Alex Salazar didn’t need to prove he could build a company. He’d already done that and sold it, then spent time as a VC, and had the kind of background that usually makes raising money the easy part. But when he started Arcade, he decided to do things differently. In this episode, we talk about what it means to go back to zero even when you don’t have to. Alex shares why he and his co-founder stayed in stealth, how they tested product ideas without writing a single line of code, and what it took to get real traction in a category moving as fast as AI. We get into opportunity selection, investor conviction, and what it actually looks like when someone gets preempted before they’re even out fundraising. Arcade eventually closed a $12M round... but the process behind that raise had very little to do with pattern-matching or momentum. It was all about building something that hit a nerve.

Raising money isn’t just about convincing investors—it’s about surviving long enough to do it. Brian Sheng, founder of Aquaria, bootstrapped millions of his own dollars, ran relentless product-market fit experiments, and faced rejection after rejection before securing a $112M round to scale his breakthrough water technology. We dive into the toughest moments of his fundraising journey, the insight that finally got investors on board, and the mindset that kept him pushing forward. If you’re a founder struggling to raise capital, this episode is a must-listen.

In this episode, we sit down with Andrés Ornelas Vargas, founder of Verve, to discuss his journey from 150 investor conversations to closing a $2.2M round. Andrés dives into the challenges of breaking through preconceptions, the lessons learned from crafting the perfect pitch, and the personal story behind Verve's mission to revolutionize dietary management. He also shares how his analytical mindset both helped and hindered him during the fundraising process, and why persistence and adaptability ultimately made all the difference. A must-listen for any founder navigating the ups and downs of fundraising.

In this episode of Funded, we sit down with John Patrick Mullin, founder of MANTRA, to explore the realities of raising capital in the volatile world of crypto. JP shares his journey through early career pivots, the highs and lows of building a blockchain startup, and the challenges of launching tokens while navigating market skepticism. He opens up about raising $11M during one of crypto's toughest winters, managing investor relationships, and aligning token and equity strategies. Whether you're a founder curious about crypto fundraising or fascinated by the intersection of finance and innovation, this episode offers a raw and inspiring look at resilience and reinvention.

In this episode, Ron Belldegrun, co-founder of ByHeart, shares how he raised over $300 million to transform the infant formula industry with cutting-edge science and a vertically integrated supply chain. Ron dives into his experience navigating the fundraising landscape, balancing the expectations of consumer and life science investors, and winning support for a mission-driven product in a highly regulated space. He talks candidly about the challenges of pitching a long-term vision, securing buy-in from top investors, and the critical role his existing investors played in scaling ByHeart’s groundbreaking approach. If you’re curious about how to raise significant capital while staying true to your mission and values, this is a must-listen.

In this episode, Curtis Northcutt, MIT PhD and founder of Cleanlab, shares his compelling journey from rural Kentucky to raising $25 million from Menlo Ventures and Bain Capital. Curtis reflects on the challenges of growing up with limited opportunities, the loneliness of dreaming big in a small town, and how those experiences ignited his drive to build something meaningful. He also dives into the complexities of raising capital during a downturn, balancing investor relationships, and making tough decisions about dilution. With a mix of personal stories, sharp insights, and practical advice, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a startup from scratch and scale it with purpose.

After bootstrapping her company for months, Teasha Cable, founder and CEO of CModel decided it was time to raise. But early on, the rejections came in hard. Instead of giving up or getting offended, she learned from each rejection, tweaked her approach, and started executing on what investors wanted to see. After a lot of trial and error, she locked down a lead investor in the Alabama Futures Fund that ended up leading her to close a $1M seed round in a not-so-easy market. But even then, it took six more months of grinding to fully close the round. That persistence, though, wasn’t something new for her. In this episode you'll hear the story behind how she became the entpreneur we see today, and how she closed her $1M seed round for CModel.

Entrepreneurship is unpredictable—just when you think you’ve got it all mapped out, you're hit with a tough choice between two very different paths. One feels safe and familiar, while the other is full of potential, uncertainty, and risk. Every founder faces that pivotal moment: Do you play it safe, or take the leap? Today’s guest, Michael Diesu, co-founder and CEO of Revenue Roll, knows this dilemma all too well. From diving headfirst into the startup world against conventional advice to navigating a cooling fundraising market, he's made those tough calls more than once. Revenue Roll recently raised a $2.5M seed round led by Innovating Capital in late 2023—an impressive feat in one of the toughest fundraising climates in years. In this episode, we dive into Michael's journey, unpack his big wins, hard-learned lessons, and get an inside look at how he closed that seed round. But first, we rewind to the early days—because those initial decisions? They set the stage for everything that follows.

Fundraising can be both the most aggravating and comforting part of a founder’s journey. It only takes one “yes” to change everything, but getting there often means facing a mountain of “no’s.” Not every founder has the resilience to push through the rejection, but those who do often find success right when they’re ready to give up. In today’s episode, I chat with Christal Wang, co-founder and CEO of Shimmer, the top ADHD coaching platform for adults. Christal shares her journey from YC to closing a successful pre-seed round, and how she navigated the challenges of raising a $2.2M seed round after a major pivot. We dive into the emotional toll of fundraising, the importance of perseverance, and how a single “yes” can make every rejection worthwhile.