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

No alternative text description for this image

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.

Poroi (Fintech + AI) | CMO | We're fundraising

Ex-trader who saw how the 1% invest. Now building the "Memory Layer" for global banks.

Founder & CEO @Aurium, The System of Record for Cross-Border Financial Compliance, bringing clarity, predictability, and automation to complex global wealth operations.

Marketing Director with deep experience in growth within regulated markets.

The wealth gap isn’t just about money. It’s about access to the right tools and compliance clarity. 

I write about:
→ AI disrupting traditional finance
→ Cross-border wealth compliance & automation
→ Building Aurium from 0 to launch

After years on trading floors, I learned the game is rigged.
Now I’m using AI to unrig it, making global finance safer, faster, and smarter.

Currently: Pre-MVP. Building in public. Follow the journey.

Mouad Dliaa

Most pre-seed founders think the pitch deck is the most important asset in fundraising.

It’s not.

The real asset is the decision system behind the deck.

Investors don’t fund slides.

They fund how founders think.

Every slide in your deck is actually answering one silent question:

Do these founders make good decisions under uncertainty?

Before traction exists, investors are looking for signals like these:

How did you choose the problem?

Did you randomly pick a big market?

Or did you identify a painful, recurring problem for a very specific user?

Problem selection is the first signal of judgment.

How did you choose the first customer?

Most founders say:

“Everyone could use this.”

That sounds big.

But to investors, it sounds like no distribution strategy.

Strong founders start narrow and expand later.

How do you test assumptions?

Pre-seed is not about perfect answers.

It’s about intelligent experimentation.

Investors want to see:

• What you tested
• What you learned
• What changed after feedback

Learning speed becomes the proxy for execution.

How do you handle constraints?

Resources are limited.

Time is limited.

Attention is limited.

Founders who prioritize clearly signal leadership.

Founders who try to do everything signal chaos.

This is why two decks can look identical…

But one company gets funded and the other gets ignored.

The difference is decision quality behind the narrative.

At pre-seed, investors are not betting on traction.

They are betting on how you think when traction doesn’t exist yet.

That’s the real pitch.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm on a mission to help the top 1% of early-stage founders build investor-ready narratives that actually convert.

DM me "RAISE" if you want to stop guessing and start running a structured fundraising process.

♻️ Found this valuable? Repost to your network and follow Mouad Dliaa & Raise for a daily startup strategy.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #VentureCapital #FounderAdvice #StartupStrategy #RAISE

Founder & CEO, Raise: Helping early-stage founders raise capital through a proven framework.

Most pre-seed rounds don’t fail because investors say no.

They fail because founders run out of momentum.

At the beginning, fundraising feels exciting.

New intros.
First meetings.
Positive feedback.

You think the round will close quickly.

Then things slow down.

Investors say:

“Keep us updated.”
“Circle back in a few months.”
“Interesting, but early.”

Nothing sounds like rejection.

But nothing moves forward either.

This is the pre-seed dead zone.

No clear yes.

No clear no.

Just stalled momentum.

It usually happens for three reasons:

1️⃣ The story isn’t sharp yet

Investors understand parts of the pitch.

But they can’t easily repeat it to their partners.

And if the story can’t travel, the deal can’t progress.

2️⃣ There’s no visible progress between meetings

You talk to an investor in March.

Then again in April.

Nothing changed.

No new insight.
No new learning.
No product evolution.

Conviction can’t grow without movement.

3️⃣ Outreach wasn’t sequenced

Many founders talk to investors randomly.

One this week.

Another next month.

Momentum disappears.

Strong rounds compress meetings into short windows.

Pre-seed fundraising isn’t about convincing one investor.

It’s about building compounding belief across several conversations.

That only happens when the story is clear and progress is visible.

The founders who raise fastest don’t have perfect startups.

They have clear narratives and controlled momentum.

