Fundraising stages: Pre-seed (friends/family/angels, $50K–$500K, based on idea and team), Seed ($500K–$2M, MVP and early traction), Series A ($2M+, proven growth metrics). Each stage has different investors and different criteria.
Pitch deck: 10–12 slides — Problem, Solution, Market size (TAM/SAM/SOM), Product, Business model, Traction, Team, Financial forecast, Ask (how much and why). Investors invest in people — the team slide is the most important. Y Combinator, 500 Startups — well-known accelerators. A warm introduction is far more effective than a cold email.
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