How to Prep Your Startup for a Fundraising Round (Without Losing Your Mind)
Raising capital isn’t just about getting investors excited—it’s about proving you’re ready for the weight of their money. The best founders treat a fundraising round like a launch: strategic, planned, and airtight. The ones who wing it? They get slower closes, tougher terms, and a lot more “let’s circle back in six months.”
That’s not how it should go—and it sure as hell doesn’t have to. But don’t sweat it, we’ve got you.
Ursa’s been around the block on fundraising. We know where founders trip, and we know how to keep you from face-planting. That’s why our experts built The Fundraising Round Prep Kit —so you skip the rookie mistakes, keep control of the process, and walk into every investor meeting ready to land the check.
Set the Stage — What Investors Actually Want
Founders love to talk vision. Investors want receipts. That’s the gap we’re here to close.
Before you fire off your deck or schedule a partner meeting, here’s what you need nailed down:
1. Your Narrative (That Holds Water)
Why now?
Why you?
Why this market?
It’s not just a story, it’s the strategic case for why capital deployed today has a high probability of turning into a big return tomorrow. Skip the buzzwords. Ground your pitch in traction, insight, and market inevitability.
2. Your Numbers (That Don’t Flinch)
Historical financials (trailing 12 months at a minimum)
Current burn and runway
Forecast (12–24 months, with assumptions that can take a punch)
Unit economics (CAC, LTV, margins—know them cold)
3. Your Use of Funds
No one wants to fund indecision. Be specific: “60% to product, 25% to GTM, 15% buffer.” Justify it with how it maps to inflection points.
4. Your Cap Table
Clean, updated, and modeled out post-raise. This is not the time for surprises.
Build the Machine — Materials That Work Overtime
Your data room should speak louder than your pitch.
Core Materials Checklist
Pitch Deck (tight, visual, no fluff)
Detailed Financial Model
One-Pager / Executive Summary
Updated Cap Table + SAFE/convertible note terms
Org Chart + Key Hires Roadmap
Customer Pipeline + Traction Snapshot
Existing Investor List + Commitments (if any)
Optional (But Strong Signal) Add-ons:
Product roadmap
KPI dashboard (monthly, not quarterly)
Contracts or signed LOIs
Customer testimonials or case studies
Keep everything in one shared Notion or GDrive folder, clearly labeled, with version control. Bonus points for a short loom video walkthrough if your raise is async.
Run the Process — Don’t Just Wing It
Good founders fundraise. Great founders run a process.
Your Pipeline Tracker (aka Your CRM for Money)
Investor name
Fund size, stage focus
Key contact
Status (intro → pitch → diligence → offer → pass)
Notes (interests, concerns, follow-ups)
Work it like a sales funnel. Aim for 3–5x target raise in total intros. Prioritize fast movers. Stagger outreach to test your pitch.
Communicate Like a Pro
Schedule regular updates (every 2–3 weeks)
Follow up within 24 hours after every call
Share updates on traction and momentum
Pro Tips from the Field:
Send updates in deck form, not long emails.
Be upfront about valuation expectations, but flexible.
Don’t get stuck chasing maybes—force clarity.
Always ask: “What’s your process from here?”
Cutting to the chase: Fundraising isn’t just about raising money. It’s about proving you're worth betting on. So get tight, get organized, and run it like a pro.
You’ve got one shot to make a first impression in a fundraising process—and the difference between a quick “yes” and a slow “no” often comes down to preparation. At Ursa, we’ve seen the inside of enough rounds to know what investors really care about: clean numbers, a compelling story, and a founder who can run a process without losing sight of the business.
Our team plugs in fast, operates like insiders, and handles the heavy lifting—so you can focus on the conversations that move the needle. From outsourced accounting to strategic ops, we turn fundraising chaos into a clear, confident process that gets you across the finish line with momentum to spare.
If you’re ready to raise smarter, not harder—let’s build your fundraising engine together. Talk to Ursa today.