Fundraising COACH & Founder Advisor
An experienced investor in your corner.
Founders make a constant stream of consequential decisions, often with incomplete information and few truly independent people to talk to.
I work directly with technology founders on fundraising, board dynamics, mental resilience, and the critical strategic decisions and connections that come with building an ambitious company.
10+ years investing in and supporting venture-backed companies from Seed to Series C
How I Help
What I help founders get right
Fundraising & Capital
Sharpen the story and materials, identify the right investors, prepare for meetings, run a tight process, and help negotiate term sheets.
Board & Investor Management
Prepare for board meetings, navigate difficult board dynamics, and manage expectations through both good and challenging periods.
Strategic Thought Partner
Pressure-test important company decisions, work through difficult tradeoffs, and bring pattern recognition from working with dozens of companies and founders.
Founder Resilience & Perspective
Navigate the pressure, uncertainty, and isolation that can come with being a founder, and bring perspective during the inevitable highs and lows of building a company.
Who I Work With
Built for important fundraising moments, and everything in between.
I work with a small number of venture-backed technology companies preparing for institutional financings, most often from Seed to Series C.
The best fit is an ambitious founder who wants an experienced investor perspective before and during the raise. I provide direct, candid, hands-on help.
Engagements typically begin before a fundraise launches and continue through the process.
Background
I’ve spent my career on the other side of the table.
Before working directly with founders, I spent more than 15 years investing in technology companies across venture capital, growth equity, and private equity, including 10+ years at Felicis Ventures, where I was a General Partner. At Felicis, I invested more than $400 million in 40+ companies, served on 15+ boards, and helped founders navigate almost 100 financings. Those companies have subsequently raised ~$5 billion of follow-on capital. I've worked with companies at every stage and across multiples sectors.
Approach
Another senior person in your corner.
I work alongside founders as a senior thought partner.
Someone who can challenge assumptions, provide an independent investor and board perspective, and help work through the decisions that don't have obvious answers.
Sometimes that's a financing. Sometimes it's a board issue, a senior hire, an organizational problem, or a strategic fork in the road.
The goal is simple: better support on the decisions that matter most.
Contact
Planning an important raise?
Whether you're preparing for a fundraise, navigating a board issue, or working through an important company decision, I'd be happy to help.
Niki Pezeshki