Funded | How They Raised Millions

Builder Turned Fundraiser: Tractian's $45M Series B (Igor Marinelli / Tractian - Ep 35)

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While most kids were occupied with typical childhood activities, today's guest was already knee-deep in the world of technology. From coding PHP to de...

TBC: The Use of Funds Slide (TBC64)

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, the host tackles a common yet often misunderstood slide in pitch decks: the "use of funds" slide.

TBC: The Secret Value of the Email Appendix (TBC63)

15 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Back Channel, Jason shares a fresh approach to email communication that's both personal and impactful.

Trailblazing the VC Industry (Joanna Strober / Midi Health - Ep 34)

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the last two decades, the startup industry has seen remarkable transformations, from the emergence of angel investors and venture capital firms to ...

TBC: 3 Tips for Choosing Service Providers (TBC62)

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Back Channel, we delve into a crucial post-fundraising topic: choosing service providers for your startup.

TBC: What's the Deal With Thesis-Driven Firms? (TBC61)

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join Jason Yeh on The Back Channel as he demystifies thesis-driven firms. They may not be as rigid as you think!

Paying the Peter Thiel Price (Dylan Beynon / Mindbloom - Ep 33)

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Just like with any skill, there are beginners, and there are experts. Through practice and experience, the experts become exceptional at what they do....

TBC: Bouncing Back After Failure (TBC60)

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Jason shares a conversation with a founder who recently raised capital but had to close their startup.

TBC: Creating a Story That Can Be Shared (TBC59)

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wondered why your startup story and pitch deck need to be razor-sharp?  Sure, you want to impress investors, but there's more to it than meets ...

A Wyoming Success Story ( Heather Shoemaker / Language I/O - Ep 32)

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

2023 was a tough year to fundraise. Almost all venture-backed founders felt the toll of being in a down market this past year. But when you're a fe...

TBC: Should Founders Try Again With Investors Who've Passed? (TBC58)

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we explore the wisdom behind reconnecting with investors who previously passed on your pitch. Remember, investor passes aren't pers...

TBC: Don't Fall Into The Builder's Trap (TBC57)

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this Backchannel episode, Jason tackles a familiar trap for founders: productive procrastination! From fixing pages to creating automations, it's...

Fundraising EQUALS Hard Work (Bobby Pinero / Levels - Ep 31)

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Not every entrepreneur starts off knowing what business they want to create. For Bobby Pinero, Co-founder and CEO of Equals, it took him 8 years of bu...

TBC: The Similarities Between Real Estate and Fundraising (TBC56)

28 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever compared fundraising with real estate? Once you do, you'll be shocked by their similarities.

TBC: The Need For Support in Fundraising (TBC55)

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For a topic that seems to be "cliche", it sure is important. What if we were to tell you that getting support around your fundraise is one of the bes...

TBC: CEOs Should Always Be the Ones to Pitch (TBC54)

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Who should be the one to pitch - the CEO or the outgoing salesman? In today's episode of The Backchannel, Jason explains why he believes the CEO shou...

TBC: Explaining "The Money Round" (TBC53)

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this Back Channel episode, we're diving into the elusive "money round" investors adore. So what is it? To sum it up, the "money round" is the ro...

TBC: Preparing For a Pitch Competition (TBC52)

30 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Working with founders it's safe to say Jason has seen a lot of pitches, good and bad. Not to mention he himself has pitched quite a bit in his past a...

TBC: Data Rooms - What You Need to Know (TBC51)

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There's a lot of talk about data rooms in the startup world - but a lot of founders struggle to understand what a data room actually is. In today's e...

TBC: Pitching VCs Through a Screen (TBC50)

16 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we're unraveling the mystery behind Zoom-based pitches – a critical skill in the post-March 2020 startup landscape. Jason takes us...

TBC: Launch Before You're Ready (TBC49)

09 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Slow and steady doesn't always win the race. In this episode of The Backchannel, we dive into a unique perspective on startup success that's not just...

TBC: How to Grow Your Network FAST (TBC48)

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Back Channel, we've got a cool fundraising hack for you. Ever thought about hosting networking dinners to amp up your investo...

TBC: Importance of CRM Systems When Fundraising (TBC47)

26 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of the hard truths of fundraising is that most founders don't have nearly enough investors added to their target lists. Some stop at 20, others e...

TBC: Pre-seed vs. Seed - What's the difference? (TBC46)

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pre-seed vs. seed. It seems there are more and more terms coming out, but no one fully knows what they mean. My guess is even most investors don't a...

TBC: How to Handle Investor Rejection (TBC45)

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rejection. It's a fundamental part of the game, even for the biggest success stories like Airbnb. Rejection is tough, but it's also a chance to le...

