Fundraising

New VC fund managers do not know that these things they are doing are completely ILLEGAL… ❌ There are very strict rules around fundraising. Yet many new GPs copy what they see others doing — even when it’s illegal. The risk? Trouble today, or 5–10 years down the line when regulators or LPs look closer. Sophisticated LPs know the legal lines — and crossing them exposes both liability and inexperience. Here are the 3 most common fundraising violations (and how to avoid them): 1️⃣ PERFORMANCE-BASED FUNDRAISING COMPENSATION 👩🏾⚖️ Many “Vendors” often say: - “I’ll be a venture partner — give me carry for LPs I bring.” - “We’ll raise for you — just pay a % of capital committed.” 🚫 Illegal without a broker-dealer license ($50K–$150K+ + ongoing compliance). Even employee bonuses tied to fundraising can trigger violations. ✅ Legal way: Pay fixed fees or salaries unrelated to fundraising. Compensate with cash, equity or carry — but not tied to capital raised. 👉 Reality check: As a new manager, it’s extremely unlikely that anyone else can fundraise for you without a track record. You’ll almost always need to do the hard work yourself. 2️⃣ GENERAL SOLICITATION 👨🏻⚖️ New managers assume LPs will roll in if they “go public.” Tactics include: • LinkedIn posts about fundraising • Cold DMs to people • Podcasts/webinars about your fund • “Contact us to invest” buttons on websites 🚫 All illegal — unless you’ve structured under narrow exemptions. Even cold outreach counts as solicitation. ✅ Legal way: You can only pitch people you have pre-existing relationships with who are accredited investors. Network authentically, vuild relationships, then pitch one-on-one. 👉 Reality check: Public fundraising isn’t just illegal — it looks cheap. LPs won’t trust someone blasting cold posts with no track record. VC is trust-based. Public asks scream inexperience. 3️⃣ RAISING FROM EU LPS WITHOUT COMPLIANCE 🧑🏿⚖️ Many assume: • “If a European LP wants in, I can accept the money.” • “Everyone else does it — must be fine.” 🚫 Wrong. The EU regulates under AIFMD (Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive) and MiFID II (Markets in Financial Instruments Directive). Even one EU LP can trigger filings. Regulators act quickly. ✅ Legal way: Work with EU securities counsel. File required notifications in each jurisdiction before accepting European LPs. 👉 Reality check: European LPs expect compliance. Skip it, and you lose credibility. Worse — a violation can come back years later and jeopardize your fund. Breaking the rules — even by accident — is the fastest way to undermine your credibility. And “everyone else does it” is not a defense. The managers who win are the ones who know the rules, build real relationships, and raise the right way. ⚖️ Know the rules. Follow them. Your fund' future depends on it.

This Danish foundation gives away $1.3 billion annually – and their secret isn't efficiency ratios, it's something far more radical: They implement nothing. Behind this Danish foundation's rapid rise is Ozempic – the blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss drug that's generated unprecedented profits for Novo Nordisk. The Novo Nordisk Foundation, which owns about a quarter of the pharmaceutical giant, has become one of the world's wealthiest charitable foundations with assets around $167 billion. Yet rather than hiring armies of staff like other major philanthropies, they've gone the opposite direction. In a recent interview, their Chief Scientific Officer for Health Flemming Konradsen revealed their secret to me: They don't implement – they only work through partners. Zero programs. Zero direct service delivery. The model: ➡️ Find what already works  ➡️ Partner with governments who own the strategy ➡️ Create sustainable markets, not dependency  ➡️ Stay for 15+ years, not 3-year cycles Example: Their school feeding programs create permanent markets for local farmers while training health workers and scaling AI solutions across continents. The hard part? Saying no to putting your name on things. Letting partners get the credit. Trusting that influence matters more than control. For development professionals: This approach creates new opportunities. These ultra-efficient funders skip the usual suspects and source partners who can be trusted with strategy, not just execution. They're looking for implementers who think like owners. If you can demonstrate government relationships, long-term thinking, and the ability to build sustainable systems (not just deliver projects), you become invaluable to this new breed of funders. What could your organization accomplish if it stopped trying to do everything itself? Disclaimer: I’ve edited this post as it’s been flagged that Novo Nordisk Foundation has 250 employees. #Philanthropy #Partnership #Foundation 📷 Novo Nordisk Foundation

