The Startup Podcast7 Jul 2025

Top 7 Mistakes Founders Make in Raising Early Stage VC w/ Amir Shevat (Edu)

Are you sure your startup should be raising venture capital?

Most founders assume VC is the goal—but for many, it's the wrong fuel entirely. In this episode, we bust that myth wide open.

Join Yaniv Bernstein and Chris Saad as they sit down with Amir Shevat, General Partner at Darkmode Ventures (ex-Google, Slack, Twitter), to unpack the seven most damaging mistakes founders make when raising early-stage capital. With over 65 investments under his belt and a front-row seat to the inner workings of Silicon Valley, Amir offers a brutally honest, insider view into what separates fundable startups from fundraising disasters.

In this episode, you will:

Discover why some startups should never raise VC in the first place
Learn how to avoid “dumb money” and pick the right investors
Avoid cap table disasters that scare away future capital
Understand the dangers of under- or over-raising and how to size your round
Spot red flags in investor side letters that could poison your future
Master the art of time-boxing your raise and managing investor timelines
Build stronger investor relationships—even when they say “no”

This is a must-listen for any founder preparing to raise capital—or wondering if they should at all.

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Key links

Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A

The Startup Podcast website: https://www.tsp.show/episodes/

Learn more about Chris and Yaniv

Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/

Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/

Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/

Producer: Justin McArthur https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mcarthur

Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang https://web-strategist.com/

#VC #VentureCapital #StartupFunding #Funding #TheStartupPodcast #SiliconValley #TechStartup

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