Corinne Thompson - How to… raise equity for your organisation

The C-Suite Framework

Corinne Thompson, founder and CEO of eCap Financial, shares her insights on fundraising, equity raising, and the importance of financial due diligence. She discusses her career journey from KPMG to establishing her consultancy, emphasizing the significance of understanding both equity and debt financing for C-suite executives. Corrine elaborates on the types of clients she works with, the qualities she looks for in founders, and the critical stages involved in the fundraising process. In this conversation, Corinne Thompson discusses the intricacies of fundraising for startups, emphasizing the importance of a well-structured data room, common pitfalls in financial modeling, and the critical nature of team alignment during the fundraising process. She also shares insights on current market trends in venture capital and the necessity for deep tech funding. Corinne explains her motivation for creating a course aimed at empowering founders with practical knowledge and strategies for successful fundraising, reiterating that fundraising should be approached as a sales process.

Corinne is the founder and CEO of ECAP financial, a boutique fundraising & M&A consultancy. Formerly of KPMG, Corinne works with funds providing financial due diligence services, and companies to help them raise financing; she operates as a fractional CFO, getting companies' financials, data room and investor presentations ready for investment. She predominantly works with both deep tech companies, and companies in the B2B SaaS space.

She has just launched a new course, Fundraising 101 on Teachable. Corinne’s website is here.

A link to her course is here.

Keywords

fundraising, equity raising, debt raising, financial due diligence, B2B SaaS, deep tech, venture capital, startup funding, investor relations, Corrine Thompson, fundraising, financial modeling, investor relations, due diligence, data room, venture capital, startup funding, equity raise, market trends, team alignment

Summary

In this conversation, Corrine Thompson, founder and CEO of eCap Financial, shares her insights on fundraising, equity raising, and the importance of financial due diligence. She discusses her career journey from KPMG to establishing her consultancy, emphasizing the significance of understanding both equity and debt financing for C-suite executives. Corrine elaborates on the types of clients she works with, the qualities she looks for in founders, and the critical stages involved in the fundraising process. In this conversation, Corinne Thompson discusses the intricacies of fundraising for startups, emphasizing the importance of a well-structured data room, common pitfalls in financial modeling, and the critical nature of team alignment during the fundraising process. She also shares insights on current market trends in venture capital and the necessity for deep tech funding. Corinne explains her motivation for creating a course aimed at empowering founders with practical knowledge and strategies for successful fundraising, reiterating that fundraising should be approached as a sales process.

Takeaways

Every C-suite member should understand fundraising.

Corrine transitioned from auditing to tech finance for more opportunities.

Working with VC backed companies ensures financial rigor.

Founders' charisma and conviction are essential for fundraising success.

Debt can be a viable option for funding alongside equity.

Market sizing is crucial for attracting investor interest.

A SWOT analysis helps identify strengths and weaknesses before fundraising.

The investor deck tells the company's story to potential investors.

Preparing a data room is essential for investor engagement.

Fundraising requires a structured and rigorous approach. Fundraising requires a structured approach similar to sales.

A well-prepared data room is crucial for attracting investors.

Common mistakes in financial modeling can hinder fundraising efforts.

Team alignment is essential for a successful fundraising process.

Investors want clarity on how their funds will be utilized.

Deep tech and security sectors need more investment.

Market dynamics are shifting, with M&A activity increasing.

Fundraising is a lengthy process that requires stamina and responsiveness.

Creating educational resources can empower founders in their fundraising journey.

Effective communication of the company's vision is key to attracting investment.

Sound Bites

"Charisma and conviction are key in founders."

"Debt can be a viable option for funding."

"Getting the data room ready is essential."

"Keep it high level in your data room."

"Financial modeling is an art, not a science."

"There's a lot of M&A happening right now."

"I want to put back what I wish I'd known."

"Fundraising is sales."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Corrine Thompson and eCap Financial

03:00 Corrine's Career Journey and Decisions

06:08 Understanding Client Profiles and Needs

08:49 The Role of Founders in Fundraising

12:00 Equity vs. Debt: Making Informed Decisions

15:01 Stages of an Equity Raise Process

21:25 Building a Strong Data Room for Investors

24:47 Common Mistakes in Financial Modeling

27:56 Navigating the Due Diligence Process

32:40 The Importance of Team Alignment in Fundraising

33:23 Market Trends and Future of VC Funding

38:51 Creating a Course to Empower Founders

41:58 Fundraising as a Sales Process