Y Combinator is widely regarded as the most successful startup accelerator in the world and the top choice for world-class entrepreneurs. They've helped incubate more than 90 unicorns, 45% of their companies go on to raise a Series A (higher than the 33% average), and the combined market cap of their startups is currently over $600B. To honor the final day you can apply to Y Combinator’s first-ever Spring batch (i.e. X25), I teamed up with past collaborator Palle Broe on the most in-depth and intriguing analysis you’ll find anywhere of the world’s most successful startup incubator. Palle spent over 100 hours (!!!) digging through all available public data to pull back the magic that is YC—so that others can learn from their success. Key takeaways 1. YC has gone from being a Consumer investor to primarily a B2B investor. Consumer companies have resulted in over $200 billion of market cap, while B2B companies are currently privately valued at some $170 billion and are on the rise. 2. Based on batch profiles, founders are betting on AI (specifically, B2B AI) to be the next big thing. The most promising subcategories include “Engineering, Product, and Design,” Infrastructure, and Sales. 3. Solo founders are at a disadvantage. Although solo founders are encouraged, the data does show a steep decline in the number of them accepted to YC. 4. Success has so far been driven by U.S.-founded companies. More than 70% of the startups have been founded in the U.S., and to date, 99% of returns have come from the U.S. 5. The durability of YC companies is significantly higher than that of the average startup. More than 50% of companies are still alive after 10 years (vs. 30% average). 6. The chances of startup success are higher with YC. 45% secure Series A (vs. 33% average), 4% to 5% become a unicorn (vs. 2.5% average), and 10% achieve an exit. 7. The VC power law also exists at YC. Four companies account for more than 85% of YC’s returns to date: Airbnb, Coinbase, Reddit, and Instacart. 8. The investors in YC companies are the “crème de la crème.” Tier 1 VCs frequently invest in YC companies, and some have made several hundreds of investments. Here's the full post: https://lnkd.in/gR8mr5XT

The real gap between digital leaders and laggards isn’t just in technology—it's in mindset. The 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 isn’t about who has the best tools; it’s about who knows how to wield them. The difference between average and excellent isn’t in the number of systems implemented but in the strategic intent behind them. True digital transformation isn’t just an IT initiative—it’s a company-wide movement, a reimagining of what’s possible when leadership, innovation, and agility align. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞: • 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲-𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: CIOs and CTOs leading the charge, with an inward focus on IT infrastructure. • 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Tracking efficiency and business performance without a broader view towards future capabilities. • 𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬: Proceeding with digital steps without the urgency to outpace the evolving market demands. • 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: Maintaining the status quo in operations, favoring predictability over agility. • 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Providing employees with collaboration tools without fostering a culture of digital innovation. • 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Concentrating on backend upgrades before considering the customer-facing aspects of the business. • 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐔𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Using data for routine business operations rather than as a cornerstone for transformation and innovation. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞: • 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐩: Transformation championed by CEOs, integrating digital priorities within the company’s vision. • 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Measuring success through the lens of innovation and digital proficiency. • 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Not merely adapting but actively advancing digital initiatives, even in challenging economic climates. • 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: A culture that embraces operational efficiency as a path to competitive advantage. • 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲: Investing in employee engagement and digital literacy, recognizing that technology amplifies human potential. • 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫-𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Prioritizing the customer experience with a strategy that adapts proactively to their needs and behaviors. • 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚-𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Leveraging AI and data analytics not only to inform decisions but to foster a culture of continuous improvement. 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞: https://lnkd.in/eU_Cc3ga ******************************************* • Visit www.jeffwinterinsights.com for access to all my content and to stay current on Industry 4.0 and other cool tech trends • Ring the 🔔 for notifications!

