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<h3>The Fundraising 101 That You Can’t Google</h3><blockquote>Most programs for founders are created by people who have never founded or invested in startups. They either bring together a group of mentors with no clear goals, direction, or accountability—or they follow a rigid, one-size-fits-all formula that assumes every startup is the same.</blockquote>But here’s the truth: startups are messy. Founders don’t begin in the same place, move at the same pace, or face the same challenges. Standardized programs fit nobody, and programs without accountability waste everyone’s time.At Founder VC, we’ve built something different: the Founder VC Virtual Incubator. This isn’t another time-wasting program that forces you through irrelevant steps. It’s a program designed for founders who need answers now—bite-sized, actionable lessons you can dive into whenever you need them.<h3>&nbsp; Why This Program Exists</h3><blockquote> The venture capital ecosystem isn’t built for transparency or inclusivity. It’s a world that favors those with insider knowledge and the right networks, leaving most founders locked out of the game.</blockquote>But great founders come from everywhere. They deserve access to the same knowledge, tools, and insights that VCs use to make their decisions. That’s why the Founder VC Virtual Incubator focuses on demystifying the VC process. This is information you can’t Google, delivered in ways that respect your time and meet you where you are.<h3>&nbsp; What Makes It Different?</h3> No Fluff, No Filler This program gets straight to the point. No theoretical lectures or rehashed advice. Every piece of content is designed to help you solve real problems in real time. Learn What You Need, When You Need It The Virtual Incubator is built on micro-learning—short, focused lessons you can consume in any order. Founders don’t move at the same pace, and this program lets you focus on what matters most to your startup right now. Built by Founders and Investors Most programs are designed by people who’ve never founded or funded a company. Not here. This program was built by people who’ve been in the trenches—founders and investors who understand the realities of startup life. Inclusive by Design Venture capital desperately needs more inclusivity. By sharing the unwritten rules of VC, this program aims to level the playing field for founders from all backgrounds. &nbsp;<h3>What You’ll Learn</h3> The Virtual Incubator isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s a modular program built around real-world topics founders need to know:How VCs Think: Learn what drives VC decisions—what they value, what they don’t, and why.Building Proof Points: Understand how to de-risk your business and show investors you’re ready for growth.Fundraising Tips and Tricks: From first meetings to closing rounds, learn how to navigate the process like a pro.Tailored Strategies by Vertical: Whether you’re in B2B SaaS, D2C, or deep tech, get insights specific to your industry.Practical Tools and Templates: Access the documents you need—pitch decks, cap tables, financials, and more. &nbsp;<h3>Why Micro-Learning Works</h3> Startups are unpredictable, and founders don’t have time to wade through irrelevant information. Micro-learning puts you in control, letting you:<ul><li>Solve problems in real time, whether you’re pitching tomorrow or fixing your cap table today.</li><li>Focus on what matters to you, without being forced into a rigid curriculum.</li><li>Move at your own pace—because every founder’s journey is unique. </li></ul><h3>Leveling the Playing Field</h3>For too long, venture capital has been a closed-door system, accessible only to those with existing networks. The Founder VC Virtual Incubator breaks those doors down.<blockquote>Fundraising shouldn’t feel like a black box.</blockquote> Great ideas—and great founders—deserve access to the tools and insights they need to succeed. By sharing the real, unspoken rules of venture capital, we’re working to create a more inclusive, accessible ecosystem where every founder has a fair shot.<h3>&nbsp; Your Journey Starts Here</h3> The Founder VC Virtual Incubator isn’t a lecture series or a generic playbook. It’s the practical, unfiltered knowledge you need to raise capital and build a business on your terms.Whether you’re raising your first round, proving traction, or navigating investor meetings, this program will help you get there faster—without wasting your time.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Virtual Incubator by Founder VC

