Raiser's Edge

How do top founders actually raise venture capital—and what do investors really look for?

In this episode of Raiser’s Edge, host Ben Elowitz sits down with serial entrepreneur Russ Fradin (Larridin, Adify, Dynamic Signal) for a candid, unfiltered conversation about the realities of startup fundraising and building a venture-backed company that lasts.

With decades of experience, over $1B raised, and board seats across multiple high-growth startups, Russ shares the fundraising lessons founders can’t afford to learn the hard way.

They break down:

• How to prepare for investor conversations (and avoid the most common founder mistakes)
• Red flags and green flags when choosing VCs
• Why FOMO-driven fundraising backfires
• How honesty, humility, and self-awareness change your outcomes
• What separates the founders who raise successfully from those who stall out

Russ offers practical, plainspoken advice for navigating the emotional roller coaster of raising capital—and staying focused on building a business worth investing in.

In this episode, host Ben Elowitz sits down with master fundraiser Dan Shapiro, currently the co-founder of CEO of Glowforge, and the author of Hot Seat: The Startup CEO Guidebook.

From his early days building laser light shows to raising over $200M (and counting) over his startups, Dan reveals how he’s raised capital at every stage by putting data—and his audience—at the center of his strategy. Dan shares his playbook for testing, iterating, and fine-tuning every pitch, using feedback loops, A/B testing, and relentless curiosity to turn rejections into actionable insights. You'll also get tactical advice on getting sincere feedback, building a narrative that resonates with investors while staying true to your mission, understanding founder market fit, and how to keep going when the going gets tough.

For more from Ben, subscribe to our Substack at https://substack.com/@elowitz

On our pilot episode of Raiser’s Edge, host Ben Elowitz sits down with Yifan Zhang—a powerhouse entrepreneur, managing director at the AI2 incubator, and expert fundraiser. Yifan shares her unique journey from launching viral fitness app Gympact straight out of Harvard to building Loftium, a proptech startup that weathered unbelievable storms—including losing 90% of its revenue in just four days when COVID hit. Against the odds, she pivoted the business, raised more capital, and ultimately led Loftium to a successful acquisition.

Throughout the conversation, Yifan gets candid about her love-hate relationship with fundraising (even though she’s exceptional at it), why founders should confidently own their expertise, and why it’s critical to talk about failure, not fear it. She also opens her fundraising playbook, offering tactical advice on running fundraising sprints, picking the right investors, and the power of tracking VC styles for the best possible outcome.

This episode is packed with practical gold and real talk. Plug in and join us for an inside look at what it really takes to survive—and thrive—on the edge.

Are you ready to gain a capital advantage?

Welcome to Raiser's Edge — the podcast dedicated to unlocking the secrets of successful fundraising, direct from the experts. 

On Raiser's Edge, Ben Elowitz, your host and a multi-time founder, coach, investor, and advisor, will be interviewing some of the top fundraisers in the start-up world. Hear their stories about the thrill (and agony) of pitching VCs, learn what truly matters to investors, and discover why humility and grit aren’t enough—you need a winning strategy too. Fundraising isn’t just a skill; it’s the ultimate CEO superpower. Tune in and get ready to give your startup the edge.

🎙️ Subscribe now so you don’t miss the full episodes coming soon.

#Startup #Fundraising #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #Founders #Podcast #StartupAdvice #RaisersEdge #VC #Startuplife