That’s what investors follow.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #VentureCapital #FounderAdvice #StartupStrategy #RAISE

VCs posting all day on LinkedIn.

Founders refreshing inboxes waiting for replies.

Both think the other side is the problem.


Founders see this and think:

“Investors are ignoring us.”

Investors see their inbox and think:

“Nothing here feels investable.”

Both are partially right.


Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Most founders don’t get ignored because VCs are lazy.

They get ignored because filtering happens fast.

Brutally fast.


An investor doesn’t reject you.

They reject uncertainty.

Unclear positioning.
Unfocused markets.
Stories that change every conversation.

When conviction isn’t obvious, silence becomes the response.


Investors aren’t sitting on money deciding who to ignore.

They’re trying to reduce risk under extreme information overload.

Hundreds of decks.

Minutes of attention.

One question:

“Do I believe this founder understands what they’re doing?”


What founders interpret as ghosting is often just failed signal transmission.

Your story didn’t transfer belief.

So the conversation never started.


The founders who get replies do one thing differently:

They make decisions visible.

Clear problem.
Clear user.
Clear reasoning.

Investors don’t chase hype.

They chase clarity.


Fundraising isn’t about getting attention.

It’s about removing doubt before outreach even begins.

Inside Raise, we help founders pressure-test their narrative so investor silence turns into real conversations.

DM me "RAISE" if you want the framework.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #VentureCapital #FounderReality #StartupAdvice #RAISE

Founder & CEO, Raise | I help early-stage founders raise capital through a proven framework.

Your deck might be perfect.

But your story is failing.

Clean slides.

Great design.

Nice charts.

Still… investors pass.

Most founders assume the problem is the deck.

So they redesign it.

New colors.
Better visuals.
More slides.

But the outcome stays the same.

Because investors aren’t rejecting design.

They’re rejecting unclear decisions.

A perfect deck can still hide a weak story.

It usually looks like this:

The problem is broad.
The user is vague.
The solution tries to do everything.

Each slide makes sense.

But the company doesn’t.

When investors finish the deck, one question remains:

“What exactly are they building first?”

If that’s unclear, conviction never starts.

At pre-seed, your story must answer three things instantly:

Who is this for?

Not a market.

A specific user with a painful problem.

What decision does your product solve?

What frustrating choice disappears once your product exists?

Clarity here creates urgency.

Why does this startup work now?

Technology changed.
Behavior changed.
Regulation changed.

Timing turns ideas into opportunities.

If those answers are sharp, the deck becomes powerful.

If they’re not, even a beautiful deck fails.

Investors don’t fund slides.

They fund clear reasoning behind the slides.

Inside RAISE, we help founders rebuild the narrative behind the deck before they start investor outreach.

Because fixing the story fixes the fundraising.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm on a mission to help the top 1% of early-stage founders build investor-ready narratives that actually convert.

DM me "RAISE" if you want to stop guessing and start running a structured fundraising process.

♻️ Found this valuable? Repost to your network and follow Mouad Dliaa & Raise for a daily startup strategy.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #PitchDeck #Startups #VentureCapital #FounderAdvice #RAISE

Pre-seed round was never “easy”…

but it was simpler.


A few years ago, a strong vision and a compelling founder story could open doors fast.

Today, investors still fund early companies.

But the bar changed.

Not higher.
Sharper.


In 2026, investors aren’t looking for louder ideas.

They’re looking for clearer thinking.

After the hype cycles and rushed funding decisions, early-stage capital now moves differently.


Here’s how pre-seed actually gets raised in 2026:


1️⃣ Judgment before traction

You don’t need scale yet.

You need strong decisions.

Why this problem?
Why this user first?
Why now?

Investors fund founders whose reasoning feels inevitable.


2️⃣ Focus beats ambition

Big markets don’t convince early investors.

Specific entry points do.

One ICP.
One use case.
One clear wedge.

Clarity creates belief.


3️⃣ Distribution is part of the story

Product alone isn’t enough anymore.

