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Everything spectup publishes
Five formats, on one page.
Who publishes it
Two accounts, two halves of a mandate. The subjects under each name are the ones each of them actually posts on most.
spectup on LinkedIn
Niclas SchlopsnaManaging Partner On LinkedIn Global fundraising, capital raising trends and technology developments. He also writes The Raise or Die Letter and hosts Deal Makers (& Fakers).
Edwin MikPartner & Head of IR On LinkedIn How limited partners and family offices decide, and what makes a fund manager easy to back. He also posts on capital concentration data and off-market deal origination.Deal Makers (& Fakers)
16The people who just closed a round or a deal, on how it actually got done. For anyone raising, allocating or buying.
Every episode
Dr. Andreas SchmidtThe Biggest Problem in Startup Fundraising Isn't MoneyAndy GoldsteinHow to Spot Unicorns in 2026?Sam Tidswell-NorrishHow Private Equity Actually Works? The $10B PlaybookChristian RebernikHow to Raise $15M & Build a University?Denis KalyshkinWhy This $400M Fund Ignores SaaS?Vlad SarcaFrom a €15M market operator to a €30M VC – Secrets of a Venture CapitalistDr. Emanuela MaggioniFrom academic research to raising €4.5M Capital for AI-powered Scent TechKirk DonohoeFrom Mastercard to Raising $5M from 20VC on a WeekendArmon ShareiHe raised $400M for Biotech, an MIT PhD and a secret to the Roche deal.Florian Myter€75 MRR and 3 Customers, and then Figma Pivoted Him to €1.2M.Marnix StokvisA Cold DM Booked the Ex-Philips CEOJames MarksThe AWS Insider Who Saw a $500B InefficiencyJuanjo MestreHe Raised €2M at Just €70K ARR, Without Pitching a Single InvestorDr. Nick KanopoulosHe Raised €18.6M+ For A Deeptech Startup During Greeks CrisisLars EickhoffHe Built A 24‑Person PropTech. 19% MoM. $0 VC Funding.Jessica LiewShe Raised $1M Pre-Seed in Berlin – How Jessica Liew Did It
Write-ups
61Filed under 9 subjects, newest first.
Pre-IPO Funding Rounds: Structure, Investors, LockupM&A & Secondary Markets
How Long a Pitch Deck Should Be: Perfect LengthCapital Raising Materials
Investment into a Startup Company: How It WorksInvestor Targeting & Relationships
Preparing for Series B in 2026: The RealityGrowth-Stage Capital (Series A+)
Non-Dilutive Funding Guide for StartupsNon-Dilutive Capital & Alternatives
Startup Financing: Why Founders Chase Valuation Over ControlFundraising Process & Strategy
Fund of Funds Venture Capital: How Emerging Managers WinFund Placement & GP Capital
Limited Partner Agreement: What LPs Negotiate in 2026Fund Placement & GP Capital
PE Secondary Market: How LP-Led and GP-Led Deals PricePrivate Placements & Institutional
Venture Capital Fund Structures: GP Commits and CarryFund Placement & GP Capital
Bridge Rounds: When, Why, and How to Structure ThemFundraising Process & Strategy
What Is a Virtual Data Room? Guide to Investor Due DiligenceFundraising Process & Strategy
Choosing a VC Fund Administrator: The 2026 FrameworkFund Placement & GP Capital
Angel Investment Trends in 2026 | Market DataInvestor Targeting & Relationships
Investor Due Diligence: Founder's GuideFundraising Process & Strategy
Series A Traction Metrics: Benchmarks & Investor RequirementsGrowth-Stage Capital (Series A+)
Family Office Investing: How to Access Patient CapitalPrivate Placements & Institutional
Why AI Capital raising Tools Work (and When They Fail)?Capital Raising Materials
Convertible Notes for Capital Seed RaiseNon-Dilutive Capital & Alternatives
How Much Does a Pitch Deck Cost in 2026?Capital Raising Materials
Stage-Specific Pitch Deck Strategies for Capital RaisingInvestor Targeting & Relationships
Term Sheet vs LOI: What Most Founders Get WrongFundraising Process & Strategy
How VCs Make Investment Decisions?Fundraising Process & Strategy
What Is a Pitch Deck? Complete Guide for StartupsInvestor Targeting & Relationships
Airbnb’s Pitch Deck: The $600K Deck That Changed StartupsCapital Raising Materials
Angel Investors Vs. Venture Capitalists: Which Path FitsInvestor Targeting & Relationships
Investor Outreach - A Step-By-Step GuideFundraising Process & Strategy
Pitch Deck Traction Slide: Metrics That Move InvestorsCapital Raising Materials
Venture Capital vs Investment Banking: A Complete GuideInvestor Targeting & Relationships
Venture Debt Financing: What Founders Get WrongFundraising Process & Strategy
Private Placement Memorandum for Capital Raises - Our GuidePrivate Placements & Institutional
Pre Seed Funding: Raise $100K–$500K Without Over-DilutingFundraising basics
Pre-Seed vs Seed Funding: Key Differences & GuideFundraising basics