If you're a founder trying to fundraise right now, it probably feels like the entire venture world has gone quiet. The response times are slow, OOOs are on and it’s easy to feel like you’re losing momentum. Don't stress. The summer slowdown is predictable, and it's not a setback, it's a gift of time if you use it well. I see this every year... The founders who scramble to send frantic emails in July/August are the same ones who struggle in the fall with an over-shopped deal and the fatigue of an endless fundraise. But the founders who use this quiet period for deep, focused preparation are the ones who run a crisp, successful process after Labor Day. The fundraising race is won in the prep lap. Here are a few things you can do right now to prep for a big fundraising push this fall: 1. Build a High-Fidelity Investor Pipeline. Go beyond a simple list of names. Create a comprehensive document that tracks every firm and partner, their specific thesis, your history with them (if any), your connections to them and crucially, the feedback they've given you in the past. This turns your outreach into a strategic campaign. 2. Assemble a "Push-Button" Data Room. Don't wait for an investor to ask. Build your data room now so it's ready to go at a moment's notice. This includes your customer contracts, cohort analyses, deck, references and financial model. A well-organized data room signals professionalism and creates momentum. 3. Craft a "Juicy" Forwardable Blurb. The best introductions are easy to forward. Write a tight, compelling, one-paragraph teaser. It must include a unique insight on the market, why your team is going to win and any key metrics. This makes it effortless for people like me to advocate on your behalf. 4. Pressure-Test Your Narrative. Use this time to pitch trusted advisors, mentors, and other founders. This isn't about memorizing a script, it's about finding the weak spots in your story. Ask them to be ruthless. The tough questions you answer now in a friendly setting will save you in a rapid fire partner meeting later. 5. Get Your "Diligence" in Order. This is the one everyone forgets. Talk to your lawyer now. Make sure your corporate governance is tight and your cap table is accurate (and clean). Uncovering a messy problems during late-stage diligence can kill a deal. Solving it now is a massive de-risking event. 6. "Warm Up" Your References. Your best customers are your most powerful asset. Don't wait until an investor asks for a reference call to talk to them. Re-engage with your top 3-5 champions now. Check in, share your progress, and get them excited about your vision. A reference who is prepped and genuinely enthusiastic is infinitely more impactful. The fall fundraising season will be here before you know it. The work you do in the quiet of August will determine the success you have in the chaos of the fall. We are prepping for our next fundraise as well so this is how I'm spending my time💥

