# Send Startup Fundraising Engine to your agent
Hand the extracted package to your coding agent with a concrete install brief instead of figuring it out manually.
## Fast path
- Download the package from Yavira.
- Extract it into a folder your agent can access.
- Paste one of the prompts below and point your agent at the extracted folder.
## Suggested prompts
### New install

```text
I downloaded a skill package from Yavira. Read SKILL.md from the extracted folder and install it by following the included instructions. Then review README.md for any prerequisites, environment setup, or post-install checks. Tell me what you changed and call out any manual steps you could not complete.
```
### Upgrade existing

```text
I downloaded an updated skill package from Yavira. Read SKILL.md from the extracted folder, compare it with my current installation, and upgrade it while preserving any custom configuration unless the package docs explicitly say otherwise. Then review README.md for any prerequisites, environment setup, or post-install checks. Summarize what changed and any follow-up checks I should run.
```
## Machine-readable fields
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      "scope": "source",
      "summary": "Source download looks usable.",
      "detail": "Yavira can redirect you to the upstream package for this source.",
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    "validation": {
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        "Review SKILL.md after the package is downloaded.",
        "Confirm the extracted package contains the expected setup assets."
      ],
      "postInstallChecks": [
        "Confirm the extracted package includes the expected docs or setup files.",
        "Validate the skill or prompts are available in your target agent workspace.",
        "Capture any manual follow-up steps the agent could not complete."
      ]
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  },
  "links": {
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    "downloadUrl": "https://openagent3.xyz/downloads/afrexai-startup-fundraising",
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    "manifestUrl": "https://openagent3.xyz/skills/afrexai-startup-fundraising/agent.json",
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}
```
## Documentation

### Startup Fundraising Engine ⚡

Complete fundraising operating system for founders raising pre-seed through Series B. Covers investor targeting, pitch construction, outreach, term sheet negotiation, due diligence preparation, and cap table management.

Zero dependencies. Pure methodology.

### 8-Signal Quick Health Check

Score each 0-2 (0 = not ready, 1 = partially, 2 = ready):

SignalQuestionScoreTractionDo you have measurable growth metrics?/2MarketCan you articulate a $1B+ market bottoms-up?/2TeamDo you have a founding team that can execute?/2ProductIs there a working product or clear prototype?/2StoryCan you explain the opportunity in 60 seconds?/2Unit EconomicsDo you know CAC, LTV, margins (or reasonable projections)?/2Use of FundsDo you have a clear 18-month plan for the capital?/2TimingIs now the right time to raise (runway, market, traction)?/2

Score interpretation:

14-16: Ready to raise. Start immediately.
10-13: Almost ready. Fix gaps in 2-4 weeks, then launch.
6-9: Not ready. Build more traction first. Raising now will damage your reputation.
0-5: Too early. Focus on product and initial customers.

### Fundraising Strategy Brief

fundraising_brief:
  company_name: ""
  stage: "" # pre-seed | seed | series-a | series-b
  current_arr_or_mrr: ""
  growth_rate_mom: "" # month-over-month
  team_size: 0
  months_of_runway: 0
  target_raise: "" # dollar amount
  target_valuation: "" # pre-money
  use_of_funds:
    engineering: "" # percentage + headcount
    sales_marketing: ""
    operations: ""
    runway_extension: ""
  timeline:
    start_date: ""
    target_close: "" # aim for 8-12 weeks
  key_metrics:
    customers: 0
    revenue: ""
    growth_rate: ""
    retention: ""
    burn_rate: ""

### Stage-Appropriate Raise Guide

StageTypical RaisePre-Money ValuationWhat You NeedInvestor TypePre-seed$250K-$1M$2M-$6MIdea + team + early signalAngels, pre-seed fundsSeed$1M-$4M$6M-$15MMVP + early traction + some revenueSeed funds, angelsSeries A$5M-$20M$20M-$60MPMF + $1M+ ARR + clear GTMSeries A VCsSeries B$15M-$50M$60M-$200MScaling + $5M+ ARR + unit economicsGrowth VCs

### Raise-or-Don't Decision Framework

Raise NOW if:

You have <6 months runway AND strong metrics
A clear use of funds would unlock 3-5x growth
Market timing is favorable (hot sector, strong VC appetite)
You have warm investor interest

DON'T raise if:

You can bootstrap to profitability in 6-12 months
Metrics aren't strong enough (raising on weak numbers = bad terms)
You're raising because "everyone else is" (worst reason)
You haven't talked to 10+ potential investors informally first

### Investor Selection Criteria

Score each potential investor 1-5:

DimensionWeightWhat to Look ForStage fit25%Do they invest at your stage? Check recent deals, not website claimsSector fit25%Have they invested in your space? Adjacent countsCheck size15%Does your raise match their typical check?Value-add15%What beyond money? Intros, expertise, brand?Portfolio conflict10%Any competitive portfolio companies?Reputation10%Founder references? How do they behave in downturns?