Investors want to understand:

Where your first users come from.
Why you can reach them repeatedly.
What advantage you have in access.

If acquisition feels random, risk feels high.


4️⃣ Learning velocity replaces projections

Five-year forecasts don’t signal readiness.

Learning speed does.

What did you test recently?
What changed because of feedback?
How fast do decisions evolve?

Execution is measured through iteration.


5️⃣ The data room matters earlier

In 2026, the deck opens the door.

The data room builds conviction.

User insights.
Experiment logs.
Market reasoning.
Product decisions.

Proof doesn’t need to be big, it needs to be coherent.


6️⃣ Story alignment is non-negotiable

Your one-pager, deck, and data room must speak the same language.

Same problem.
Same user.
Same logic.

If the narrative shifts, belief disappears.

Investors don’t debate confusion.

They move on.


Pre-seed didn’t become harder.

It became more disciplined.

The founders who win today aren’t louder.

They’re clearer.

Inside RAISE, we help founders prepare their narrative, assets, and outreach before investor conversations begin, so momentum builds instead of stalls.

Comment RAISE if you want the 2026 pre-seed readiness framework.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #VentureCapital #FounderAdvice #StartupFunding #RAISE

Most pre-seed founders think investors say “no.”

In reality, investors usually say nothing.

Silence is the most common fundraising outcome.

You send the deck.

They open it.

Three minutes later, they’ve already decided whether to continue.

Not officially.

But mentally.


The brutal part?

It rarely comes down to your idea.

It comes down to clarity.

Can they understand:

• Who the user is
• What painful problem exists
• Why your solution works now
• How the first users arrive

If any of those are unclear, the brain chooses the easiest option:

Move on.


Investors don’t debate every opportunity.

They filter.

Hundreds of decks.
Limited attention.
Fast pattern recognition.

Unclear companies don’t get rejected.

They get ignored.


This is why the strongest founders focus less on persuasion and more on signal strength.

Clear problem.

Clear user.

Clear distribution path.

Clear reasoning behind decisions.

When those signals are obvious, conversations start faster.


Pre-seed fundraising isn’t about convincing investors.

It’s about making belief easy.

Because the moment an investor can explain your company to a partner in one sentence…

You’re already halfway to a check.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #VentureCapital #FounderAdvice

Stop posting “We’re raising” on LinkedIn.

Nobody cares.


Even your own community usually doesn’t.

Founders think announcing a raise attracts investors.

It doesn’t.

Investors don’t source deals from fundraising announcements.

They source conviction.


A public “we’re raising” post signals one thing:

You need capital.

But investors already assume that.

What they’re actually looking for is evidence.


Here’s why these posts rarely work:

You’re asking for attention before earning curiosity.

No insight.
No momentum.
No reason to believe this company matters now.

So people scroll.


Investors respond to signals, not requests.

Signals look like:

• A sharp insight about a market
• Real user behavior you discovered
• A decision you made that changed direction
• A distribution advantage others missed

That creates inbound conversations.

Not fundraising announcements.


The irony?

The founders who raise fastest rarely post that they’re raising.

They post thinking.

They post learning.

They show progress indirectly.

And investors reach out first.


If you want LinkedIn to help fundraising, stop asking for money publicly.

Start building intellectual credibility.

Make investors think:

“This founder understands something others don’t.”

That’s what opens DMs.

Inside Raise, we help founders turn content into conviction signals, so outreach becomes warmer before the first email is sent.

Comment RAISE if you want the founder positioning framework.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #VentureCapital #FounderAdvice #LinkedInForFounders #RAISE

Most founders try to raise pre-seed without a playbook.

They improvise.

And investors can feel it immediately.

Pre-seed isn’t random.

It’s not charisma.
It’s not luck.
It’s not sending decks to 200 investors.

It’s a sequence.

Miss the order, you slow yourself down for months.


