Rally Ventures recently hosted a masterclass as part of its ongoing development series for our portfolio companies. This session, titled Pitch Perfect, was led by Rally Managing Director Justin Kaufenberg and Rally Operating Partner Luke Zaientz. Drawing from their extensive fundraising and operational experience, they shared insights on crafting an outstanding fundraising pitch. Collectively, Justin and Luke have received over 50 term sheets, raised $150M over 12 rounds and sold their companies for billions of dollars.
One of the key takeaways from the session was the importance of time and continuous preparation. Fundraising isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process. You can’t wait until six months before running out of cash to start planning. Even when you’re not actively raising, it’s important to always think ahead:
- Identify the milestones you need to achieve for a successful raise.
- Continuously prepare the data and documents investors will want to see in a data room.
- Cultivate relationships with potential investors well before you plan to raise.
We’re sharing the Pitch Perfect Masterclass deck here, a resource designed to help founders successfully fundraise. This deck outlines the critical components of a successful pitch, including:
- Fundraising Timelines: How to plan for your raise.
- What VCs Are Looking For: Insights into the investor mindset.
- Pro Tips for Pitching: How to stand out from the crowd.
- Recommended Pitch Deck Template. Each slide in the deck includes practical tips and links to additional resources, ensuring founders have everything they need to create a compelling story.
[Click here to download the deck.]
The job of an investor is to hear hundreds of pitches and say no to 99% of them. Your goal is to make yourself part of the 1%. We’re glad to share a few of our top tips and our recommended pitch deck to move you closer to your goal.
