Dust Moto’s Post

I've spoken to several founders this week gearing up to raise. With the fall fundraising season winding down, I recommend pumping the breaks until January unless you already have enough momentum to close your round by Thanksgiving. That makes now the perfect time to prep your process for Q1. Every Monday from 11.25-12.16 from 11:30A-1P PT / 2:30P-4P ET, I'm hosting an early-stage founder deep work session on Flow Club for anyone who wants to share what they're building and get feedback/support on their raise. 👋🏽 30s to intro yourself and share what you're building 👩💻 80m for muted deep work to share questions/challenges in the chat and get input from me and other founders who join the session ⏭️ 5m wrapup at the end for each person to share takeaways and next steps You can also just come and say hi and do other work 🤠 Often, the best time to connect is before you're ready to raise, and it's always great to get perspective from other founders at a similar stage. If you are interested, let me know which date and I'll send you the sign-up link. 8 founders per session. At Hustle Fund, we invest year-round into pre-seed b2b SaaS, digital health, fintech and web3 companies, and love meeting founders beyond our current network. You can pitch us (I review every submission with support from our amazing Venture Fellows) here: https://www.hustlefund.vc

GTM is not some abstract term or a nice-to-have in your fundraising deck. It directly affects the amount of money you need to win customers and hence the amount of money you need to raise. For example, a consumer product that requires a huge marketing budget is very different from enterprise software. This was one of the comments shared by Juliane Elsner, an early-stage VC investor, at our recent Speed Mentoring Session for female founders raising capital. Join our next Speed Mentoring Session on August 27 where two HealthTech startups will pitch and collect feedback from investors and angels. Register here: https://lu.ma/70zmzubr

Just like hiking a new trail, raising capital can be an adventure with twists, turns, and challenges. But you don’t have to go it alone. Our team at CrowdCheck helps you avoid the pitfalls, stay compliant, and reach your funding goals with confidence. Whether you’re a startup or an established business, we’re here to keep you on the right path and help you succeed. Let’s take the first step together! Visit CrowdCheck.com to learn more about how we support you every step of the way. Sara Hanks Andrew Stephenson Fanni Koszeg Holly Mortensen

Built For Founders By Founders The Funding Accelerator equips founders with proven strategies to secure capital, extend runway, and build investor confidence—all on your terms. Learn how to grow smarter: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eX6Va94A hashtag#Fundraising hashtag#StartupGrowth

Calling all amazing venture-backed NYC-based founders for a great event with Tori. Hanson and The Knowledge Shop tonight at 5:30 pm. Register here: https://lu.ma/9ofk68ke There are never enough opportunities to bring everyone together, and this one takes it a step further - the Transatlantic edition! Come share / learn and collaborate with your peers and allies, changing the world from both sides of the pond. We'll provide the drinks, you provide: * The pearls of wisdom about what its like to grow and raise funds. * The insights: what do you wish you'd known before you started? * The hype! You recognize the importance of having a strong network, and want to invest in yours. * The cultural exchange! Looking to expand internationally (now or in the future)? This is a great way to learn what it's like from them And start building your own network too This is a no pressure, no agenda, just an informal night to support incredible founders, building the next big thing. For this event we are prioritising founders who have raised a Seed+ round. If space allows, we will open up the registration to others too.

One of the most prolific talks I witnessed yesterday was of Angel Gambino from Angel Club and Leonardo Rocchetti from Plug and Play Tech Center. They were here for the Tech Weekend by Founders Village. The room was attentive, and an environment of inclusion was fostered. Here are my top 10 takeaways - 1) Relationships triumphs everything. 2) Choose your investor as if you are getting married. Most marriages last shorter than an investor-founder relationship. 3) Founder is everything. Learn to present the best of yourself and your team. 4) Investors want to know why you are the team that will succeed in this market. As Angel said, it often comes down to tenacity & experience. 5) Investors who say No are not participating in the current round. They may participate again in future rounds. Don't take it personally. 6) You need at least one board member who has your back, no matter what. 7) Decks don't get more than 2 minutes of attention. 8) Learn to establish your moat so that it becomes nearly impossible to copy you. 9) At the end of the day, it is an emotional decision whether to invest or not. 10) When someone refuses to invest in you, ask - what can I do to convert it to a yes? Amazing insights. Thanks once again to Founders Village for creating such spaces. #sanfrancisco #techweekend #fundraising

🚀In an era of skyrocketing valuations and mega-rounds, the allure of raising massive amounts of capital is stronger than ever. But for smart founders, the key to long-term success is a more measured approach to fundraising. More on why raising too much can hurt your startup by AtScale CEO Christopher Lynch on Founder Docs: https://lnkd.in/gnsfQXQM

Grateful for the experts helping Mighty Founders take flight. 👇 When we set out to build a community for founders raising capital, I knew it had to be member-led—but I also wanted to infuse it with a layer of expert support to truly make it impactful. I’m beyond excited about the incredible lineup of experts who have agreed to contribute to our Mighty Founders community. We’re currently planning a calendar packed with sessions on: ✅ Pitch decks ✅ Financials ✅ Trademarks ✅ Go-to-market strategies ✅ Investor outreach ✅ Negotiations ✅ Data rooms, and more I’m so grateful to these amazing experts for stepping up to help founders succeed. And I can’t wait to launch this community. Applications to become a founding member are now open to the public! 👉 We’re reviewing on a first-come, first-serve basis and limiting the number of founders for the launch. If you’re raising capital and want to join a community built for founders, visit mightyfounders.com to submit your application today! ❤️ I’m rooting for you. ——— Hi, I’m Anthony. I help founders escape pitch deck hell. In 2025, we’re launching the Mighty Founders community to support founders raising capital. Click the link in my bio to apply. 😉

Why Not ?

The strategies outlined below are crucial for adapting to the current fundraising landscape. Building a solid pipeline and compressing meetings can significantly enhance your momentum.  It's also interesting how psychological elements like FOMO and social proof can influence investor behavior. It really is about telling your story, being consistent, and having your ducks lined up when you get in front of the right investors.