### Target List Architecture

investor_target:
  name: ""
  firm: ""
  title: ""
  email: ""
  linkedin: ""
  twitter: ""
  
  fit_score: 0 # 1-30 (sum of weighted dimensions)
  
  stage_focus: "" # pre-seed | seed | series-a | series-b | multi-stage
  sector_focus: [] # fintech, saas, health, etc.
  typical_check: "" # $500K-$2M
  recent_deals: [] # last 3-5 investments
  
  warm_path: "" # who can intro you?
  connection_strength: "" # strong | medium | weak | cold
  
  status: "" # researching | outreach | meeting | dd | term-sheet | pass | closed
  last_contact: ""
  next_action: ""
  notes: ""

### Pipeline Sizing Rules

Round SizeTarget InvestorsExpected MeetingsExpected Term SheetsPre-seed ($500K)30-5015-251-3Seed ($2M)50-8025-402-4Series A ($10M)40-6020-301-3Series B ($25M)20-4010-201-2

Conversion benchmarks:

Cold outreach → meeting: 5-10%
Warm intro → meeting: 30-50%
Meeting → second meeting: 30-40%
Second meeting → term sheet: 10-20%
Term sheet → close: 70-90%

### Tiering Strategy

Tier 1 (Dream investors, 5-8): Your ideal lead investors. Don't pitch them first — practice on Tier 3.

Tier 2 (Strong fit, 15-20): Good stage/sector fit. Many will become your actual lead.

Tier 3 (Practice + optionality, 20-30): Reasonable fit. Use for pitch practice and creating momentum.

Tier 4 (Followers, 10-20): Angels, smaller funds. Good for filling out the round after lead is set.

CRITICAL RULE: Pitch Tier 3 first (weeks 1-2), then Tier 2 (weeks 2-3), then Tier 1 (weeks 3-4). By the time you hit your dream investors, your pitch is sharp and you may already have term sheets.

### The 12-Slide Framework

Every great pitch deck follows this structure. Each slide has ONE job.

Slide 1: Title

Company name + one-line description
Your name, title, contact
"We help [customer] do [outcome] by [how]"

Slide 2: Problem

Paint the pain. Make the investor FEEL it.
Use a specific story or example, not abstract stats
"Today, [persona] struggles with [specific pain]"
Show the cost of the problem (time, money, opportunity)

Slide 3: Solution

Your product in 2-3 sentences
Screenshot or demo GIF (visual > words)
Focus on the "magic moment" — the thing that makes people say "wow"
DO NOT list features. Show the transformation.

Slide 4: Why Now

What changed that makes this possible/necessary TODAY?
Technology shift? Regulatory change? Behavior change? Market timing?
This is the most underrated slide. Nail it.

Slide 5: Market Size

TAM → SAM → SOM (bottoms-up, NOT top-down)
Show your math: [# of target customers] × [annual contract value] = SAM
SAM should be $1B+ for VC-scale
Show the growth trajectory of the market

Slide 6: Product / How It Works

3-step process or simple diagram
Make it feel inevitable and obvious
If you need more than 3 steps, simplify

Slide 7: Traction

THE most important slide after Seed stage
Revenue graph (up and to the right)
Key metrics: ARR, MRR growth, customers, retention, NPS
Logos of notable customers
If pre-revenue: waitlist, LOIs, pilot results, engagement metrics

Slide 8: Business Model

How you make money (clearly)
Pricing model + unit economics
ACV, gross margin, LTV/CAC, payback period
Expansion revenue potential

Slide 9: Competition

2x2 matrix (NOT a feature comparison table)
Your axes should be the dimensions where you win
Show why you're in the top-right quadrant
Mention "why not just use X?" for the obvious alternatives

Slide 10: Team

Founder photos + relevant experience
Why THIS team for THIS problem?
