On a Mission to Raise $200M in 12 Months for Founders Using the S.E.E.D System | Guaranteed Investor Meetings To Close Your Round| $400M Raised

Raising capital is not a marketing exercise.
It is a positioning exercise.

Strong companies fail to raise every year. Not because the product is weak or the market is small. But because the raise is structured incorrectly.

- Round size misaligned.
- Narrative unfocused.
- Milestones not sequenced for investor logic.
- Outreach is reactive instead of engineered.

Stellar operates as a dedicated capital strategy function for founders preparing to raise meaningful rounds.

We integrate at the structural level, refining the raise narrative, pressure testing assumptions, aligning investor fit, and building a disciplined path from first conversation to signed term sheet.

The objective is simple:
Make the company fundable before it is marketed.

Most of our mandates are $2M+ raises across tech and real estate, primarily in the US and GCC markets.

If you are entering a raise cycle and want clarity before outreach begins, start with structure.

Shoot me a DM, and we'll map your specific situation, and I'll be direct about whether we're a fit.

Jamal K, ACA

Growing up, I wasn't the smartest kid in the room.
But I was the most stubborn.

The smartest kid would answer before the teacher finished asking.

Me? I'd sit there confused. Raise my hand anyway.
Ask questions that everyone laughed at.

Then go home and study for hours until it finally clicked.
I did all of this throughout my school life, and I was among the best-performing students.

In business, I'm exactly the same.

I'm not the smartest. There are people way smarter than me.

But I'm stubborn. If I start something, I finish it. No matter what.

Few weeks back, we were raising $1M for an AI startup.

Warm intros dried up fast. We hit a wall.

Most advisors would've said "let's pause and regroup."

Not me.

I spent 3 days researching local VCs in the founder's city.
Found 8 funds. Reached out cold to all of them - EXACTLY knowing what to say and how.

Got ignored by 6. Got 2 meetings. 1 soft commitment for $350K.

Now the raise has a different narrative and the founder has higher leverage in the next round of conversations..

I guess smart gets you in the room, but stubborn closes the deal.

$400M Raised | Making Companies Fundable Before They Market | $2M–$100M Institutional Rounds | 100+ Founders | KSA Market Entry For US & EU Founders

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Today, we hosted Pakistani founders in Islamabad exploring Saudi 🇸🇦 market entry.

One founder shared: “I flew to Riyadh three times. Bought tickets. Stayed in hotels. Got meetings. But no business.”

Another said: “We had a $1M deal on the table. Made one bad decision. Lost it all.”

These are not isolated instances. There are many horror stories around founders exploring KSA.

That’s because they use the wrong playbook for this market 

Saad Raja was there to share the RIGHT playbook.
 
He shared his journey. His $40,000 mistakes. What actually works on the ground.

The room went quiet.

Because they realized: KSA isn’t just another market. It’s trust-based. Relationship-driven. You can’t wing it.

That’s why we built Stellar Ventures  

→ We help you find your local partner
→ We facilitate your first customer
→ We open doors to B2B partnerships and investor groups

We’re on the ground with you. Not watching from the sidelines.

This is the first of many sessions across Pakistan, USA, and Europe.

Next: Webinar with a KSA expert and investor (60+ registrations).

We’re also opening our KSA Access Ecosystem to serious founders globally.

Inside, you get:
→ Free proprietary KSA Market Assessment (fundability + market readiness score)
→ Invite-only events with Saudi investors and partners
→ Access to our KSA Market Entry Playbook

Link in comments. 

For founders ready to move and take action.

Super excited for 2026 as we evolve into something bigger..

This is a natural evolution of work that has been unfolding quietly for the last two years.

Saad and I have been collaborating closely, aligning capital discipline with on-ground execution.

Saad has been active in the Saudi ecosystem for over a decade. Building ventures. Scaling inside the Kingdom. Navigating regulators, investors, and government programs firsthand.

Over the last 12 months, we have deepened that work.

Conversations with family offices, investors & VCs. Discussions with regulators. Engagement with accelerators and ecosystem players. Understanding how capital actually moves inside the region.

What became clear is that the problem is much bigger. The gap between founders and institutional ecosystems is bigger than capital support.

Founders don’t just need decks and introductions.

They need:

Structure.
Positioning.
Regulatory clarity.
Capital alignment.
Cross-border execution.

Solving that requires a broader identity & a bigger vision & mission

That is why we are evolving with a clear mandate to institutionalize ambitious companies and help them with capital, market & institutional support.

Transforming companies not only with capital but with ecosystem support, market access, and partnerships that change the trajectory of any business.  

Today, we consolidate years of work into a sharper vision.
Today, we become Stellar Ventures

Stay tuned for more updates.. 
We are planning something massive in the next 30 days.

