If you're a fund manager raising right now, I can almost guarantee you're not closing your round because 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐋𝐏 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭. Having a thesis focused on "underrepresented founders" or similar themes isn't enough anymore. LPs need to understand how your unique approach will lead to higher returns and, more critically, liquidity. They want to know how your thesis translates into tangible financial outcomes. That's where most fund managers miss the mark. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐏𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞. This means demonstrating how your strategies will navigate market challenges and lead to successful exits. Many LPs aren't seeing this in the current venture landscape, with only 9% of seed-funded companies making it to Series A. This makes LPs wary of putting more capital into a space that seemingly has no liquidity options. I work with fund managers to ensure their thesis is truly differentiated and use the lens of an LP to help you navigate exactly what they need to see and hear in order to confidently invest. If you want support refining your fundraising collateral and approach, my DMs are open. #emergingmanager #VC #fundraising #LP #fundmanager

Founders who have raised VC funding I need your advice on a potentially tricky situation with an investor. I was engaging with what I thought was a VC firm based in Berlin to learn more about their thesis and investment categories. When I asked if they had their own fund or were an intermediary, They responded: "No, we do not have our own fund but we know investors that invest and as a result for the investment round of £1M we will ask for 10% ownership." This response raised some red flags for me. I'd greatly appreciate your thoughts on: 1. Is it common for intermediaries to request equity in exchange for connecting founders to investors? 2. Does a 10% ownership stake for a £1M round seem reasonable or excessive? 3. What potential risks or pitfalls should I be aware of when dealing with intermediaries rather than direct VCs? Your insights and experiences would be incredibly helpful as I navigate this situation. Thank you in advance for your guidance! #startup #venturecapital #fundraising #founderadvice

Your Friday reminder.. FundMyPitch exists to make investment easier ✅ One place to connect Investors with Founders ✅ No fees until investment takes place ✅ Verified investors ✅ No spam ✅ No lengthy sign up processes ✅ If you're #fundraising or #investing sign up now and help us level the playing field when it comes to early stage investment. #preseed #angelinvesting #investmentopportunities

You need to build a fund that investors want! There is a reason we have legal as the 4th and final step of the fund launch formula... ...so that you don't spend $30,000+ and a year of your life launching a fund that nobody wants to invest into. Instead, we teach that you: 1. Find an amazing deal 2. Frame that deal 3. Go raise capital During the capital raising phase, you will learn pretty quickly if investors do or don't like your deal If they do, that's great! You can move onto step #4 and actually launch your fund However, if they don't, that is an amazing opportunity to get feedback and find out why they don't want to invest This formula has personally saved me lots of time and money throughout my career in the fund space.

A recent survey by the Angel Investment Network reveals some intriguing insights into the motivations behind becoming an angel investor and the common mistakes start-up founders are making when fundraising in 2024! Top reasons for becoming an angel investor include: > the potential for high returns > portfolio diversification > access to #innovation. Meanwhile, the top tips for successful fundraising are: > scaling down valuations > preparing for longer #fundraising periods > raising smaller funds. An interesting trend is that investing is not just about financial gain but it's also about catalysing change and having an #impact.

VCs get slagged constantly… greedy, lazy, slow, unreasonable. But, is it totally fair? Hear me out. I know first hand, running a fund is challenging ! - Raising is difficult. - You need to keep LPs happy, and they have high expectations. - Sourcing and negotiating deals is tough.  - Everything takes longer than you think it will. We’re a Venture Studio and fund so not exactly replicable to a pure VC fund, but we’ve had founders drop out at the last minute or lie to us to try and source investment. We ended up taking the hit for all of that due diligence work. Some VCs deserve a bad reputation and have made things difficult for founders, but it’s also important to understand that running a fund is hard. Some funds are doing fantastic things and working as hard as possible to do the best by founders (including us). What do you think? Do VCs just need a PR boost? #venturecapital #funding #investment

Great episode for early stage VC's and capital allocators to check out. https://lnkd.in/ekz7JHJd #vc #fundraising #venturecapital

🎢 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗕𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗲 𝗨𝗽! 💲PitchBook reports that A16Z and General Catalyst alone have captured 44% of all LP capital to venture in 2024—a staggering $13.2 billion combined. 🕊️ This concentration of capital among top firms signals a "flight to quality," with LPs favoring established players over emerging managers. Many LPs are retreating from riskier bets and flocking to established, scaled funds with proven track records. ❓ What does this mean for emerging managers? A compelling narrative, cohesive story, and clear messaging around thesis, differentiation, and your unique lens on the world have never been more important. 🏋️♂️ Lyonshare specializes in helping our emerging manager clients get funded. Send me a message to talk about how we can help you put your best foot forward in a challenging fundraising environment. #vc #venturecapital #fundmanagers #fundraising #emergingmanagers

2023 was a period filled with challenges and uncertainties. Despite the uncertainties, we are optimistic towards investing in sectors that are growing with momentum. These are the trends to look out for in 2024! 🚀 #skystarcapital #investornetwok #investment #earlystage #startupbuilder #venturecapitalfirm #funding #fundraising