Highlight: domain expertise, previous exits, technical depth
Key hires made + key hires planned

Slide 11: The Ask

How much you're raising
Use of funds (3-4 categories max)
What milestones this gets you to
"This round gets us to [milestone] which positions us for [next round]"

Slide 12: Appendix (optional)

Detailed financials
Product roadmap
Additional metrics
Customer testimonials

### Pitch Deck Quality Checklist

Total slides: 10-15 (12 ideal)
 Each slide has ONE key message
 Can be understood in 3 minutes without narration
 Fonts are readable at projection size (24pt minimum)
 Consistent design (colors, fonts, layout)
 No walls of text (max 30 words per slide)
 Traction slide has real numbers, not vanity metrics
 Market size is bottoms-up with shown math
 Ask is specific (amount + use of funds + milestones)
 Team slide shows founder-market fit

### The 60-Second Elevator Pitch

[Company] helps [specific customer] solve [specific problem].

Today, [customer] has to [painful current state], which costs them [quantified pain].

We built [solution] — a [category] that [key differentiator]. 

In [timeframe], we've [best traction metric]. We're growing [growth rate].

We're raising [amount] to [key milestone]. [Firm name] would be a great fit because [specific reason].

### Warm Introduction Template

To the connector:

Hi [Name],

I'm raising a [seed/Series A] round for [Company] — we're [one-line description].

We've [best traction metric] and growing [rate]. I noticed [Investor Name] at [Firm] recently invested in [similar company] and thought there could be a strong fit.

Would you be comfortable making an intro? I've drafted a forwardable blurb below.

[Forwardable blurb — 3-4 sentences about the company, traction, what you're raising]

Really appreciate it either way.

### Cold Outreach Template (last resort)

Subject: [Company] — [one compelling metric]

Hi [Investor first name],

[One sentence about why you're reaching out to THEM specifically — recent investment, blog post, tweet].

I'm building [Company] — [one-line description]. We're at [best metric] and growing [rate] MoM.

Would love 20 minutes to share what we're seeing in [market]. Happy to work around your schedule.

[Your name]
[Company] | [website]

Cold outreach rules:

NEVER send identical emails to multiple investors
Reference something specific about THEM (shows research)
Lead with your BEST metric
Keep under 100 words
Send Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10 AM their timezone

### First Meeting (30 min) Playbook

Structure:

0-2 min: Rapport + agenda setting
2-15 min: Walk through pitch (abbreviated — they've seen the deck)
15-25 min: Q&A (this is where the real evaluation happens)
25-28 min: Your questions for them
28-30 min: Next steps

Your questions for them (ask 2-3):

"What would you need to see to get conviction on this?"
"What's your typical decision timeline?"
"How do you typically work with portfolio companies post-investment?"
"What's your current fund deployment status?"
"Who else on your team would be involved in the decision?"

After the meeting (within 2 hours):

Send thank you + any materials they requested
Note their concerns — address in follow-up
Update your CRM with status + next action

### Investor Objection Response Framework

ObjectionWhat They MeanHow to Respond"Too early for us"Traction insufficient"What metrics would signal the right time?" (plants seed for future)"Not in our thesis"Sector/model mismatchAccept gracefully. Ask for referrals to better-fit investors"Valuation is too high"They see risk you don't"What comparable deals have you seen? Let's discuss what drives our thinking""We need to see more traction"Interested but not convinced"Happy to share monthly updates. What metric matters most to you?""Let me discuss with partners"Could be real or polite pass"Great. When's your next partner meeting? I'll send a follow-up brief""We just invested in a competitor"True conflictMove on. Ask if they know investors who'd be interested"The market is too small"Your TAM story isn't convincingReframe with bottoms-up math. Show expansion potential"What's your moat?"Worried about defensibilityNetwork effects, data advantages, switching costs, brand. Be specific

### 3-Statement Model Essentials

Investors expect a 3-5 year financial model. Keep it simple but defensible.

