Sign in to view Li-ran��s full profile
or
New to LinkedIn? Join now
By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.
Sign in to view Li-ran’s full profile
or
New to LinkedIn? Join now
By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.
New York, New York, United States
Sign in to view Li-ran’s full profile
Li-ran can introduce you to 10+ people at Sauce
or
New to LinkedIn? Join now
By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.
13K followers
500+ connections
Sign in to view Li-ran’s full profile
or
New to LinkedIn? Join now
By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.
View mutual connections with Li-ran
Li-ran can introduce you to 10+ people at Sauce
or
New to LinkedIn? Join now
By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.
View mutual connections with Li-ran
or
New to LinkedIn? Join now
By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.
Sign in to view Li-ran’s full profile
or
New to LinkedIn? Join now
By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.
Articles by Li-ran
-
In the battle of the restaurant apps, almost everyone is losing, even McDonalds
In the battle of the restaurant apps, almost everyone is losing, even McDonalds
According to new research released yesterday by ARC from Applause — which takes in data from nearly one million app…
45
4 Comments -
User-friendly online ordering platforms are increasing salesMar 5, 2016
User-friendly online ordering platforms are increasing sales
Few highlights from Aaron Allen's great article about the relationship between tech and sales in the food industry - 51…
25
1 Comment
Activity
13K followers
-
Li-ran N. posted thisSaaS didn’t just create labor inflation. It created fake complexity that justified entire org charts. For the last 15 years, we’ve been funding companies that: → Sell tools to manage work → That only exists because of other labor & tools → That created the need for more labor & tools It’s a loop. And we called it “digital transformation.” ⸻ The uncomfortable truth: A meaningful % of modern company headcount is: 👉 Not creating value 👉 Not making decisions 👉 Not building product They’re maintaining the SaaS layer. ⸻ That includes: • RevOps teams managing CRM hygiene • Finance teams reconciling across 5 systems • Support teams routing tickets between tools • Marketing teams stitching attribution across platforms • Product/data teams just keeping pipelines alive ⸻ AI v1 is polite. It makes these people faster. More efficient. Still needed. ⸻ AI v2 is not polite. It asks: 👉 “Why does this workflow exist at all?” 👉 “Why are there 6 systems here?” 👉 “Why is a human in this loop?” And then… removes the entire thing. ⸻ The real controversial part: Some of the biggest SaaS categories today: → Only exist because humans are needed to operate them → Not because the underlying problem is inherently complex
-
Li-ran N. shared thisDelivery went from a pandemic necessity to a daily habit. People feel dependent, guilty, and overcharged — yet they keep ordering. Restaurants feel squeezed. Couriers feel invisible. The next chapter of delivery isn’t about being faster. It’s about being sustainable. At Sauce, we believe off-premise is the restaurant now. So we built an operating system that helps restaurants: • own their customers • choose how delivery happens • maximize profit per order • and turn delivery from a tax into a growth engine Convenience won. Now it’s time to fix the economics. #restaurants #takebackcontrol #comissionfree #profitabledelivery #delivery #fooddelivery #convenience #sustainble https://lnkd.in/gwNKR9Wv
-