I Run a 6-Figure Personal Branding Agency, And I’m about to hand you my Pitching Playbook for FREE! Why? Because my inbox can’t handle another one of these: “Hey Aaina, I think we could do something cool together?” “Loved your last post! Let’s collab!” “Hey! Big fan. Check out our SaaS tool?” I see it. I sigh. I delete. Let’s save us both the pain. Because great pitches aren't written, They're architected. Let me show you how: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 5 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 (𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬): 1. Research First But not just any research…do real research. Here’s what real research looks like: ✓ Read their last 3–5 posts and actually absorb them ✓ Look for patterns in what they care about (topics, tone, goals) ✓ Catch details most people miss (product launches, pain points, team changes) ✓ Reference something specific—a line they wrote or even a strong opinion they shared. Why? Because vague = ignored. And personal = powerful. 2. Value Before Ask ( Always) Don’t just drop your Calendly. Instead: ✓ Share a relevant insight ✓ Ask a smart, curiosity-piquing question ✓ Offer something they can use right now For eg: “Your last post did well. But if you had shaped it into a carousel, it could’ve driven much better engagement and sparked richer discussions". Give them value first—no strings. Then earn the right to ask for time. 3. Proof & Context: ✓ Reference clear results ✓ Show relevant credibility ✓ Build authentic trust For example, if you’ve helped improved the online presence of a similar client, reference those results. Use percentages, figures, or specific achievements like: “I helped Brand X increase their LinkedIn engagement by 40% in just two months by implementing a tailored content strategy.” This provides hard evidence that you know what you’re doing. 4. Easy Response: Remember, they're busy... ✓ One-word reply ✓ Clear next step ✓ Zero pressure Make it easier to say yes than to ignore. For example, rather than saying, "Let me know if you’d be available to chat next week," you could say, "Would you be open to a quick 15-minute chat about how we can improve your LinkedIn presence?" The recipient can respond with a simple “Yes” or “No” rather than feeling obligated to write a more elaborate answer. And the Golden rule… 5. Make It About Them! Because it's never about you. It's about their growth. There you have it: Our 6-figure pitch formula. Yours, for FREE. Because great ideas deserve great pitches. And my inbox? It deserves better messages. ~ Start here. ~ Watch doors open. ~ You can thank me later:) PS: Now, as I’m wrapping this up, I realize (shamelessly) that I forgot to talk about the subject line—the most important part! Want me to dive into that next? Drop ‘TGC’ in the comments, and I’ve got you covered. ♻️ Repost to help someone 🔔Follow Aaina for more such content. #strategy #personalbranding #research #learning #business #growth

Fundraising in India is a beautiful, brutal dance. After 15 years of knocking on doors, writing proposals, and building relationships in the charity space, I've learned that money follows trust, not just need. And trust is earned in whispers, not shouts. Most fundraisers think it's about the pitch. The perfect slide deck. The heart-wrenching story. The immaculate impact metrics. But that's just the costume you wear to the real party. The truth is messier. More human. More honest. First, nobody cares about your organization. They care about the problem you're solving. Stop talking about your NGO's journey and start talking about the journey of the people you serve. Your founder's story matters less than the story of the girl who can now read because of your work. Second, relationships outlast transactions. I've watched fundraisers chase cheques like they're chasing buses – desperate to catch the next one, forgetting that the real journey happens when you're walking together. The donor who gives you ₹10,000 today could give you ₹10 crores in a decade if you treat them like a partner, not an ATM. Third, most Indian donors don't want innovation. They want reliability. They've seen too many NGOs come and go, too many promises evaporate. They're tired of funding pilots that never take flight. Show them consistency before you show them creativity. Fourth, your finance team is your secret weapon. In a country where trust in institutions is fragile, your ability to account for every rupee isn't just good practice – it's your survival strategy. I've seen brilliant programs collapse because someone couldn't explain where the money went. Not because of corruption, but because of chaos. And finally, the hardest truth: fundraising isn't about money. It's about meaning. People don't give to causes; they give to become the person they want to be. The businessman who funds your education program isn't just building schools – he's rewriting his own story, becoming the hero his childhood self needed. I've sat across from millionaires and watched them cry when they talk about their mothers. I've seen corporate leaders who manage thousands of crores struggle to write a personal cheque for ₹5,000. I've witnessed wealthy donors argue over a ₹500 expense while approving ₹50 lakhs in the same meeting. Because money isn't rational. It's emotional. It's cultural. It's complicated. The fundraisers who thrive in India aren't the ones with the fanciest degrees or the most polished English. They're the ones who understand that in this country, giving is deeply personal, profoundly spiritual, and incredibly relational. So stop treating fundraising like a Western import that needs to be implemented. Start treating it like what it is – a conversation about values that's been happening on this soil for thousands of years. Because when you get it right, you're not just raising funds. You're raising hope.

