Startup Funding

Raising your first round should not feel like guesswork. Many first-time founders start with just a pitch deck and a list of investors, then hope the round comes together. This book shows you a better way: how to treat fundraising as a process you can actually run. Startup Funding: The Handbook gives founders a clear, step-by-step framework for their first investment round. You will learn how to identify the right investors, build a realistic timeline, and prepare your pitch deck, financial plan, and data room. You will also learn how to research angel investors and venture capital firms, manage investor conversations, navigate due diligence, understand the term sheet, and close your round. At its core is a structured five-phase fundraising framework, supported by real fundraising scenarios, reflection prompts, and a practical glossary of investor language. Barbara Fischer built and sold her own company in Sydney, Australia. Since 2016 she has coached more than 160 founders across Europe through their funding rounds. If you are preparing your first funding round, this handbook gives you the structure, language, and confidence to approach it with a clear plan.