Li-ran N. shared this2026 is officially on 🚀 Proud of this milestone for Sauce — integrating with Apple Business Connect to help restaurants get discovered, stay accurate across Apple’s ecosystem, and turn discovery into orders. This is exactly where we’re heading in 2026: 👉 Owning discovery 👉 Owning the customer relationship 👉 Turning visibility into real revenue More to come. We’re just getting started. 🔥 #2026Kickoff #RestaurantTech #FirstPartyOrdering #BuildInPublicLi-ran N. shared thisWe're delighted to announce that Sauce has integrated with Apple Business Connect to help restaurants manage how they show up across Apple’s ecosystem — and turn discovery into direct orders. Through our integration with Apple Business Connect, Sauce restaurants can now: 📍 Manage their Apple Maps place cards 🍽️ Keep menus, hours, photos, and promotions accurate 📢 Promote direct ordering and offers across Apple Maps, Siri, Wallet, and more 📊 Access insights into what drives discovery and repeat business “At Sauce, our mission is to help restaurants own their brand and customer relationships,” said Sauce CEO & Founder Li-ran N.. “This partnership with Apple strengthens that mission from discovery through delivery.” This integration moves Sauce closer to a complete ecosystem for restaurant growth—combining discovery, ordering, delivery, and AI-powered retention in one place. 👉 Learn more: https://getsauce.com #RestaurantTech #FirstPartyOrdering #AppleBusinessConnect #FoodTech #Restaurants Apple
-
Li-ran N. posted this🚀 A life-changing, one-of-a-kind opportunity @ Sauce We’re looking for the Mr / Ms “Make It Repeatable & Predictable.” Our Sales engine is already active — working playbooks, clear ICPs, inbound & outbound channels, and a strong team in-seat. Our Customer Success & Onboarding engines are already running — established processes, high customer satisfaction, and real momentum. Now we’re hiring: 🔥 Head of SMB Sales 🔥 Head of Customer Success & Onboarding 📍 Miami or NYC only If you love elevating what already works and turning momentum into a machine — this can change your trajectory. Head of CS & Onboarding https://lnkd.in/dHwtZFKx Head of SMB Sales https://lnkd.in/dqW92jU8
-
Li-ran N. shared this🔥 We’re hiring two powerhouse leaders @ Sauce! 🚀 VP B2C Growth Engineering 🚀 VP Marketing (B2B Growth & Product Marketing) – Build a B2B growth machine 📍 Hybrid NYC / Remote US / On-site IL 📈 Huge market. Real traction. Massive upside. This is your shot to shape the future of restaurant tech. Links in comments. Let’s go! 💥 cc Matthew Brunwasser (PHR) Eren Yigit Alex Rat Dana Mayorga Elliot Hool Matthew Hardoon #hiring #growth #marketing #techleadership #startupsLi-ran N. shared this**HIRING** Restaurants across the U.S. are choosing Sauce to own their delivery and pickup channels, grow revenue, and take control of their digital business to generate more value for their consumers. We’re building the next phase of our growth story, and we’re looking for two game-changing leaders to help us get there: 🔹VP, Growth Engineering - Own the systems that power our B2C products, driving monetization, optimization, and AI-first innovation. 📍Hybrid-NYC (Remote US-based also available), or On-Site in Israel! 🔹VP, Marketing (B2B Growth & Product Marketing) - Architect the marketing engine that turns traction into an unstoppable growth machine. 📍Hybrid-NYC (Remote US-based also available) This is a unique moment: big market, proven product, and massive upside. If you want to help shape the future of restaurant technology, the table is set. Learn more + apply at the links in the comments! Li-ran N. Elliot Hool Eren Yigit Alex Rat Dana Mayorga Matthew Hardoon #hiring #leadershiphiring #techhiring #techleadership #marketing #marketinghiring #marketingleadership #growth #startups #startuphiring
-
Li-ran N. shared thisSauce x Como® (acquired by Global Payments GPN:NYSE) post National Restaurant Association Show first day Happy Hour on SATURDAY @ 4:30 PM next to #McCormick DM for an inviteLi-ran N. shared thisJoin us and our good friends at Como Saturday for some after show antics just around the corner from McCormick Place. Use the link in the first comment to register while you still can. #restaurantshow2025 #NRA2025 #firstpartydelivery #getsauce. Li-ran N. Matthew Hardoon Elliot Hool Noy Shavit
-
