Video summary

I'm a VC, here's how to get your idea funded in 2026

Main summary

Key takeaways

Business

Business/VC fundamentals: what VCs are actually optimizing for

  • VC incentives: VCs manage capital from LPs (pensions, endowments, governments). Since LPs can earn ~8% in the S&P 500, VCs must beat the market to keep LPs funding future funds.
  • Bottom-line VC goal: “Make lots of money,” typically defined as a billion-dollar-or-more outcome (i.e., very large returns).
  • Implication for founders: You’re not just “selling your product,” or even just “selling your team.” You’re selling:
    • the opportunity for massive VC returns, and
    • your organization’s ability to win and scale toward acquisition-level outcomes.

The “3 things” VCs need to see (minimum investment thesis)

  1. Massive upside (TAM)

    • VC speak: TAM (Total Adjustable Market) via bottoms-up math:
      • # of customers × annual price
    • Threshold: VCs need TAM > $2B (described as a pass/fail gate).
    • If below: either expand markets or expand product functionality to reach the threshold.

  2. Founder-market fit

    • Why you can achieve the multi-billion outcome:
      • conviction, background, and unique understanding
    • Term used: founder-market fit

  3. Evidence you’re on the path

    • Not “pitching features,” but demonstrating:
      • you can build/execute in competitive markets
      • your solution and traction are proof of execution capability

Fundraising framing tactics (process playbooks that drive outcomes)

A) Don’t pitch “people who can only say no” (associate vs partner)

  • Associates = not decision makers (described as “interns” at the firm).
  • Problem: some associates are effectively required to take meetings even if they won’t invest.
  • Rule: avoid wasting time pitching someone whose job function is only to screen and say no.

Tactical script: push for partner meeting

  1. After the associate intro, the founder identifies the relevant General Partner (GP) on the firm website.
  2. Request: “Let’s all meet this week” with the associate + the right GP.
  3. If the associate says the GP is busy: stick to guns and insist on timing that includes the GP.
  4. If they force associate-only: hold a boundary—meet when the GP is available (don’t cave).

Anchor statistic (speaker’s claim)

  • The speaker claims meetings with associates alone never resulted in any venture funding (“not one single time”).

B) First 2 minutes of the partner meeting: invert the usual flow

  • Typical partner default: expects founder will pitch → partner tunes out / thinks about lunch → often ends with polite “keep in touch” (i.e., rejection).
  • Counter-frame (speaker’s recommendation):
    • Make the VC talk first:
      • ask for background on the investor
      • their firm, investment themes, and where they personally lean in
    • Then share a bit about you and your company.
    • Explicitly avoid asking for money immediately; frame it as dual evaluation:
      • you vet them too.

C) Use the deck as a reference, not a read-through

  • Claim: VCs don’t use your pitch deck to decide investment; the deck may instead determine:
    • whether they pass on your deal, or even
    • whether they pass on the meeting.
  • Do:
    • have a conversation, not a slide-by-slide walkthrough
    • use slides only when they clarify a point
  • Build deck “quality” by adding content that addresses objections over time:
    • described as growing an appendix to overcome objections

Macro-risk add-on (2026/AI era): build a “moat future” narrative

Failure anecdote (2020, Series B attempt)

  • European auto sales fell 90% right after COVID-era changes.
  • Investors said investing in software to dealerships made the team look like “idiots.”
  • Rescue path: board support led to additional funding (speaker says board added another $2M, then raised total $4M more) until growth/metrics became undeniable.

Key guidance for current fundraising (AI disruption risk)

  • You must include a section on future moats and how you won’t get disrupted by AI innovation.
  • VCs need “talking points” to defend the thesis to their internal team/LPs.
  • Message: if VCs can’t convincingly explain survivability, the deal is too risky.

Fundraising execution framework: run it like a full-time operating system

“Play the game” weekly funnel model (4-week kickoff + ongoing cadence)

4 weeks before starting: build connections and materials

  • warm intros to VCs
  • refine story and deck
  • build an evidence catalog + research

Week 1

  • meet 10–20 “tier three” firms (small funds/angels)
  • goal: expose blind spots; collect feedback on gaps/skepticism

Week 2

  • meet 10–20 more + add some tier two
  • goal: check whether improvements reduced objections
  • by end of Week 2: have met 20–40 firms total

Week 3

  • add tier one while continuing 10–20 more
  • use momentum/feedback to accelerate partner decisions

Week 4 onward

  • continue weekly 10–20 meetings
  • repeat the feedback loop into story/pitch
  • continuously hustle intros to keep the next week’s pipeline filled

Operational requirement (strong emphasis)

  • Fundraising is a full-time job.
  • Speaker recommends the founder “disappears” for 2–3 months so the team can run product/ops decisions, while the founder focuses on fundraising—because bankruptcy risk is existential.

Kill the “maybe” stage: force commitment to the actual decision timeline

  • Speaker claims many VC meetings generate “This sounds amazing” but then stall.
  • Counter-method:
    • after the meeting, ask the partner to map the exact investment process and decision cadence (e.g., partner meetings weekly)
    • repeat back the process and lock expectations:
      • “Should I expect to hear Monday or Tuesday?”
    • if they don’t respond, follow up using the agreed timeline
    • if they drift back into “maybe,” push to:
      • decide in or out (because you’re meeting other firms and need allocation clarity)

Objective KPI (implicit)

  • eliminate limbo so pipeline steps convert into binary outcomes.

Key metrics / thresholds explicitly mentioned

  • VC outcome expectation: “billion dollars or more”
  • TAM gate: >$2B (pass/fail)
  • Deal-making pace / stage mechanics: meetings → reference checks → partner meetings (example given: partner meetings often Monday)
  • Macro-case metric: European auto sales down 90% during COVID-era disruption
  • Funding amounts cited in the speaker’s example:
    • board support: +$2M
    • total additional funding: $4M
  • Weekly fundraising targets:
    • 10–20 meetings/week
    • 20–40 firms by end of week 2

Concrete recommendations / scripts (actionable)

  • Partner-first routing script (associate meeting avoidance)

    • identify the right GP
    • request a meeting including the GP
    • if the GP is unavailable: insist on rescheduling rather than accepting associate-only

  • First 2 minutes script (partner meeting opener)

    • ask the VC to explain their background and firm focus, how they add value—then share your story

  • Deck usage rule

    • don’t “walk through” slides; use the deck as an occasional reference

  • Moat section requirement

    • explicitly argue future defensibility against AI disruption with data and talking points

  • Decision timeline lock

    • ask for the process and expected follow-up day(s); hold them to it to eliminate “maybes”

Presenters / sources

  • Presenter: McKay (described as a VC and operator of venture studio L7 V)
  • External references (mentioned, not as presenters): Tribe Capital, 8VC, Battery Ventures
  • AI disruption examples referenced: Anthropic, OpenAI

Original video