How to Raise a Pre-Seed Round in 2025

Pre-seed fundraising has evolved significantly. Rounds that were $500K in 2020 are now $1-2M, and investor expectations have risen accordingly.

Your deck should be 10-12 slides maximum. Lead with the problem, not your solution. Investors back founders who deeply understand a painful problem.

The outreach strategy matters as much as the pitch. Warm intros convert at 10x the rate of cold emails. Map your network two degrees out.

When negotiating terms, a clean SAFE note with standard YC terms is the fastest path to closing — avoid complex terms that slow down diligence.