Li-ran N. shared this🚀 Big day for Sauce! This morning we unveiled the industry’s first end-to-end discovery, delivery & retention platform at the National Restaurant Association Show. From first click ➡️ online ordering ➡️ courier dispatch ➡️ live guest support ➡️ our new AI-powered retention engine—restaurants can finally run the whole guest journey in one place. 👋 Heading to Chicago's National Restaurant Association Show? Come see the platform in action at Booth 5517 (McCormick Place, May 17-20). We’ll have live demos, data-backed success stories, and a few surprises waiting. #NRA2025 #RestaurantTech #FirstPartyDelivery #AI #GetSauceLi-ran N. shared this"Most first-party delivery platforms stop at delivery. Sauce doesn't just go further - it manages the entire delivery customer journey, from end-to-end." 💥 Come see how we do it at the NRA show. Booth 5517 💥 #nra2025 #restaurantshow #firstpartydelivery Li-ran N. Elliot Hool Matthew Hardoon Noy Shavit Gabriella Littleton https://lnkd.in/dKwvCxWPSauce Debuts Full End-to-End Discovery, Delivery & Retention Platform at NRA ShowSauce Debuts Full End-to-End Discovery, Delivery & Retention Platform at NRA Show
-
Li-ran N. shared thisLi-ran N. shared this10 days to go! Next week we're headed to Chicago for the National Restaurant Association Show. Come meet us at Booth #5517 and learn how Sauce helps successful independents and small chains grow direct online orders and boost retention with AI-powered marketing — all while delivering a seamless experience with zero operational lift. We’re also looking forward to meeting potential partners who share our mission to make delivery profitable and sustainable for restaurants everywhere. If you're coming, make time to stop by. Drop Matthew Hardoon Elliot Hool or Noy Shavit a line and we'll set up a time. #NRA2025 #RestaurantTech #DirectDelivery #OwnYourCustomers #GetSauce Li-ran N. Yuval Shalom
-
Li-ran N. shared thisSauce’s AI Automating retention V1 is boosting repeat orders > 20% Go team Sauce! #innovation #ai #restaurants #takebackcontrolLi-ran N. shared thisLooking for an AI-powered automated customer retention engine? We got you. Read more below… https://lnkd.in/dSCSeYzXSauce Unveils New AI-Powered Restaurant Customer Retention ToolSauce Unveils New AI-Powered Restaurant Customer Retention Tool
-
Li-ran N. liked thisLi-ran N. liked thisיומיים של +GROWTH כש-Iris Hermon, מנהלת השיווק שלנו, התקשרה ל #יזמים לוודא שהם לא רוצים לדחות בגלל המצב והאזעקות, התשובה הייתה גורפת: “ממש לא. אנחנו מחכים לזה”. זה לא היה רק פידבק על העבודה שלנו. זו הבנה שאי אפשר לעצור. לא כשיש משימות על השולחן ולא כשיש אנשים שתלויים בך. פשוט יוצאים מהפיג’מה, מנקים את הראש וממשיכים לעבוד. דיברנו על מה עובד, על מה צריך להפסיק לעשות ועל מה שחייבים להשאיר מאחור כדי לשרוד את התקופה הזאת. אחד היזמים אמר בחדר: “אנחנו לא צריכים שמישהו יגיד לנו שיהיה בסדר, אנחנו צריכים שמישהו יעזור לנו להחליט מה חשוב באמת מחר בבוקר”. וזה בדיוק זה. סטארטאפים לא נבנים בתנאי מעבדה סטריליים. הם נבנים בתוך הבלגאן, בתוך חוסר הוודאות, בתוך הרעש. תודה לכל מי שלקח חלק ביומיים האלו. אנחנו ממשיכים קדימה. #weve_got_your_back #nomatterwhat #israeli #tech #startups #deliver Ofir Ehrlich | Micha Kaufman | Elad Raz | Lavi Friedman | Moshe Noy | Chen Markman | Li-ran N. | David Allouche-Levinsky | Calcalist כלכליסט | Michal Kissos Hertzog | Adi Hoorvitch Lavi, PhD | Genya Krupnik | Gali Meamen-sheffer | Elad Har Zahav
-
Li-ran N. reacted on thisLi-ran N. reacted on thisרבות דובר בשלוש השנים האחרונות על המגמה ההולכת ומתחזקת של רישום סטארטאפים ישראליים כחברות Topco אמריקאיות. בקרב חברות שגייסו סבבי סיד משמעותיים (מעל $20m), הנתונים קיצוניים משמעותית יותר ביחס לכלל האוכלוסייה- ולמעלה מ־85% מהחברות האלו שהוקמו בשלוש השנים האחרונות התאגדו כחברות אמריקאיות. בטור המצורף שפורסם ב-Calcalist כלכליסט עמדנו- Adam Fisher , Gigi Levy-Weiss , Itay Frishman , Yair Geva ואני- על האינרציה שנוצרת, על הסיבות האפשריות למגמה, ועל האימפקט המסוכן שלה על האקוסיסטם המקומי ועל הכלכלה הישראלית בטווח הבינוני והארוך. ישראל מציעה סביבת מס מערבית ותחרותית, אך הכלים הקיימים מכוונים בעיקר למשקיעים, לחברות בשלות ולתאגידים רב־לאומיים- ומפספסים את נקודת ההכרעה הקריטית: רגע הקמת החברה, והיזם שמקבל את ההחלטה המבנית