Founders can spend weeks preparing for a pitch only to be caught out by the questions an investor asks. That's often because what a founder assumes an investor wants, and what an investor is actually looking for, can be two very different things. Techscaler designed the Raise to help founders address that gap directly.
This summer, Techscaler piloted Raise, an intensive support programme for early-stage founders with ambitious growth plans preparing to raise capital.
Over three core workshops, twelve founders worked through the practical building blocks of a raise, from growth and funding strategy to pitch practice with real investors. The sessions were backed by ongoing support from CodeBase's Entrepreneurs in Residence, along with structured pitch coaching and peer practice throughout the pilot.
The programme:
Workshop 1: Growth Strategy, with Rosie Hoggmascall
Founders learned how to align their investment strategy with their growth strategy, defining what successful growth looks like for their business and how to track it.
Workshop 2: Funding Strategy, with Daisy Ford-Downes
This session mapped out the route to achieving each founder's startup vision by aligning it with what they need to raise capital. Founders left with a clearer understanding of how to prepare for and attract early-stage investment, while structuring their operations to support long-term growth.
Workshop 3: Investor Panel and Pitch Practice
Founders heard directly from investors and from other founders who have raised VC funding, along with their advice on all things investment-related. The session closed with one-to-one feedback on decks and pitches, giving founders a clear read on the strengths of their opportunity and, more importantly, the gaps that still needed to be addressed. As Sanju Ale from Aether put it:
“The Rob Gelb session on Signals was really useful. Good to hear directly from an investor what they are actually looking for at this stage, and the group format meant you got to hear how others in the cohort were thinking about the same questions.”
Programme outcomes:
The programme delivered strong founder engagement outcomes across the cohort:
- 100% of founders built out, refined or sharpened their master pitch decks.
- 100% of the cohort said the programme helped them validate their investment ask.
- Every founder in the cohort received tailored and specific feedback from mentors and Entrepreneurs in Residence.
For Adam El from Swellbase, the impact went beyond the pitch deck. Since taking part in Raise, Swellbase has secured its first committed investment, onboarded four more customers and published three customer case studies, turning programme learnings into concrete fundraising milestones.
Value for Scottish founders:
To raise early-stage capital, founders need to see their business through an investor’s eyes and that’s what Raise delivered. By connecting founders from Scotland directly with active investors and experienced ecosystem operators, the programme took the guesswork out of fundraising. Cohort members got unfiltered feedback to stress-test their pitches and enter meetings with genuine confidence.
Here is how cohort members reflected on the experience:
"I feel much more confident on our direction of growth and how to approach a raise for investment, namely in the preparation of pitch decks, types of questions investors will ask and having a clear vision of what we need from investors to achieve our goals." - Dr Ffion Hargood, Husu
What’s next:
Building momentum doesn't stop with fundraising strategy. For founders ready to scale their growth or expand into new markets, Techscaler provides the opportunities to make it happen.
Applications are now open for our Autumn 26 Catalyst Accelerator and Singapore International Programme. Apply now!
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