Cap Table Management for Startups: Complete GuidePrivate Placements & Institutional
Venture Capital Trends 2026 - Founder's GuideCapital Raising Materials
Corporate Venture Capital: 5 Strategic Goals & 2026 TrendsFundraising Process & Strategy
How to Raise Venture Capital: A Step-By-Step PlaybookFundraising Process & Strategy
How to Get Warm Introductions to InvestorsInvestor Targeting & Relationships
What Do VCs Look For? The 4 Pillars Investor FrameworkFundraising Process & Strategy
Pitch Deck Outline: Structure Your Deck to Attract InvestorsCapital Raising Materials
How to Send Pitch Deck to Investors StrategicallyFundraising Process & Strategy
TAM, SAM, SOM: The Founder's Guide to Market SizingCapital Raising Materials
Placement Agent for Private Equity: The Practitioner ViewPrivate Placements & Institutional
Startup Funding Stages: Benchmarks Founders Need in 2026Growth-Stage Capital (Series A+)
Pitch Deck vs Business Plan: When to Write EachCapital Raising Materials
How to Present a Pitch Deck That Closes Funding RoundsCapital Raising Materials
Tech Investors: What Most Founders Get BackwardInvestor Targeting & Relationships
Seed Funding: The Metrics That Separate Closes from DeclinesFundraising basics
Term Sheets Explained: What Founders Get BackwardsFundraising Process & Strategy
Startup Valuation: How Founders Actually Get Funded in 2026Fundraising Process & Strategy
Financial Pitch Deck Slide: Design That Closes InvestorsCapital Raising Materials
Silent Partner vs Investor: Which Is Right for Your Startup?Fundraising Process & Strategy
Startup Exit: What Buyers Actually Check Before Saying YesM&A & Secondary Markets
How Pitch Deck Changes by Stage: What Investors ExpectCapital Raising Materials
How to Protect Your Idea When Pitching It to InvestorsCapital Raising Materials
Financial Projections for Startups: Build One That SurvivesFundraising Process & Strategy
Competitive Slide Pitch Deck: What Investors Actually WantCapital Raising Materials
How to Build Founder VC Relationships That Close RoundsInvestor Targeting & Relationships
Key Metrics Investors Look for in Startups - Our GuideInvestor Targeting & Relationships
Post Money Valuation vs Pre Money: What Founders MissFundraising Process & Strategy
VC Investment Memo: What Investors WriteInvestor Targeting & RelationshipsNothing matches that.
Comparisons
6The firms a company or a fund shortlists, ranked. spectup is in all 6 and the case against it is in each one.
/ 01The 6 Best Private Placement Agencies in 2026 By Mandate FitThe shortlist6spectupPJT Park HillLazard Private Capital AdvisoryCampbell LutyensEaton PartnersPiper Sandler Private Capital/ 02The 6 Best Startup Consulting Firms in 2026The shortlist6spectupKruze ConsultingMcKinsey & CompanyBain & CompanyY Combinator (advisory)Toptal Startup Consultants/ 03The 6 Best Pitch Deck Agencies in 2026 By Delivery ModelThe shortlist6spectupSlidebeanWaveupHype PresentationsPitchDeck.comPitch Deck Creators/ 04The 6 Best Capital Raising Firms in 2026The shortlist6spectupDealMakerGrowthink CapitalHyde Park CapitalPMCFFinalis/ 05The 6 Best Pitch Deck Consultants in 2026The shortlist6spectupSlidebeanWaveupStory Pitch DecksPitch Deck CoachSuperside/ 06Top Fundraising Consulting Firms in 2026: 6 ComparedThe shortlist6spectupWaveupQubit CapitalMontfort VenturesToptalGrowthink Capital
Calculators
4The arithmetic a term sheet turns on, run in the browser.
/ 01Startup Valuation CalculatorTakes3your metricsBerkus, Scorecard or Revenue MultipleregionReturns2a valuation rangethe methodology behind it/ 02Cap Table Management CalculatorTakes2rounds and pre-money valuationsthe lead's required pool sizeReturns3founder, pool and investor ownershipthe dilution paththe cost of the refresh in basis points/ 03SAFE Conversion CalculatorTakes3each SAFE's amount, cap and discountpre-money or post-moneythe priced round and pool targetReturns3priced shares per SAFEfounder ownership after conversioncumulative dilution from the stack/ 04Liquidation Preference CalculatorTakes2preference type, multiple and seniorityan exit priceReturns3the payout to founders and commonthe payout to each preferred classthe price where preferences start eating common
The Raise or Die Letter
9What we see in the market before it prices in.
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I moved apartments while watching the market.
The Future Is Here. The Capital Knows It. You're Not Ready.
Why Your Fundraising Desperation Is Killing Your Rounds
Fundraising isn’t broken. But most advice is.
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