Series A Funding: How to Attract Strong Investor Interest

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1. All that aside, the evolution of these values highlights another point. Building a business can’t be broken down into neat stages. Instead, think of it as a vector. You start somewhere, head in a general direction, and build momentum as you grow. “Instead, outline milestones and estimate how much it’ll take to get from one to the next.” How Long Does it Take to Raise a Series A?

   In Funding and financial signals

2. The investor’s co-investors: Do your current investors have a connection? “Your CEO or founder networks: Have they pitched this investor in the past, and did they maintain their relationship?” Your peer network: Do you know anyone with a past work or alumni connection to this investor?

   In Selecting introduction sources

3. Your CEO or founder networks: Have they pitched this investor in the past, and did they maintain their relationship? “Your peer network: Do you know anyone with a past work or alumni connection to this investor?” Startup Secret: To ensure the introduction gets the right attention, make sure your connection pre-warns the investor, so they know it’s coming before it arrives in their inbox.

   In Selecting introduction sources

4. Figure out where they’re speaking and approach them with a thought-provoking question. “Find mutual LinkedIn connections.” Or, in the case of Underscore, find a connection through the Underscore Core.

   In Founder network outreach

5. Meet and Build Relationships with Venture Capitalists “Effective fundraising comes down to relationships, and the key to building relationships with Series A investors is to start early.” In many ways, the process to raise Series A funding is like a B2B sales process: research prospects, qualify leads, get to the next level of the process, and manage your pipeline.

   In Founder network outreach

6. → Read our full guide tobuilding relationships with investors. “Throughout this outreach, don’t forget to bring your existing investors along with you.” Series A Milestones: What are VCs Looking For?

   In Founder network outreach

7. Engage with an investor on social media “Meet them at a conference” Ask an “elevator question” to pique their interest

   In Founder network outreach

8. Team “Introduce yourself and your team to the investors.” Founders: Describe your founder-market fit. Why are you the right one to tackle this opportunity? What relevant life experience led you to it? What was your specific insight or “aha” moment?

   In Founder network outreach

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