financial_model:
  revenue_assumptions:
    current_arr: ""
    growth_rate_year1: "" # conservative
    growth_rate_year2: ""
    growth_rate_year3: ""
    acv: ""
    new_customers_per_month: ""
    churn_rate_annual: ""
    expansion_rate: ""
    
  cost_assumptions:
    cogs_percentage: "" # target <30% for SaaS
    engineering_headcount: [] # by quarter
    sales_headcount: []
    g_and_a_headcount: []
    avg_salary_eng: ""
    avg_salary_sales: ""
    marketing_spend_percentage: "" # of revenue
    
  key_outputs:
    gross_margin: "" # target >70% SaaS
    burn_rate_monthly: ""
    runway_months: ""
    breakeven_date: ""
    arr_at_next_raise: ""

### Revenue Projection Rules

Bottom-up only. [# sales reps] × [deals/rep/month] × [ACV] = revenue. NOT "if we get 1% of the market."
Show your assumptions. Every number should trace back to a testable assumption.
Three scenarios. Conservative (60% probability), Base (30%), Optimistic (10%). Present Base, have Conservative ready.
Growth rate benchmarks:

ARRGood GrowthGreat GrowthExceptional$0-$1M15% MoM20% MoM30%+ MoM$1M-$5M2.5x YoY3x YoY4x+ YoY$5M-$20M2x YoY2.5x YoY3x+ YoY$20M+60% YoY80% YoY100%+ YoY

### Unit Economics Deep Dive

unit_economics:
  ltv:
    arpu_monthly: 0
    gross_margin: 0.0  # percentage
    churn_monthly: 0.0  # percentage
    formula: "ARPU × Gross Margin / Monthly Churn"
    result: 0
    
  cac:
    total_sales_marketing_spend: 0  # last quarter
    new_customers_acquired: 0  # last quarter
    formula: "S&M Spend / New Customers"
    result: 0
    
  ltv_to_cac_ratio: 0  # target >3x
  cac_payback_months: 0  # target <18 months
  
  health_check:
    ltv_cac_above_3x: false
    payback_under_18_months: false
    gross_margin_above_70: false
    net_dollar_retention_above_100: false

Health benchmarks (SaaS):

MetricPoorOKGoodGreatLTV:CAC<2x2-3x3-5x>5xCAC Payback>24mo18-24mo12-18mo<12moGross Margin<60%60-70%70-80%>80%Net Revenue Retention<90%90-100%100-120%>120%Logo Churn (annual)>15%10-15%5-10%<5%

### Key Term Sheet Components

term_sheet:
  economics:
    pre_money_valuation: ""
    investment_amount: ""
    post_money_valuation: ""  # pre + investment
    price_per_share: ""
    shares_issued: ""
    
  control:
    board_seats:
      founders: 0
      investors: 0
      independent: 0
    protective_provisions: [] # list of investor veto rights
    
  liquidation:
    preference: "" # 1x non-participating (standard) | 1x participating | 2x
    participation_cap: "" # if participating
    
  anti_dilution: "" # broad-based weighted average (standard) | full ratchet (bad)
  
  pro_rata_rights: true  # investors right to maintain ownership %
  
  vesting:
    founder_vesting: "" # 4 years, 1 year cliff (standard)
    acceleration: "" # single trigger | double trigger | none
    
  other:
    option_pool: "" # 10-15% post-money (negotiate pre vs post)
    drag_along: true
    right_of_first_refusal: true
    information_rights: true
    no_shop_period: "" # 30-60 days typical

### Term Sheet Red Flags 🚩

TermStandardAcceptableRed FlagLiquidation preference1x non-participating1x participating with 3x cap>1x or uncapped participatingAnti-dilutionBroad-based weighted averageNarrow-based weighted averageFull ratchetBoard compositionFounder majority early stageEqual (2-2-1 with independent)Investor majority at seedOption pool10% post-money10-15% pre-money>20% pre-moneyVesting accelerationDouble-triggerSingle-trigger for CEO onlyNo accelerationNo-shop period30 days45 days>60 daysProtective provisionsStandard (sale, new round, debt)Expanded but reasonableVeto on hiring, spending >$XPay-to-playNone at seedReasonable at Series A+Punitive conversion terms

### Negotiation Playbook

Rule 1: Optimize for valuation LAST. The order of importance:

Amount raised (enough runway for 18-24 months)
Board composition (maintain founder control early)
Liquidation preferences (1x non-participating)
Anti-dilution protection (broad-based weighted average)
Valuation (important but not #1)

Rule 2: Get multiple term sheets. BATNA is everything. Even one competing offer changes the dynamic completely.

