Venture capital can feel like a secret club with its own language. How do you actually get money?

Here are three great ways to get up to speed on how fundraising works…

Founder University

“Where did he learn to pitch like that?”

Founder University, that’s where. 

I was at a demo day in NYC a while back, and one founder blew everyone away. His pitch was clear, crisp, and concise. His deck was polished to a fine sheen. 

Founder University is a 12-week pre-accelerator program run by Jason Calacanis’ venture firm, Launch. Founder University helps you with sales strategy, marketing, and fundraising — everything you need to run an awesome startup. 

The program costs $500. Launch will give that $500 back if you attend all the sessions.

Best of all, Jason invests $25k into the top companies.

You can apply for Founder University here. The next cohort starts in early 2026. 

YC Startup School

Not everybody gets into Founder University. But anyone can take courses from Y Combinator Startup School, an online program that teaches you how to run a startup. 

If you haven’t heard of Y Combinator (YC), it’s the best startup accelerator in the world. Massive companies like Stripe and Airbnb are YC alumni. 

Sign up here!

The Founder’s Library

Another fantastic way to learn about raising venture capital is by reading books written by insiders. Here are my three favorites… 

• Angel by Jason Calacanis. This book got me into angel investing. Jason explains what venture capital is and how to get it. This book is targeted toward investors, but getting inside their heads is the best way to get a check.  
• Secrets of Sand Hill Road by Scott Kupor. A friend of mine bought me this book as a gift, and what a wonderful gift it is! This book does a great job of breaking down how venture capitalists think and what they’re looking for. 
• Venture Deals by Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson. This book breaks down everything you need to know about fundraising in incredible detail. Don’t know what a term sheet is? Not familiar with SAFE’s? Brad and Jason have your back. 

Wrap-Up

If you’re an outsider, venture capital seems like a dark art. Luckily, it’s never been easier to learn about fundraising.

There are whole schools like Founder U devoted to teaching you how to raise money. There are wonderful self-paced courses like YC Startup School to guide you. And there are fantastic books like Angel to give you an insider’s view.

If you’re a first-time founder, sign up for one of these programs and read one of these books. In just a few weeks, you’ll go from newbie to savvy fundraiser. 

More on tech: 

Your Deck Probably Sucks. Here’s How to Fix It.

How to Tell If Investors Are Really Interested

The Perfect Pitch

Save Money on Stuff I Use:

Fundrise

This platform lets me diversify my real estate investments so I’m not too exposed to any one market. I’ve invested since 2018 with great returns.

More on Fundrise in this post.

If you decide to invest in Fundrise, you can use this link to get $100 in free bonus shares!

Misfits Market

I’ve used Misfits for years, and it never disappoints! Every fruit and vegetable is organic, super fresh, and packed with flavor!

I wrote a detailed review of Misfits here.

Use this link to sign up and you’ll save $15 on your first order.