TBC: Preparing to Fundraise in a Down Market (TBC44)

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We are in new times. Raising money has become harder than it used to be. Impressing VCs has started to feel like it's impossible. Because I work w...

TBC: Build Your Reputation First (TBC43)

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A few months ago I had a fireside chat with a successful venture backed founder and friend of mine, Daniel Hatkoff. I wanted to bring him on is becau...

Down by 20? Down But Not Out... (Tiffany Kelly / Curastory - Ep 30)

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Let me get something straight: fundraising is tough. You will be challenged. You will be knocked down. But if you have true grit and passion for you...

TBC: Insights From My Trip to Brazil (TBC42)

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Depending on how long you've followed me or stayed in touch with what I'm up to, some of you might not know that I fly down to Brazil at least a few t...

TBC: Work / Life Balance (TBC41)

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As an entrepreneur, it is all too easy to lose yourself in your work. If you aren't careful, your entire life becomes consumed by it. This is not to...

Becoming the Pepsi to Indeed's Coke (Lucas Martinez / Talent.com - Ep 29)

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's becoming more and more common for people to get through college and realize they still have no idea what they want out of life. On top of that, m...

TBC: The Role of Emotions in Pitching (TBC40)

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What's the most important part of pitching your company to VCs? Some think it's sharing the right numbers and statistics. Others think it's about ...

TBC: What VCs Are Saying About AI Investing (TBC39)

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since chatGPT was released in November of 2022, there has been a flood of other AI platforms pulling from openai's original technology. That bei...

Thriving With or Without Funding (Andrew Gazdecki / Acquire.com - Ep 28)

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Gazdecki might have had some successful raises (totaling over $11M for his most recent venture) but paradoxically, he believes 99% of founders ...

TBC: Intros & Forwardable Emails (TBC38)

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The art of introductions is something heavily ignored when founders are learning how to start their fundraising process. Truth is, intros are the lif...

TBC: Side Letter Warning (TBC37)

17 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Side letters are not only more complicated than they seem but dangerous to your fundraise if not properly managed. Side letters, often accompanying s...

The Hustlers Journey (Thomas McLeod / Arkive - Ep 27)

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of people say that the hustle of an entrepreneur starts long before their first business. For Thomas McLeod, 5x serial entrepreneur, this couldn...

TBC: Putting Project Management First (TBC36)

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Project management - an often overlooked and unsexy aspect of fundraising. Contrary to the dramatic portrayals in movies, fundraising is essentially ...

TBC: What Comes First - Calm Confidence or Investor Interest? (TBC35)

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most common dilemmas faced by founders in the fundraising world is the chicken and egg dynamic. Much like the age-old question, founders ...

Breaking the Status Quo (Lolita Taub / Ganas Ventures - Ep 26)

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Community & representation. These are the two things that Lolita Taub, founder of Ganas Ventures has prioritized while building her fund. Most peopl...

TBC: Post Money Cap Safes have Anti-Dilution! (TBC34)

31 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We’re back on post-money cap SAFEs talk! In the previous episode, we explained what it is and how it works within the fundraising process. For thi...

TBC: Post Money Caps vs. Pre-money Caps (an explainer) (TBC33)

24 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Founders are often intimidated by some of the more complex fundraising concepts. One of these is the concept of post-money cap SAFE. Post-money cap ...

TBC: Vulnerability in Fundraising (TBC32)

17 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We all have stories we like to keep to ourselves for many reasons. It’s uncomfortable to tell these stories because they may be a sign of weakness,...

TBC: The Rollercoaster of Fundraising (TBC31)

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Entering the fundraising world is one heck of a journey - a big rollercoaster ride, to be exact. You'll face endless ups and downs, and there will be...

TBC: Deck-Building: Note Cards (TBC30)

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Building decks is one of the most significant steps of preparing to fundraise. Knowing what to include and how to deliver it is key to a successful d...

TBC: Chase or Be Chased? (TBC29)

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Talking to investors can be gut-wrenching for founders, especially for first-timers. The anxiety of going up to someone, asking for money, and promi...

Money Baggage in Fundraising (Shiloh Johnson / ComplYant - Ep25)

22 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Every startup business knows that aside from expertise and skills, you also need grit and resilience when starting your company. Building from the gr...

TBC: Rest (TBC28)

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Founders heavily live in "grind culture" - working long hours and setting aside various personal parts of their lives to achieve their career goals. ...

TBC: How VCs are trained (TBC27)

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all have to start from somewhere small, and venture capitalists are not an exception. They aren't magically "experts" in the field and know every t...

TBC: The ability to be great is everywhere but resources are not (TBC25)

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Being a great entrepreneur is a commitment to continuous growth, learning, and experience. There isn’t only one profile of a great entrepreneur - ...

TBC: Decks as Appetizers (TBC26)

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Did anybody say appetizers? We’re all in 🤤! Appetizers are underrated and frequently overlooked, but they are no less important than the main co...

