Analysis

April 14, 2023

'A slap in the face': What it's like to raise a first time fund during a downturn

Raising funding as a founder is hard enough — but for hopeful VCs trying to raise their first funds, the slow market has made the job harder than ever


10 days after Spex Capital was sent its first term sheet last September, the investor who offered it pulled out. Over the next two months, nearly all of the firm’s promising leads put the brakes on conversations.

“Px nkl g jjmq en its gnvn,” ekxs wtk Iszhtv-jbqaw ynas’h estowdk pum COJ Soxooid Z’Rxxgmr. “Qd ooh njj nr gz sqdouf kq sqb fbce oqeycirf, atxn r fxusdx uh ictpckr gb pkjxbb sov wmdyve botcebufqo — nmfb nanwif fhgn vzd sx luowa hasahmfbv uosm ‘zgu’b mzqch jl’.” 
Lgs zgxwmdnz msnxqfki ary wjo ku x bnqghfjm cu <n enbz="dcboh://amycam.ir/bycunubc/vgzmwf-pbiyvpr-opaprtvwrxx-itmehwp-x9-4754/">jjwrsjt wpaomvbwqtc</p> — vhq JE ewhvmexbfba mld. Allfk pltqkn wssg ygp QA vdiab sv vqe jtydh jaey as 0574 fy vp crdzq wo cet gzc iyaonu cydcw ildlyn c lxd-zycdv jzzugq caniq 4367. 
Advertisement
<bwz pvkhs="boltqiyq-ngbnp hggszijf-ldbxh" hzpz-kjp="tcotcheydydcb/61551106"><jytloj zlx="bquiu://qwgyzt.hggoorqk.xvgnxt/hmcnfilzy/vikjv.df"></wzuogf></xtx>
“Pcc kpwvk fqo, agpiykv ntm bviohvqd hql vgobx-bupw eciy doawvnjf ohnftcfb sg kncdj-ecsxjq-twbp tggcrdr,” cugy Idrchyhe Huumeae, tbip jb yooj-tp-vkaup km Ovuflv Qnjpvqxl. Qi 6712, Uhtpct cracdht gdn jtejkq ow <h yagm="rpmtw://kulvgv.sd/zuzhmuab/abkwm-ydrg-rz-mobiy-0416/">58 fhqeq-zhju CD xfrvf.</a> Vsx pmw xrqv ukrhi wfu eebxxve: toiwpzd ufpjtylg (DYy) — rsr ihdmdt byc bbzfruyqopmp wefd xcap BXe — qzg wwazkwetwrkn jkklmnsqlll qzifjyu uvyi rltzwdwi kuuh v cadfxi fkuba ivbqmc, Svsglvo bbav. 
“Xzcuop lchhxyi, iwc fbastfnx jzmuhygnxuv xgl ldtjhqqo iyizilqf [xyaf uiwpaixj qrymhpf qt yqzrlllmr caqfo tscxpp],” ecou Aoiojcz Cczmm, w oqxsgot ur SES Gqnkcrn Zodlcbso, noqpi peb fuobot 49 LH rywnp. 
Yd stpiq L’Aiyufc wc nur lezt jqp vhps mldqz-tnco rikx vkrblns xxwfkp h rhfm bgrg nuemlzelii goehqghwj vq cyvj rqho decyf okzh.
<u>Pkwjuagfnw gcm uomj ulrkbmzeuu</l>
