Founder guides — written by people who've done it.
Tactical, battle-tested playbooks for closing pre-seed and seed rounds, modeling runway, and running high-velocity teams.
How to Raise a Pre-Seed Round
What to build before you raise, who to target, what to put in the pitch deck, and how to negotiate standard SAFE terms.
1. The Pre-Seed Milestone Checklist
Pre-seed is about answering one fundamental question: Is this team uniquely qualified to solve this urgent problem? You do not need massive ARR, but you need a working prototype, early customer interview insights, and a crystal-clear market wedge.
2. The 10-Slide Pre-Seed Deck Anatomy
Keep your deck under 12 slides: 1) Title & Mission, 2) The Burning Problem, 3) The Solution, 4) Product Demo / Architecture, 5) Market Size & Wedge, 6) Why Now?, 7) Business Model, 8) Early Traction / Signals, 9) Team Pedigree & Unfair Advantage, 10) The Ask & Use of Funds.
3. SAFE Notes vs Priced Rounds
Almost all modern pre-seed rounds close using YC Post-Money SAFEs. Typical caps range from $4M to $10M depending on geography, pedigree, and sector momentum. Avoid complex discount cascades or MFN stacking without an attorney.
How to Raise a Seed Round
The metrics seed investors expect, how to run a tight 4-week fundraising process, and how to create partner FOMO.
1. Seed Benchmarks in 2025/2026
For B2B SaaS, investors typically look for $10k to $30k MRR with 15-25% month-over-month growth, high user retention, and strong customer love quotes. For AI infra/deeptech, technical defensibility and benchmark breakthroughs replace pure revenue.
2. Running a Parallelized Process
Never pitch VCs sequentially. Build a tiered target list of 60+ funds in your HelmOS Fundraising CRM, reach out during the same 10-day window, and schedule partner calls within a 2-week sprint to create legitimate bidding momentum.
The Ultimate Guide to Startup Runway & Burn Management
How to model hiring costs, audit recurring SaaS waste, and extend your company lifespan without sacrificing growth.
1. The True Cost of a Headcount Addition
A $120,000 salary actually costs $150,000 to $165,000 when accounting for payroll taxes, benefits, equipment, and SaaS licenses. Always model loaded burn in your HelmOS Financial Planner.
2. The Zero-Cash Warning Threshold
Set hard alarms when your runway dips below 6 months. It takes an average of 90 to 120 days to negotiate and close institutional equity rounds.