Rule 3: Negotiate the option pool. If they want 15% post-money, that dilutes YOU more than them. Push for smaller pool or post-money sizing.

Rule 4: Understand the math.

Founder ownership = 1 - (investor_shares + option_pool) / total_shares
Example: $5M pre + $2M raise + 10% pool
- Post-money: $7M
- Investor owns: $2M / $7M = 28.6%
- Pool: 10%
- Founders: 61.4%

With 15% pool pre-money:
- "Pre-money" is really $5M - 15% = $4.25M effective
- Investor owns: $2M / $6.25M = 32%
- Pool: 15%
- Founders: 53% ← see the difference?

Rule 5: Get a good lawyer. Don't negotiate term sheets yourself. Startup lawyers (Cooley, Wilson Sonsini, Gunderson, Orrick) know what's standard. Budget $15-30K for a priced round.

### Word-for-Word Negotiation Scripts

On valuation:
"We've seen comparable companies at our stage and traction level — [example 1], [example 2] — raise at [X] to [Y] pre-money. Given our [specific metric that's strong], we believe [your number] reflects fair value. What's driving your thinking on valuation?"

On option pool:
"We're happy with a 10% pool — that covers our hiring plan for the next 18 months. A 15% pool pre-money effectively reduces our valuation by [$ amount]. Could we either reduce the pool to 10% or calculate it post-money?"

On liquidation preference:
"We'd prefer standard 1x non-participating. Participating preferred with a cap could work, but uncapped participation significantly changes the economics for founders and early employees in moderate outcomes."

On board seats:
"At this stage, we think a 3-person board with 2 founders + 1 investor makes sense. We'd love your input and governance, but founder control is important to us while we're still finding our groove."

### DD Readiness Checklist

Prepare these BEFORE you start fundraising. Scrambling during DD kills deals.

Corporate Documents

Certificate of incorporation (Delaware C-Corp preferred)
 Bylaws
 Board minutes (all meetings)
 Stockholder agreements
 Cap table (fully diluted, option grants, vesting schedules)
 83(b) election filings for all founders
 State registrations / qualifications

Financial

Financial statements (last 2 years + YTD)
 Bank statements (last 12 months)
 Tax returns (federal + state, last 2 years)
 Revenue by customer (concentration analysis)
 Accounts receivable aging
 Budget vs actuals
 Financial model (3-5 year projections)

IP & Technology

Patent filings / applications
 Trademark registrations
 IP assignment agreements (ALL employees + contractors)
 Open source usage audit
 Technology architecture overview
 Security audit / SOC 2 status

Team & HR

Employee list with titles, start dates, compensation
 Employment agreements (all employees)
 Contractor agreements (all contractors)
 Option grant schedule
 Benefits summary
 Key person dependencies

Legal

Customer contracts (template + material contracts)
 Vendor agreements (material)
 Pending / threatened litigation
 Regulatory compliance status
 Privacy policy + terms of service
 Insurance policies

Metrics

Monthly revenue / ARR waterfall (last 12+ months)
 Cohort retention data
 Unit economics (LTV, CAC, payback)
 Pipeline / bookings data
 NPS / customer satisfaction data
 Churn analysis by cohort

### Data Room Organization

📁 Data Room/
├── 📁 1-Corporate/
│   ├── Certificate_of_Incorporation.pdf
│   ├── Bylaws.pdf
│   ├── Board_Minutes/
│   └── Cap_Table_[date].xlsx
├── 📁 2-Financial/
│   ├── Financial_Statements/
│   ├── Tax_Returns/
│   ├── Bank_Statements/
│   └── Financial_Model_[date].xlsx
├── 📁 3-IP_Technology/
│   ├── IP_Assignments/
│   ├── Architecture_Overview.pdf
│   └── Security_Audit.pdf
├── 📁 4-Team_HR/
│   ├── Org_Chart.pdf
│   ├── Employment_Agreements/
│   └── Option_Grants.xlsx
├── 📁 5-Legal/
│   ├── Customer_Contracts/
│   ├── Vendor_Agreements/
│   └── Insurance_Policies/
├── 📁 6-Metrics/
│   ├── Monthly_Metrics_Dashboard.xlsx
│   ├── Cohort_Analysis.xlsx
│   └── Pipeline_Report.xlsx
└── 📁 7-Pitch_Materials/
    ├── Pitch_Deck_[date].pdf
    ├── Executive_Summary.pdf
    └── Product_Demo_Link.md