Here’s The Pre-Seed Playbook most successful founders follow:


1️⃣ Define one sharp problem

Not a market.

Not an industry.

One painful, specific problem for one type of user.

If your ICP changes every conversation, conviction never forms.


2️⃣ Build an earned insight

Pre-seed investors fund understanding.

What do you know about the problem others missed?

Why now?
Why you?
Why does this finally work?

Insight replaces traction early on.


3️⃣ Create a distribution wedge

Product alone doesn’t convince investors.

You need a believable path to users.

Where do your first 100 users come from?

If the answer is “marketing,” it’s not clear enough.


4️⃣ Move fast and show learning

Pre-seed isn’t about perfection.

It’s about momentum.

What changed in the last 2–3 weeks?

What did you test?
What failed?
What improved?

Learning speed signals execution quality.


5️⃣ Align your fundraising assets

Most founders lose investors here.

One-pager.
Deck.
Data room.

Same language.
Same user.
Same story.

If these disagree, belief breaks before diligence even starts.


6️⃣ Only then, start outreach

Fundraising too early burns introductions.

Your first investor meetings shape your reputation.

Preparation isn’t delay.

It’s leverage.


The truth:

Pre-seed investors aren’t betting on traction.

They’re betting on decision-making.

Clarity + momentum + coherence = conviction.

That’s the real playbook.

Inside @RAISE, we help founders execute this step-by-step before they ever send their first deck.

DM me "RAISE" if you want the pre-seed readiness framework.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #VentureCapital #FounderAdvice #StartupPlaybook #RAISE

The sharpest pre-seed pitches solve one acute problem for one specific user.


Not a market.

Not an industry.

A person.


Most pre-seed decks try to look big too early.

Multiple users.
Multiple problems.
Multiple use cases.

It feels ambitious.

To investors, it feels unfocused.


At pre-seed, scope kills conviction.

Because if everything is a priority, nothing is believable.

Investors don’t ask:

“How large can this become?”

First they ask:

“Where does this start working?”


The strongest pitches sound narrow.

Painfully narrow.

“We help freelance designers get paid faster.”
“We help restaurants reduce last-minute cancellations.”
“We help recruiters screen candidates in under 5 minutes.”

Specificity builds trust.


Why this works:

A clear user makes distribution understandable.

A clear problem makes urgency obvious.

A clear starting point makes execution believable.

And believable companies get funded.


Founders often fear being too small.

But investors know expansion comes after dominance.

Focus first.

Expand later.


If your pitch needs five minutes to explain who it’s for, you’re not ready for fundraising.

If it can be repeated in one sentence, you’re getting close.

One user.
One problem.
One decision.

That’s how pre-seed conviction starts.

Inside RAISE, we help founders compress their story until investors can instantly understand and repeat it after the call.

DM ME "RAISE" if you want the clarity framework.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #VentureCapital #FounderAdvice #StartupStrategy #RAISE

If you’re raising a pre-seed round for your Web3 startup.

Yesterday, an investor reached out.

He’s actively looking for 2 Web3 startups to back right now.

Not 20.
Not “exploring the space.”
Two.


What he cares about:

• A strong, credible team
• Ability to move fast
• Clear execution roadmap
• No speculative fluff

This is not about token hype.
It’s about disciplined builders in Web3.


And here’s the important part:

If your pitch still sounds like:

“Web3 will change everything…”

You’re not ready.

If you can clearly explain:

• What specific user problem you solve
• Why blockchain is necessary (not decorative)
• How you create defensible advantage
• How quickly you can ship and iterate

Then you should reach out.


Pre-seed capital in Web3 still exists.

But it’s selective.
And it’s moving toward teams with operational intensity, not narrative hype.

If this sounds like you, DM me:

• What you’re building
• Stage
• Team background
• Current traction (if any)

If it’s aligned, I’ll make the intro.

Serious builders only.

#Web3 #PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #VentureCapital

AI can write a fundable pitch deck.

Yes.