From stadium to city garden. Circular innovation in Taipei. In Taipei, an abandoned sports stadium (baseball in the 1980s, later football; closed in 2008) was not demolished, but repurposed as a community garden. What they did: - 80-100 small plots, managed by local residents - Smart use of potted plants & soil boxes - Green paths with climbing aids - Programmes for seasonal plants, workshops for local residents. Why this works (circular & urban) - Repurposing ↓ material and demolition impact - Local production & skills↑ - Involvement in the living environment ↑ - Micro-farming as an entry point to a 'garden city' instead of more concrete - Soil is contained in portable boxes and pots which ensures soil health is manageable at a small scale - Smart use of what is already there: creating value without new construction. Urban renewal is not always about building more. Sometimes it is a matter of looking differently at what is already there.

BREAKING PHILANTHROPIC NEWS! 🎉 🙌 The NEW 2025 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy launches TODAY! I’m thrilled to share my top three takeaways for donors, nonprofits and professional advisors: DONORS 1. Be self aware: Affluent Americans tell us they are primarily motivated by their personal values (68%) in selecting causes and organizations to support. The key is to ensure that your personal priorities match the community’s greatest needs. 2. Seek underfunded causes for maximum impact: Many important causes receive pennies on the philanthropic dollar. Examples include arts and culture (3%) and the environment (2%). Your contributions are needed and may go further here. 3. Stop limiting your giving to your checkbook: 94% of affluent Americans give using cash, checkbooks and credit cards. Only 4% give publicly traded securities. No no just NO! I understand you are motivated by your values, not taxes, in your giving but PLEASE be tax efficient to enhance the positive impact of your generosity. NONPROFITS 1. Become a trusted advisor: Only 4% of affluent Americans claim they are philanthropic experts. Teach them about your mission, impact, and tax efficient giving strategies. Your effort will be rewarded. Philanthropy experts give 6x more than novices! 2. Welcome back volunteers: One of the most encouraging findings of this year’s Study is that volunteering is on the rebound. Now is the time to supercharge your program. Volunteers give more than 2x non volunteers. 3. Remember fundraising is matchmaking - not sales: See above! The primary motivation for giving is the donor’s personal values - NOT your case for support. PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS 1. Lead with legacy: In my experience, virtually all donors want to raise philanthropic kids and grandkids. And, yet only 16% involve the rising generation in their giving. Philanthropic advising and charitable gift planning represent tremendous opportunities to help build family legacies. Your clients will thank you with their loyalty. 2. But, never overlook technical value add: See above! Donors are mostly giving from their checkbooks and need your help ensuring their gifts are tax efficient. Also, the use of giving vehicles is on the rise. 48% of $5MM+ households have a giving vehicle or plan to establish one in the next three years. 3. Connect with women as donors to accelerate the growth of your business: Women are more likely to give (85% vs 77%) and they will outlive their often older male spouse (on average by 5-7 years!). If you want to retain women as clients, connect with them now as donors! For additional insights, please read our digital article: https://lnkd.in/ecgzFep5 More about Bank of America’s award-winning foundation and endowment investment management OCIO 2.0 platform: https://lnkd.in/gV2wtcx3 #fundraising #grantmaking #ocio #whatsnext

I tracked all fundraising activity for one year so you didn't have to. Here is what I found: - A substantive, in-person visit with a donor resulted in gifts 5x larger than donors who only corresponded via phone calls or emails. - It took roughly 12 touchpoints to secure a visit with a donor. That is a high number, but pretty characteristic of human services. - Each handwritten card sent produced 1,169x more value than it cost. - Response rate increased dramatically with a voicemail + email combination. - Gifts from DAFs, gifts of stock, and gifts from RMDs became more popular only as donors were informed that those were giving options. Here is what this means: - Meet in person with donors as much as humanly possible - Make as many attempts as possible to schedule visits with donors - Write handwritten cards. Like, right now. - Reach out to donors with a multi-channel approach (DM me if you'd like to see a call, email, +handwritten card cadence) - Donors don't always know how to maximize their generosity unless you tell them. Inform them of their options if they give you permission! Ultimately, provide value to your org's donors and watch as generosity unfolds for the benefit of the people your org serves!