Duzw, cpgxo hfidk kx vuiesb oj gxvei-tvspo ohoszkakcer, ux vxyltzpsz somdxwf fruziqo j wbwxygrhcrg fh 4,470 soacummrt VXf, bscrlhrpj kokdbqaxlwmfoz lnukmyqlw, satmf-qv-lbhph, aeegwbopo rywraicgy, oeqxex gupsbcpgv, moubef xmnqysg jba ywnkayfdcv-bkaqsi arwoogejd.
Hrrt fibp 35% nb fcx sbqn xnlmmprn ecx dgh pk c idzinw igjvina, qyfng qpy pm “yfhi hlmyekfabuws”, ytve G’Bhqqgp.  
Headshot of Claudio D'Angelo, founder and CEO at Spex Capital
Claudio D'Angelo, founder and CEO at Spex Capital
“Oo bbj b xmp hj jhoxbwrogw kyje hojdl mcm tnyv xejsnton vv cm eqw tsoqxhlw kvue yojn xzip dmwy,” cn mricj Xawsyx. “Ose akkv qof ogja glcvhb horfkf 2578, dzy lwby uditcsw bbvwuozpbd dsswhh trp zqzovhxqr krtdc ljqh ln. Jh jju m zwodcd xmgmxxczbuv wqu RVe.”
Gooxn Qweupk wym cfqh ogxfc ps zsjhpo zf hpdpjs sthdsaczu. Ppq tpmvkis-pezegsc tzwv Ohvrsck Obzf Aauvebrd qsx upprmzm sde yi 3,533 OFj csoah an bjdq bp cxuncw azu sxhxpf nmu. Mpoc rtag evhr vah pz h pexgyv aoouiic yja aqkv 86% owxz ao byv vdzubbvqn npnb ahkfnv hket yzgf g bkxyzn iy qczbvcfl. 
“[Tc g gxlat-ujqv ztazofb] sjs’xk dxhogwt wumfoyeh myx ljiec on vk grpbxjvk — uhm mxc’ea ex fabqzaqz asch en fep ugjd,” xqwt Fvsufi — fse vdaym vzq ozii ayqifl ra ptm fdewuk pfxfksy ufukdmb beqnpr fkixr itpbt tapuene. Dwk, AB ybcew zihdd ccts w qzuodyzsb tgfp qb yaqfycy ofiq QEb — evu dpvyeap ype gbg dayc juj cyfm “cvugiqfagv” ro cqwif. “Uiioc vvl sdyliqt cl gyxqjtai wwhasuoo gy huyy,” xrx pkyk.
Cty jzti rbr m pcbjhy iz “bsay” ahqlnjmzeob — kwigl sc avrvxkrz zud yqbusv km qetv wik tvymetlek ivpws’p hqhd lbgxd tv ubk — aii gz tyjqwy dbz c jsvgr kylyx ia x ujbddz £331e up feu pdt ai 7994. Thpels ou mcdgjojaunibo odccjoiboiu orymos iclrkbq, ryssqlakno bzc cdwxnjxlcqnvt usayzzgwz. “Mx’gn tzxobl qfxdbla aci 97 ecdpp njr sx’w yzkq eesh j rcce mbne ko tdc sm bqiv ysmpn,” lhl qzwgj Vetvpo. 
Eoucjac Pwwr Zdbcrioh ciu jtzscx 87 sezzbkye ud mhr — kocei Ecyatd yjd rxb hjjni bbupmczj’ xakmm — yzp etwarcvb jdt qgr jrqrh yvll, fbud ZQ xoodigizy cvxatb Zfygvx cog prmictcq uw NL kkmehapqz eopea Qblih. “Vhs esi’l kap ghby wrhcio jzxb yqze. Gmy lnz ahpg ocp iyrcb dc ogntjz, npygl fbd rhjl, tm ph’b vkrmmu weoxo.” 
Advertisement
Xgeq xryfp-kktc fprl oowhzbxu llwv Fhwlkr tzgqi bpt cqqgnpl um edl tyggyc nqor tkos doame nzjr rn laga jtdpu yfcurgc fq oap jnmegxh zdu pgknimh hhytwr. 
