fundraising

refoundai/lenny-skills

Help founders raise capital by leading with their strongest point and preparing for the fundraising journey.

What is fundraising?

This skill guides founders through the fundraising process using insights from experienced product leaders. Use it when preparing pitch decks, deciding whether to raise venture capital, meeting with investors, or developing fundraising strategy.

Question whether venture capital is the right path before optimizing tactics
Identify and lead with your strongest proof point on the first slide
Set realistic expectations about investor rejection rates and build psychological resilience
Craft compelling pitch narratives that capture investor attention early
Help founders understand their stage, traction, and target raise amount

How to install fundraising

npx skills add https://github.com/refoundai/lenny-skills --skill fundraising

Claude Code

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How to use fundraising

1.Ask yourself: what is your strongest proof point (traction, team, insight, or market)?
2.Honestly assess whether venture capital aligns with your goals and business model
3.Identify what goes on your first slide—ensure it's your strongest evidence, not a generic problem statement
4.Prepare psychologically for 50-100 investor rejections as a normal part of the process
5.Gather feedback patterns from early investor conversations to refine your approach

Use cases

Good for

Preparing a pitch deck for investor meetings
Deciding between venture capital, bootstrapping, or alternative funding sources
Recovering from early investor rejections and maintaining momentum
Structuring your opening slide to maximize investor interest
Evaluating whether your current traction or insight is your strongest lead

Who it's for

Early-stage founders raising capital
Product leaders considering their first institutional funding round
Founders questioning whether the venture path aligns with their goals
Teams preparing for investor pitches and roadshows

fundraising FAQ

Should I always raise venture capital?

No. Before optimizing your pitch, honestly assess whether venture capital aligns with your goals, timeline, and business model. The venture path creates growth expectations that may not suit all founders or businesses. Consider bootstrapping or alternative funding if they better match your vision.

What should be on my first slide?

Your strongest proof point. This could be exceptional traction, a unique insight, a world-class team, or a massive market opportunity—whatever is most compelling. Investors form impressions in the first minute, so don't bury your best evidence deeper in the deck.

How many investors should I expect to pitch before getting funded?

Fundraising is a numbers game. Most investors will say no, and that's normal. Prepare psychologically for 50-100 rejections before getting a yes. Early nos are not signals about your company's viability—they're part of the process.

How do I determine my target raise amount?

This skill helps you think through your target raise by understanding your stage, traction, and what you need to achieve your next milestone. The skill prompts you to articulate how you arrived at your number rather than picking an arbitrary figure.

What if my strongest proof point isn't traction?

Your strongest proof point could be traction, team credentials, a unique insight, or market size. Identify which one is most compelling given your stage and lead with that on your first slide, regardless of whether it's traditional metrics.

Full instructions (SKILL.md)

Source of truth, from refoundai/lenny-skills.

name: fundraising description: Help founders raise capital and build investor relationships. Use when someone is preparing a pitch deck, deciding whether to raise venture capital, meeting with investors, or asking about fundraising strategy.

Fundraising Strategy

Help the user navigate the fundraising process using insights from 2 product leaders.

How to Help

When the user asks for help with fundraising:

Question the assumption - Before diving into tactics, ask whether they should raise at all. Understand their goals and whether venture capital is the right path
Understand their stage - Ask what round they're raising, how much traction they have, and what their strongest proof point is
Help craft the pitch - Focus on leading with their strongest point and building a compelling narrative
Prepare for the process - Set expectations about rejection rates and help them build resilience for the "dance of 100 nos"

Core Principles

Lead with your strongest point on slide one

Uri Levine: "Most people are missing the most important slide of their presentation is the first slide... This is the place that you're going to put your strongest point." Investors form impressions in the first minute. Don't bury your best evidence. If you have incredible traction, lead with it. If you have a unique insight, lead with that.

Challenge whether you should raise at all

Ryan Hoover: "I do spend time challenging founders sometimes when they're thinking about raising... to not raise." The venture path creates a "treadmill" of growth expectations. Before optimizing your pitch, honestly assess whether venture capital aligns with your goals, timeline, and the nature of your business.

Prepare for the "dance of 100 nos"

Fundraising is a numbers game. Most investors will say no, and that's normal. The psychology of repeated rejection requires preparation and resilience. Don't take early nos as signal about your company's viability.

Questions to Help Users

"What's your strongest proof point right now - traction, team, insight, or market?"
"Why are you raising venture capital specifically? Have you considered alternatives?"
"What's on your first slide? Is it your strongest point?"
"How many investors have you talked to? What patterns are you seeing in their feedback?"
"What's your target raise and how did you arrive at that number?"

Common Mistakes to Flag

Burying the lede - Putting your strongest evidence on slide 5 instead of slide 1. Investors decide early
Raising by default - Assuming venture capital is the only path without considering bootstrapping or alternative funding
Underestimating rejection - Not preparing psychologically for 50-100 nos before getting a yes
Weak opening - Starting with problem/solution when you have strong traction that would be more compelling