For a first-time founder, venture capital can feel like a mysterious and exclusive club, complete with its own jargon, unwritten rules, and a network of gatekeepers. The idea of raising your first institutional round of funding—your "seed" round—is both an exciting milestone and a daunting challenge. It’s the moment your startup transitions from being a personal project or passion to becoming a high-growth enterprise with external stakeholders and heightened expectations. Done correctly, this process can set you on the path to building a category-defining company, positioning you for exponential growth and long-term success. But done poorly, it can lead to significant frustrations, mismatched partnerships, or even the premature failure of a promising idea. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.