About
Fundraising help from people who have had to raise.
YourFirstRaise is run by founders who have raised their own rounds and advised 50+ first-time founders through EarlyVentures, our early-stage launchpad. We have watched the same mistakes cost founders real investor attention: unclear story, weak proof, wrong targets, shaky calls, and messy follow-up.
We built the service we wanted at the start: plain-spoken help with the plan, deck, outreach, calls, and follow-up.
How we work
We work with a small number of founders at a time. You work with us, not a junior analyst filling a template. We write every deck from scratch and research every outreach campaign before a message goes out.
The first call is always free: 30 minutes, no pitch. If we can help, we'll show you where to start. If raising now would waste your investor list, we'll say that too.
What we believe about fundraising
Most first-time founders overcomplicate the deck and underprepare for the conversation. The deck can earn the first call, but the real pitch happens in the room. We help you prepare for both.
You should raise when the company is ready, not when a calendar says it is. A premature raise can hurt more than waiting, and we'll tell you if that is where you are.
Who runs it
Yoann Defay · Founder
I left École Centrale at 22 to start my first company. Over the last 10 years, I have built 25+ projects across affiliate, media buying, SaaS, fintech, Web3, and AI. I have raised my own rounds and ran EarlyVentures, an early-stage launchpad where I advised 50+ first-time founders through their first raise.
I have pitched investors, reviewed founders, and seen how quickly a weak story can waste a strong company. YourFirstRaise exists to fix that before you send the deck.
Let's talk about your raise.
30 minutes, free, no deck required. We'll tell you what is missing and whether we can help.