Alexander Schmidt’s Post

When starting a company, how does one go about finding investors and picking the right partners? Entrepreneurs often have a tough time finding someone to fund their venture; many fail to do so but go ahead with the launch anyway, and then they run out of cash. Others find tentative investors who will often renege on promised funding if and when the going gets tough or things don't happen as quickly as they had hoped. If you can fund your venture yourself, it's much better. When you are evaluating a proposed investor/partnership, do not focus solely on the capital you need to kick-start your business. Ask: Will this person or group give us the space and time we need to build a great business? Bear in mind that a dictatorial financial partner can quickly suck the spirit and enthusiasm out of a new enterprise, muffling the spark that prompted you to launch the project-the spark that is most likely to differentiate your venture from your competitors'. A partner who just brings in capital is very useful, but a strategic partner who can also provide you and your team with the space, time, and freedom needed to build the business is a true friend-and one who is much more likely to stand the test of time. Richard Branson. Like A Virgin. Secrets They Won't Teach You at Business School.

This September, our Managing Partner Dilek DAYINLARLI was back at Stanford University, continuing a tradition of sharing insights each year with global business leaders, innovators, and students. 🌍 On a panel with Jazmín Gustale Gill of iThink VC and hosted by Steve and Diane Ciesinski, Dilek reflected on what ScaleX has learned from investing in frontier technologies across emerging markets. Some of the themes that resonated most: - Every ecosystem is unique. 🌐 Cities and countries differ in culture, timing, and risk appetite. Successful investing means understanding those nuances deeply. - Local collaboration matters. 🤝 The best outcomes come when international investors work alongside local partners who know the terrain. - Ecosystems are built, not found. 🛠️ Knowledge, mentorship, and networks are as vital as capital in helping founders thrive. - Conviction counts. 💡Backing world-class entrepreneurs early and supporting them throughout their journey is how lasting companies are created. At ScaleX, we see these conversations as part of our mission: connecting frontier markets with global capital and talent, and helping the next generation of entrepreneurs build companies that leave a lasting mark on the world.

Successful startups aren’t just built on growth — they’re built on fundamentally healthy businesses, with strong unit economics and a cost structure designed for efficient scaling. Last week, our accelerator cohort heard directly from founders who’ve been in the trenches—sharing what investors really want to see and how to tell the story behind the numbers. 💡 Amanda Epp: “The financial metrics are part of your story. It’s not just about growth at all costs—know your margins and what they signal.” 💡 Melinda Gloriosa: “Which of the numbers are the most important - none - they are all important because together they tell an investor a story.” 💡 Phil George: “Be authentic to who you are—you’re the one who’s going to get peppered with the questions and you will need to back it up.” A huge thank you to our panelists Amanda, Melinda, and Phil for sharing their experiences, and to Kristy Campbell for moderating such an insightful discussion. 

I remember watching an episode of Shark Tank where Mark Cuban asked a founder: “Show me I can trust you with my money. What are you going to do with it?” The founder replied: “We’re going to Europe, because it’s a bigger market.” Cuban shook his head: “That’s a horrible, horrible, horrible answer.” Moments like this reveal the truth: too many founders don’t have a real plan for using funds or scaling their business. Most think funding readiness means a polished pitch. It doesn’t. Funding readiness means putting real skin in the game to build a system that works. It’s not about rehearsing answers like: “What will you do with the money?” “What’s your contingency plan?” It’s about showing you’ve already taken real steps: ✅ You’ve built a budget and are tracking actual numbers. ✅ You have a management team with real responsibilities, not just titles on a slide. ✅ You’ve tested your market with paying customers, not just assumptions. Getting funded is not the beginning of business. It’s the outcome of building something strong enough to sustain and grow. After 40+ years across entertainment, marketing, banking and trade, I came back to consulting because I kept seeing the same mistakes—great ideas wasted, while VCs struggled to find fund-ready companies. That’s why I built the 10-Point Funding Framework covering: positioning, branding, management team, budgeting & use of funds, strategy & marketing, and proof of concept. Not from theory, but from 25 years of consulting and lessons learned. Many founders who embraced it discovered their businesses could expand on their own—sometimes without investors at all. If you’re a founder and realize your business isn’t yet built to show these answers in practice, let’s talk. I built this framework to make sure you’re truly funding-ready—before you step into the room with investors. #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #FundingReadiness #StartupStrategy #BusinessFramework

Some decisions look small. But they can define survival. At the beginning of 2024, we met a startup CEO. His confidence was contagious. He was convinced his product would conquer Asian markets. The way he spoke, you could almost believe it had already happened. He was certain about the impact, the returns, and how much his solution would help others. But — there’s always a however. He never stopped to check whether those markets were actually open to the kind of solution he was offering. He didn’t want structured advice. A few free consultations, some opinions from friends he trusted — he felt that was enough. Planning, cultural adaptation, and financial preparation? In his mind, those were for the weak. Six months later, the product was still “ready to conquer,” but the doors he expected to open remained closed. The lesson is simple: big visions rely on small, grounded decisions. The choice to check a market. To listen. To adapt. To plan. Those steps can look minor in the moment — but they often define whether a company grows or disappears. 👉 Have you seen a “small” decision change a company’s future? Some decisions look small. But they can define survival. https://lnkd.in/dg_8rbwp

