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As founding teams prepare to get a financing started, it is important to understand that investors are making a decision based on what they think the company is worth in terms of future value. Our recent QuickLaunch University webinar on seed fundraising addressed the issue of preparation and what information a team should have at the ready before meeting with seed investors.

It is not always easy to break into the VC/angel investor network. Founders often ask how they can develop the right network of contacts to help them raise a seed round, which is crucial at this stage. During our recent QuickLaunch University webinar, Jere Doyle of Sigma Prime Ventures made it clear that as an investor, it’s all about who you know.

WilmerHale Partners Jason Kropp and Jeff Stein discussed how early-stage companies should prepare for the fundraising process. They were joined by Jere Doyle, managing director at Sigma Prime Ventures and investor and advisor to dozens of technology startups. Here are several important areas of focus for startups thinking about raising a seed round.

Entrepreneurs often raise capital with a combination of convertible notes and an agreement called a SAFE, or Simple Agreement for Future Equity. A SAFE seems like a no-nonsense DIY solution for early-stage companies—but there's more you need to know about them than you might realize.

When you need cash to fuel your startup, it’s tempting to "think local." The people with the strongest ties to you—relatives, friends, college roommates, running buddies and co-workers—are the ones who believe in you. You’d probably turn first to them for financial support. Capital fronted by these folks might be the quickest, easiest cash you’ll ever collect—but you could end up paying a crippling price for it.

Fewer companies are successfully raising Series A rounds, but those that do are raising more money. If you are planning to raise money in 2017, here are a few things you should start doing now to improve your chances of success.

While there are several types of instruments and investment documents in the fundraising stage, and more options coming to light regularly, it can become a challenge to determine which one is right for you and your startup. In the third and final part of this three-part blog series, we look at a new seed-stage investing tool, Simple Agreement for Future Equity (Safe).

It is typical that founders often start seeing more expenses once they hit the fundraising stage. There is an increasing number of types of instruments and investment documents, making it challenging to determine which one is the best option. In the second part of this three-part blog series, we look at Series Seed.

Buzzwords from the last few months of 2015 included unicorpse, bubble and contracting market, juxtaposed with new and bigger funds being raised, more money being invested, more unicorns being born and the number of mega-rounds increasing. As we enter 2016—and face increased interest rates—many predict a change in the investing environment.