It’s probably one of the most critical (and stressful) milestones any startup faces when raising funds. Regardless of where you are in your fundraising journey —just getting off the ground or expanding to the next level— having the right tools can make the fundraising journey much simpler. Two of the most powerful tools that will serve every founder well are pitch decks and business valuation calculators.
In this blog, we will show how these two tools simplify your startup fundraising, increase your effectiveness in reaching out to investors, and why FundTQ is your go to partner to assist the process.
Why Fundraising Feels Overwhelming for Startups
Fundraising can be like navigating a maze.
- What do investors look at?
- What do I need to say about my startup’s value?
- Am I asking for too much money or too little money?
This leads a lot of founders to either over prepare just to waste time or not prepare enough to lose investor confidence without having clear answers. That is where pitch decks and valuation calculators enter the picture.
The Power of a Great Pitch Deck
A pitch deck is a startup’s form of storytelling. It gives a visual shot of your business idea, whether you had traction or not, what’s the market opportunity, how much money it makes, and have you got the right team. Imagine it as your startup’s resume, but with much more juice.
What a good pitch deck does:
- Gets the attention of the investor in the 1st few slides.
- Your problem and your solution are explained clearly
- The high growth won over a likely audience or will be there in future.
- Outlines your business model
- It is a snapshot of your finances and request for funding.
Bonus Tip: Your pitch deck is specific for the people who will read it. Angels, VCs, and accelerators all look for slightly different signals.
Business Valuation Calculators: Know Your Worth
Before walking into any investor meeting, you need to know what your startup is worth. To start, business valuation calculators come into play.
What is a valuation calculator?
It is a tool that allows you to determine the value of your startup by taking into consideration revenue, user base, market size, strength of your team, IP, etc.
Why it matters:
- It gives you negotiation power
- It helps you become more justified in your funding ask.
- It shows the investors that you understand your business to the depth.
The most valuable tool for pre seed or seed stage startups when traditional valuation models do not apply is a valuation calculator. They are more based on potential than performance.
How Pitch Decks and Valuation Tools Work Together
Pitch decks and valuation calculators together make a powerful combo:
- Your story in a pitch deck is what they call pitching deck.
- Backed by numbers and projections, Valuation Calculator supports it.
They collectively answer two key questions to an investor.
- Do I have faith in the founder and their mission?
- Is this investment worth it?
Using both tools makes you more likely to secure funding, and also provides you with confidence as a founder.
When Should You Use These Tools?
You don’t need to wait until you have your investor meeting. In fact the better the earlier you use these tools.
- Use a business valuation calculator to prepare your funding plan: Pre-Fundraising.
- For fundraising: Use pitch decks to sell investors.
- After the Funding: Update your pitch deck for future rounds and 2 activisms: track valuation changes.
Final Thoughts
Raising funds doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right tools in your arsenal—a compelling pitch deck and a solid valuation calculator—you can walk into investor meetings with confidence.
FundTQ is here to support you at every step. Whether you’re validating your idea, preparing to pitch, or negotiating terms, our tools are built to empower you.
Ready to simplify your fundraising journey?
Try our Pitch Deck Templates and Business Valuation Calculator today.
Guest article written by: FundTQ