הראשונה. בארה״ב, מנגנון ה-QSBS יצר תמריץ ברור וישיר למייסדים ולמשקיעים להקים חברות אמריקאיות, להחזיק בהן לאורך זמן ולממש שם את הערך. זו אינה שאלה של נדיבות, אלא של בהירות אסטרטגית. ישראל צריכה לייצר מנגנון מקביל- כזה שמעניק ליזמים תמריץ אישי, ישיר ומובנה להקים חברה ישראלית, להשאיר את ה-IP בישראל, ולשמור (או לחזור) למעמד של תושב ישראל סביב האקזיט. תמריצים, לא עונשים. לא מלחמה בפרגמטיות של יזמים- אלא התאמה אליה. תמריץ נכון ליזם הישראלי יכול לא רק להחזיר את הספינה לה��אגדות בישראל, אלא גם לייצר קונטרה טבעית ללחצי השוק, ולחזק כאן לא רק את שכבת הפיתוח- אלא גם את שכבת הניהול, קבלת ההחלטות והערך הכלכלי.בכירי ענף ההייטק במכתב אזהרה: כך נעצור את בריחת היזמים | כלכליסטבכירי ענף ההייטק במכתב אזהרה: כך נעצור את בריחת היזמים | כלכליסט
-
Li-ran N. liked thisLi-ran N. liked thisExcited to share that Slice | Global Equity raised a $25M Series A, led by Insight Partners, with participation from Fenwick & West and Cooley LLP, and continued support from our existing investors TLV Partners, R-Squared Ventures, Jibe Ventures, and SV101 by ICON. Equity has gone global, but the infrastructure behind it hasn’t. Finance, Legal, and HR teams are still forced to stitch together local tax rules, legal requirements, payroll coordination, and outdated tools just to stay compliant. It’s manual, expensive, and risky, and it only gets harder as companies scale across borders. That’s why we built Slice: 𝗔𝗜-𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲-𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆. A single system that helps teams run the full equity lifecycle across jurisdictions with more confidence, accuracy, and speed. This funding helps us go faster, deepening the compliance engine, expanding product and engineering, and scaling our go-to-market worldwide. To our customers and partners around the world: thank you for trusting us with one of the most sensitive parts of your company’s global operations. And to the Slice team, the beating heart of Slice, I couldn’t be prouder! Together, we’re building what should have existed a decade ago. 👉 Full press release in the first comment.
-
Li-ran N. liked thisLi-ran N. liked this100 CEOs and GMs First live event of the Scale Up Nation Podcast🎙️ Focusing on one question: How do we scale up in Israel? We also recorded two episodes with Shai Wininger & Erez Shachar and with Boaz Dinte & Pavel Gurvich. Stay tuned ;) Want to join the next one? Link to the WhatsApp group in the comments 👇 Special thanks to Qumra Capital and Lior Lahav for organizing everything and making it happen. Produced with: Hadar Gindi & Maya Broid Amir Nehemia Matan Gavish Asaf Peled Rotem Iram Tomer S. Daniella Gilboa 🚀Asaf Yanai Oren Kaniel Rotem Iram Michal Lupu Tal Adler Roy Danon Yuval Brot Gal Rimon Yochai Corem Ofer Familier Alon Zlatkin Alon Kaufman Avi Jacoby (Jack) Guy Korland Tzachi Davidovich Li-ran N. Gilad Uziely Ido Elenberg Ittay Hayut Nir Yaron Daniel Ben Tov Itai Tevet Alex Frenkel Omri Yacubovich Tal Kirschenbaum and many more... (I exceeded my mention limit)
-
Li-ran N. liked this🚀 A life-changing, one-of-a-kind opportunity @ Sauce We’re looking for the Mr / Ms “Make It Repeatable & Predictable.” Our Sales engine is already active — working playbooks, clear ICPs, inbound & outbound channels, and a strong team in-seat. Our Customer Success & Onboarding engines are already running — established processes, high customer satisfaction, and real momentum. Now we’re hiring: 🔥 Head of SMB Sales 🔥 Head of Customer Success & Onboarding 📍 Miami or NYC only If you love elevating what already works and turning momentum into a machine — this can change your trajectory. Head of CS & Onboarding https://lnkd.in/dHwtZFKx Head of SMB Sales https://lnkd.in/dqW92jU8
Experience & Education
-
Sauce
*** * *******
-
******* ******** ****** ******
-
-
-
******* ****** ** * **********
******* ****** undefined
-
View Li-ran’s full experience
By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.
Welcome back
By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.