### Cap Table Fundamentals

cap_table:
  company: ""
  date: ""
  total_authorized_shares: 10000000
  
  common_stock:
    - holder: "Founder 1"
      shares: 0
      vesting: "4yr/1yr cliff"
      vested_shares: 0
      percentage: 0.0
    - holder: "Founder 2"
      shares: 0
      vesting: "4yr/1yr cliff"
      vested_shares: 0
      percentage: 0.0
      
  preferred_stock:
    - round: "Seed"
      investor: ""
      shares: 0
      price_per_share: 0.0
      amount_invested: 0
      percentage: 0.0
      liquidation_preference: "1x non-participating"
      
  option_pool:
    total_reserved: 0
    granted: 0
    exercised: 0
    available: 0
    percentage_of_fully_diluted: 0.0
    
  fully_diluted_shares: 0  # common + preferred + all options

### Dilution Math Every Founder Must Know

Round-by-round dilution example:

EventFoundersSeed InvestorOption PoolSeries AFormation100%---Option pool (10%)90%-10%-Seed ($2M at $8M pre)72%20%8%-Option pool refresh (+5%)68.4%19%12.6%-Series A ($10M at $40M pre)54.7%15.2%10.1%20%

Key insight: After a typical Seed + Series A, founders often own 50-60%. This is NORMAL. The goal isn't to minimize dilution — it's to maximize the value of your remaining shares.

$100M exit at 55% ownership = $55M. $500M exit at 40% ownership = $200M. Take the dilution that unlocks the bigger outcome.

### Pro-Rata Rights

Pro-rata rights let existing investors maintain their ownership percentage in future rounds.

When it matters: If a Seed investor has 15% and doesn't participate pro-rata in Series A, they get diluted to ~12%. With pro-rata, they invest enough to maintain 15%.

Founder impact: More pro-rata participation = less room for new investors = potential conflict. Manage this by setting clear allocation frameworks.

### The Fundraising Sprint (8-12 Week Framework)

Weeks 1-2: Preparation

Finalize pitch deck
Build financial model
Set up data room
Build target list (50-80 investors)
Write outreach templates
Request warm intros (takes 1-2 weeks to materialize)

Weeks 3-4: Tier 3 + Early Tier 2 Meetings

Practice pitch with 10-15 investors
Refine based on questions and feedback
Identify common objections, prepare responses
Update deck based on learnings

Weeks 5-6: Tier 1 + Tier 2 Meetings

Pitch your dream investors with a polished deck
Create urgency with momentum ("we have 3 partner meetings next week")
Share any early interest/term sheets (carefully)

Weeks 7-8: Term Sheets + Negotiation

Receive and compare term sheets
Negotiate key terms
Check investor references (CRITICAL — call 3-5 portfolio founders)
Select lead investor

Weeks 9-12: Close

Finalize legal docs with lawyers
Fill remaining allocation (angels, smaller checks)
Wire transfer + board setup
Announce (if desired)

### Weekly Pipeline Dashboard

fundraising_pipeline:
  week: 0
  date: ""
  
  funnel:
    total_targets: 0
    outreach_sent: 0
    meetings_scheduled: 0
    meetings_completed: 0
    second_meetings: 0
    partner_meetings: 0
    term_sheets: 0
    
  conversion_rates:
    outreach_to_meeting: 0.0
    meeting_to_second: 0.0
    second_to_partner: 0.0
    partner_to_ts: 0.0
    
  momentum_signals:
    - "" # "3 partner meetings scheduled for next week"
    
  concerns:
    - "" # "Common pushback on market size"
    
  next_week_actions:
    - ""

### Follow-Up Cadence

AfterActionTemplateFirst meetingThank you + materialsSend within 2 hours1 weekFollow-up + updateShare new metric or customer win2 weeksCheck-in"Wanted to share [progress]"MonthlyInvestor updateSend to all investors in pipelinePassGraceful acceptAsk for referrals + add to update list

### Monthly Investor Update Template

Subject: [Company] — [Month] Update: [headline metric]

Hi [Name],

Quick update on [Company]:

📈 Key Metrics
• ARR: $X (+Y% MoM)
• Customers: X (+Y new)
• [Key operational metric]: X

🏆 Wins
• [Biggest win this month]
• [Second win]

🔥 Challenges
• [Honest challenge — shows self-awareness]

🎯 Next Month
• [Key goal 1]
• [Key goal 2]

We're raising [amount] — happy to chat if this is interesting.