It can also draft investor emails.

I tested it myself.

And it works.


You can prompt AI to generate:

• A full 10–12 slide deck
• Market framing
• Problem → solution narrative
• Investor cold emails
• Even a basic financial model

Technically?

You can prepare for fundraising in a few hours.


But here’s the part most founders misunderstand.

AI can produce the format.

It can’t produce the judgment.


AI doesn’t know:

Which user actually matters first.
Which assumption is most fragile.
Which market angle investors will believe.

Those decisions still belong to the founder.


So the real risk isn’t AI writing your deck.

The risk is founders outsourcing their thinking.

A perfect-looking deck with weak decisions behind it is still a weak company.

And investors detect that quickly.


The founders who win with AI use it differently.

They don’t ask it to replace them.

They use it to accelerate iteration.

Write → test → refine → pressure-test.

Faster thinking.

Not automated thinking.


AI will absolutely change how fundraising preparation happens.

But clarity of judgment will remain the rare signal.

Tools write slides.

Founders make decisions.

I've Done this and it's working, if you want the right prompts we use at Raise DM me "PROMPTS"

Inside Raise, we show founders how to use tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini to accelerate fundraising preparation, without losing strategic clarity.


#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #AI #FounderAdvice #VentureCapital #RAISE

90% of pre-seed founders fail before they even pitch.

Not during the meeting.

Not during diligence.

Much earlier.


Most founders think fundraising starts when they send the deck.

It doesn’t.

Fundraising starts when you make the first strategic decisions about your startup.

And that’s where most mistakes happen.


Here’s where things usually break:

1️⃣ The problem isn’t sharp

The startup tries to solve a broad issue.

Something like:

“Helping businesses automate operations.”

Sounds interesting.

But investors can’t picture the real pain or the real buyer.

If the problem isn’t specific, belief never forms.


2️⃣ The user isn’t clear

Many decks say:

“SMBs,”
“Creators,”
“Enterprises.”

Those are markets.

Not users.

Investors want to know who exactly wakes up with this problem every day.

Without that clarity, distribution looks impossible.


3️⃣ There’s no believable entry point

Big markets are good.

But pre-seed investors ask a different question:

“Where does this start working first?”

If the answer is vague, execution risk feels too high.


4️⃣ The story isn’t coherent

The deck says one thing.

The one-pager says another.

The data room tells a different story.

Nothing looks wrong.

But nothing feels solid either.

And uncertainty kills conviction.


5️⃣ The founder is pitching too early

This is the most common one.

Founders rush into investor meetings before the narrative is clear.

Those early meetings become silent rejections.

And burned introductions.


By the time founders realize something is wrong…

Momentum is already gone.


Pre-seed fundraising isn’t about persuasion.

It’s about clarity before the first conversation happens.

If investors can’t quickly understand what you’re building and why it matters, the pitch never even begins.

That’s why most founders fail before the first real investor meeting.

If you’re preparing to raise and want help fixing these issues before talking to investors, DM me "RAISE".

I work with founders 1:1 to rebuild their deck, align the story, structure the data room, and prepare investor outreach.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #VentureCapital #FounderAdvice #StartupStrategy

Anyone can raise their first $1M via LinkedIn.

Not from a VC.

Not from an accelerator.

From LinkedIn.

Most founders use LinkedIn like a resume.

They post updates.
Announcements.
“Excited to share…”

That’s not how the platform works.


LinkedIn is a trust engine.

If people trust how you think, opportunities start appearing.

Investors.
Customers.
Partners.

All in the same place.


I’ve seen founders get:

Investor intros.
First paying customers.
Advisors.
Partnerships.

All from consistent LinkedIn presence.


But it doesn’t happen by posting randomly.

It happens when you share signal.

Things like:

• Insights from building your startup
• Lessons from fundraising
• Mistakes you made and what changed
• Market observations others miss

That builds credibility.


Once credibility compounds, something interesting happens.

