Tran VC Content Team

Seed investors take big risks. They back companies before there’s a market, a team, or sometimes even a product. So what gives them confidence to write that first check? It’s not just traction. It’s not just vision. It’s conviction. And one of the clearest ways to create conviction—especially in deep tech, AI, and robotics—is having

By the time most founders sit down to pitch, the decision is halfway made. Investors don’t say yes just because of what happens in the meeting—they say yes because of what happened before it. How you show up online. What they hear about you from someone they trust. What you’ve shared, built, protected, and made

Why First-Time Founders Get Dismissed—And How to Fix It It’s not about lack of experience—it’s about lack of signal Investors don’t pass on first-time founders just because they’re new. They pass when there aren’t enough signals that you can figure things out. They’re not looking for a perfect resume. They’re looking for proof that you

Before the term sheet, before the pitch deck, before the money—there’s a story. It’s the story that gets you the meeting. The one that keeps the investor listening. The one that makes them believe, not just in the product, but in you. Early-stage startups don’t win because the numbers are perfect. They win because the

Every founder faces this moment. You’ve got a big idea. Maybe a working prototype. But no users yet. No revenue. No traction slides to show off. And still—you need people to believe in you. Investors. Advisors. First hires. Early customers. So how do you do it? This guide is about that exact moment. When your

Most early investor meetings end in silence. Not because your idea was bad. Not because they didn’t like you. But because something didn’t click—and you never found out what. Here’s the part founders often miss: the first meeting is rarely about closing a deal. It’s about starting a conversation. And feedback—even the vague kind—is your

Founders often spend all their time trying to impress investors. But just as important—maybe more—is what turns them off. Investors don’t always say what made them pass. Sometimes, they just go quiet. Other times, they’ll tell you it’s “too early” or “not a fit,” but that’s usually not the full story. What they’re really reacting

Most early-stage founders don’t have a PR team. They don’t have paid ads. And they definitely don’t have time to “build a personal brand.” But here’s what they do have: a product in motion, a story worth sharing, and access to two of the most powerful investor channels out there—LinkedIn and Twitter. If you’re trying

You’ve built something new. Maybe it’s just a rough prototype. Maybe it’s still an idea on paper. Either way, you’re trying to get someone to believe in it enough to write a check. But here’s the part most founders miss—investors don’t say yes because of what you think is impressive. They say yes when they