Module 11 · The fundraising deck~23s dwell · weight 12
Financials / Ask
State the raise, the use of funds, and the milestones it buys. Close with a clear call to action.
Include
- Amount raising + round type (SAFE, priced) + lead status
- Use of funds in 3–4 buckets (team / GTM / infra)
- Milestones the raise buys over 18–24 months
- The specific ask: intros, next meeting, term sheet timing
Cut
- Hockey-stick projections with no assumptions
- No specific ask at all
- Ten years of spreadsheet detail on the main slide
- 'Raising $X at $Y valuation' without any milestone framing
Red flags a reader notices
- No dollar amount or timeline
- Milestones untethered from the amount raised
- Runway math missing (implied burn)
Pitfalls behind them
- The amount is stated but the runway it buys is not.
- Use of funds is a percentage pie with no link back to the story slides.
- The 'ask' asks for nothing specific, no meeting, no intro, no close date.
60-second self-test
- · Does the milestone name the metric the next round will price off?
- · Is there a specific next step (first close date, intro request) the reader can act on this week?
Template
Raising $[X] to reach [milestone] in [N] months. Use: [%] team, [%] GTM, [%] infra. Runway: [M] months.
Weak
"Raising a round to accelerate growth and capture market share."
Strong
"Raising $2.5M seed to reach $1.8M ARR at 8% MoM in 18 months. Use: 55% engineering (4 hires), 25% compliance + licenses (12 new countries), 20% GTM (founder-led + 1 AE). 20 months runway. First close in 6 weeks."
Amount, milestone, breakdown, runway, and a timeline the reader can act on, the same numbers Nimbus's ask slide commits to.
Quick quiz
1. The ask slide should tie the amount to…
- ○ A hockey-stick 5-year revenue chart.
- ✓ Specific 18–24 month milestones the raise buys.
Milestones per dollar is what investors underwrite.
2. A strong ask closes with…
- ✓ A clear next step (first close date, intro request).
- ○ A thank-you slide.
Give the reader something to do this week.