People start reaching out first.

Instead of chasing opportunities…

Opportunities find you.


LinkedIn isn’t just a social network.

For founders, it’s a distribution channel for trust.

And trust eventually converts into capital.

Or customers.

Or both.


If you’re a pre-seed founder trying to raise or build momentum, start showing how you think, not just what you’re building.

That’s how the first doors open.

If you want help turning LinkedIn into a real fundraising channel, DM me "RAISE".


P.S. What kind of content actually brought you opportunities on LinkedIn?

♻️ Repost this to help other founders in your network.
📌 Follow Mouad Dliaa for more content like this.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #LinkedInForFounders #PersonalBrand #VentureCapital #RAISE

I stopped giving free feedback on pitch decks.

Not because I don’t want to help founders.

Because it was costing me hours every week.


For a long time founders would send me their decks and ask:

“Can you quickly review this?”

But a real review is never quick.

To give honest feedback I need to understand:

• The problem you’re solving
• Your market logic
• Your positioning
• Your fundraising strategy

That’s not a 5-minute comment.

That’s real work.


So I changed the structure.

Instead of quick feedback, I now work directly with founders on rebuilding the fundraising foundation.

1:1.


What we usually work on:

• Rebuilding the pitch deck narrative
• Clarifying the fundraising story
• Finding the right investors for your stage
• Structuring the data room
• Writing investor outreach emails
• Preparing for investor conversations

Not theory.

Practical work founders use immediately.


Because the real cost in fundraising isn’t paying for help.

It’s wasting months talking to investors with the wrong story.

Burning introductions.

Burning time.

Burning momentum.


If you’re a founder who values time and wants to approach fundraising strategically, feel free to DM me "Raise" .

We’ll see if a 1:1 session makes sense.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #PitchDeck #FounderAdvice #VentureCapital

In 2026

Investors don’t just read your deck.

AI reads it first.

Before a partner even opens your slides, tools already analyze:

Your market claims.
Your positioning.
Your traction logic.
Your narrative consistency.

Your pitch is filtered before human attention begins.


Most founders still pitch like it’s 2022.

Design-heavy slides.
Big vision statements.
Vague differentiation.

But AI doesn’t react to storytelling energy.

It scans for coherence.


Here’s what AI-driven screening actually flags:

❌ Market sizes with no reasoning
❌ Claims not supported anywhere else in the deck
❌ Buzzwords replacing clear outcomes
❌ Problem statements that sound generic
❌ Metrics presented without context

Humans might overlook this.

Machines don’t.


The shift is subtle but important:

You’re no longer pitching only investors.

You’re pitching systems designed to detect weak thinking.


What passes the first filter now?

• Clear ICP definition
• Logical problem → solution flow
• Consistent language across slides
• Real assumptions instead of inflated projections
• Evidence of learning, not perfection

AI rewards structure.

Structure signals discipline.

Discipline builds trust before the meeting even happens.


This is why many founders feel ignored faster today.

It’s not always rejection.

Sometimes your deck never reached real discussion.


In 2026, fundraising starts before the call.

Your narrative must survive machine scrutiny before human belief.

Inside Raise, we help founders pressure-test decks the same way investors and AI screening tools do, before outreach begins.

Comment "RAISE" if you want the pre-meeting audit framework.

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #VentureCapital #AIStartups #FounderAdvice #RAISE

Pre-seed founders, quick reality check 👇

Curious to see where most founders struggle right now.

(If you want RAISE to help you solve it, drop RAISE in the comments.)

#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #FounderPoll #VentureCapital #RAISE

Where are you currently stuck in your pre-seed fundraising journey?

Pre-seed & Seed founders 

Curious to see where most founders are stuck.


#PreSeed #Fundraising #Startups #VentureCapital #FounderPoll #RAISE

What is the hardest part of raising your first round right now?

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The Battle

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jamal K, ACA's LinkedIn Performance

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