I thought I was the only one who felt this way.
But 6 months after moving to Canada, I almost quit.

I was scaling my firm. Working with founders remotely.

But everything felt harder here.

Then I saw a PwC job posting for their Toronto office.

Senior Associate. Good pay. Benefits. Stability.

I stared at it for 3 days.

And I thought: "If I had just transferred to PwC Canada instead of leaving, I'd have the local market knowledge by now."

"I'd have the network. The credibility. The connections."

"I'd understand how Canadian investors think. How business works here."

Instead? I was starting from zero.

New country. No network. Building everything from scratch.

I almost applied.

Then I asked myself: "What happens in 2 years if you go back?"

Same ceiling. Same path. Same regret.

I'd be comfortable. But I'd still be asking 'what if?'

That's what pulled me back.

Not confidence. Just the fear of living the same regret twice.

Today? I'm glad I stayed the course.

P.S: Have you ever been that close to going back?

Excited to share our partnership with Eyad

This is about building the infrastructure international founders need to win in Saudi Arabia.

Our vision for KSA is clear - to make it possible for international founders to enter Saudi Arabia with the same level of preparation, positioning, and access that local founders have.

No more guessing. No more wasted trips. No more months lost to friction. Just a clear path from market entry to capital raise.

To the founders building toward Saudi Arabia: we're removing every barrier between your ambition and execution.


Mohammad Alkhater Saad Raja Stellar Ventures

We're excited to announce a strategic partnership between Stellar Ventures and Eyad, Saudi Arabia's leading company formation and business setup specialist.

This Memorandum of Understanding creates a direct bridge for international founders to establish credible operations in the Kingdom.

What This Partnership Delivers:
Through this collaboration, founders in our ecosystem gain end-to-end company formation support in Saudi Arabia — from entity structuring and licensing to regulatory compliance and operational setup.

Eyad specializes in helping international businesses navigate KSA's regulatory landscape with a blend of global standards and deep local expertise.

Combined with Stellar's cross-border fundraising experience, we're now offering founders a complete market entry solution: the right structure to operate and the right strategy to raise capital.

Why This Matters:
Saudi Arabia captured 67% of MENA startup funding in 2025, with $5 billion deployed into the ecosystem.

But raising capital requires institutional credibility. And credibility starts with proper incorporation, licensing, and local presence.

Most founders get this backwards. They chase investors before building operational legitimacy.

This partnership ensures you enter the market correctly from day one.

To international founders targeting KSA: we're removing the friction between ambition and execution.

More details on our KSA Access Ecosystem coming soon.

I'm connected with over 200+ angels on LinkedIn..
And 6 out 10 agree to get on a call with me whenever I ask them to..

Most founders are getting ghosted by the same investors.

Here is what I do differently...
(Founders, take notes)

→ I do my homework before I ever send a message
I read their content. Check their Crunchbase. Study their LinkedIn.
Preparation gets noticed.

→ I never lead with a pitch
No "let me send you some deals."
No "can we jump on a call so I can show you what we do."
The connection happens on a human level first. 
Transaction comes second.

→ I show genuine appreciation for their work
A thoughtful comment on their content. 
A message about something they wrote that resonated. 
Not flattery. Just real attention. Humans appreciate this..

→ I maintain the relationship even when I have nothing to send
Most people disappear when there is no deal on the table.
I stay in touch. That is what builds trust over time.
So by the time I share any deal, they know its vetted.

Does this take 30 to 60 days before a meeting happens?
Yes.

Does this guarantee that these angels will fund every deal I send across?
No.

But that's not the game. The game is much bigger than dealflow..

Investors are not ATMs.

They are people who have seen hundreds of founders take the shortcut.

When someone shows up prepared and patient, it stands out.

Not because it is impressive.

Because it is rare.

Stellar Ventures is hosting a live masterclass on market entry in KSA.

This is the definitive session for founders planning to enter Saudi Arabia.

What We're Covering:
→ Vision 2030 sector alignment and capital logic
→ The 12-18 month market entry timeline (and why it matters)
→ How to build relationships before LEAP
→ Regulatory setup, licensing, and entity structuring
→ Which funds to target and how to get warm introductions

Your Speakers:

Saad Raja - Partner at Stellar Ventures
Insider perspective on the Saudi ecosystem. From outsider to trusted advisor in the Kingdom's fundraising landscape.

Amjad Shacker - Saudi Market Expert
On-the-ground intelligence from someone who understands how capital actually moves in KSA.

This isn't theory.

This is the playbook we use with founders entering the market right now.

__
The KSA Opportunity: Strategic Overview
10:00 PM KSA (March 15) | 2:00 PM EST (March 15) |  12:00 AM PKT (March 16)
 

Register now using link: https://luma.com/l0gsoj8f
See you Sunday.

