Fundraising

Many entrepreneurs conflate raising money with building a successful startup. But getting a high valuation or landing a VC firm isn’t a strategy or validation of your business plan. Who you raise from, and when you raise matter as much as how much you raise. HBS faculty and entrepreneurs share applicable frameworks and tactics to help you approach various aspects of fundraising–from pitching to navigating a term sheet–strategically, with your business model in mind.

Perspectives on Raising Venture Capital

Research indicates that in recent years, less than one percent of startups raised venture capital. In a series of short focused interviews with Shikhar Ghosh, entrepreneurs and investors share relevant experience-based tips about what VCs need to see to offer a term sheet. Investors offer takeaways about how they weigh a startup's business model, team composition, clarity of thought, and attitude towards risk that can help entrepreneurs understand what VCs need to see in order to invest. Founders who have raised funding share their insights on timing, iterating your pitch, learning from no, selecting appropriate VCs.

Fundraising & Pitching

Whether you're starting from scratch or polishing an existing pitch, our tested framework can help. Learn how to build a strong foundation for your pitch and incorporating compelling proof to increase your chances of getting funding.

Fundraising Docs

How do you assess and navigate a term sheet, making sure you’re getting the best payoff for your company? Gaining a better understanding of terms and their long term consequences can help you avoid mistakes entrepreneurs commonly make.