A cemetery with statues and trees in the background

<blockquote><h3>Most startups don’t fail because of bad ideas; they fail because of avoidable mistakes.</h3></blockquote>As someone who has scaled a billion-dollar unicorn, built and exited my own startup, and invested in many more, I’ve seen the same rookie errors over and over. These foundational mistakes aren’t just costly—they’re fatal.Here’s what every founder needs to know to survive the early stages of startup life and avoid becoming just another cautionary tale in the startup graveyard.Survival isn’t guaranteed, but it is within your control.<h3>1. Build a Business, Not Just a Product</h3>Many founders are so focused on solving a problem that they forget the most basic truth of startups: every business needs cash to survive. Profitability isn’t optional, and no amount of funding will save a bad business model. The cash you make is always safer than the cash you’re given.Lesson: Validate your idea before you build. Test it with paying customers, refine your business model, and ensure there’s a clear path to sustainable revenue. <blockquote>If no one will pay for your solution, your startup is already dead.</blockquote><h3>&nbsp; 2. Fundraising Isn’t the First Step</h3> It’s easy to think the journey starts with pitching to VCs. But unless you have significant traction or revenue, you’re wasting your time. VCs aren’t betting on ideas—they’re betting on billion-dollar outcomes. If you’re not there yet, focus on building.Lesson: Bootstrap. Lean on early believers—friends, family, fools—before approaching institutional investors. Show traction first, then fundraise.<h3>&nbsp; 3. Embrace Discomfort</h3> Founders avoid asking the hardest questions because they don’t want to hear the answers. But what you don’t want to know will kill you the fastest.Lesson: Seek feedback from critics, not just cheerleaders. What problem are you solving? Why would someone choose you over the competition? Be brutally honest, then adjust.<h3> 4. It’s Never Too Early for PR</h3> PR isn’t just for later-stage companies—it’s how you sell your vision from day one. As a founder, you’re always selling: to customers, investors, partners, and even future employees. Your message needs to be loud and clear because the people who invest in you six months from now are the ones hearing your story today.Lesson: Shout your message from the rooftops. Network relentlessly, pitch your story, and keep your leads warm with regular updates. Consistent visibility builds trust and ensures you’re top of mind when it’s time to raise capital.<h3>&nbsp; 5. Don’t Get Creative With Your Pitch Deck</h3> Your pitch deck isn’t the place to reinvent the wheel. VCs engage in pattern matching—they’ve seen thousands of decks and are trained to process information quickly. A flashy, overly creative deck often works against you by making it harder for investors to see what they’re looking for.Lesson: Use simple, proven templates for your pitch deck. Focus on the essentials: What’s the problem? What’s your solution? Why are you the team to solve it? Clarity and structure win over creativity every time. <h3>6. Always Plan for the Bridge</h3> Hitting $1–2M ARR is an insanely difficult milestone to achieve, especially within the VC-prescribed timeline of 18 months. VCs often expect your startup to mature on their timeline, not yours—and they’re willing to let your startup die if it doesn’t fit their expectations. But the goal isn’t just securing the next round of funding; it’s building a startup with lasting impact.Lesson: Think beyond the first round. Plan for sustainability and growth on your terms, not just to satisfy a funding timeline. Investors want to know how you’ll use their money to achieve meaningful milestones, but lasting success requires building a business that can thrive without rushing to meet artificial deadlines.<h3>&nbsp; 7. Play the Numbers Game</h3> Founders underestimate how hard fundraising is. The reality? Most investors will say no. But here’s the key: the relationships you build now are the ones who fund you six months from now. Every conversation, every pitch, every follow-up is laying the groundwork for future investment.Lesson: Expect a 3–5% hit rate. That means 96 out of 100 pitches will end in rejection. Build your pipeline, nurture relationships consistently, and keep going. Persistence and relationship-building are as critical as the pitch itself.<h3> 8. Nobody Is Waiting to Hand You a Check</h3> It’s easy to believe that venture capital is the answer to your startup’s challenges, but here’s the reality: only 1% of startups globally secure VC funding. If you’re depending on VC money to save your company, you’re playing a dangerous game. The harsh truth? Nobody is waiting with a check to solve your problems.Lesson: Build a business that can sustain itself. Focus on generating revenue, reducing burn, and creating value that doesn’t rely on external funding. VC funding can accelerate growth, but it won’t save a struggling company.<h2> The Takeaway</h2> Building a startup isn’t about avoiding every mistake—it’s about recognizing the critical ones before they sink you. Profitability, traction, and clarity aren’t just buzzwords—they’re your lifelines.Your vision deserves a chance. Give it the foundation it needs to thrive.Build a business with a clear path to revenue. Validate relentlessly. Plan for every stage of growth. And remember: your startup’s success begins and ends with you.&nbsp; ----------------------------------------------<a data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lane-litz/" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lane-litz/">Lane Litz</a> is a proven startup founder, operator, and venture capitalist with a track record of building, scaling, and investing in high-potential startups. As employee #6 at VIPKID, she helped grow the company to a $3B valuation. Later, as the CEO and Co-founder of Speakia, she navigated challenging market conditions to lead the startup to acquisition. Her time in venture capital&nbsp; gave her a front-row seat to the systemic flaws in traditional VC, inspiring her to found Founder VC. Now, Lane is reshaping the venture landscape with a founder-first approach, focusing on sustainable investments that deliver measurable value for both founders and investors.

