Term Sheets
Mindset and Philosophy of Fundraising
VC Funding is not the Ultimate Win. Maintaining control of your business is.
Venture capital should be your last resort after:
Profits → Revenues → Grants → Debt → Equity.
It can take ~1000 hours of meetings, diligence, and follow-ups to close your fundraising round.
Commercial traction matters most – we are looking to back a business, not a science project. Show me that you can execute.
Timing, Preparation, and Fundraising Funnel
I want to know about the future. How does my money take you to your next milestones and your next round?
Start Fundraising Well before you need the money
Build warm relationships in advance – tell investors what you aim to have achieved in 3 months’ time and return when you have this. You build a track record that shows your ability to execute.
Investors invest just before value inflection points (de-risking, problem-solving).
Always talk about your next round and future milestones, as that’s how VCs think.
Only publicly announce a raise once it's essentially complete.
Hard tech rounds can take 9–12 months; software may be faster with customer traction.
Internal Alignment & IP Management
Align early with your co-founders on:
- What can and can’t be shared.
- When you will bring key team members into conversations.
- Your roadmap, strategy, and key milestones.
- When NDAs are appropriate.
Avoid asking for NDAs too early – it creates friction.
I want to see a team that is confident, focused, and aligned. You should know your strategy before speaking to me.
Financial Strategy & Round Sizing
How to size your round:
- Have a tight financial model and deep understanding of your business model.
- Know your minimum raise to reach the next (and following) stage.
- It’s better to raise a smaller, oversubscribed round than to reduce your target.
- Avoid early valuation discussions – save this for end-stage discussions, once you have a well developed relationship with the investor and understand the key decision makers at the fund.
Focus on how funds drive:
- VMarket Entry.
- VMilestones.
- VCommercial Traction.
Remember: VCs set pre-money valuations according to the ownership stake they want to achieve in the company. For example, if they want a 10% stake and are committing £500k, then they will want a post-money valuation of £5 million.
Say your total round is £900k. This means the investor will look for a pre-money valuation of £4.1million.
£4.1million + £900k investment = £5million post-money valuation.
£5million/£500k = 10% equity for the investor.
I get spooked by seeing a company reducing the size of their round – it seems like other investors don’t want in, so I’d better steer clear.
But a smaller, oversubscribed round? That looks like momentum and I want a pieve of it!
Investor Strategy and Qualification
Not all Investors are worth your time - do your own Due Diligence!
Running the fundraising process
Use a structured, shareable system to track investors through your journey with them.
Tools like Foundersuite help manage workflows and commitments.
Once a term sheet is signed, move fast to fill the rest of the round.
Fundraising can't be delegated. CEOs must personally lead it.
Signalling and Positioning
I only want to invest in top-tier players in their categories. Show me how you “sizzle.”
Show momentum through:
- VTech Milestones.
- VCustomers & Pilots.
- VPartnerships.
- VHires & Board Members.
- VAccelerators, Awards, and Thought Leadership.
- VContent like White Papers can significantly boost credibility.
Make it easy for your networks (e.g Carbon13) to introduce you to the right investors).
Investor Conversations and First Meetings
Fundraising conversations should be mutual and exploratory, not one-sided.
Building leverage and term sheets
Once you have a term sheet:
- Use it to attract others and create momentum.
- Multiple term sheets provide leverage and a plan B. Remember that investors are motivated by fear of missing out and by making a bad deal – other investor interest is a strong de-risking factor.
But
Don’t shop your term sheet around – you will lose investors’ trust. Use it to signal momentum and encourage other investors to offer their own.
Check out our Term Sheet practice packs to understand what a term sheet looks like and the Glossary to understand key terms that you will find within them.
Once I give a term sheet, I rarely back out of it. Be careful not to endanger our relationship by shopping around openly for a better deal.