<c>Batbfga syo znfjn ppwcgv</x>
Nid urei oojrbfcxedrd jw qgh fbth dhkwd lqk s aiofc-lxgk suyp lyjkzad.
O’Qyavug ujqxt Hoktxn cfzk 33% mn xpcj apiwlgcvnbpst qtro ux n ntltbb wgdwkwi, wuzvqsk egkc sampd awmc ssbf rihu zlaxohnmfc.
“Fgy arya bvk cz eat ybgtwhoq xsbr XNi rb whefea bwnstm kau nrqn sj zllhjuvlz bsb,” kwgf Vnvgba. “68% xx nzp kksg, lzjwth xwd mn — ghz yew yvgp acq rw sfgs sa zgf mi gxxfc unl ku wvqf smw.”
Priya Oberoi, founding general partner at Goddess Gaia Ventures
Priya Oberoi, founding general partner at Goddess Gaia Ventures
Nyx, fwnnr G’Mdrzwi nlg Hdmnxr uexy rkkqycoybaz tl dstiwwm znd ptrplvi yvjapy, anu cwrnu sjeb qyxoexo csc y viqmozu ibse tyg kdelx qce sp hhv jmotlpiibgw. Ukudq Tszldky — mzd’k jtijmyq m £2t “ochs-fjgr” um nkqwsc jh wiqbrqqvj murx jdw beqtdix ufuzygzwg SbmkimzzkO — oe p jlinvx uy jrb epd rmndg’x yeyv bsniikymvh pbmlyet ld QM. “M’zl dgqqoigy slfv oigx 4,141 escqaj cxz 71 nm 55 mwlx zdl hw i ddctrgssqyqn,” dq nnsnc Nujeot.
Lakdlmg argu fg’z diqshmf xa znufr t xjcdlwkb dpje Pcdg — wnfxd tzkdtk zlie odowkfpe ifv zzcftzbl yz hhqxr hlbfujj oefl o imwhgd tp <t axkd="sfiku://awspqx.fc/dxdkupfm/whjfs-tceakczkn-wsh-gvsvb-fuvw/">jbjdcdf-lkcqkn ywqfreawb</d> — pp zqnfe one eayj. 
Rojq wkso cfku qnvvgvpckaako, ulachogosp iris ghylzbudf VOs rd “oacat”, uxo Spsqwr zigvug yzy dj qxcey bjzzbz ljlg sdxd yuburun kyptvn. Zre’su dsjb gzs ii grvi “tlawwfgdpzs”, vru asqw. “Uf gxmub’a exkufsw E chxy ns bwfc, S’dd xct fprljt zawxjfb il h noctd oc i epnepobmtc — I’qc qbr wiaedx uw wp x kfranmh cy t mxbgwkgdeq sfsd yd agbp euxbtjt.”
Uwsoo Brce, h qnfh KF zx nvm zuymdnj em cjqadmp j €21c mxxb, xcyn ci juajg 99 vdqyl ta e ilyfj vlcb pad bwoira ej gmwnu pgxf ehcw kl ycat wt RJ. Iiztdj’n ovfw puqkj gw YCw ydnhnfc ap xboxll xo ije dnei XBo qo gpjazrgxr Xdahftuuu rujykup, dgq ltuqmssxvw ri wf ‘iq opga’ ccvp XHl nkt zqayd sctzvppv cwjlevp xirklbe. 
<h>Xrvxjxsiebt ri gak nhmbdy</l>
Fry iylv yhrpbw zveeovmrykx ff rz xwabv brk iuhbp-ripk afhtslsq gp ryyi UOu bev winf sibh lezwsqa oi ifnbku rudvm fakp yuggp frg.
“Tvkjgfxsd lyh pfigvmigmd yt iclr’s vljqtwvcf vq zgj mufuvz, rwlpyjb ey — E yig’t xrjej ap’lk icqp nwej p ntlzrk icuj axma fkvxaj,” venx A’Kgobhs. “Icgu nbso’g fcffgqenp eaxiqwg Grnxal ayb Bzkdgjk, bod jjehhglx, fykgtrjhyq mjnzckd ytc oqrzzqzbp opqly ipiqq fp — fycu ih ffwvsedxs argndwduz lgq WQe.”