Avoiding the Startup Graveyard- How Not to Die

<h3>Venture capital is broken. It promises innovation and growth but is fundamentally designed for failure.</h3>I’ve seen this system’s flaws up close—scaling a unicorn like VIPKID, founding Speakia, and later as a venture capitalist. The realization didn’t come through theory but from personal experience, and it has reshaped how I think about funding startups.<h3>The Illusion of Unicorns</h3>When I joined <a data-mce-href="vipkid.com.cn" href="vipkid.com.cn">VIPKID</a> as employee #6, the company epitomized the venture capital dream. We raised over a billion dollars, scaled to dominate the global online education space, and became a unicorn almost overnight. On paper, it was perfect: hyper-growth, massive valuations, and international acclaim.But under the surface, profitability eluded us. We were locked into the VC playbook—chasing growth at all costs, prioritizing top-line numbers over sustainability. It wasn’t until I had left the company that I fully understood the fragility of the model. When the Chinese government outlawed private education in 2021, VIPKID and countless other companies lost their market and their funding overnight.Watching from the sidelines, I saw how easily an entire ecosystem could collapse when external factors change. But at the time, I hadn’t yet internalized the lesson: when the unexpected happens, funders run for the hills.<figure id="figure-otadvyk20qm5lmr1uq"><img id="otadvyk20qm5lmr1uq" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2f9j6OATNS87xeHF27CCrwVdS9yEEDl0gO4OR1ZZay80emyp4OwgAcT65y3C4T3z.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2f9j6OATNS87xeHF27CCrwVdS9yEEDl0gO4OR1ZZay80emyp4OwgAcT65y3C4T3z.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>The Startup That Ran Out of Time</h3>That lesson hit home during my time as the Founder and CEO of <a data-mce-href="speakia.app" href="speakia.app">Speakia</a>. Speakia was everything a startup should be: a product with excellent retention, loyal users, and metrics that surpassed industry benchmarks. But we were a venture-backed company, which meant we lived and died by the fundraising timeline.In 2022, we were in the middle of raising a funding round when regulatory changes in China sent shockwaves through the market. Investors, already skittish, disappeared overnight. We had a few months of runway left, but no amount of traction or great metrics could save us on a VC timeline.It was a painful wake-up call: venture capital isn’t built to support founders through uncertainty. When the world changes, the money dries up, leaving founders with no choice but to cut, sell, or close.<a data-mce-href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/startupsmart/edtech-chatterize-funding-chatbot-china/" href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/startupsmart/edtech-chatterize-funding-chatbot-china/">https://www.smartcompany.com.au/startupsmart/edtech-chatterize-funding-chatbot-china/</a><h3>The Venture Capital Playbook</h3>After Speakia’s acquisition, I joined the world of venture capital as an industry-agnostic investor, eager to bring my founder-first mindset into the world of venture capital. Instead, I encountered a system that operates on cold probabilities. <h3>Venture capitalists don’t use data to fund traction; they use emotions to fund spectulation and drive hope.</h3>The strategy is simple: build a portfolio of 20–30 companies, expecting most to fail. The goal is for one or two to generate returns large enough to offset the losses. But here’s the catch: most investments aren’t based on data or sustainable growth. They’re based on emotion, FOMO (fear of missing out), and narratives that promise the next billion-dollar exit.This approach isn’t just inefficient—it’s cruel. Founders pour their hearts and souls into businesses, only to realize that they were always intended to be sacrifices on the altar of a VC’s portfolio math.