---
title: "Fundraising Strategy for Founders: Writing and Method | DM & Associates"
description: "Sourced writing on fundraising strategy: what a seed round now has to prove, why pitches lead with the wrong thing, and the cap table decisions that cost later."
url: "https://dmassociates.xyz/journal/topic/fundraising/"
---

Journal · Fundraising

# Writing on what a round has to prove.

What the evidence behind a plan has to show before a round, what a pitch leads with when it is working, and the governance questions founders are rarely asked until it is expensive.

3 pieces · most recent May 2026

[Fundraising · May 2026 Why your pitch leads with the wrong thing Investors say they back founders rather than ideas, yet most pitches lead with the idea. The cause is shallow customer discovery, not weak presentation.](https://dmassociates.xyz/journal/why-your-pitch-leads-with-the-wrong-thing/)

[Fundraising · May 2026 Seed is the new Series A, and what that means if you are raising pre-seed Cheaper building has pushed seed-stage expectations earlier. Pre-seed founders are now assessed on validation evidence they have often not gathered.](https://dmassociates.xyz/journal/seed-is-the-new-series-a/)

[Fundraising · Mar 2025 Designing a cap table and ESOP to hold scientific talent for a decade Why a four-year vest fits software better than deep tech, and four options for a longer equity horizon to discuss with your own lawyer and accountant.](https://dmassociates.xyz/journal/how-to-design-your-cap-table-and-esop-to-retain-world-class-scientific-talent-for-a-decade/)

## This is the thinking behind the advisory work.

We work on the capital plan and what it has to prove, alongside your lawyer and your CA. We are not registered with SEBI, we make no introductions to investors, and nothing here is advice on securities.

[How we work on fundraising strategy](https://dmassociates.xyz/advisory/)