Fundraising today takes more than a deck — it takes strategy, guts, and a killer network. The smart founder’s guide to fundraising: be bold, be clear, be connected.
In the world of startups, there are few moments as pivotal — or as nerve-racking — as pitching for funding. It’s not just about showing numbers and buzzwords; it’s about proving that you are the right person to build this business at this moment.
That’s exactly what we explored in a recent session of the Entrepreneurial Series, our ongoing collaboration with H-FARM College, where students from the Bachelor's Degree in Business Creation & Entrepreneurship program had the chance to learn directly from two experts who have stood on both sides of the fundraising table.
Our speakers?
🔹 Jean-Michel Deligny – a seasoned advisor and board member with 30+ years of experience in deep tech, M&A, and capital raising.
🔹 David Mayer-Heinisch – founder of froots.io, with a background in asset management and a sharp eye for founder-investor fit.
Both brought hard-earned wisdom, straight talk, and more than a few quotable lines to a packed virtual room of future founders.
Fundraising is more than a numbers game — it’s a clarity game
Jean-Michel opened the session with a powerful reminder:
“Simplicity is the hardest thing to deliver. And yet, it’s what investors value most.”
Too often, early-stage founders overcomplicate their story — trying to cram every product detail, feature, or buzzword into the pitch. But what really matters is focus. Can you clearly explain:
- What you’re solving
- Why it matters
- How you’ll make money
- How investors will get their return
It’s not just about the “what,” Jean-Michel emphasized — it’s about the path to liquidity. “When you’re asking for capital, be specific. Money in: how much, when? Money out: how, and for whom?”
That clarity extends to how founders work with their own teams and advisors. On term sheets and legal docs, his advice was sharp:
“You need to hire people who will validate and support what you do — but you should never outsource understanding. You own the decision. You can’t lead what you don’t understand.”
“Fundraising is the business of networking”
Both speakers emphasized that capital doesn't come from cold emails and perfect decks alone — it comes from trust, built over time. Jean-Michel calls this “echo networking”:
“Keep people in your orbit by sharing updates. Don’t ask for anything. Just keep them informed. One day, they might be your investors.”
Platforms like LinkedIn have made this easier than ever. But it's up to the founder to nurture those relationships with intention — not just when they're fundraising.
David echoed the same:
“I have a list of people I met over the years. Every December, I send them a personal email — a holiday greeting, an update on what I’m doing. No pitch. Just the story.”
Years later, that same group of connections organically became early investors in his company, froots.io.
Mindset is the real differentiator
Let’s face it — raising capital is tough. And building a company from the ground up is even harder.
David didn’t sugarcoat it:
“Being an entrepreneur is like a constant punch in the face.”
But it’s also the test. What do you do after the punch? That’s where founders show their true colors. “Investors don’t expect perfection,” he said. “But they do expect grit. They need to believe that you will figure things out — no matter what.”
Founders need to embody two paradoxes at once:
- Be stubborn in your vision, but flexible in your tactics.
- Be open to advice, but confident in your decisions
“Usually when you ask for advice, you get money. When you ask for money, you get advice,” David said with a grin. “So don’t be afraid to just start a conversation.”
Master the art of persuasion
One skill both speakers agreed is essential? The ability to convince others to join you — whether they’re co-founders, team members, or backers.
“Founders need to learn how to persuade,” Jean-Michel noted. “How to sell not just the product, but the mission — the ‘why’ behind everything.”
And persuasion isn’t manipulation. It’s clarity, conviction, and belief. If you don’t believe in your vision, why should anyone else?
Lessons for the classroom — and the real world
The students in the (virtual) room are part of H-FARM’s unique Bachelor's Degree in Business Creation & Entrepreneurship — a future-facing, digital-native course designed to prepare them to actually build companies, not just write business plans.
With the rise of sustainability, digital transformation, and cross-border business, today’s young entrepreneurs are preparing for a fast-moving, high-stakes world. Events like this are meant to not only educate, but empower.
And if there was one takeaway we hope they all walked away with, it’s this:
Fundraising isn't about asking for money. It's about earning belief — in your vision, your story, and most of all, in yourself.