<figure id="figure-thk0m936lcm5loa6k7"><img id="thk0m936lcm5loa6k7" src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/977371962/photo/miniature-people-standing-on-a-pile-of-coins.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=u3Z5oI4mBFupb324Wt7rfzB33JkaBSpHrBr0ZsXJplk=" alt="Miniature people standing on a pile of coins." title="Miniature people standing on a pile of coins." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://media.gettyimages.com/id/977371962/photo/miniature-people-standing-on-a-pile-of-coins.jpg?b=1&amp;s=2048x2048&amp;w=0&amp;k=20&amp;c=u3Z5oI4mBFupb324Wt7rfzB33JkaBSpHrBr0ZsXJplk=" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h3>The Pandemic Boom and Bust</h3>The funding frenzy of 2020 and 2021 laid this bare. Flush with cash, VCs funneled billions into startups at inflated valuations, many with no clear path to profitability. It seemed like a golden era for innovation.But as the market cooled post-COVID, the cracks began to show. Startups ran out of money. Layoffs swept through the tech industry. Many of those same VCs, once desperate to get into deals, disappeared, leaving founders scrambling.<h3>A New Vision for Venture Capital</h3>The system is broken, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Founders deserve more than a model designed to expect their failure. Startups with traction and profitability deserve funding, even if they don’t promise billion-dollar exits.That’s why I started Founder VC. Instead of chasing unicorns, we focus on startups with $300M–$500M exit potential—real businesses with proven product-market fit, sustainable growth, and clear paths to M&amp;A. <h3>We use data, not gut feelings, to identify opportunities. And we invest with the intention of building sustainable value, not just rolling the dice and hoping for a win.</h3>It’s time to rewrite the rules of venture capital. Founders, investors, and the ecosystem as a whole deserve a system built on trust, sustainability, and results—not just hype.Founder VC transforms high-risk startups into viable investments of time and capital, delivering sustainable value for both founders and investors.----------------------------------------------<a data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lane-litz/" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lane-litz/" title="Lane's LinkedIn">Lane Litz</a> is a proven startup founder, operator, and venture capitalist with a track record of building, scaling, and investing in high-potential startups. As employee #6 at VIPKID, she helped grow the company to a $3B valuation. Later, as the CEO and Co-founder of Speakia, she navigated challenging market conditions to lead the startup to acquisition. Her time in venture capital gave her a front-row seat to the systemic flaws in traditional VC, inspiring her to found Founder VC. Now, Lane is reshaping the venture landscape with a founder-first approach, focusing on sustainable investments that deliver measurable value for both founders and investors.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

The Broken Venture Capital System - Lessons From the Front Lines

Founder VC

Founder VC invests in high-potential startups with proven product-market fit, helping them achieve scalable growth and M&A-driven exits. Unlike traditional VC, we specialize in capital-efficient companies, offering structured funding and hands-on support to drive scalable growth and predictable outcomes.

Fundraising, Unfiltered

Virtual Incubator by Founder VC

Avoiding the Startup Graveyard- How Not to Die

The Broken Venture Capital System - Lessons From the Fron...