Best,
[Name]

Investor update rules:

Send monthly, even before you're raising
Be honest about challenges (builds trust)
Keep under 200 words
Include 1-2 specific metrics with trajectory
Send to everyone — passed investors sometimes come back

### First 30 Days After Close

Set up board meeting cadence (quarterly)
 Send announcement to team, customers, press (if desired)
 Update cap table and legal docs
 Set up board reporting package
 Have 1:1 onboarding with each board member
 Begin hiring per use-of-funds plan
 Set up monthly investor update cadence

### Board Meeting Template

board_meeting:
  date: ""
  duration: "90 minutes"
  
  agenda:
    - topic: "CEO Update"
      duration: "15 min"
      content: "High-level strategy, key decisions, morale"
      
    - topic: "Financial Review"
      duration: "15 min"
      content: "Revenue, burn, runway, budget vs actual"
      
    - topic: "Product & Metrics"
      duration: "15 min"
      content: "Key metrics, product roadmap, customer feedback"
      
    - topic: "Deep Dive Topic"
      duration: "20 min"
      content: "One strategic topic for board input (GTM, hiring, partnerships)"
      
    - topic: "Open Discussion"
      duration: "15 min"
      content: "Board member questions, concerns, opportunities"
      
    - topic: "Closed Session"
      duration: "10 min"
      content: "Exec compensation, sensitive matters"

### Board Package (Send 3 Days Before Meeting)

SectionContentsExecutive Summary1-page: wins, challenges, key decisions, help neededFinancial DashboardP&L, balance sheet, cash flow, runway, burnMetrics DashboardARR, growth, retention, pipeline, conversionProduct UpdateShipped features, roadmap, key customer feedbackTeam UpdateHeadcount, open roles, notable hires/departuresStrategic Decisions1-2 topics requiring board input or approval

### SAFE Notes (Pre-Seed / Seed)

When to use: Pre-seed and seed when speed matters more than precision.

SAFE TypeBest ForWatch OutValuation Cap onlyMost common. Sets maximum conversion priceCap IS your effective valuationDiscount onlyRare. X% discount to next round priceRisky — no ceiling on conversion priceCap + DiscountBest protection for investorsMost dilutive for foundersMFN (Most Favored Nation)Very early, no valuation signalConverts at best terms given to any investor

SAFE best practices:

Use Y Combinator standard SAFE (don't modify)
Post-money SAFEs are now standard (clearer dilution math)
Stack no more than $2-3M in SAFEs before pricing a round
Track ALL SAFEs in your cap table (they WILL convert)

### Revenue-Based Financing

When to use: You have revenue but don't want to give up equity.

ProviderTypical TermsBest ForPipeAdvance on ARRSaaS with annual contractsClearco% of revenue repaymentE-commerce, DTCLighter CapitalRevenue shareSaaS $200K-$5M ARRTraditional bankVenture debtPost-Series A

### Venture Debt

When to use: Extend runway between equity rounds without dilution.

