Useful information for startups
What a first-time founder needs and nobody tells them: how to run a raise, where investors are listed, which accelerators to try, how to build a deck. A curated set to start with, and the links other readers have found useful. Looking for hackathons and accelerator deadlines instead? Those are on the opportunities board.
Longer reads, digested here with every section, and linked to the original for the templates.
By Filip Kozera. Digested here; the original has the templates.
A second-time founder's playbook for a first raise: when to start, how to run intros as a process, the three negotiation shapes, closing angels on the call, and the mistakes that stretch a raise past four months.
Curated from the guide above, plus what readers have shared. Every community link is checked before it appears.
kozera.notion.site
A VC's own walkthrough of a seed raise, recommended in the guide above.
From the fundraising guide
pioneer.app
Short, practical notes on raising from the Pioneer accelerator.
From the fundraising guide
notion.so
The raise as a checklist, from list building to closing.
From the fundraising guide
shizune.notion.site
Guides, templates and tools: blurbs, cold emails, warm intros, investor profiles, meeting and follow-up templates.
From the fundraising guide
medium.com
The unwritten rules of asking for intros, meetings and favours. Read before emailing anyone.
From the fundraising guide
medium.com
The article behind the three negotiation shapes in the guide.
From the fundraising guide
blog.aaronkharris.com
Why the guide suggests leaving pro-rata rights out of your SAFE.
From the fundraising guide
clerky.com
Incorporation and standard startup paperwork done the way investors expect.
From the fundraising guide
openvc.app
A free, searchable database of investors with their thesis and how to reach them.
From the fundraising guide
seedproof.com
An early-stage investor directory.
From the fundraising guide
investorlist.co
Lists of angels and funds by stage and sector.
From the fundraising guide
docs.google.com
A shared spreadsheet of early-stage investors to start a tracking list from.
From the fundraising guide
pitchbear.com
Investor search and outreach tooling.
From the fundraising guide
ajuniorvc.com
Plain explanations of the terms investors use.
From the fundraising guide
basetemplates.com
Deck templates and investor lists.
From the fundraising guide
teqatlas.com
Investor and startup data by sector and region.
From the fundraising guide
investorhunt.co
A paid investor database with contact details.
From the fundraising guide
investorscout.co
A paid investor database with contact details.
From the fundraising guide
ycombinator.com
The guide's first choice if you have no network.
From the fundraising guide
techstars.com
Global accelerator with city programmes.
From the fundraising guide
500.co
500's accelerator programmes by region.
From the fundraising guide
skydeck.berkeley.edu
UC Berkeley's accelerator.
From the fundraising guide
angelpad.com
A small, selective seed accelerator.
From the fundraising guide
plugandplaytechcenter.com
Corporate-backed accelerator programmes by industry.
From the fundraising guide
pear.vc
Pear VC's pre-seed programme.
From the fundraising guide
joinef.com
Builds companies from individuals, with a London programme.
From the fundraising guide
antler.co
Day-zero investor and residency programmes worldwide.
From the fundraising guide
beondeck.com
A community and fellowship for founders.
From the fundraising guide
billiondollarpitchdecks.com
The decks behind well-known raises, slide by slide.
From the fundraising guide
failory.com
Pitch deck examples and templates by stage.
From the fundraising guide
twitter.com
A thread on the mistakes investors see most often in early decks.
From the fundraising guide
Applying to accelerators, hackathons and startup competitions? The opportunities board has the live deadlines.