How Do Fundraising Rounds Work? A Startup Guide

If you're building a startup or just getting started in the world of venture capital, understanding how fundraising rounds work is crucial. Fundraising is more than just getting money, it's about finding the right partners, setting milestones, and scaling strategically.

Understanding the Different Rounds

Each fundraising round comes with its own expectations, investor types, and funding goals.

Pre-Seed Round

• Purpose: Idea validation, MVP development

• Investors: Angel investors, friends, family

• Funding Amount: $10K–$500K

Seed Round

• Purpose: Product launch, early traction

• Investors: Seed funds, accelerators

• Funding Amount: $500K–$2M

Series A

• Purpose: Scaling team and operations

• Investors: VC firms

• Funding Amount: $2M–$15M

Series B and Beyond

• Purpose: Rapid expansion, market capture

• Investors: Late-stage VCs, private equity

• Funding Amount: $15M+

Tips for Navigating Fundraising

• Know your metrics

• Create a compelling pitch deck

• Build investor relationships early

How to Actually Raise Funds

Knowing the stages is one thing. But how do you go out and actually raise funds?

1. Build a Great Pitch Deck

Your pitch deck should clearly communicate:

• The problem and your solution

• Market size and opportunity

• Business model

• Traction (if any)

• Team background

• Fundraising ask and use of funds

Pro Tip: Use Plox to securely share your pitch deck with investors. With document analytics, you'll know who opened it, which slide they spent time on, and when, so you can follow up with confidence.

2. Create a Targeted Investor List

Focus on:

• Investors who’ve funded similar businesses

• People aligned with your vision and market

• Warm introductions (cold outreach rarely works)

3. Practice Your Pitch

Run mock pitches with advisors or founders. Get feedback and iterate.

4. Set a Fundraising Strategy

• Decide on your ideal raise and valuation

• Set timelines

• Track investor conversations with a CRM

5. Legal and Data Room Setup

Investors will ask for documents like:

• Cap table

• Financial projections

• Founding agreements

• Customer contracts (if applicable)

Conclusion

Fundraising isn’t just about money, it’s about building partnerships that help you grow. Understanding each stage gives you an edge in planning your strategy and picking the right investors.