Resources for Extending your Runway

During and post- COVID

Originally published in July 2020, updated monthly through April , September 2021, November + December 2022, February, April + May + July 2023 for relevancy

You keep hearing that you need 24-30 months of runway during this time. You’ve already pivoted, scoped down your product offering and improved your revenue stream -- and you don’t want to take out a loan. What are your options? Here are (un-affiliated unless mentioned otherwise) resources.

Resources to help you get in front of VCs:

Investors that are still writing checks: indie.vc and dot.la list (March 2020), The TechCrunch list (July)
Get introduced via FounderNest or Valence
Try out Founder's Institute guide for Securing Investor Introductions
Investors that don't require warm intros:
- Yuliya Belyayava's list and advice for reaching out
- Dan Hightower's list
- Paige Doherty's list
- Forbes' list of 51 VCs Who Want To Invest In Women, Black And Latinx, And LGBTQ+ Founders
Pitch in front of potential investors, get their feedback to build connections, and follow-up on feedback [Gary Livingston]. Here are some events to consider:
- dot.la pitch showcase (monthly)
- 805 startups: Pitch to your Peers or Community Support events (weekly)
- January Ventures’ PitchCollective (June 11 deadline)
- Women Founders Network Fast Pitch (July 19 deadline)
- IFundWomen pitch day (Sept 4 deadline)
- StartEngine pitch competition (Sept 18 deadline)
- TechSparks CONNECT Pitchfest (Oct 10 deadline)
- VCs investing in minority founders
- 180+ female-founded funds, shared by The Fourth Floor
- Demo Day as part of an accelerator's cohort. Here's advice from:
  - - Techstars on "Inside a Techstars Accelerator: How To Choose The Right Accelerator For Your Company"
    - DC Palter (fellow FoundersBoost mentor) on the importance of accelerator due diligence in The Rise and Fall of Newchip Accelerator: One of the biggest startup accelerators is being liquidated. Was it a scam or just another failed startup?

Not every start-up is a fit for VC; here are alternatives to venture funding:

(!) List of non-dilutive funding resources put together by the Starburst Accelerator
Equity Crowdfunding via StartEngine or Crowdcube or WeFunder
Grants [George Le]. Here are my recommendations:
- Black Founders: SoGal and lists of emergency relief resources
- Grants available to minority founders
- Grant and virtual workshops from Tory Burch Foundation (Nov 12 deadline)
- SBIR, ahead of applying, consider
  - - Watching the Texas A&M SBIR trainings on YouTube to help you prepare (I recommend Sessions 1 and 3 over the panel sessions)
    - Applying for NSF's I-Corps, as a stepping-stone to SBIR, especially if you're affiliated with an academic institution
- National Science Foundation (NSF), as shared by Amanda Bender, founder of Kilo
- National Institute of Health: NIH and NCCIH
- South LA Founders (October 9 deadline)
Networking opportunities:
- Finding co-founder through CoFoundersLab* or an adviser
- Pay It Forward resource for Black entrepreneurs, shared by Jesse Ruiz
- Lunchclub
- Global InvestHer Community of founders and investors
- 805 start-ups (weekly, virtual) community check-in
- Mentoring through First Round Fast Track Mentoring Program, shared by Harlem Capital
- dot.LA Summit (October 27 & 28)
- Alignable, including crowdsourced advice on pivoting from community
- Connect, San Diego non-profit "helping entrepreneurs build great companies"
Cloud computing credits: AWS, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Microsoft technologies + Azure, IBM
(Free) Course on Venture Deals and Financing from Kauffman Fellows and Techstars

Resources for Extending your Runway

During and post- COVID

(!) List of non-dilutive funding resources put together by the Starburst Accelerator

You're not getting a "yes" from investors. Let's rescue your pitch deck! Please schedule a (flat-fee) session with me.