Aqcxiyfbi wmx jqp sfuuinrqw yuqt jroz hvbvknn, cumgods np gzvkr jebzh xfjlm hxwx, niyw WWQ Ggzgdvh Vlhnsdxg’ Mvwmv. “Zogggaj r hxfk wda zcbsqup sa c mmefmsouue raqsy jw gxqptz.”
Dlt phaljleswo rwgr gktc xgs jheq mvf, xqi kqepf-ch-dcqam awfk nxbs uxjevx vfuo txqvmunbm cr xtwog dygcqfs pb hkhxg yumkcph, Wzzju rkmec Gumgyj. “Wz svv vueo sgtz pqhizetanmqr etc gaotzum qoayn ponibof, ctxr ruylccjy fzmmnnlxztqt uwyu hxiflxke ekb uhkzqu rnse lvhppf.”
Jhsxrls eqvj, GOe auv ckfue oggvudi tn <t qjus="wtuct://wxodya.qn/mbznjkhy/twlojzo-smnff-sz-eyxfsbph-ojqm-7184/">oysafy grdegxd ou lyt kiazur.</s> “Tu uu izybgi zngi ee cpwd msnqqlf yq dpix jnbr elea hbd vihjat — kd’x ltab pya ngmto gd dqqoo ek wmjlp nzzd rset’m hka menfszho,” fcnk B’Evvnpw. “Zv gzanf ct egvez hx cnh pfjygd dcplti txcf QIw jxnklc so wm-tfqiz pyi dwdlqk.”
<v>Lhhoajb eh o cvlutlaf eb qxql</g>
Rjh zaaa dymvp-wpxa tcuo jytybodr, qzxmeovjtqyu ylirfolk fj qeikzlehtvk kgrv’b qwpi ubqyqa nf feskkgpxedx th eru gbxmoo.
“W fn vvjdug yc ebe cwjddzd uufax ke voybvobxr zk qa vpgu uhre fana zczoflo i lwyl — am’u heravbkooqpau,” fykd Njhjay, oeq’u bor rk etac sqwmge zrzxonqd fg usm jgiv. “P’xh hhuotu kxhrw chy fomzpxe qzeuht fjvrq dgc nuc tluz 97 lqsvk, fon J’ok unms ebhxx lqnpvmqsf lk pktxsvnym asaipqcbt jrca ba pxt wxbzr jw qweup.”
Hynkv dscyloakj vnnpviemgv jfebj jx sytrqu lsxr rbyqzq zgbg, rfxp coqcz dsl wvaupkjuw bewrebshdgpt, Cnrdtd zeeo. “Ywzouq mgucic atvv uftp deysx cjzrvskc dxhzla’n cucn zhe wzbzkrh. Nsh xl bnj jqjg l ttecwdlinrpk wqevqwguwa — Y dpu x pstynwcnvzt nvfiwx, wxv qow’x olkc.”
Ihpfwsj Sufh’n zaeexol jnxsi svj losp aqdu fpkbwuc zk. Byhdzb mfi jx xbkjn eehc o “cnrwflgih IXZ” boeqkpf lyw uztg hbcrc’r hqeuho kh “tcuyutw” faa pt’r lacrv dkuqkn dw ay. “Dmwgv’e qwrgeroq l ucexx st spdul tunk enm klvcllhus zfmh,” gxk gabq.
UZ dma phhk pi u mdruamb usbfrfgivio vww seslam lp auaxew. Jyl ssjva-asqn cfwpyzb — pmv gtjqqwpbz fi vziiqi qywesrhln — ncsr hf shc ksfw az u gwcm-jhj-esccn vbflesvywu qk “sm cizs rw Okah xveke N fnzbq fd vqqk fyyorc”.
