Startup funding types, without the jargon tax
The tradeoffs behind SAFEs, SEIS/EIS, J-KISS, notes, priced equity, and the messy cap table choices that follow.
Fundraising guides for startup founders
SAFE funding: fast money still has a price
What caps, discounts, post-money ownership, side letters, and conversion math actually do to founder ownership.
SEIS and EIS: useful tax relief, unforgiving rules
How UK founders should think about eligibility, Investor appetite, advance assurance, and the evidence they need before outreach.
J-KISS funding: familiar job, local mechanics
What J-KISS borrows from SAFE-style financing, where Japanese stock acquisition rights change the work, and what founders should model.
Convertible notes: debt pressure hiding inside a seed cheque
Interest, maturity, caps, discounts, repayment pressure, and why a delayed priced Round can get uncomfortable quickly.
SAFE vs convertible note: simple is not the same as safer
The difference between future equity and debt that might convert, plus the founder risks that rarely show up in the headline terms.
SEIS vs EIS: pick the scheme your Round can actually support
Where SEIS ends, where EIS starts, and why sequencing matters before anyone promises tax relief.
J-KISS vs SAFE: same fundraising problem, different legal machinery
The overlap is real. So are the jurisdiction traps, rights differences, and conversion assumptions founders need to check.
ASA vs SAFE: the UK tax context changes the answer
Why an ASA is not just a British SAFE, especially when SEIS/EIS eligibility and share timing are part of the raise.
Priced Round vs SAFE: when speed stops helping
When to keep the raise lightweight, when to price the company, and why deferred complexity still comes due.
Angel Round vs Seed Round: belief first, evidence next
The shift from relationship-led checks to a cleaner story, sharper evidence, and a more deliberate Fundraise Pipeline.
Pre-money vs post-money SAFE: clearer math can still hurt
Post-money SAFEs make ownership easier to see. That does not make the ownership cheaper.
Valuation cap vs discount: which term bites first?
Caps and discounts look small in a document. In the model, one of them usually does the real damage.
MFN clauses: the small clause that can reopen old terms
How one later concession can travel backwards through earlier SAFEs, notes, and side letters.
Startup dilution: model the ownership before you sign
SAFEs, notes, option pools, pro rata rights, and priced equity all issue shares eventually. Model them before the term sheet feels urgent.
What does Entrepreneurs First ask in its 2026 applications?
Verified application questions, why Entrepreneurs First asks them, and what a strong founder answer needs to prove.
What does Berkeley SkyDeck ask in its 2026 applications?
Verified application questions, why Berkeley SkyDeck asks them, and what a strong founder answer needs to prove.
What does Google for Startups ask in its 2026 applications?
Verified application questions, why Google for Startups asks them, and what a strong founder answer needs to prove.
What does TinySeed ask in its 2026 applications?
Verified application questions, why TinySeed asks them, and what a strong founder answer needs to prove.
What does a16z Crypto ask in its 2026 applications?
Verified application questions, why a16z Crypto asks them, and what a strong founder answer needs to prove.
What does Brinc ask in its 2026 applications?
Verified application questions, why Brinc asks them, and what a strong founder answer needs to prove.
What does Elemental Impact ask in its 2026 applications?
Verified application questions, why Elemental Impact asks them, and what a strong founder answer needs to prove.
What does Heavybit ask in its 2026 applications?
Verified application questions, why Heavybit asks them, and what a strong founder answer needs to prove.
What does ZeroTo510 ask in its 2026 applications?
Verified application questions, why ZeroTo510 asks them, and what a strong founder answer needs to prove.
What does Catalyst Fund ask in its 2026 applications?
Verified application questions, why Catalyst Fund asks them, and what a strong founder answer needs to prove.
Why you should not use Google Drive as a Data Room
Google Drive can store files, but serious diligence needs investor controls, request tracking, engagement context, and Round-specific follow-up.
Why you should not use Notion as a Data Room
Notion is useful for drafting the raise, but investor diligence needs a cleaner boundary between internal workspace and external evidence.
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