EVERYTHING I LEARNED RAISING MY FIRST PRE-SEED ROUND

Summary from the TLDR Founders newsletter

Raising a pre-seed round demands both strategy and mental toughness. After 100+ investor meetings in just 10 days, George Matelich found that thorough preparation is essential, founder intros are gold, and scheduling meetings close together creates momentum that turns into deals. The process involves many rejections, occasional elitist attitudes, and the reality that many "pre-seed" funds actually expect traction—making it crucial to position yourself as selecting partners rather than seeking handouts.