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Insights on seed-stage fundraising, VC meetings, and startup evaluation.

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Investor Pitch Deck Template: 10 Slides That Actually Work in 2026
David Rakusan ·

Investor Pitch Deck Template: 10 Slides That Actually Work in 2026

Most pitch deck templates give you a structure but not an argument. This 10-slide investor pitch deck template for 2026 walks slide by slide through what to put on each slide, the proof signal each one should carry, the most common 2026 mistake, and the test for whether the slide is doing its job. Built on the team-weighting research from 885 institutional VCs and DocSend's 2024 behavioral data on how investors read decks.
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How Long Does It Take to Close a Seed Round in 2026?
David Rakusan ·

How Long Does It Take to Close a Seed Round in 2026?

Most founders plan a six-week seed raise and end up inside a six-month one. Here is the honest 2026 timeline based on DocSend, Carta, Forum Ventures, and Affinity data, the four variables that decide your duration, and what fast-bucket founders do that the slow bucket does not. Proof shortens timelines. Hustle does not.
seed round fundraising timeline startup fundraising close a seed round pre-seed founder guide vc fundraising seed funding 2026 investor meetings proof
Pitch Deck Examples for Startups (and What Investors Actually Look at on Each Slide)
David Rakusan ·

Pitch Deck Examples for Startups (and What Investors Actually Look at on Each Slide)

Most pitch deck guides show you what a great deck looks like. This one shows what investors actually read on each slide. Behavioral data from 30,000+ investor sessions, the slide-by-slide framework, and the proof signals that separate decks that move forward from decks that get a polite reply. Includes a 11-slide comparison table, a working redesign checklist, and the structural fix for the question-repetition trap that decks alone cannot solve.
pitch deck fundraising startup seed round pre-seed investor relations pitch deck examples vc pitch founder guide pitch deck template startup fundraising
Due Diligence Checklist for Seed Stage Startups: The 2026 Standard
David Rakusan ·

Due Diligence Checklist for Seed Stage Startups: The 2026 Standard

The complete due diligence checklist a seed stage founder needs in 2026. Written by a founder with 7 years on the investor side, this guide breaks the seed checklist into seven proof areas, shows which items get reviewed pre-term-sheet versus post, and identifies the red flags that kill deals in the first hour of review. Backed by data from Carta, Cooley, DocSend, Kruze, and Y Combinator.
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VC Due Diligence at Seed Stage: Why Investors Keep Asking the Same Questions
David Rakusan ·

VC Due Diligence at Seed Stage: Why Investors Keep Asking the Same Questions

Seed stage due diligence is a proof problem, not a paperwork exercise. This guide, written by a founder with 7 years on the investor side, explains why VCs ask the same questions in every meeting, why conviction cannot be transferred between funds, and how structured proof breaks the repetition loop. Backed by research covering 885 VCs and 21,000 deals.
VC due diligence seed stage fundraising startup fundraising due diligence process investor meetings fundraising timeline venture capital founder guide proof of traction seed round preparation investor readiness fundraising preparation
How to Find the Right VC for Your Startup (Before You Waste 38 Meetings)
David Rakusan ·

How to Find the Right VC for Your Startup (Before You Waste 38 Meetings)

The median seed round now takes 142 days to close (Carta, 2025), and most of that time is wasted on thesis-mismatched investors who would never invest regardless of how good the pitch is. This guide, written by a founder with 7 years of VC experience, breaks down the five filters every founder should apply before pitching, why thesis mismatches are the #1 cause of ghosting, and how structured proof can turn even cold outreach into a high signal message.
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