Ace Your Fundraising

Introduction

In a recent panel discussion, Kilian Schmidt, founder and CEO of Kertos, and Julian, co-founder and CEO of deeploi, shared invaluable insights into the fundraising journey, from preparing an initial pitch to navigating the emotional rollercoaster of securing investment. Both founders brought unique perspectives: Kilian’s transition from law to entrepreneurship and Julian’s experience building startups shaped their approaches to building companies and raising capital.

This summary provides a clear and actionable guide for founders. If you don’t have time to watch the video, this blog will give you the key takeaways.

Meet the Founders: Kilian Schmidt of Kertos and Julian Lübke from deeploi

The founders of Ca and deeploi each built their startups with a sharp focus on solving real-world problems. Kilian left behind a career in law to streamline compliance operations through automation, while Julian used his expertise in startups to create an IT-as-a-service model that simplifies business operations.

Their paths underscore the importance of leveraging personal experience to address market gaps and build compelling businesses.

Actionable Insight: Start with a deep understanding of the problem you want to solve and how your background uniquely positions you to address it. Investors are drawn to founders who combine passion with expertise.

Approaching Early-Stage Fundraising

Many founders hesitate to pitch their idea until it feels fully developed, but Kilian and Julian challenged this mindset. Instead, they encouraged founders to share partially formed ideas to gain valuable feedback. Fundraising isn’t about perfection; it’s about progression and iteration.

Actionable Insight: Share your idea early, even if it’s not fully polished. The feedback you receive can be instrumental in refining your business model and your pitch.

The Power of Networking

When it comes to connecting with investors, relationships matter. Whether through angel collectives, industry events, or mutual connections, strategic networking opens doors to valuable opportunities. A strong network can help overcome barriers, such as the lack of direct introductions to investors.

Actionable Insight: Prioritize relationship-building in your startup journey. Attend events, connect with peers, and actively seek introductions to expand your reach and create opportunities.

Navigating the Emotional Rollercoaster of Fundraising

Fundraising can be an intense process, filled with highs and lows. For founders, the ability to stay persistent and maintain focus on long-term goals is critical. Building momentum by securing one committed investor can help transform setbacks into stepping stones.

Actionable Insight: Prepare mentally for the ups and downs of fundraising. Focus on resilience, and remember that one "yes" can create the momentum needed to close a round.

Turning Rejections into Opportunities

Every founder faces rejection during fundraising—it’s a natural part of the process. What separates successful founders is their ability to turn "no" into valuable lessons. Feedback from investors can help identify gaps in your pitch or refine your approach to targeting the right audience.

Actionable Insight: Treat rejections as opportunities for growth. Always ask for specific feedback and use it to strengthen your pitch and strategy.

Managing Fundraising While Running a Business

Fundraising demands time and attention, often pulling founders away from day-to-day operations. To succeed, you need to plan ahead, delegate responsibilities, and create space to focus on raising capital.

Actionable Insight: Prepare your team and internal operations in advance so you can dedicate yourself fully to the fundraising process when the time comes.

Timing Your Fundraising Efforts

Timing can be the difference between success and struggle. Aligning fundraising efforts with business milestones and scheduling meetings strategically can create a sense of urgency and excitement among investors. Avoiding slow periods, like holidays, can also help maximize your chances.

Actionable Insight: Time your fundraising efforts around key performance moments and cluster meetings closely to build excitement and urgency among investors.

Raising the Right Amount

It’s better to raise more than you think you’ll need. Unforeseen challenges, slower-than-expected growth, or market changes can quickly drain resources. A larger runway provides flexibility and security as your startup navigates its early stages.

Actionable Insight: Plan to raise slightly more than your immediate needs. This buffer can be critical for handling unexpected challenges or delays.

Choosing the Right Investors

Investors bring more than capital—they bring expertise, connections, and guidance. Choosing the right partner is about finding someone who aligns with your vision and can support you through both successes and challenges.

Actionable Insight: Look for investors who align with your values and bring complementary expertise to your startup. Prioritize a relationship built on trust and mutual respect.

The Role of Business Angels

Business angels offer more than just funding—they bring domain knowledge, networks, and personal experience. A mix of angels and VCs can give startups the best of both worlds: the personalized support of angels and the scalability of VCs.

Actionable Insight: Include business angels in your funding strategy to gain access to industry-specific expertise and unique connections that complement VC resources.

Lessons Learned from Fundraising

Fundraising is rarely a straightforward journey. It often takes longer than expected and requires founders to stay flexible and persistent. From due diligence to unexpected roadblocks, preparation and resilience are key.

Actionable Insight: Approach fundraising as a marathon, not a sprint. Stay organized, prepare thoroughly, and remain adaptable to the unexpected twists in the process.

Preparing for Series A

As they gear up for Series A, founders should prioritize building a scalable and repeatable sales process that doesn’t rely solely on their involvement. A well-trained team, efficient processes, and capital efficiency are all critical for demonstrating readiness to investors.

Actionable Insight: Develop scalable systems and a team that can execute growth strategies independently, showing investors that your business is primed for long-term success.

Final Advice for Founders

Success in fundraising comes down to preparation, commitment, and adaptability. Founders need to focus on refining their story, building strong relationships, and staying open to feedback. It’s not just about raising money—it’s about building a sustainable business that’s ready to grow.

Actionable Insight: Invest time in crafting a compelling narrative, embrace feedback to refine your strategy, and stay committed to the long-term vision of your business.

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This blog post is an AI-generated summary of the video using Arbor Storytelling Platform.