Are You Raising the Right Money or Just Any Money? with Nathaan Demers

Most founders don’t fail because their product is bad.They fail because they said yes to the wrong money.In this episode of Health Tech Growth, I sat down with Nathaan Demers, Principal Investor at HopeLab, to talk about what’s really happening behind closed doors in today’s fundraising market—and what founders need to stop doing if they want to build companies that actually last.This wasn’t a “how to pitch better” conversation.It was a real one about alignment, transparency, and why realistic growth is not playing small.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why investor expectations have shifted and how founders should adapt without overpromisingHow chasing misaligned capital quietly erodes trust, culture, and missionWhat “realistic pipelines” actually look like in healthcare (and why optimism alone backfires)Why saying no to the wrong investor is sometimes the most strategic moveHow lived experience, diversity, and equity lead to stronger products and better outcomesWhy resilience and self-empathy matter more than speed in today’s funding climateRelated Episodes You’ll LoveWhy Investors Don’t Trust Your Numbers and How to Fix It - Emily breaks down why vague financials and unclear revenue structures stunt growth and investor confidence—and how founders can become more fundable by driving visibility and clarity into their numbers.👉 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-investors-dont-trust-your-numbers-and-how-to-fix/id1520028468?i=1000746224264  Why Do So Many HealthTech Startups Stall After Early Traction - Dirk unpacks the unseen forces that halt startup momentum—even with real demand—emphasizing patience, leadership evolution, and systemic understanding in capital-intensive healthcare sectors.👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3zkUrBRxD0FDGgoemKgFKr?si=ca4e6119c2824b7e Why Sports & Health Tech Founders Miss Their Next Round - Thomas reveals what separates startups that secure venture funding from those that don’t—highlighting team readiness, scalability criteria, and strategic alignment with investor expectations.👉 YouTube: https://youtu.be/cFPHf-qNvuc Want help figuring out your first C-suite hire?Join the PulsePoint Path Boardroom or apply as one of our advisors who we place into trusted portfolio companies. It's designed for HealthTech and digital health founders between Seed and Series A who want to hire smart and scale faster.Here are 3 ways we can support you right now:1️⃣ Get a 360° Strategy from a Board That Sees What You Can’tStill piecing advice together from part-time advisors who barely have time to talk? Our Boardroom program gives you direct access to a 12-seat integrated advisory board—designed to find the blind spots in your funding, contracts, and margin strategy.This isn’t another Slack chat or once-a-month call. It’s a full diagnostic and action plan you can’t afford to miss.👉 PulsePointPath.com/Apply2️⃣ Turn Your Pitch into a Funding MagnetYour pitch isn’t a presentation—it’s a conversion tool. Send us your deck and get a persuasive rewrite that speaks to what investors actually fund.👉 PitchToYes.com🎤 Be a Featured Guest on our top 100 ranked entrepreneurship podcast, Provider's Edge. Have traction and a story to share? Apply to join us: PulsePointPath.com/Call-Sabrina