How to master the art of startup fundraising
Startup founders would be forgiven for thinking that their biggest job is fundraising. There is such a focus on investment rounds in the startup community and the media, that it is now seen as one of the primary measures of success. If you’ve raised a load of cash, the perception is that your business will automatically be successful–regardless of whether you’ve got a viable product or you’re making any money. But, while fundraising isn’t everything, for a business that is looking to develop something very new and innovative, and/or that is looking to scale fast in an established market, then waiting for cashflow from sales is probably not going to cut it. Hence, these businesses use the startup equivalent of “doping” - in the shape of venture capital – giving them the time and resources they need to make their ambitions a reality (legally!). As such, many founders do inevitably become ‘chief fundraisers’, meaning they spend more time writing pitch decks and meeting investors than actu