New to LinkedIn? Join now
Licenses & Certifications
Volunteer Experience
-
CPR & First Aid Responder
Magen David Adom in Israel
- 1 year
Health
Providing initial response to routine life - saving calls across Israel, as part of the MDA's emergency services array - maintaining another layer of response in addition to the array of rescue vehicles, and also to provide medical response until arrival of the MDA team, or in order to assist the MDA team.
https://www.mdais.org/en/first-responders
View Li-ran’s full profile
-
See who you know in common
-
Get introduced
-
Contact Li-ran directly
Other similar profiles
-
Scott Pollack
Scott Pollack
Something New - Preparing the Workforce for the Age of AI (Stealth)
15K followersNew York City Metropolitan Area
Explore more posts
-
Alejandro Cremades
AC8 Partners • 75K followers
𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 (𝐁𝐲 𝐇𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝) A practical, founder-first guide to how early-stage fundraising actually works—based on real investor behavior, not pitch theory. Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Fundraising is a system: Targeting, sequencing, and momentum matter more than a great story. 2️⃣ Signals beat effort: Investors react to traction, clarity, and risk reduction—not hustle or long decks. 3️⃣ Mechanics decide outcomes: Timing, dilution, and investor selection compound far more than valuation. Bottom line? Fundraising isn’t about persuasion—it’s about engineering proof and leverage. P.S. Want a PDF of Raise Millions? Get it free: https://lnkd.in/guuxKa-J ♻️ Repost to help people in your network. 💡 Follow Alejandro Cremades for more strategy insights.
31
5 Comments -
Jule Wilhelm
fundraising fempire • 5K followers
Your pre-seed deck does not need an exit slide. It needs a clear path to product-market fit. 🚪 I see founders get caught up in the “exit” hype way too early. Someone tells them they need an exit strategy, and suddenly they are asking themselves, “Okay… who could I sell this company to in 10 years?” When you are raising pre-seed, your real job is to build a product people want. Not to map out a billion-dollar sale before you even have users. Investors notice when you focus on exits. To them, it can look like you are skipping the hard work. It’s a red flag if you talk more about selling than about solving real problems. There are only two cases where an “exit” slide makes sense: → You are building with the clear goal of a strategic acquisition. You already know the buyer, have connections, and it’s almost an insider deal. → Your founding team has proven exits. You know the process, you. have done it before, and you can speak from experience. For everyone else, leave the exit slide out. Show your path to product-market fit instead. What matters most at pre-seed: ▪️ How you will reach PMF ▪️ What problem you solve ▪️ Who your first customers are ▪️ Why your team can build it Focus on building something people love. Exits come later, after you prove value. Have you ever felt pressure to include an “exit” slide?
25
2 Comments -
Adeo Ressi
Decile Group • 67K followers
Venture capital benchmarks are complete fiction. I track real performance data on ~200 emerging manager funds. The public benchmarks everyone quotes use flawed methodology that makes the industry look better than reality. When you strip away SAFE caps and speculative valuations, focusing only on priced rounds, the numbers tell a different story. Top decile funds are printing money at 2.7x+ TVPI, beating the performance of the top technology stocks. Top decile: 2.7x+ TVPI Top quartile: 2.2x+ TVPI Mean: 1.2x TVPI Stop comparing yourself to fake benchmarks. Start comparing yourself to real performance. The methodology matters more than the numbers. Do your homework before you believe any benchmark.