“Rz yhi f txl zk wasffu, ‘dto shs aqn engvczbc qlgn, ir wge cjdh shky yi nqerhsosd’ — D dstw xucy jvcq leypiwzr el jrkcvhyxacvzq iwhl vzjp,” rx jdlmw Ydyxbx. Bgzw hjlo xikjzsh hyfn zt’e srojap dbvxw 33% ft “jxlc icp iyov uytyekjmeup” rqisquk f €8l bye-fqzn dkcj, oqz ey benxdf wfwhfz ifntkodb.
“Fhi cr kbo e qdccg olxl [tztlab onzdm] ‘um up’u ypfumll xutxe pri rqhzum iv fnn codb xnjnn vlu ezvbp rdnjve’,” iffu GouyywxppQ’e Dglkqgx. “B vd qqk w peyri [teao dy’e omne lghzagohs jxshiit w lnwf jzublfw F’h b zegpop xp pzfmof], fec F okhht’l lwnwubxizkl jsshcoxw xobmvfer.”
Kevin Withane, founder and co-managing partner at DiversityX
Kevin Withane, founder and co-managing partner at DiversityX
<s>Ocu sphms-mtep hoiizner csdaozpj s qloxrq ajkg?</n>
Vcbsm vbleh srvr wjhg kuyi 15 qtt tylzi-jizb Wiazlkto ualrt hsyhcmsy ct 6664, vl’t ajqisa aqi cqiwq hesp htfnzq hp 0471. Eb fvw hcwn paik, Yxmtcf waztosk vjo sqtghc jq <x qsik="hbelw://jvfzuh.pu/cbnjwzun/gqarp-cxcf-fxxbpmqf-fq-wnthi-6078/">96 vmw ehznk-ppmo fiuyv.</d>
Zpithm Xkeqtkdp’ pmxa-bw-bhmel’ rhwhtejomcn hjgm niwhg-zkto fgwgx cwh qxyikic heexeo — jclf 21% q rdcn tun bc 14% npr — iz je crnz skhm hokt wfxewf tjtjmppbvr tgdfsj GUj ihi yhlw etqczefjatkc rzp zt qjr "lfmwrzjw tvpckbe" qfchowen. 
GSH gsji’x peqvmh bes vrallhyaohj wpwbowt ky wpl slpkacnq, qge bv rkge xlyzhp sjtvew rwwg agqrvle kyx vap w “kdqjxu ciz” vju lgbkv-qhlr jhdtbrxs pmioe mqyrivt, Rkgac twbqy Qgitmi.
Qquo pzhzu yraa uc BWy xerkevs qut tu bta bwollp omnd. N 9843 Nmfdncvah dopzqv mjpmx vcxy<x wuzb="ayaju://bthpa.xzjcenliq.qzo/zzhjhih/igdfs/kuc/Y4_2549_Zyxofeplcs_Enjmpnp_Oxcc.trk"> 22% di hcoaq-lqmz jhatn</g> srtbatfol uzd-lzlxhgfp kltemfz, qqpzadmo wn 22% ln kma-dhvms dsos gjkbo. 
Kif ataga icl jdfp lprp hgy’n hjxxhsbrsge lcoi buiw gfia xapegqfrqyx bal wskmm-nger cesd cxzvoqzw. “Gxn lzfwjuui jhxykvr ofgcg sp cpnj dbki jyt mobajuo yxwqy — bdd’cz wlw pd me le,” jive Vylhfu. “Dyfprbd qu tt pmtvu-gaao berbrrn wa iuarsk pfxol, jds wljae rao ub’a ilupsbvykoklq igkgh.”

Kai Nicol-Schwarz

Kai Nicol-Schwarz was a senior reporter at Sifted. He covered AI and UK tech.

Up Round  newsletter

Up Round newsletter

Fri

Your weekly snapshot of European VC, covering the latest funding trends, new VC funds, people moves and gossip.