A founder asked me last week about the saas founder's guide to fundraising in the age of ai. My answer surprised them, and it might surprise you too.
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The Reality Nobody Talks About
Most people approach the saas founder's guide to fundraising in the age of ai with assumptions that made sense five years ago. The world has moved on. When I look at my portfolio companies, the ones that succeed are doing something fundamentally different.
The first thing to understand is that timing is everything in this game. I've seen this play out across dozens of companies. The pattern is unmistakable.
At RemoteTeam, we learned this the hard way. We spent months going down the wrong path before realizing that your team matters more than your technology. Once we made the switch, everything changed.
What I've Learned From 67 Companies
After investing in 200+ startups and running two companies to successful exits, I've developed a pretty clear picture of what works with the saas founder's guide to fundraising in the age of ai.
The biggest misconception is that you need to the data tells a different story than your gut. That's backwards. The companies that win are the ones that your team matters more than your technology.
I remember sitting with the Anthropic team early on and discussing how they thought about the saas founder's guide to fundraising in the age of ai. Their approach was counterintuitive but brilliant.
What I Tell Founders
When a founder in my portfolio asks me about the saas founder's guide to fundraising in the age of ai, I usually start with three questions:
- What's your timeline? Because the right approach for a company with 6 months of runway is very different from one with 3 years.
- What have you already tried? Most founders have tried something. Understanding what didn't work is often more valuable than knowing what might.
- Who on your team owns this? If the answer is "everyone" or "no one," that's your first problem to solve.
These questions seem simple but they reveal a lot about where a company actually stands.
This connects to broader themes around cloud AI services, AI pricing models, AI APIs that I've been thinking about a lot lately.
Wrapping Up
I've shared a lot here, and I know it can feel overwhelming. But here's the thing about the saas founder's guide to fundraising in the age of ai: you don't need to get everything right on day one. You just need to get started and keep improving.
The founders in my portfolio who excel at the saas founder's guide to fundraising in the age of ai share one trait: they're relentlessly practical. They don't chase perfection. They chase progress.
That's the mindset I'd encourage you to adopt. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. And keep pushing forward.
As always, I'm rooting for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this guide designed for?
This guide is written for founders and operators who want practical, actionable advice rather than theoretical frameworks. Whether you're just starting out or scaling an existing business, the principles here apply across stages.
How often is this guide updated?
I revisit and update my guides regularly as I learn new things and as the market evolves. The core principles tend to stay stable, but specific tactics and tools get refreshed based on what's working right now.
Is this guide based on real experience?
Every recommendation in this guide comes from direct experience, either from building and selling my own companies, or from patterns I've observed across 200+ angel investments. I don't write about things I haven't personally tested.
How should I work through this guide?
Don't try to absorb everything in one sitting. Read through once to get the big picture, then go back and work through each section as it becomes relevant to your current challenges. Bookmark it and return to it regularly.