Fundraising Deep Dive with Daniel

Session Overview

Objective: Equip founders with a comprehensive understanding of their investment opportunity, assess risks systematically, evaluate investibility, reflect on strategic goals, receive actionable fundraising advice, and connect with mentors or investors for guidance.

Duration: 180 minutes (3 hours)

Target Audience: Early-stage startup founders (pre-seed or seed stage) seeking to raise capital.

Structure: The session is divided into seven segments, including breaks, to maintain focus and engagement.

Session Outline

1. Introduction and Context Setting (15 minutes)

Objective: Set the stage, align participants, and gather context about the startup.

Activities:

Founders deliver a 7-minute elevator pitch (problem, solution, market size, traction, funding ask).

Facilitator introduces the session’s goals, structure, and emphasis on risk assessment and mentorship.

Brief Q&A to clarify the startup’s objectives.

Deliverables:

Shared understanding of the startup’s goals and session expectations.

Timing: 0:00–0:15

2. Systematic Risk Evaluation Framework (45 minutes)

Objective: Assess risks across key dimensions (market, team, product, financial, execution) to identify potential pitfalls.

Activities:

Founders present data for each risk category (10 minutes).

Facilitator guides discussion to score each category (1–5 scale: 1 = High Risk, 5 = Low Risk) based on provided data (25 minutes).

Summarize risk profile and recommend mitigation strategies (10 minutes).

Deliverables:

Risk profile summary (e.g., “Market Risk: 4/5, Team Risk: 3/5”).

Specific recommendations (e.g., “Hire a CTO to address team risk”).

Timing: 0:15–1:00

3. Break (10 minutes)

Objective: Allow participants to refresh and process insights.

Activities: Informal networking or rest.

Timing: 1:00–1:10

4. Investibility Grading System (35 minutes)

Objective: Grade the deal’s attractiveness to investors based on risk, traction, narrative, and team appeal.

Activities:

Facilitator explains grading criteria (risk profile, traction, narrative strength, team appeal) (5 minutes).

Assign scores (1–5) for each criterion through discussion (20 minutes).

Calculate weighted average to determine final grade (A, B, C, D) and provide feedback (10 minutes).

Deliverables:

Investibility grade (e.g., “B, 72/100”) with breakdown (e.g., “Traction: 70, Narrative: 80”).

Feedback on strengths and areas for improvement.

Timing: 1:10–1:45

5. Personal Consideration of the Investment Opportunity (30 minutes)

Objective: Guide founders to reflect on the investment opportunity from investor and strategic perspectives.

Activities:

Facilitator leads a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) of the deal (15 minutes).

Discuss key questions: alignment with vision, investor fit, equity/control, risk tolerance (10 minutes).

Summarize a personalized decision framework (5 minutes).

Deliverables:

Decision framework (e.g., “Prioritize mission-aligned investors with industry expertise”).

Timing: 1:45–2:15

6. Break (10 minutes)

Objective: Provide a brief pause before the final segments.

Activities: Informal discussion or rest.

Timing: 2:15–2:25

7. Fundraising Advice and Best Practices (25 minutes)

Objective: Provide actionable strategies to maximize fundraising success.

Activities:

Facilitator shares tailored advice (e.g., build relationships early, craft a compelling pitch deck, leverage warm introductions) (15 minutes).

Discuss accelerators, investor due diligence, and risk mitigation plans (10 minutes).

Deliverables:

List of best practices (e.g., “Connect with investors 6–12 months before the raise”).

Recommendations for accelerators or tools (e.g., Y Combinator, LinkedIn).

Timing: 2:25–2:50

8. Introductions to Suitable Mentors/Investors (15 minutes)

Objective: Connect founders with two individuals for mentorship and potential investment.

Activities:

Facilitator presents profiles of two mentors/investors (e.g., Dr. Sarah Chen, healthtech angel; James Lee, gaming VC) (5 minutes).

Outline introduction plans (e.g., email drafts, suggested meeting formats) (5 minutes).

Discuss how to approach these relationships (5 minutes).

Deliverables:

Profiles of two mentors/investors with rationale for fit.

Draft introduction plan (e.g., “Email Dr. Chen with pitch deck and request a 30-minute call”).

Timing: 2:50–3:05

9. Q&A and Wrap-Up (15 minutes)

Objective: Address questions, summarize insights, and define next steps.

Activities:

Open Q&A on risk mitigation, investor outreach, or mentorship (10 minutes).

Recap key takeaways: risk profile, investibility grade, action items (3 minutes).

Outline follow-up: email with risk summary, pitch deck feedback, and introduction drafts within 48 hours (2 minutes).

Deliverables:

Clear action plan for founders.