Fundraising for First-time Founders
Vidya Raman
Seasoned VC and Product Leader
Master the Winning Fundraising Formula for Your AI Startup Idea
We are in the middle of an AI gold rush where speed is everything, yet First-time founders are being sidelined by a fundraising "black box" of silent rejections and unwritten rules. You cannot afford to let a lack of insider know-how be the reason you miss this generational opportunity to create a valuable startup while competitors secure the capital to outpace you.
With the Capital-Ready Playbook, you'll:
✅ Audit your "Founder Readiness" using the exact scorecard VCs use to evaluate you before you ever show a deck.
✅ Engineer a VC-Ready Pitch that cuts through the noise and significantly increases your odds of securing second meetings.
✅ Demystify Investor Decision-Making to strategically target the right VCs and stop wasting months on the wrong firms.
✅ Build an High-Velocity Investor Pipeline that generates the leverage needed to create a competitive bidding environment.
✅ Sharpen your AI Narrative to articulate technical moats that can justify premium valuation.
✅ Execute a "Blitz-Fundraise" to minimize time on the trail so you can return your focus to building the business.
You will get tailored feedback to stress-test your pitch for the current market.
What you’ll learn
Master the VC mindset to transform from a first-time founder into a fundable CEO with the strategy and assets to win the long game.
Use a VC-evaluation framework so you can identify potential red flags and "blind spots" even before you decide to start a startup.
You’ll leave with a Personal Readiness Scorecard that assesses you and your team's ability to be backable by a VC.
Unpack successful case studies on representing ICP, target market, product roadmap & vision to demonstrate a clear line of sight to revenue.
You’ll leave with a highly impactful pitchdeck that addresses what matters most especially for a pre-revenue startup.
You will draft an "Investment Memo" for your own startup so you can preemptively address the key reasons why a VC might pass on you.
You’ll leave with a Comprehensive Investment Memo that mirrors the exact document a VC partner uses for deal approval in a VC firm.
Model different scenarios for money raised, ownership, valuation, and dilution to derive your fundraise strategy.
You’ll leave with a Founder Economics Model that outlines your plan for the business, not just the product.
Analyze fund sizes, structures, investment history so you only engage with firms whose investment strategies align with your offer.
You’ll leave with the ability to create a prioritized Investor Pipeline of funds categorized by stage, thesis, and decision-making style.
Learn to engage effectively with VCs and drive credibility without manufacturing "false urgency" which can backfire.
You’ll leave with Scripts and Playbooks for consistent investor engagement and a strategy for executing a "Blitz-Fundraise".
Who this course is for
Product Managers and Engineers who want to build a strong foundation to start a VC-backed startup within the next 12 months.
First-time Founders of B2B or Enterprise startups who want to learn how to best prepare for their first round of Venture financing.
Enterprise B2B startup Founders who have raised a small round and want to position themselves for a solid Seed round.
Prerequisites
Founders planning to fundraise within the next 12 months
who want a structured fundraising approach from an experienced Silicon Valley investor.
Have Ideas or Problems for a Startup
We will have several hands-on exercises to practice your newly learned skills. Any idea (even unbaked) will be helpful for these exercises.
Strong desire for a Startup
The course will only cover what matters for startup founders. If you have no desire to start one, this one is not for you.
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Vidya Raman in a real-time, interactive format.
Lifetime access
Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.
Community of peers
Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.
Certificate of completion
Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.
Maven Guarantee
This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.
Course syllabus
12 live sessions • 19 lessons • 2 projects
Week 1
Week 2
Mar
9
Design a High-Fidelity GTM Roadmap
Mon 3/94:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)Mar
10
Office Hours: Working on Your Narrative
Tue 3/104:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)Mar
11
Model Venture-Scale Exit Scenarios
Wed 3/114:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)Mar
12
Office Hours: Pitch Deck Stress-Test
Thu 3/124:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)Mar
13
Office Hours: Draft Your Investment Memo
Fri 3/134:00 PM—5:30 PM (UTC)Mar
14
Optional: Additional Office Hours for Investment Memo
Sat 3/144:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)Optional
Build a Pitch-ready Investment Deck
Reverse-engineer the VC Decision Process
Free resources
Schedule
Live sessions
2-4 hrs / week
Live sessions to review complex ideas, answer questions, and troubleshoot your situation.
Fri, Mar 20
4:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)
Sun, Mar 8
5:00 PM—6:30 PM (UTC)
Mon, Mar 9
4:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)
Projects
3-15 hrs / week
Time commitment depends on where you are in company building. If you are imminently fundraising, expect to spend 15-30 hours per project. If you are just here to learn the concepts and apply them to a "sample" idea, expect to spend about 3 hours per project to get a minimum amount of learning.
Async content
1-3 hrs / week
Async content will include both content and an opportunity to do hands-on exercises. The content will help you work on your two big project deliverables.
Frequently asked questions
$1,467
USD