The Perfect Checklist for Raising Your Series Seed Financing

Research: Research the ideal investors and venture capital firms that will provide the best fit

While there are many reasons to research venture capital firms and their ideal investors, the main reason is to learn how you can best reach those investors. You can learn what kind of businesses they invest in, their investment criteria and the amount they invest, among other things. From there, you can create a marketing plan to reach those investors.

You'll want to know how much money they typically invest and in what amounts. You also will want to know what kind of businesses they typically invest in, which will help you determine whether your business is a good fit. You may also want to research the investors themselves in order to better understand their preferences and how you can best connect with them.

By researching venture capital firms and their ideal investors, you can learn how to best market your business to those investors and increase your chances of raising capital.

Pitch Deck: Create a compelling pitch deck outlining business - team - financials

When you are seeking investors, it is important to remember that they want to invest in a business that will make them money. That's why it is important to include financial information, such as how much you plan to make in the first year, how much you will spend on advertising, and how much you will need to pay yourself. Financials, as well as your expected growth, will all help to convince investors to give you money.

Introductions: Connect with potential investors and build relationships

When you're raising a seed round of financing, you'll want to make sure you're networking with the right people. The best way to do this is to attend industry events, like conferences and trade shows, where you can meet potential investors and build relationships with them over time. Not only will this help you raise the seed funding you need, but it will also help you find future investors for future funding rounds.

Events: Attend industry events to network and learn about the startup ecosystem

When you apply for seed funding, you're going to be asked a lot of questions about your business model and how you're going to achieve success. It's important to have these answers ready and to practice them in front of others. Networking events are a great way to do this. If you're comfortable with talking about your business and answering questions, it will show potential investors that you're confident and know what you're talking about. That's a big plus in their eyes.

Pitch Meeting: Schedule and present your pitch to potential investors

It's important to focus on your elevator pitch rather than go into great detail about your product. The meeting is only going to last a short period of time. So, you want to grab their attention quickly and then let them know how they can learn more if they are interested. Remember, you are trying to create a sense of urgency to get them to invest in you. So, keep it short, sweet and to the point with your pitch meeting.

Negotiations: Negotiate terms and come to an agreement on investment terms

While negotiating the terms of the investment, consider the following: What is the valuation of the company? What amount of equity are you willing to give up? What are the milestone payments? Do you have a standard agreement that you can refer to? These are some of the things you should consider while negotiating terms of the investment.

Legal Documents: Prepare legal documents to formalize the investment agreement

In the seed round of financing, you might meet a number of investors who are interested in investing in your business. It is essential that you only sign one agreement with one investor. All the other agreements can be signed later. This agreement is a legally binding contract between you and the investor. You must ensure that the agreement is signed only after you have gone through it carefully and are fully aware of its terms and conditions.

The agreement lays out the responsibilities of both the parties and must be signed by both parties before any money is transferred to the business.

Close: Close the deal and welcome your new investors!

Once you've gotten a commitment from your investors, celebrate! You've got some fantastic news and a new round of investment that will give your company a huge boost. While the paperwork is being finalized and processed, take a moment to reflect on how far your company has come, the challenges you've overcome, and the success you're about to have.

If you've never done a closing meeting, you might be surprised as to how much emotion can be involved in closing a deal. You're at the end of a long journey, and you've made it, in large part, due to the support of your investors. While the deal isn't officially closed until all the paperwork is signed, processed, and delivered, take a moment to recognize the significance of your success and how far you've come.