How We Just Raised $6M At An $80M Valuation From 100+ Investors Using A Link (Without Pitching)

Then, we decided to revisit fundraising (and do it differently). We set up an AngelList Roll-Up Vehicle (RUV). Through an RUV, any accredited investor can contribute, up to 250 individual investors in a single round. Our first step with the RUV was to email it to our customers. Why? Because fundamentally, I wanted to enrich the people that are maki... See more

Instead of hoping for 2–3 VCs to constitute the round, we inverted the process, starting with private individuals and using their enthusiasm to show VCs what we were worth.

First, we pivoted, redefining our business. We “fired” all our unprofitable customers and sharpened the product specifically for power users. We borrowed against our receivables to keep growing without dilution. Little by little, the bet paid off, and we scaled our revenue 10x, from $70k/mo to $700k/mo.

We leveraged the groundswell of support to close the round. By this point, we’d raised $2.3M without a single pitch meeting. It was a result of natural enthusiasm: taking care of the people who made us who we are, giving them the chance to move first, and letting their enthusiasm drive our leverage with VCs — who, by this point, got interested.

Last month, we closed $6M in funding (at an $80M valuation) from more than 100 customers and investors, using a link and no pitching. Here’s how it happened, step by step.