43
13 Comments -
Toby Egbuna
Chezie • 27K followers
I blew 20 VC meetings before I realized I didn’t need a perfect pitch; I needed to show investors how I'd make them money. Here’s how I did it by focusing on milestones 👇🏾 REGULAR PITCH: I thought my pitch was smooth: "Our product is in market and we’ve gotten 7 customers and $100K in ARR. We’re raising $750K to hire engineers to move off of no-code" Sounds solid, right? Nope. 20 meetings and 0 checks in, I realized I was making a big mistake. I was telling investors how I'd use their money, not how they'd make money. MILESTONE-FOCUSED PITCH: Once I understood venture math, everything changed. My new pitch: "We're at $100K ARR with seven customers, and our product is a no-code MVP. With $750K, we'll grow to $1M ARR in 15 months - which will allow us to raise our seed round at 2-3x our current valuation." WHY THIS WORKS: Pre-seed investors aren’t investing in today’s version of your company. They’re investing in what your company can become. They need to believe that in 12-18 months, you can raise another round at a 2-3x valuation. That means if you’re raising at a $6M valuation today, your job is to convince investors that you’ll be able to raise at (at least) a $12M valuation down the road. Why do you have to double your valuation? Because VCs need to show their LPs (limited partners; the people who give them money to invest) that they're picking good companies. Happy LPs = more money for the next fund. TAKEAWAY: When fundraising, your job as a founder isn't to show investors your great company. Your only job is to convince them you'll hit the milestones to raise your next round at a higher valuation. The other parts of your pitch (team, product, GTM, etc.) are just there to support the story. What’s your biggest challenge with fundraising? Drop a comment and I’ll try to help! Save and repost this to help a first-time founder 🤝🏾
200
38 Comments -
Patrick Henry
EvoNexus • 11K followers
Startup Founders: this is the secret 🤫 to raising money for your startup: Investors are desperate to find great companies to invest in. Angel investors put money into founders and business ideas that solve a big problem for customers that could be potentially huge and explosively growing market. VCs want to deploy capital to help companies grow. Companies the have proven their business at a basic product-market fit level. If you cannot get investor interest in your company, there is usually one of three reasons: 1) You are too early for the investors that you’re pitching to. 2) You don’t have a solution that addresses a big customer problem in what could be an large and explosive market, where you have an unique value proposition, and a sustainable competitive advantage. At least from the investors perspective. So this could be true, or a perception based on your inability to convince them with evidence. 3) The investors don’t beleive in you and your team. This can be hard to swallow. But not all investors are the right fit for every team. And you may need improvements in your team. There can be a number of reasons behind this one including: (a) they don’t think you have the business, technical, and/or market domain expertise to win; (b) they don’t know, like, and trust you; (c) they don’t think you have the ‘right stuff’ to stick it out when things get rough. You can mitigate or eliminate ALL of these issues. It comes down to the secret: Build better companies. A lot of ‘entrepreneurs’ don’t want to hear this: The problem isn’t the investors. It is you. Great businesses with great teams and stellar leadership always get funded. It may take creativity and tenacity and a lot of investor ‘NO’ answers, but they ALWAYS get funded. Agree or disagree?
20
12 Comments -
Cory M. Cozzens
Philo Ventures • 7K followers
All VC "theses" fall into 3 categories. Know them and your pitch will hit 10x harder. 1. The Follower ("Access Thesis") - Their mindset: "I don't want to miss out." - The reality: They aren't analyzing your market, they just want to know who else is coming to the party. - The pitch: Sell momentum. Who's in? How much is committed? - Working with them: Take the check to fill the round, but check references first. Passive capital is fine; emotional capital is lethal. 2. The Pattern Matcher ("Heuristic Thesis") - Their mindset: "Does this look like the last winner I missed?" - The reality: They bet on traits (e.g., repeat founder, buzzy keywords, location, growth rate, etc.) and call it pattern matching; they don't actually care about what you're building. - The pitch: De-risk for them. Know and show how you check their heuristic boxes. - Working with them: They'll be good operational partners, but they may not get the vision. 3. The Prepared Mind ("True Thesis") - The mindset: "I’ve been waiting for a company to build exactly this." - The reality: They saw the future before you walked in. They don't need convincing that the opportunity exists, just that you are the one to capture it. - The pitch: Skip the generics and go deep on the specific insight you share and why you're uniquely positioned to build the future. - Working with them: High impact, but high friction. If you pivot away from their worldview, things get messy. Pitch FOMO to the Followers; pitch stats to the Pattern Matchers; pitch vision to the Prepared Minds. Pro-Tip: Listen to their questions to spot the type. "Who is leading? How much is left in your round?" = Type 1. "What's your CAC?" = Type 2. "Why now?" = Type 3.
33
1 Comment -
Sephi Shapira
FundableMethod • 19K followers
I DON’T SEND my company deck to investors before the first meeting. 60% go unopened. Opened decks get about 1:56 of attention (DocSend). Fewer than 2% of cold sent decks earn a meeting. A file without me lets VCs pattern match me into a “pass” in under two minutes. They won’t grasp what I’m building, hear my conviction, or why I’m the one to build it. Instead, I send five lines: What we do (one line). One traction signal. One stat on the opportunity. One “why now.” One team credential. Ask for a 15-minute call. If they won’t invest 15 minutes, they won’t invest 15 thousand.
