Funded | How They Raised Millions

The tech media loves a splashy funding announcement - millions of dollars injected into a hot startup primed to become a unicorn. But what about the work behind those headlines? Host Jason Yeh, a former VC and venture-backed startup founder, talks with entrepreneurs about how they raised the capital to launch world-changing startups. Their conversations uncover incredible stories including cautionary tales, inspirational memories, and even some insightful tips. Keep up with us on social @fundedpod to learn more.

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Episodes

Funded Season 2 Trailer

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

Jul 16, 2021•1 min

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

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. None of this would point to someday raising a Series A round of funding from a top venture capital firm, but that’s what he did. The key he tells us was focusing on meeting the right people, building great product, and leaning on his thespian roots. Remember to grab the insights pack on this episode at fundedpod.com/yac

Feb 16, 2021•1 hr 3 min

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

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 engineer at a scaled startup, and even did a stint at a top VC firm. But after pulling together an all-star pre-seed round fairly quickly, Laura found out how difficult fundraising can be when you’re no longer a “hot deal” as she tried to raise her subsequent round. Laura had to dig deep to find the confidence to unlock VC dollars even while her company’s...

Feb 02, 2021•59 min

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

This is Funded's first ever Friends & Family Round! With so many listeners asking questions about things they hear in episodes or about the fundraising market in general, we decided to launch this sister show to give more insights with a little help from our friends. In this episode, Russ Heddleston the CEO of DocSend gives us a very unique view into 2020 trends via his company's recently released Startup Index Report. This report leverages aggregated and anonymized data of pitch deck activi...

Jan 21, 2021•20 min

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

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 our 2-part series, Sam begins by sharing details around a large key to his success - his very large cap table. Afterwards, we discuss specifics around his approach to attracting a $12MM seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz and how newcomers to the sport of fundraising might fare employing similar tactics. We wrap this episode as we always do with a...

Jan 19, 2021•47 min

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

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 fundraising. This is exciting because fundraising approaches have traditionally been shared with tribal knowledge, feel-based language. In this conversation, Sam talks about how how he decided to follow his training as a scientist rather than rely on fundraising folklore. The result was a data driven process that has left even the most experienced ...

Jan 05, 2021•44 min

From rags to riches (Goodfair / Topper Luciani - Ep04 )

Have you ever heard the advice “dress for the job you want not the one you have”? For Topper Luciani, that was tough advice to follow because it meant wearing an old t-shirt from Goodwill even while asking fancy venture capitalists for millions of dollars. In this episode, we hear how Topper learned the importance of being your authentic self while raising money and how he somehow managed to save his company after one of the most devastating curveballs in fundraising - a pulled term sheet.

Dec 22, 2020•48 min

A different type of funding and a different type of "no" (Bite / Lindsay McCormick - Ep03)

Lindsay McCormick, founder of Bite Toothpaste Bits, wants you to know there are alternatives to taking venture capital. She created a multimillion dollar business and funded its growth almost entirely through customer purchases. This show is an honest discussion about the alternatives to venture capital. You’ll learn why even though Lindsay’s email inbox is full of investment offers, up till now she's turned them all away.

Dec 08, 2020•56 min

Sex sells, but does it raise money? (Coral / Isharna Walsh - Ep02 )

Investors like patterns. They’re either explicitly or subconsciously motivated to back businesses that look, sound, or feel familiar and comfortable. That’s why Isharna Walsh, founder of sexual wellness app Coral, had such a daunting task. For her, raising venture capital meant guiding investors through the uncomfortable task of talking about their sex lives and convincing them to back an unfamiliar profile, a minority woman with no ivy league degrees.

Dec 08, 2020•56 min

How to tell a story worth $140 million dollars (Zumper / Anthemos Georgiades Ep01)

Anthemos Georgiades, founder of Zumper, perfected his pitch the way most founders do: through trial and error. This show is about storytelling and all the elements that go into telling the perfect fundraising story. Anthemos deals with a difficult start to his tale having to manage “signaling risk” as well missteps with his deck and an overall lack of focus on the way to raising over $140 million dollars.

Dec 08, 2020•51 min

Coming Soon: Funded

Coming this December, Funded features some of the entrepreneurs you’ve always admired telling a story you haven’t heard before — how they raised millions in venture capital. Host Jason Yeh talks to Silicon Valley’s stars about how they got strangers to bet on their grand visions.

Oct 15, 2020•2 min

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