A Bubble valuation that's not so inflated? (Bubble / Emmanuel Straschnov - Ep24)

01 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Getting your company’s valuation right is a crucial and complex process that hugely affects the future of your company. Too high? Investors might t...

TBC: The Importance And Fragility Of Credibility (TBC24)

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The key to creating a remarkable network and achieving a successful fundraise? Credibility. In this episode, Jason Yeh talks about credibility - how ...

TBC: Explaining "this isn't venture-backable" (TBC23)

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Getting constructive feedback from experienced investors has always been part of any founder’s journey. When it comes to feedback, it’s vital tha...

Being The Pattern (Stax / Suneera Madhani - Ep23)

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you are a first-time founder and fundraiser, the first thing you’ll look for is a guide. You’ll look for successful founders in the industry...

TBC: Why in-person meetings are so valuable (TBC22)

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Now that the world is slowly emerging from the pandemic that transformed our lives over the past two years, it’s about time that things go back to n...

TBC: Eisenhower Matrix And Health Insurance (TBC21)

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Prioritizing tasks during fundraising preparation is one of the essential things a founder must stay on top of. A common struggle with this is start...

The Times They Are A-Changin (Flow Club / Ricky Yean - Ep 22)

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

No matter how much you plan for your fundraise, you're still bound to be challenged. Investors want to know that they're betting on a founder who kno...

TBC: VC Anxiety - Why am I seeing this deal? (TBC20)

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder what’s the first thing that comes to mind for investors when they see your deal? Aside from curiosity, anxiety creeps up on them, too. ...

Finding The ‘Right’ Problem (Othership / Robbie Bent - Ep21)

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

They say the second time’s a charm - and that rings true for Robbie Bent, CEO and Co-Founder of Othership, specifically on his fundraising and found...

TBC: The dirty secret of thesis-driven firms (TBC19)

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Thesis-driven firms have been on the rise for the past few years. These firms have a specific area of focus - one they use as a main driver for their...

TBC: Pitch The Circle (TBC18)

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As founders, it’s normal to want to show investors that you are worth it - that you are an expert in your field and that your company means somethin...

Diverse Female Founders (Special Funded Ep)

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Diversity hasn’t always been a major part of the world of venture capital and startups. But founders of different ethnicities, cultures, and backgr...

TBC: Cold Intros vs. Warm Intros (TBC17)

04 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Introductions hold incredible power in the world of fundraising. Pulling a good network together and getting to know new people takes effort and time...

TBC: The most famous pass ever (TBC16)

02 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rejections. Passes. Declined proposals. These things are inevitable in any fundraising story - so as early as possible, it’s best to prepare yourse...

TBC: Rounds are going CRAZY fast... (TBC15)

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Everybody has their own timeline. Some succeed early on their journey, while others go on for so long that they feel that success is too far away. Bu...

TBC: Narrative strategies and why they're important (TBC14)

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mastering your company’s narrative is one of the most vital things that you should have when starting any business. It’s what sets you apart from ...

TBC: You should share your wins (TBC13)

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With all the social media platforms at our fingertips, everyone can stay updated about any and everything. People consume content on social media on...

TBC: FOMO - a helluva drug (TBC12)

22 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ever heard of a good drug? And no, what I’m talking about is probably not what you’re thinking… it’s the fear of missing out. In the eyes of...

TBC: The mistake of over-targeting investors (TBC11)

20 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

No matter how much you prepare for something, there always comes a time when you stumble and fall. Truly, mistakes are inevitable in any circumstance...

TBC: Red Flag - solution looking for problems (TBC10)

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Red flags are warnings that there’s possible danger ahead - so when you see one, it’s best to turn around and change your direction. In fundrais...

TBC: Warm up meetings with investors (TBC09)

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When should you start taking meetings with investors? If you think you should wait until you’ve already started raising money to reach out, then yo...

TBC: The different roles at a VC (TBC08)

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Adjusting to whichever investor you’re talking to is necessary to get the most out of any conversation. Understanding where they are coming from wil...

TBC: Fundraising like a salesperson (TBC07)

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Selling. Fundraising. Selling. Fundraising. Are they related? What’s the connection? Is the knowledge of one a requirement for the other? In tod...

TBC: The benefits of intense fundraise prep (TBC06)

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered how essential it is to put in a lot of energy and effort into a process? We sometimes focus so much on our end goal that we te...

TBC: Should I stage my VC convos in tiers? (TBC05)

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you’re at the point of scheduling meetings with investors, that’s when you’re most likely to feel overwhelmed. Should you categorize your ...

TBC: Who should set valuation? (TBC04)

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There’s always a gray area when it comes to setting the valuation for a business during the fundraising process. The big question is always… WHO?...