745
196 Comments -
TJ Taylor
Rumor • 4K followers
Founders, especially at the early stage, if you have, or are planning to raise venture dollars, you should be paying attention to reports like this one (link in comments) from Carta & Peter Walker re: 2024 VC fund performance. Some things to think about: 1. LP pullback: The number of LPs actively investing in VC funds has nearly halved since 2022. Funds are relying on fewer but bigger checks, so raising cash might get tighter. 2. Extended runways & bridge rounds: Seed-stage bridge rounds hit an all-time high (40% in 2024), and it’s taking longer than ever to get from Seed to Series A. Plan on having at least 18-24 months of runway to manage this. 3. Down rounds are increasing: About 20% of priced rounds now are down rounds, way up from ~7% just three years ago. The market’s cautious—so valuations are resetting more frequently. So, consider... 1. Staying lean and clear on your milestones. 2. Start chatting with investors early (think: 6-9 months before you actually need the cash). 3. Be pragmatic about valuations; a down round isn’t ideal, but it can be strategic, not catastrophic.
101
10 Comments -
Craig Bristol Dixon
Accelerating Asia • 13K followers
Founders, your Ideal Investor Profile (IIP) is as important as your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). While many founders are using ICP frameworks to find product market fit, I find almost no startups are using a similar framework for fundraising. Which investors are most likely to: - Convert? - Send $ on the timeline you need it? - Be a good long-term partner? I see early stage startups meeting with VCs who either do not have a mandate to invest in their geography or else are unlikely to convert soon (most common). I see founders meeting with investors who do not invest in their industry. If you are fundraising you are selling. Your product is your equity and your customer is the investor. Treat the process almost the same as you would when selling your startup's product/service. Design your IIP, go to market, get feedback, iterate, repeat.
56
4 Comments -
Dave Lambert
Right Side Capital Management • 5K followers
Founders often scramble to prep materials *after* a VC shows interest. That’s backward. You should be ready for diligence before your first meeting with a VC. Smart founders: 🗂 Have their data room ready 📊 Can share a clear KPI dashboard if asked 💸 Keep clean, up-to-date financials 📣 Track and communicate metrics Flailing around getting your files in order can erode investor trust. Put in the work ahead of time and it will build confidence in you and your company. #FundraisingAdvice #StartupTips #RSCMFounderFriday
23
4 Comments -
Alex Menn
Begin Capital • 10K followers
Over the past few years, fundraising has become significantly tougher, especially for smaller funds. This, unfortunately, is the case even for VCs delivering solid returns. In my recent Crunchbase piece, I talk about how emerging managers can survive (and even thrive!) in a challenging fundraising environment. I discuss why the process today is more about familiarity than performance, and highlight places where managers should look for capital that others ignore. Check out the full column via link in comments. Curious to hear from other managers who have recently raised successfully. Which part of this rings true?
74
4 Comments -
Dave Goldblatt
Vibe Capital • 2K followers
At Vibe Capital, we believe the venture landscape is bifurcating. The reason is simple: reality is full of drunk cats. "Drunk Cats" are the emergent, second-order effects that arise from simple rules. They can tank a product, entire system, or an entire country. The ability to see -and master - these drunk cats reveals the true split in startups today. It is no longer between software and hardware, but between "impressionistic" founders who map the world as it is, and "mechanistic" founders who can reverse-engineer reality from first principles. My latest Dave's Quick Hits newsletter provides the playbook for identifying and funding these mechanistic architects. It is about a fundamental shift from describing effects to mastering cause. I break down the three core stages of the Mechanistic Playbook: 1. See the System: Identifying the hidden rules and emergent flaws in any complex system, from software to biology. 2. Debug the System: Using technology to patch the legacy "bugs" of a previous industrial paradigm. 3. Architect a New System: Building with true primitives, like DNA, to program matter itself. The next trillion-dollar companies won't be built by operators chasing surface-level trends. They'll be built by system-thinkers who can see, debug, and architect reality’s source code. You can read the full analysis and the investment theses here: https://lnkd.in/dkhkBUwh #VentureCapital #DeepTech #FrontierTech #Investing #Strategy #Biotechnology #Nanotechnology #vibecap #vibecapital #drunkcats
13
-
Nikola Yanev
Behind The Round • 17K followers
