When to Start Your Next Fundraise?
Fundraising doesn't stop after the round closes. See why ignoring investor relationships until you need cash is the ultimate mistake.
Founders celebrate closing a round like it's the finish line. Pop the champagne, and go back to building. But here's the brutal truth: that's when most startups seal their fate for the next one.
Wait too long, and you're scrambling in desperation mode: cold emails to VCs who don't know you, diluted terms, or worse, running out of runway mid-pitch. In today's market, fundraising drags on 6-9 months on average, and that's if you're lucky.
The hidden killer? Relationships don't build overnight. Ignore them, and opportunity slams shut while competitors lock in early commitments.
We always underestimate the time needed to develop relationships, and time is scarce when juggling crises, so we tend to prioritize the urgent over the important, without enough clarity to make the distinction between the two.