Founders with less experience & scrappier products are raising capital.
While you're getting "I'll get back to you" for the 8th time.

A second-time 43-year-old founder told me last week, "I have 10x the traction. Better team. More experience. Why can't I close?"

I told him it's not his business. It's his weak positioning.

Founders who are raising capital are doing 3 things differently:
→ First, they create urgency. Multiple investors. Tight timelines.
→ Second, they position scarcity. They're selective about who they work with.
→ Third, they lead with momentum. Not desperation.

I asked him: "Are you too available? Too grateful for the meeting? Too willing to wait?"

He went quiet.

Then said: "Yeah. All of that."

That's the problem.
Investors smell it.

You deserve to raise. Your business deserves capital.

But the wrong strategy keeps you waiting.
The right strategy makes them chase you.

P.S: Are you still waiting on an investor to "circle back"?

Founders looking to get into KSA 🇸🇦

Saudi Arabia is one of the most exciting markets in the world right now. But most founders enter it wrong, and it costs them time, money, and relationships they can't get back.

My partner, Saad, has been building in KSA since 2019. He scaled his business, made mistakes, closed deals and learned market intricacies only possible with on ground presence.


This Friday he’s sharing his learnings so that you don’t make those mistakes and exactly know how to win in this market 

📍 NIC Islamabad
📅 Friday, 13 March 2025
⏰ 10:00 AM

If you're a founder with KSA on your roadmap, I'd love to see you there.

RSVP link in the comments 👇

https://lnkd.in/dmTYudix

We are proud to introduce Amjad Shacker as our guest speaker for the KSA Market Access session.

Amjad has spent over three decades at the heart of Saudi Arabia's most consequential institutions, not as an observer, but as a decision-maker and architect of strategy. His career spans some of the Kingdom's most influential public and private entities, and he has played a direct role in shaping initiatives that have put Saudi Arabia on the global map.

For founders trying to understand how Saudi Arabia really works — the relationships, the institutions, the unwritten rules, there are very few people in the world better positioned to offer that perspective.
We are honoured to have him in the room.

Register now, link in comments 👇

__
The KSA Opportunity: Strategic Overview
10:00 PM KSA (March 15) | 2:00 PM EST (March 15) | 12:00 AM PKT (March 16)
 
See you Sunday.

Jeff McDermott

Venture Builder

Strategy, Advisory and Venture Building services for Entrepreneurs, Ecosystem Builders, Startup Studios and Emerging Fund Managers.

I am available Mon-Fri (8-11 am PST) to deep dive into: ✅ Pitch Deck Architecture & Narrative ✅ Venture Capital & Fund Strategy ✅ Real Estate Investing & Syndication ✅ Idea Validation & Market Fit

This is not a casual chat. 

Come prepared with your hard questions, and you will leave with actionable answers.

Secure a 30-minute sprint ($100) here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/gsnvq3Jk

Ialso offer unlimited monthly office hours for just $350 bucks. Hit me up if you'd like to take us up on this offer.

For Venture Building projects, pitch me your scenario and what you're looking for in a Venture Builder/Co-Founder/Partner and we can discuss options.

Co-Founder, Chairman & Managing General Partner

The Fund School is an emerging managers selection program where we provide an online and remote training program for those thinking about a career as a fund General Partner.

You may think it's a shortcut, but you may end up breaking the law...

When you're raising capital you'll typically come upon "finders" or "super connectors" who are well connected with high level investors, so you approach them to see if anyone in their network would be interested in your offering.

Here's where most get in trouble with stuff like this. They use the 506b exemption which means no general solicitation and all of the investors that they pitch or sell to need to be existing relationships.

Even if you know the "finder" and have qualified them, they cannot go pitch your deal to their investors because that is basically general solicitation which with the 506b is a no no.

You may think that because you know the "finder" and that "finder" knows the investors very well, that this gets around the rules, it does not. 

You need to know and qualify each one of those investors personally, and I don't know anyone who is going to hand over their database or relationships and let you run wild with it! The "finder" would have to make intros before they showed their investors the deal and again, I don't know many who would do this as they now have no control of the process.

The other fact to consider is that unless the "finder" is licensed, they cannot earn a success fee or referral fee for any capital placed. So, unless they are working on a flat fee only for making intros no matter the outcome, this too is illegal.

I'm just saying to be careful out there when it comes to raising capital via private securities as there are rules and laws to abide to and most don't even know what those rules and laws are so they just wing it, which typically doesn't end well.

Know the rules before you go play the game!

Sports industry investment professional @ Champion Capital. | Strategy, Advisory and Venture Building services for Entrepreneurs, Ecosystem Builders, Startup Studios and Emerging Fund Managers.

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