TBC: Why you should learn investor language (TBC03)

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mastering language has got to be one of the most important psychological tools anyone can utilize and benefit from - including and especially for fund...

TBC: A thought on decks and appendices (TBC02)

30 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most vital processes before facing investors is building the perfect pitch deck. There is a tough balance to find with decks. You don’t...

TBC: Don't Be A Science Project (TBC01)

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are you a problem looking for a solution, or a solution looking for a problem? Pondering this is vital for entrepreneurs, especially for first timers...

TRAILER: What is The Backchannel (TBC)

26 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Funded presents: The BackChannel. Tune in with Jason Yeh as he shares behind-the-scenes insights, helpful tips and tricks, and reactions to all things...

Announcement: What's New?

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We've got some exciting news to tell! Hear the latest updates revolving around our podcast - what's new and what's to come. Stay tuned for the upcomin...

Fundraising Holiday Blues (Grapevine / Emily Rasmussen - Ep20)

08 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Fundraising for software that supports charitable giving started off as a challenge for Grapevine CEO Emily Rasmussen. After unlocking the fundraising...

If at First You Don't Succeed (Humming Homes / Adeel Malick - Ep19)

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Adeel Malick, the co-founder and CEO of Humming Homes, had the perfect background to start a company and lead a fundraise. Experience at startup stud...

The Culture of Preemptive Rounds (Neuro-ID / Jack Alton - Ep18)

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jack Alton was a startup vet before he was recruited to join Neuro-ID as its CEO in 2016. His requirements to join included headquartering the company...

Catching a Steady Wave 🏄 (SteadyMD / Guy Friedman - Ep17)

27 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In 2016, Guy Friedman was a successful startup founder with an exit. Most would think that would make raising money for his next company SteadyMD a b...

The Secret Science of Fundraising (REMIX: Levels / Sam Corcos - Ep16)

13 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our most popular Funded interview from Season 1 was an incredible 2-part episode where Sam Corcos, the CEO of levels talked about his scientific appr...

The Foreign Language of Fundraising (Cobli / Parker Treacy - Ep15)

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Parker Treacy created his first successful company in the United States without raising ventures capital. For his second company, he would need to lea...

Learning the Fundraising Dance (Nude Barre / Erin Carpenter - Ep14)

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Erin Carpenter grew up focused on becoming an entertainer with classical training as a ballerina. Along the way, an embarrassing uniform mishap as a y...

Investor Psychology 101 (Givingli / Nicole Emrani Green - Ep13)

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Nicole Emrani Green's journey from the rambunctious daughter of Persian immigrants to venture-backed CEO has had many twists and turns. Surprisingly, ...

Stayin' Alive 🎶(Omaze / Matt Pohlson - Ep12)

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Matt Pohlson, co-founder and CEO of Omaze, has had one of the most death defying startup journeys ever. Time and time again, his company has been on t...

Networking hard or hardly networking? (HMBradley / Zach Bruhnke - Ep11)

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Zach Bruhnke, co-founder and CEO of HMBradley, had a shot at startup glory with his first fintech company Spout. After investor skepticism caused him ...

Good fundraising for a “good business” (ChargerHelp! / Kameale Terry - Ep09)

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kameale Terry never wanted to be an entrepreneur, but eventually a problem she saw first hand in the electric vehicle industry drew her into starting ...

From YC darling to fundraising powerhouse (Vanta / Christina Cacioppo - Ep10)

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For the three years between her graduation from Y-Combinator to her splashy $50MM Series A raise from Sequoia, Christina Cacioppo and her company Vant...

Funded Season 2 Trailer

16 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Funded Season 2 launches on July 27, 2021. Listen for a sneak preview into what to expect in this exciting new season.

Acting like a master fundraiser (Yac / Justin Mitchell - Ep08)

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Before starting Yac, Justin Mitchell had zero network in venture capital, didn’t know the insider terms, and was based out of small town Florida. No...

Confidence is KEY...I think? (Sora / Laura Del Beccaro - Ep07)

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Laura Del Beccaro, the Founder of Sora, looks like the most VC-backable, first time founder ever. She went to a top university, was a software enginee...

F&F Round: 2020 Funding Trends with Russ Heddleston of DocSend (FF01)

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is Funded's first ever Friends & Family Round! With so many listeners asking questions about things they hear in episodes or about the fundraisin...

The Secret Science of Fundraising (Part 2 of 2 - Levels / Sam Corcos - Ep06)

19 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From the start of our conversation with Sam Corcos from Levels, it was obvious there was too much sauce for just one episode. In this second half of o...

The Secret Science of Fundraising (Part 1 of 2 - Levels / Sam Corcos - Ep05)

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Much like the "secret master plan" for his company Levels, Sam Corcos openly talks about what he was able to decipher when it comes to the science of ...