Episode 1 - The $4M Bet — How One VC Said Yes When Everyone Else Said No

Welcome to Inside the Deal Process — the show where we break down how investors actually decide to fund companies. Today’s episode is about A pre-revenue SaaS startup lands a $4M seed round from a VC who passed on better-looking companies. We dissect the deal from both sides of the table. EPISODE CHEAT SHEET DEAL TERMS REFERENCED: • Pre-money valuation: $16M | Investment: $4M | Post-money: $20M | Dilution: 20% • Structure: SAFE with $16M cap and 20% discount • Investor rights: Pro-rata, observer board seat • Runway: ~18 months at projected burn rate