Raise a Pre-Seed Round
16 weeks · 3 milestones
Raise $250k–$1M from angels or a pre-seed fund.
Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Define the pre-seed round before you start raising it: the amount you are raising, what specific milestones that capital will fund, the type of investor you are targeting (angel, pre-seed fund, or strategic), and the instrument (SAFE, convertible note, or priced equity). Founders who start pre-seed fundraising before defining these four things typically run a disorganised process that confuses investors and ends in a worse outcome. The pre-seed is almost always raised from a small number of people (2–8 investors), so the targeting decisions matter more than they do at later stages.
Proof required
Write a 200-word pre-seed round definition covering: (1) the amount you are raising and over what instrument (SAFE with a cap, convertible note, or priced equity); (2) the three specific milestones that this capital will fund — what you will have achieved when the money runs out; (3) the investor type you are targeting and why (angels who have operated in this space, pre-seed funds, or strategic angels — with specific names of 3 target investors and why each is a good fit); (4) what you are NOT using the pre-seed capital for (this forces prioritisation).
What gets checked
- Three milestones are specific and measurable — not 'build the product' but 'ship a working prototype to 10 beta users and get 3 paying pilots at £500/month'.
- Three named target investors with a specific reason each — not a generic list but people you have a real reason to target.
- What the capital is NOT for is included — this demonstrates prioritisation, which investors value at the pre-seed stage.