Typical terms: 2-3 year term, interest + warrants (0.5-2% of equity)
Usually available after Series A (sometimes Seed)
DON'T use venture debt as a substitute for equity — use it as a supplement
Rule: Never take venture debt that represents >25% of your last equity raise

### 100-Point Fundraising Readiness Rubric

DimensionWeightScore (0-10)Traction & Metrics20%/10Pitch & Story15%/10Financial Model15%/10Team & Founder-Market Fit15%/10Market Opportunity10%/10Data Room Readiness10%/10Investor Pipeline Quality10%/10Legal & Corporate Structure5%/10

Weighted score = Σ (weight × score × 10)

ScoreGradeAction85-100ALaunch fundraise immediately70-84BFix 1-2 gaps, launch in 2 weeks55-69CSignificant work needed (4-6 weeks)40-54DMajor gaps — build more traction first0-39FNot ready. Focus on product-market fit

### Common Mistakes

#MistakeFix1Raising too early (weak metrics)Build traction first. Bad first impressions are permanent2Raising too little (12 months runway)Raise for 18-24 months. Fundraising takes longer than expected3No warm intros (all cold outreach)Network for 6 months before you need to raise4Pitching dream investors firstPractice on Tier 3, then work up to Tier 15Optimizing only for valuationTerms matter more. 1x non-participating > higher valuation with participating6No BATNA (only one term sheet)Run a parallel process. Multiple term sheets = leverage7Ignoring investor referencesCall 3-5 portfolio founders. Ask about behavior in bad times8Sloppy data roomPrepare everything before you start. Scrambling kills momentum9Top-down market sizingBottom-up always. Show your math10Not sending investor updatesMonthly updates to all investors, even those who passed

### First-Time Founder

Lean on advisors who've raised before
Consider an accelerator (YC, Techstars) for credibility + network
Accept slightly lower valuation for a great investor with strong brand
Double your timeline estimates — everything takes longer the first time

### Down Round

Try alternatives first: bridge round, extension, venture debt
If unavoidable: negotiate pay-to-play provisions (forces all investors to participate)
Communicate proactively with existing investors — no surprises
Reframe the narrative: "We're resetting to grow sustainably"

### Bootstrapped → First Raise

Lead with your profitability story (rare and valuable)
You have MASSIVE leverage — you don't NEED the money
Negotiate from strength: higher valuation, better terms, board control
Consider raising a small round ($1-2M) to test the VC relationship

### Founder Solo (No Co-Founder)

Address it head-on: "I'm looking for my #2 — this round funds that search"
Show strong advisors / early team members
Demonstrate extreme execution velocity as proof you can recruit
Consider finding a co-founder before raising (strongest signal)

### International Founder (Non-US)

Incorporate in Delaware (non-negotiable for US VCs)
Use Stripe Atlas, Clerky, or Firstbase for setup
Consider US-based angels first for credibility
Time zone overlap with US investors matters — schedule accordingly

### Natural Language Commands

When this skill is active, the agent responds to:

"Assess my fundraising readiness" → Run Phase 1 assessment
"Build my investor target list" → Phase 2 pipeline creation
"Review my pitch deck" → Phase 3 quality checklist
"Draft investor outreach" → Phase 4 templates
"Build my financial model" → Phase 5 projections
"Analyze this term sheet" → Phase 6 red flag analysis
"Prepare my data room" → Phase 7 checklist
"Calculate dilution for [amount] at [valuation]" → Phase 8 math
"Plan my fundraising sprint" → Phase 9 timeline
"Prepare my board meeting" → Phase 10 package
"Compare SAFE vs priced round" → Phase 11 alternatives
"Score my fundraising readiness" → Quality rubric

Built by AfrexAI — Autonomous AI agents for business growth.

⚡ Level up your fundraising with industry-specific context:
AfrexAI Context Packs — $47 — SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare, and 7 more verticals.

🔗 More free skills by AfrexAI:

afrexai-founder-os — Complete founder operating system
afrexai-investor-engine — Investment analysis from the investor side
afrexai-pricing-strategy — Pricing optimization
afrexai-business-model-engine — Business model design
afrexai-saas-billing-engine — SaaS billing & subscription management
## Trust
- Source: tencent
- Verification: Indexed source record
- Publisher: 1kalin
- Version: 1.0.0
## Source health
- Status: healthy
- Source download looks usable.
- Yavira can redirect you to the upstream package for this source.
- Health scope: source
- Reason: direct_download_ok
- Checked at: 2026-05-07T17:22:31.273Z
- Expires at: 2026-05-14T17:22:31.273Z
- Recommended action: Download for OpenClaw
## Links
- [Detail page](https://openagent3.xyz/skills/afrexai-startup-fundraising)
- [Send to Agent page](https://openagent3.xyz/skills/afrexai-startup-fundraising/agent)
- [JSON manifest](https://openagent3.xyz/skills/afrexai-startup-fundraising/agent.json)
- [Markdown brief](https://openagent3.xyz/skills/afrexai-startup-fundraising/agent.md)
- [Download page](https://openagent3.xyz/downloads/afrexai-startup-fundraising)