🚀 Panel Highlights from the 2025 US CAN STARTUP Demo Day One of the most engaging sessions of Demo Day was the panel discussion “Move, Build, and Thrive: A Playbook for Cross-Pacific Success” hosted by Sirena YOU. Our incredible advisors shared practical insights for startups scaling into North America: 🔹 Aaron Stuart (VANTEC/WUTIF): Canadian angels look for IP protection and regulatory readiness. Having a local advisor or partner can significantly boost investor confidence. 🔹 Douglas Qi (Legal expert): Don’t assume North America is uniform — Canada and the U.S. have distinct business and regulatory landscapes. Expansion should be iterative, like product development. 🔹 Marco Daoura (Strategist, HealthTech expert): In regulated industries, compliance must be a design driver from day one. Build to international standards and see cultural diversity as a strength. 🔹 Chang Han (Lead EiR at Innovation UBC): A startup’s greatest advantage can be its difference. Founders should leverage unique perspectives to spot opportunities locals may overlook. 🔹 Ray Walia, FCPA, FCMA (Launch Academy): Localization goes beyond translation. Success depends on understanding cultural norms, building trust, and adapting pricing and networking to local expectations. 🔹 Jean Yoon (Launch Academy): Founders shouldn’t do it alone — the startup ecosystem is full of resources, mentors, and peers, but only if you actively engage with them. ✨ The common thread: Success isn’t just about bringing technology across borders. It’s about adapting, building trust, leveraging uniqueness, and tapping into the support systems around you to thrive in new markets. #CrossBorderInnovation #DemoDay #StartupEcosystem #GlobalStartups

For many early-stage founders, scaling often gets equated with growing revenue fast. But sustainable scaling isn’t just about generating more sales. It’s about building a business model with the structure to support long-term growth, resilience, and investor confidence. Here are the four core pillars I look for when evaluating whether a business model is truly scalable: ✅ Repeatability Can your model deliver consistent, predictable outcomes — or is success still reliant on one-off wins and founder hustle? ✅ Healthy Margins Are you generating enough surplus to reinvest in people, tech, or expansion — without compromising runway or product quality? ✅ Clear Growth Levers Do you have a solid grasp of what actually drives top-line performance — and are you allocating resources accordingly? ✅ Strategic Moat Can you defend your position? Whether through IP, data, network effects, or brand, what keeps competitors at bay? Strong business models are not just attractive on paper. They're built to endure. Follow: #ScaleUPCFO Contact: Mohamed Chaudry #BusinessModelDesign #StartupScaling #StrategicGrowth #VentureStrategy #FinanceLeadership #ScalableStartups #InvestorReadiness

💡 Sometimes a no is just the first step to a yes. In this short video, hear how one startup turned investor rejection into a bigger, stronger round a year later — by growing revenues, securing long-term clients, and refining their strategy. Watch the story now, and see why resilience pays off. Want more real insights like this? Our next Lessons Learned is coming in November. 👉 Add your email to our newsletter to sign up for the next event https://ow.ly/yJaZ50WZ0h5 #LessonsLearned

🌱 Founders and investors both play a crucial role in the startup world. 📌 Founders are the ones that actually get the wheels turning by coming up with, designing, and executing a business idea. 📌 Investors are the ones that provide the financial backing necessary to get these ideas off the ground and running. However, they often speak different languages and have different expectations for one another, and breaking this ice is so tricky!  The top 1% of entrepreneurs who are winning investments know this. They use this knowledge to their advantage and actively find ways to bridge this gap that many founders overlook.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐤 After reviewing 300+ pitch decks from funded startups, I break down in this visual the essential components investors expect to see. Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Start with the problem – Lay out the pain point, urgency, and market gap clearly. Make investors feel the problem before you introduce your solution. 2️⃣ Build credibility fast – Highlight how your product works, why it’s different, your go-to-market plan, and early market validation. 3️⃣ Show who’s behind it – Investors bet on teams. Include relevant expertise, traction, and why you’re uniquely positioned to win. 4️⃣ Ask with confidence – Be specific with your financial ask, metrics, and use of funds. Clarity builds trust. This framework has helped hundreds of founders raise capital — from seed rounds to Series B and beyond. P.S. Want a PDF of The Perfect Pitch Deck? Get it free: https://lnkd.in/ewfPRgiE ♻️ Repost to help people in your network. 💡 Follow Alejandro Cremades for more strategy insights. — 📢 check out for a winning pitch deck the template created by Silicon Valley legend, Peter Thiel https://lnkd.in/eQFrsUnE