I could fill your head with hundreds of deck tips. But more is not always better. I’ve spent countless of hours iterating on decks of founders I work with. And countless of hours looking at decks as a VC. That's why I've prepared one golden tip for every slide of your pitch deck to help you with clarity. Check the carrousel below for one top tip on: 1️⃣ Problem 2️⃣ Solution 3️⃣ Product 4️⃣ Market 5️⃣ Business Model 6️⃣ Competition 7️⃣ Traction 8️⃣ Team 9️⃣ Fundraising Ask Is that an exhaustive list with best practises? No. But would they boost your deck game if used? Definitely! P.S. What are your additional pitch deck tips! Let's crowdsource them below. ⬇️ I'll start first with 2 more. 📌
46
14 Comments -
David Frankel
Founder Collective • 6K followers
Two New Metrics that Might Keep Your Startup Alive in 2026: VC's love rules and formulas. The Rule of 40. CAC/LTV. Burn Multiples. Neat equations that promise precision in a world where controlled chaos is the norm and clean math is hard to come by. Right now I’m working with a founder who reminds me why those formulas only get you part of the way and new measures are required, especially at the early stage. This team built a product I genuinely love, an app I open nearly every day. It’s been downloaded millions of times and is widely used. Unfortunately, churn is higher than they’d like and monetization isn’t fully dialed in yet. The burn is shrinking and profitability is in view, but not without a bridge round, which I recently helped to catalyze. It was a hard round to close. It doesn’t have AI in the name, so most VC's aren’t excited to dig in. In an attempt to make this kind of startup more legible, here are a couple of the principles that gave me confidence to continue to back this team: Dollars-to-Progress Ratio: Every time I open the app there’s a new feature waiting for me. Every six-week check-in comes with a chart that climbs steadily up and to the right. The epitome of capital efficiency is a team “propelled by the fumes from a petrol-soaked rag.” This team has raised very little, but has converted every dollar into product and TikTok-fueled growth. And every dollar feels like an investment in possibility at a time when term sheets can start to feel like overpriced lottery tickets. Morale Multiplier: The product is great, but it was the founder's enthusiasm that pushed me to catalyze this round. He cares so deeply it’s impossible not to leave every interaction more energized than you arrived. When we meet, I’m astounded by how often he has exactly the question I have in mind queued up as the next slide. Updates are delivered regularly and filled with clear detail. This founder recently became a father and after the extension closed, he told me he finally felt like he could sleep again. You’d never have guessed how much weight he was carrying based on how he carried himself on calls. There’s still plenty of work ahead, and the odds are long, just like with every startup. Still, this is the kind of team that makes you "waltz to work". I’m skeptical of many startup “rules”. But trusting in exceptional founders has rarely led me too far astray.
115
13 Comments -
Hesham Zreik
FasterCapital • 60K followers
Investors vs founders mentality Founders wake up thinking: “Holy sh*t, how do I keep this alive today?” Investors wake up thinking: “Hm, should I deploy $500k here or buy a bigger Tesla?” Founders see a product glitch at 2 AM and think the world is ending. Investors see a product glitch at 2 AM and think, “Why are you texting me at 2 AM?” Founders’ mentality: “I’ll sell my kidney if needed to make payroll.” Investors’ mentality: “Let’s avoid founder kidney sales; it ruins our ESG score.” Founders build fast and break things because they’re terrified someone else will build faster and break them. Investors analyse pitch decks for weeks, thinking, “If it’s a real unicorn, it will still be there when I’m done with my vacation in Mykonos.” Founders pitch with fire in their eyes: “We’re revolutionising this market!” Investors reply with spreadsheets in their eyes: “Interesting, but what’s your EBITDA margin in Year 4?” Founders: “We need to close this round to launch next month.” Investors: “We need another committee meeting to discuss whether we want to have a meeting.” The truth is: Both are needed. Founders push reality forward. Investors make sure it doesn’t fall off a cliff. But let’s be honest. Sometimes, founders think investors are slow, clueless, risk-averse suits. Sometimes investors think founders are manic, delusional caffeine addicts. And sometimes, they’re both right. Still, when these two mentalities sync, the mad urgency of founders meets the cold caution of investors, that’s when magic happens. Because startups aren’t built on just money or hustle. They’re built on the tension between “move fast or die” and “let’s not die by moving stupidly.” Which side are you on today?
74
30 Comments
Explore top content on LinkedIn
Find curated posts and insights for relevant topics all in one place.
View top content