Raising Capital for SaaS Startups

Are you struggling to raise capital to sustain your Software as a Service (SaaS) startup? If you want to raise money, ask for advice. If you want advice, ask for money. Today’s episode features a panel discussion with founders from two early-stage SaaS companies in Toronto. 

Panelists are Roy Pereira, founder of Zoom.ai and mentor at Techstars, and Wes Moon, co-founder and COO of Wisely. The panel discussion is hosted by Jono Landon, founder and CEO of Hubbli. 

Topics Include:

• Elevator Pitch: Future plans and ideas from SaaS startup founders 
• Wisely: Started with a prediction engine to help charities raise more money
• Zoom.ai: Targets mid-market companies with AI-powered meeting scheduling assistant 
• What makes a safe (enough) bet for investors? Take money from friends or angel investors, but not family members—for now
• Team vs. Traction: Attributes depend on phase and problem to be solved by right people
• What KPIs and metrics drive SaaS companies? Stage sets story to make metrics
• Practice makes Perfect: When trying to raise capital, seek advice on what matters
• Lead Gen Ratio: It’s a numbers game; don’t give up on finding investors to raise capital
• Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series Fundraising: Who to ask and how much money to request
• How much time does it take to raise money? Go all in with complete focus and understanding because you don’t choose your venture partner, they choose you
• U.S. vs. Canadian Investors: Know your audience’s perspectives on deal flow and funds
• Accelerator and Roadshow Programs: Worth giving up equity to grow and gain validation
• How to start fundraising? Warm vs. cold call, network referral/intro vs. unscheduled visit          

 Links and Resources:

Hubbli

Jono Landon on LinkedIn

Wes Moon on LinkedIn

Wisely

Roy Pereira on LinkedIn

Zoom.ai

Techstars

AngelList

Crunchbase